Ever go south on I95 and see signs for South of the Border starting in Philadelphia? (I can't believe they don't have their own website, by the way.) I think everyone would agree it's a tourist trap filled with expensive junk, yet something loads of people feel compelled to experience for themselves, at least once in their lives. I now put Johnny Rockets in the same category.
My mom and I took my little gals to Johnny Rockets for lunch the other day. It's located at Broadway at the Beach, which is always a risk in July. Thankfully it was an overcast day and crowds were at a minimum. Plus, it was early, so we got right in.
The very cool thing about Johnny Rockets is the environment. We love 50's tunes. We love the dances that go along with them! The music and waitstaff alone is greatly entertaining. But then I looked at the menu...
I'm going to cut to the chase here. My hamburger was $7.50. It was a Smokehouse Single. On it were two slices of bacon, some cheese, an onion ring and BBQ sauce. It was overcooked, but still fairly good. No fries were included. We bought a basket of the to share. Cheese fries were $5.50, I believe. Drinks were $2.50
The cheese fries were dreadful. They were dry, unseasoned (including salt) and had a waxy slab of melted cheddar cheese on them. I had envisioned something in a melty Cheese Whiz.
While the entertainment was good and I enjoyed the fun atmosphere, I felt gouged. All over the menu there were indicators that they were offering 10% off menu price. When I asked about a local's discount, I was told they did have one - 10%. Ummmm...isn't that what I get even if I don't live locally?
It will be a long long long time before I return to Johnny Rockets. It will be equally long before I return to South of the Border. Sorry tourists, just bein' honest.
Showing posts with label restaurant review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restaurant review. Show all posts
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Myrtle Beach Restaurant Review - Giovanni's
If anyone has read my blog in the past, you'll know I loved Stefano's on Oak Heart Rd. near Piggly Wiggly in Carolina Forest. Loved it. I've learned that they still have their Florence, SC location open and one of these days I may just make the drive. In the meantime, though, Giovanni's has opened in Stefano's old location and, well, I'm pleased!
We ordered a simple cheese pizza from there the past week for pick-up. The service was quick and I barely made it back to the house with the pizza in tact. It smelled ridiculously good!
The crust was crunchy on the bottom and ends, but the dough was pillowy and soft on top of it. It was airy, much like foccacia bread. The best part was the sauce. I don't know what the deal is, but many pizza places, the biggest offenders being franchises, have super sweet marinara sauce. Papa John's, in my opinion, is the worst example. Giovanni's sauce is perfect! I taste rich tomatoes and their acid, salt and a sweet spice, perhaps basil, but no big amount of sugar. Thank you! We got a large cheese pizza and Caesar salad. The total was just over $19. I'd say that's a tad expensive, but when pizza has me wanting to tear into it on the way home, it's worth it.
After hearing me rave about our meal, my mom wanted to go into the restaurant for dinner tonight. Better for you because now I can comment on ambiance too!
When we arrived at 6:00 PM on this Saturday night, we were seated immediately. There were only a few tables full of patrons. Behind us was a lovely gentleman playing the accordion. The music was loud enough to be enjoyed, but not overbearing. He was only feet away from us and we didn't have to speak to each other loudly over the music.
When we arrived, I'll guess the average age of the customer at about 67. To my surprise, the interior and place settings were a bit more upscale than I expected. I felt the need to keep my girls on the quiet side. When one of the grumped out on me, I immediately felt obligated to pull out the big gun "We will leave RIGHT NOW if you can't act like a lady." threat. Thankfully everyone complied and we were able to enjoy our meal.
Our waiter was very nice and eager to please. After placing our orders, he brought out delicious, crusty, hot bread and oil with spices for dunking. I could have eaten the loaf! It had that same crunchy crust with soft dough on the inside as the pizza. Yum!
Our first course was salads. They were basic with lettuce, tomato, onion and cucumbers. My ranch dressing was good. Mom's bleu cheese dressing was bland and needed salt, but that led me to believe they were both homemade.
