This isn't what I think of when I hear the term "Slow Food"
Another reason why I detest chain restaurants.
This will come as no surprise to anyone, but it turns out that a lot of the meals served up at the big sit-down chains (as opposed to fast food) are way worse for you than fast food. My gripe with the article though is the use of the term "slow food."
I don't think the promoters of the slow food movement really had TGI Fridays and Applebees in mind when they started promoting the lifestyle.
Speaking of chains, I ate at one for the first time in quite awhile on Friday night. I drove up to Bangor after work and arrived early enough to go out to dinner with my parents. "Where do you want to eat?" they asked, and as I had no preference, especially since I knew they'd be treating, I said I'd go wherever they wanted, which I kind of knew would be a big box chain. It ended up being Bugaboo Creek.
Not having eaten at one in awhile, I was pretty shocked at how expensive everything was. I had assumed that part of the allure of the chains was that you got large portions for less money than a real restaurant, but this only seems to partially be the case. The cheapest full meal (it makes me cringe to use the word entrée to mean "main course") was $18. The majority were in the low to mid 20s, which is on par with any decent real restaurant, even on the Portland peninsula. I've spent less at Vignola!
As for the drink list? As expected, a disaster. I ordered the 12oz Prime Rib, which came with well made "smashed" potatoes and an intensely salty "au jus" which wouldn't surprise me to learn had been made of bouillon cubes and water. All I tasted was salt. My point though was that in spite of me ordering a dish that begs for a good red, I saw nothing on the list except for very mass-produced and typically thin bodied red wines. You know, the stuff that's made in such quantities you can buy it at the gas station for $8.99.
The beer list was equally bad, so I ended up ordering an unsweetened iced tea, which is my standby when I find myself at a restaurant devoid of a single wine or beer that I'd enjoy.
My mother got the same thing, and did actually complain a bit while eating it that about 5 of the 12 ounces were pure beef fat (mine was the same). I don't mind a fatty rind on my prime rib, or some marbling, but over a third of the entire portion? That's a bit much.
My dad ordered one of those combo things that the article I linked spoke about. To be fair, he didn't finish it until lunch the next day.
Why do people go to these places? If I'd had that experience at a local independently owned restaurant I'd certainly never go back again. But this place has a line out the door every Friday and Saturday night, even at 8pm when we arrived! Seriously, what's the deal?
It's truly sad that big box chains are overtaking Bangor, and the handful of truly good real restaurants are struggling. Most of the old ones are gone: The Lion, Pilot's Grill, Seguinos...only Thistles remains among the older list. Cafe Nouveau is struggling/closed last I heard, I've heard rumors about Massimos Cucina Italiana as well. This is a shame, as they're 10x better and really don't even cost much, if anything, more.
On that note, I'm really looking forward to dinner in Montreal on Friday. Martha and I have a reservation at La Colombe for 6pm. It's strictly BYO, and the only menu options are two tiers of Table d'Hote. Most reviews have advised bringing a full-bodied red, so I'm bringing my last bottle of 2001 Justin Isosceles. To accompany dessert, I'm also bringing a 187 of 2006 Jackson Triggs Vidal Ice Wine. Once we're finished we'll join up with the rest of the crew, probably at Dieu du Ciel and drink beer well into the morning :)
This will come as no surprise to anyone, but it turns out that a lot of the meals served up at the big sit-down chains (as opposed to fast food) are way worse for you than fast food. My gripe with the article though is the use of the term "slow food."
I don't think the promoters of the slow food movement really had TGI Fridays and Applebees in mind when they started promoting the lifestyle.
Speaking of chains, I ate at one for the first time in quite awhile on Friday night. I drove up to Bangor after work and arrived early enough to go out to dinner with my parents. "Where do you want to eat?" they asked, and as I had no preference, especially since I knew they'd be treating, I said I'd go wherever they wanted, which I kind of knew would be a big box chain. It ended up being Bugaboo Creek.
Not having eaten at one in awhile, I was pretty shocked at how expensive everything was. I had assumed that part of the allure of the chains was that you got large portions for less money than a real restaurant, but this only seems to partially be the case. The cheapest full meal (it makes me cringe to use the word entrée to mean "main course") was $18. The majority were in the low to mid 20s, which is on par with any decent real restaurant, even on the Portland peninsula. I've spent less at Vignola!
As for the drink list? As expected, a disaster. I ordered the 12oz Prime Rib, which came with well made "smashed" potatoes and an intensely salty "au jus" which wouldn't surprise me to learn had been made of bouillon cubes and water. All I tasted was salt. My point though was that in spite of me ordering a dish that begs for a good red, I saw nothing on the list except for very mass-produced and typically thin bodied red wines. You know, the stuff that's made in such quantities you can buy it at the gas station for $8.99.
The beer list was equally bad, so I ended up ordering an unsweetened iced tea, which is my standby when I find myself at a restaurant devoid of a single wine or beer that I'd enjoy.
My mother got the same thing, and did actually complain a bit while eating it that about 5 of the 12 ounces were pure beef fat (mine was the same). I don't mind a fatty rind on my prime rib, or some marbling, but over a third of the entire portion? That's a bit much.
My dad ordered one of those combo things that the article I linked spoke about. To be fair, he didn't finish it until lunch the next day.
Why do people go to these places? If I'd had that experience at a local independently owned restaurant I'd certainly never go back again. But this place has a line out the door every Friday and Saturday night, even at 8pm when we arrived! Seriously, what's the deal?
It's truly sad that big box chains are overtaking Bangor, and the handful of truly good real restaurants are struggling. Most of the old ones are gone: The Lion, Pilot's Grill, Seguinos...only Thistles remains among the older list. Cafe Nouveau is struggling/closed last I heard, I've heard rumors about Massimos Cucina Italiana as well. This is a shame, as they're 10x better and really don't even cost much, if anything, more.
On that note, I'm really looking forward to dinner in Montreal on Friday. Martha and I have a reservation at La Colombe for 6pm. It's strictly BYO, and the only menu options are two tiers of Table d'Hote. Most reviews have advised bringing a full-bodied red, so I'm bringing my last bottle of 2001 Justin Isosceles. To accompany dessert, I'm also bringing a 187 of 2006 Jackson Triggs Vidal Ice Wine. Once we're finished we'll join up with the rest of the crew, probably at Dieu du Ciel and drink beer well into the morning :)