Chain Restuarants - Page 2 - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

FMCoug · 07-30-2007, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

I like Bucca di Beppo. For a chain, the food it pretty good and you're right, it blows away Olive Garden.

Doesn't just about anything blow away Olive Garden? I can't think of a worse Italian chain restaurant. I'm not Italian food snob ... but Olive Garden is NASTY.

For Italian I like Macaroni Grill, Johnny Carino's, Carabba's.

Surfah · 07-31-2007, 12:03 AM

P.F. Chang's is so overrated. But then again my last name is Chong.

RockyBalboa · 07-31-2007, 12:50 AM

I like Chipotle, Ruths Chris, PF Changs....and I know I'm a plebian,,,but I can dig on the Olive Garden all you can eat Soup, Salad n Breadsticks any day.

Rainforest Cafe is by far the worst chain restaurant I've ever ate at. Terrible food and service all around.

For you Utahns....there's a new Italian Restaurant in Riverton that is VERY good. It's called Mark Anthony's...just off of 13400 South I believe. I really liked it.

Indy Coug · 07-31-2007, 12:53 AM

Do yourselves a favor and try Baja Fresh.

Jeff Lebowski · 07-31-2007, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfah33

P.F. Chang's is so overrated. But then again my last name is Chong.

Fair enough. But please tell me a chain restaurant that serves better Chinese food.

FMCoug · 07-31-2007, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Fair enough. But please tell me a chain restaurant that serves better Chinese food.

I agree with Surfah. But I also think that in general, chain Chinese sucks. Not sure why, but it seems to be the one cuisine that you pretty much have to find a local family owned place to get good stuff.

Near my work, there is a family owned lunch-only type place and a Pei Wei almost right next door. The family owned one is MUCH better.

Jeff Lebowski · 07-31-2007, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FMCoug

I agree with Surfah. But I also think that in general, chain Chinese sucks. Not sure why, but it seems to be the one cuisine that you pretty much have to find a local family owned place to get good stuff.

Near my work, there is a family owned lunch-only type place and a Pei Wei almost right next door. The family owned one is MUCH better.

Never been to a Pei Wei.

I can assure you that local, family-owned chinese can be every bit as bad or worse than any chain. The worst Chinese food I ever had was at a local, family-owned restaurant in St. George. It was a pile of zucchini with some tough chicken chunks, water chestnuts, canned bamboo shoots, and La Choy soy sauce. I get a gag reflex just thinking about it.

FMCoug · 07-31-2007, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Never been to a Pei Wei.

I can assure you that local, family-owned chinese can be every bit as bad or worse than any chain. The worst Chinese food I ever had was at a local, family-owned restaurant in St. George. It was a pile of zucchini with some tough chicken chunks, water chestnuts, canned bamboo shoots, and La Choy soy sauce. I get a gag reflex just thinking about it.

Pei Wei is the little brother / lunch version of P.F. Chang's.

I certainly didn't mean to imply that ALL family-owned joints were better. Just that I've never found a chain Chinese that was any good.

Surfah · 07-31-2007, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Fair enough. But please tell me a chain restaurant that serves better Chinese food.

Are there any other chains? I can't even think of one unless you consider something like Panda Express, but that's more fast food to me.

I like PF Chang's just as much as the next guy, but when people suggest going out for Chinese, I don't think of PF Chang's. I think they do a great Chinese inspired cuisine.

I am not a picky eater. I can find something I like on most menus.

Jeff Lebowski · 07-31-2007, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfah33

Are there any other chains? I can't even think of one unless you consider something like Panda Express, but that's more fast food to me.

I like PF Chang's just as much as the next guy, but when people suggest going out for Chinese, I don't think of PF Chang's. I think they do a great Chinese inspired cuisine.

I am not a picky eater. I can find something I like on most menus.

Outside of Panda Express and P.F. Chang's, I can't think of a big chinese restaurant chain. But I would consider Panda Express to be fast food, so it doesn't count.

But you aren't playing the game. Give me your list of best and worst chains.

07-31-2007, 12:03 AM	#12
Surfah Master Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: F'burg, VA Posts: 3,211	P.F. Chang's is so overrated. But then again my last name is Chong. __________________ Ernie Johnson: "Auburn is a pretty good school. To graduate from there I suppose you really need to work hard and put forth maximum effort." Charles Barkley: "20 pts and 10 rebounds will get you through also!"

07-31-2007, 12:50 AM	#13
RockyBalboa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 7,297	I like Chipotle, Ruths Chris, PF Changs....and I know I'm a plebian,,,but I can dig on the Olive Garden all you can eat Soup, Salad n Breadsticks any day. Rainforest Cafe is by far the worst chain restaurant I've ever ate at. Terrible food and service all around. For you Utahns....there's a new Italian Restaurant in Riverton that is VERY good. It's called Mark Anthony's...just off of 13400 South I believe. I really liked it. __________________ Masquerading as Cougarguards very own genius dumbass since 05'.

07-31-2007, 12:53 AM	#14
Indy Coug Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Between Iraq and a hard place Posts: 7,569	Do yourselves a favor and try Baja Fresh.