For dinner I ordered a simple classic, just to test out the fundamentals - lasagna. When it was delivered, I was immediately telling my husband and mom that I'm thinking the sheets of pasta were homemade and fresh. My portion was very large and I came home with half of it. It was smothered in that same, heavenly marinara sauce, only this time it had meat in it. The quantity of mozzarella and ricotta cheeses was perfect. Not too much, not too little. I won't lie, I'm craving tomorrow's lunch already!
I was interrupted mid-lasagna by my girls to use the bathroom. I can pleasantly report they were clean and warm. The restaurant is kept a bit chilly, so it was a nice change.
Upon returning, we decided to have cake and coffee. I decided on a Kahlua cake. Our waiter only described the dessert choices to us, rather than reading about them on a menu. I wish I had asked questions because I anticipated a chocolate cake, soaked in Kahlua or with Kahlua cream inside. Instead, I believe it was a ricotta cheese cake with Kahlua sauce. Don't get me wrong. It was very good, not overly sweet and light. I just had something else in my mind.
The end bill for three salads, three adult entrees, a small cheese pizza (10 inches), child's pasta. two cups of coffee, one lemonade and two pieces of cake was $84.00. I'd say that was a bit pricier than we'd normally spend, but the quality of the food was excellent. I'll gladly pay it again and again!
If you go to Giovanni's, bring a sweater and a big appetite. Our only issue was the temperature and a glass of wine that was ordered, never delivered and appeared on the bill. That was very easily corrected, though. And to be fair, I never reminded our waiter that the wine had never came. I only half-heartedly ordered it.
We ordered a simple cheese pizza from there the past week for pick-up. The service was quick and I barely made it back to the house with the pizza in tact. It smelled ridiculously good!
The crust was crunchy on the bottom and ends, but the dough was pillowy and soft on top of it. It was airy, much like foccacia bread. The best part was the sauce. I don't know what the deal is, but many pizza places, the biggest offenders being franchises, have super sweet marinara sauce. Papa John's, in my opinion, is the worst example. Giovanni's sauce is perfect! I taste rich tomatoes and their acid, salt and a sweet spice, perhaps basil, but no big amount of sugar. Thank you! We got a large cheese pizza and Caesar salad. The total was just over $19. I'd say that's a tad expensive, but when pizza has me wanting to tear into it on the way home, it's worth it.
After hearing me rave about our meal, my mom wanted to go into the restaurant for dinner tonight. Better for you because now I can comment on ambiance too!
When we arrived at 6:00 PM on this Saturday night, we were seated immediately. There were only a few tables full of patrons. Behind us was a lovely gentleman playing the accordion. The music was loud enough to be enjoyed, but not overbearing. He was only feet away from us and we didn't have to speak to each other loudly over the music.
When we arrived, I'll guess the average age of the customer at about 67. To my surprise, the interior and place settings were a bit more upscale than I expected. I felt the need to keep my girls on the quiet side. When one of the grumped out on me, I immediately felt obligated to pull out the big gun "We will leave RIGHT NOW if you can't act like a lady." threat. Thankfully everyone complied and we were able to enjoy our meal.
Our waiter was very nice and eager to please. After placing our orders, he brought out delicious, crusty, hot bread and oil with spices for dunking. I could have eaten the loaf! It had that same crunchy crust with soft dough on the inside as the pizza. Yum!
Our first course was salads. They were basic with lettuce, tomato, onion and cucumbers. My ranch dressing was good. Mom's bleu cheese dressing was bland and needed salt, but that led me to believe they were both homemade.
For dinner I ordered a simple classic, just to test out the fundamentals - lasagna. When it was delivered, I was immediately telling my husband and mom that I'm thinking the sheets of pasta were homemade and fresh. My portion was very large and I came home with half of it. It was smothered in that same, heavenly marinara sauce, only this time it had meat in it. The quantity of mozzarella and ricotta cheeses was perfect. Not too much, not too little. I won't lie, I'm craving tomorrow's lunch already!
I was interrupted mid-lasagna by my girls to use the bathroom. I can pleasantly report they were clean and warm. The restaurant is kept a bit chilly, so it was a nice change.
Upon returning, we decided to have cake and coffee. I decided on a Kahlua cake. Our waiter only described the dessert choices to us, rather than reading about them on a menu. I wish I had asked questions because I anticipated a chocolate cake, soaked in Kahlua or with Kahlua cream inside. Instead, I believe it was a ricotta cheese cake with Kahlua sauce. Don't get me wrong. It was very good, not overly sweet and light. I just had something else in my mind.
The end bill for three salads, three adult entrees, a small cheese pizza (10 inches), child's pasta. two cups of coffee, one lemonade and two pieces of cake was $84.00. I'd say that was a bit pricier than we'd normally spend, but the quality of the food was excellent. I'll gladly pay it again and again!
If you go to Giovanni's, bring a sweater and a big appetite. Our only issue was the temperature and a glass of wine that was ordered, never delivered and appeared on the bill. That was very easily corrected, though. And to be fair, I never reminded our waiter that the wine had never came. I only half-heartedly ordered it.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Myrtle Beach Restaurant Review - City Bar
Hubby and I had the pleasure of going out to dinner sans our beautiful, yet sometimes annoying, cherubs. We've both been pretty high-strung over the past few weeks and were really craving a nice, quiet and divine eating experience. Hubs had been to City Bar in Myrtle Beach once before with a few co-workers for drinks and suggested it. I took a look at their menu and was game.
Before we start talking about the atmosphere and food, I have to give a quick shout-out to an online reservation system that I've used before in other cities but didn't realize it had any Myrtle Beach clients. OpenTable.com allows you to search out restaurants in your area by zip code, cuisine, etc and make a reservation without having to pick up the phone and talk to anyone. I'm lazy and I admit that. I hate calling restaurants to make a ressie. I don't think about it until, what I believe to be, their busiest time of the evening. I know, I know...they'll pick up the phone all the same and help me with my arrangements. I just don't enjoy doing it. So how lovely is OpenTable and their system of allowing me to browse which eateries in my area have openings at my desired time and making a reservation without much effort? They even have some system of accruing points for free dining certificates, though I haven't thoroughly figured that out yet.When we arrived at 7:00 PM, we had our reservation, but didn't need it. As the name implies, there is an actual bar at the front of the establishment and a dining room behind it. What immediately struck me was how cozy and intimate the atmosphere was. Hubs and I were seated in a small booth, just for two. The lighting was warm, but minimal. Our seating felt very private and during our entire meal, I saw, but didn't hear other patrons. The music was louder and more upbeat than what I had in mind, but it added to the feeling of being in a slightly funky, yet not intimidating, place. It had a casual but upscale place. We really enjoyed the ambiance, and trust me when I say I'm critical.
We were seated immediately and placed drink orders. While I had a cocktail, their wine list was lengthy and nice. I only glanced so I couldn't tell you if they had anything truly special, but I did see a few choices that would have pleased me quite nicely. Hubby ordered a beer that was on the list, but ended up not being in stock. Our waiter said it was back ordered (who knew there was back ordering for beer!?) and he chose another selection.
We spent some time browsing the menu, trying to decide if we wanted a few small plates or single entrees. Truth be told, there were only a handful of options I would not choose and many that I would. I left it up to the man, but secretly hoped he would choose small plates. I'm a sucker for variety for I'm always the gal that makes everyone else at the table order first because I can't decide.
We ended up going with three small options - Chicken Roulade, Blackened Beef Tenderloin and a Santa Monica Crab Cake. The chicken was delicious. I had to italicize that because I wanted to lick the plate clean of the sauce once we ate the dish. The cheese blend within it was perfection. The gouda had just a bit of smokiness. The sauce had just a hint of spice. It was so good!
The blackened beef was so delish. Again, I could have eaten an entire plateful of it. We ordered it rare and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It sat atop some lovely pickled veggies...carrots, cabbage and onions, I believe. In fact, the vegetables almost had a gingery pickled taste. I may be picking up on the wrong flavor because it was subtle, but so good.
The crab cake wasn't my favorite but that may have been because there was little sauce with it. I'm a fan of a hollandaise or other creamy accompaniment. Though to it's favor, the cake was very meaty and of generous size. The flavor was nice. I was just missing a sauce.
Believe it or not, I've never eaten from a small plate menu so I wasn't sure how the portion size would be. We went with three choices because we couldn't narrow the list of things we wanted to try down more. And I'll definitely say that this was the perfect amount of food - especially for someone who wants dessert! The chicken roulade plate, for example, appeared to be one breast's worth of meat. The crab cake was just a smidge smaller than the size of a CD, but quite thick. I liken the portions something along the lines of a tasting menu size.
For dessert we had both the Creme Brulee and White Chocolate Bread Pudding. I had just a bite of the creme brulee and it was quite good and served with a chocolate topped biscuit. My white chocolate pudding was also very good, though I wish it had been served just a bit warmer and with more white chocolate flavor. It was mild. Though even with these slight criticisms, it was very good.
Now for one of the best parts...the service. Our waiter, I wish I could remember his name, was very attentive without being intrusive. I could see where he generally stood, keeping an eye on us. As soon as I put my glass down after having the last sip of my Cosmo, he immediately walked over to ask if I'd like another. I was impressed and pleased. The restaurant wasn't busy at the time, so he wasn't forced to table hop, but his attention to detail was really appreciated.
With three small plates, two beers, two cocktails and two desserts, our bill came to $80. A generous tip took us up a bit more, but it was worth it. There is no kids' menu and I would definitely not bring our girls here. I don't know if there is an official "adults only" policy, but nothing about City Bar says "family atmosphere" to me...which is exactly what we were looking for last night. I can remember once going to the Melting Pot listening to a toddler scream the entire meal. But I digress...
To wrap up, our night out was really nice. City Bar and OpenTable.com both receive a huge momorable mention. I'd recommend them to my friends and family without hesitation. I can't wait to return to City Bar. For a quiet and intimate evening with refined, yet casual, food this is the place to go.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Myrtle Beach Resturant Review - Olive Garden (it's getting sad)
I can remember, about 15 years ago, going to Disney World with my family and discovering the wonder of Olive Garden. The pasta, the salad, the bread...yummy, yummy, yummy. Until a few years ago, it was the setting for a wonderful meal, every single time! But then, it changed. And I can't explain what, exactly, what's different but now it's pretty undesirable, despite there always being an hour wait to be seated during the tourist season here in the good old Grand Strand.
A week, or so, ago, we got a $6 off two entrees coupon and this swayed me to give it another try. It was the first one in a few years.
When we arrived, it was early - before 5:30 PM and we were seated immediately. Our waitress was very nice and eager to please. She offered to start our daughters' food immediately so they could have their food quickly, which is always a plus.
As I browsed the menu, nothing stood out, which should have been my first clue that I'd be disappointed. I finally chose the Braised Beef and Tortelloni.
The tortelloni was yummy, as was the sauce, but the beef looked much like dog food. It had no texture and appeared to be quick processed. I had a hard time distinguishing immediately between it and the sliced mushroom, also in the sauce. Just for the record Olive Garden, mushrooms and slices of beef should be easy to differentiate.
Even with our coupon, our dinner came to about $50. And trust me, I would have much rather spent a few more dollars and headed down to Bonefish Grill. I live for Bang Bang Shrimp!
A week, or so, ago, we got a $6 off two entrees coupon and this swayed me to give it another try. It was the first one in a few years.
When we arrived, it was early - before 5:30 PM and we were seated immediately. Our waitress was very nice and eager to please. She offered to start our daughters' food immediately so they could have their food quickly, which is always a plus.
As I browsed the menu, nothing stood out, which should have been my first clue that I'd be disappointed. I finally chose the Braised Beef and Tortelloni.
The tortelloni was yummy, as was the sauce, but the beef looked much like dog food. It had no texture and appeared to be quick processed. I had a hard time distinguishing immediately between it and the sliced mushroom, also in the sauce. Just for the record Olive Garden, mushrooms and slices of beef should be easy to differentiate.
Even with our coupon, our dinner came to about $50. And trust me, I would have much rather spent a few more dollars and headed down to Bonefish Grill. I live for Bang Bang Shrimp!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Brookgreen Gardens' Night of a Thousand Candles
An event that is touted as one of the most wonderful family traditions in the Grand Strand is upon us next weekend and through the end of the season. It's Brookgreen Gardens' Night of a Thousand Candles.
Brookgreen Gardens is beautiful, filled with amazing statues, flowers, plants, a boat ride and even animals. It's definitely a "must do" for visitors to our area and families who live here. The Night of a Thousand Candles event is dazzling but...and this is a big one...not for families with small children.
Last year we coordinated a few families worth of friends and took our infant, toddler and preschool-aged children for, what we thought, would be a night filled with "ooohs" and "ahhhhs". Instead, we all found it quite stressful!
The gardens are lit only by candles. And while there may, quite literally, but 1000 of them, it's still dark! If I was there with my husband only I would have considered it romantically lit. I would have enjoyed slowly strolling hand-in-hand with him. I may have even considered bringing a blanket and a bottle of wine. But since I was with my kids, I found the whole thing panicky dark. I felt the need to hold on to hands, full-time. I got nervous when I got minorly separated from my family. I was freaking out about my girls walking any where other than in the middle of the paths because on either side there were open flames.
As could be expected, the event was PACKED. So add very dim lighting and open flames to mobs of people and you've got a far-less-than-enjoyable evening.
Make no mistake. The Night of a Thousand Candles is gorgeous. It's so lovely. It's just not a family event...especially if your children are less than about 10 years old. If you want to enjoy it, get a babysitter. :-) I highly recommend Frank's Outback for dinner prior to your visit. The food is exquisite! It's one of the few truly fine dining experiences in the Grand Strand.
Brookgreen Gardens is beautiful, filled with amazing statues, flowers, plants, a boat ride and even animals. It's definitely a "must do" for visitors to our area and families who live here. The Night of a Thousand Candles event is dazzling but...and this is a big one...not for families with small children.
Last year we coordinated a few families worth of friends and took our infant, toddler and preschool-aged children for, what we thought, would be a night filled with "ooohs" and "ahhhhs". Instead, we all found it quite stressful!
The gardens are lit only by candles. And while there may, quite literally, but 1000 of them, it's still dark! If I was there with my husband only I would have considered it romantically lit. I would have enjoyed slowly strolling hand-in-hand with him. I may have even considered bringing a blanket and a bottle of wine. But since I was with my kids, I found the whole thing panicky dark. I felt the need to hold on to hands, full-time. I got nervous when I got minorly separated from my family. I was freaking out about my girls walking any where other than in the middle of the paths because on either side there were open flames.
As could be expected, the event was PACKED. So add very dim lighting and open flames to mobs of people and you've got a far-less-than-enjoyable evening.
Make no mistake. The Night of a Thousand Candles is gorgeous. It's so lovely. It's just not a family event...especially if your children are less than about 10 years old. If you want to enjoy it, get a babysitter. :-) I highly recommend Frank's Outback for dinner prior to your visit. The food is exquisite! It's one of the few truly fine dining experiences in the Grand Strand.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Chili's needs to chill out with the salt!
On Friday afternoon we had planned to eat with my parents at their home. I cuddled with my younger daughter after playing for a bit and thought "you feel warm." I took her temperature and sure enough, it was right at 100. My dad isn't in the best health and typically when my girls are ill, I keep them away from Grandpa as to not stir his pot.
I called my husband, asking him to please pick something up for dinner. He chose Chili's, which isn't my favorite, but I was willing.
I looked at their website to choose from their To Go menu. I ordered hubby a Chipotle Bleu Cheese Bacon Burger and Crispy Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers for myself. We had chicken fingers at home, so I just got my girls a side of fries. I know, I know...bad mommy. :-p
When hubby arrived home with our food, his order was wrong. He got a plain bacon cheeseburger. My food was so salty, it was almost inedible. I ate two of my chicken strips and had to toss the rest. Hubby's food was mediocre, at best, as well.
While I didn't get it this time, one thing I love at Chili's is their skillet queso. Other than that, I can't say much draws me to this restaurant again. I do, however, still ove their "I want my baby back, baby back, baby back, I want my baby back, baby back, baby back" ribs commercial! LOL
I called my husband, asking him to please pick something up for dinner. He chose Chili's, which isn't my favorite, but I was willing.
I looked at their website to choose from their To Go menu. I ordered hubby a Chipotle Bleu Cheese Bacon Burger and Crispy Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers for myself. We had chicken fingers at home, so I just got my girls a side of fries. I know, I know...bad mommy. :-p
When hubby arrived home with our food, his order was wrong. He got a plain bacon cheeseburger. My food was so salty, it was almost inedible. I ate two of my chicken strips and had to toss the rest. Hubby's food was mediocre, at best, as well.
While I didn't get it this time, one thing I love at Chili's is their skillet queso. Other than that, I can't say much draws me to this restaurant again. I do, however, still ove their "I want my baby back, baby back, baby back, I want my baby back, baby back, baby back" ribs commercial! LOL
Surf's Up v. East of Chicago
I've recently had the opportunity to go to both Surf's Up Family Fun Center in the Carolina Forest area of Myrtle Beach and East of Chicago pizza, on Business 17 near 48th Avenue in the heart of town. Both establishments are reminiscent of Chuck E. Cheese, which was a staple of my childhood! The difference in the food is a pizza and pasta buffet and in neither restaurant did I notice any teenagers in a large, grey mouse costume.
East of Chicago has been around a few years and we've been a few times. Kids can make their own pizza, which is always a hit! In my experience the pizza has always been of pretty darn good quality featuring a taco pizza and a buffalo chicken variety along with the usuals like cheese and pepperoni. I'm also always enjoy their salad bar too, which includes loads of choices such as beans, fruit and other goodies. I definitely eat as many calories in salad as I do in pizza! I also love their cinnamon and brownie pizza desserts.
The games at East of Chicago are pretty predictable. Skeeball is, of course, always a family favorite. I love "Deal or No Deal". Dad loves the "Wheel of Fortune" games where you try to press the button to make the light stop on the bonus space and get 300 tickets or whatever. While these games are, of course, a huge money eater, they do have a large selection that seems to appeal to a wide age range. The downside, of course, is that you spent 45 minutes playing them to the tune of $15 only to have your children load your 200 tickets on their card, proudly present it to the attendant at the prize counter and realize they can only "afford" a ring pop and Hannah Montana sticker.
In my opinion, East of Chicago is expensive. The good news is that it's pretty easy to find a coupon for "Buy one, get one buffet free" coupons. Without one, I'm not sure how often we'd go. The other interesting note is the wording on the menu. If you want your child to make their own pizza, it's an additional $4 (I think) added to their buffet price. If your kids are like mine, they're hardly going to eat their kid-sized pizza, no less anything off the buffet other than three bites of dessert. When I questioned the cashier, she charged me only the $4 for each child to make their own pizza rather than adding it to the buffet price. They got a wristband that indicated they had not paid for the buffet. That helped out! Also, East of Chicago offers a local discount. Don't forget to ask for it if you are, indeed, a local!
Surf's Up Family Fun Center is relatively new and we've been only once for a birthday party. Theoretically, the two places are remarkably similar. Pizza, games, tickets, prizes... For some reason, though, the food just didn't seem as good. What's funny is that if you blindfolded me and fed me a slice of pizza from each place, I'm not sure I could tell you the difference. The food area, though, just isn't as cozy and appealing. It looks kind of sterile. Not in a sanitary way, though I have no reason to question the cleanliness, of course, but in an aesthetic way. The pizza seemed like the dough had once been frozen and there were only four varieties. The salad bar had no tomatoes. Overall it just wasn't as appealing to me as East of Chicago.
One really cool thing about Surf's Up is that they have a huge rock wall that I, personally, would love to try and a laser tag arena. Maybe one day when hubby and I are on a date, we'll stop there for a short time to do these activities! They looked fun! Note to self - take your 16 year old nephew there when he's visiting next. He'll love it!
Another difference is that Surf's Up has a pretty large play area for kids. It is filled with tubes, a slide, a bridge and other fun things. My complaint about this area, however, is that it's really dark. The ceiling is painted black and they just don't have enough lights to compensate for that. Normally that wouldn't bother me, but when kids need to be surefooted for their safety and I need to be able to clearly see them up in this apparatus, sufficient lighting is necessary.
There is a ton of similarity between games at East of Chicago and Surf's Up. We did find several of them not working properly at Surf's Up. That could have been an unfortunate coincidence that they all crapped out at one time or it could be a sign of improper maintenance.
Our family has definitely had fun at both place and felt fully germed up after leaving both. Surf's Up has sanitizing gel stations throughout, which was much appreciated.
If we had to choose one we like best, East of Chicago beats out Surf's Up. The downfall? It's not as close to our home as Surf's Up. Though for anyone visiting the Grand Strand, East of Chicago will likely be more convenient for you. I'm certain, though, that I will return to Surf's Up.
East of Chicago has been around a few years and we've been a few times. Kids can make their own pizza, which is always a hit! In my experience the pizza has always been of pretty darn good quality featuring a taco pizza and a buffalo chicken variety along with the usuals like cheese and pepperoni. I'm also always enjoy their salad bar too, which includes loads of choices such as beans, fruit and other goodies. I definitely eat as many calories in salad as I do in pizza! I also love their cinnamon and brownie pizza desserts.
The games at East of Chicago are pretty predictable. Skeeball is, of course, always a family favorite. I love "Deal or No Deal". Dad loves the "Wheel of Fortune" games where you try to press the button to make the light stop on the bonus space and get 300 tickets or whatever. While these games are, of course, a huge money eater, they do have a large selection that seems to appeal to a wide age range. The downside, of course, is that you spent 45 minutes playing them to the tune of $15 only to have your children load your 200 tickets on their card, proudly present it to the attendant at the prize counter and realize they can only "afford" a ring pop and Hannah Montana sticker.
In my opinion, East of Chicago is expensive. The good news is that it's pretty easy to find a coupon for "Buy one, get one buffet free" coupons. Without one, I'm not sure how often we'd go. The other interesting note is the wording on the menu. If you want your child to make their own pizza, it's an additional $4 (I think) added to their buffet price. If your kids are like mine, they're hardly going to eat their kid-sized pizza, no less anything off the buffet other than three bites of dessert. When I questioned the cashier, she charged me only the $4 for each child to make their own pizza rather than adding it to the buffet price. They got a wristband that indicated they had not paid for the buffet. That helped out! Also, East of Chicago offers a local discount. Don't forget to ask for it if you are, indeed, a local!
Surf's Up Family Fun Center is relatively new and we've been only once for a birthday party. Theoretically, the two places are remarkably similar. Pizza, games, tickets, prizes... For some reason, though, the food just didn't seem as good. What's funny is that if you blindfolded me and fed me a slice of pizza from each place, I'm not sure I could tell you the difference. The food area, though, just isn't as cozy and appealing. It looks kind of sterile. Not in a sanitary way, though I have no reason to question the cleanliness, of course, but in an aesthetic way. The pizza seemed like the dough had once been frozen and there were only four varieties. The salad bar had no tomatoes. Overall it just wasn't as appealing to me as East of Chicago.
One really cool thing about Surf's Up is that they have a huge rock wall that I, personally, would love to try and a laser tag arena. Maybe one day when hubby and I are on a date, we'll stop there for a short time to do these activities! They looked fun! Note to self - take your 16 year old nephew there when he's visiting next. He'll love it!
Another difference is that Surf's Up has a pretty large play area for kids. It is filled with tubes, a slide, a bridge and other fun things. My complaint about this area, however, is that it's really dark. The ceiling is painted black and they just don't have enough lights to compensate for that. Normally that wouldn't bother me, but when kids need to be surefooted for their safety and I need to be able to clearly see them up in this apparatus, sufficient lighting is necessary.
There is a ton of similarity between games at East of Chicago and Surf's Up. We did find several of them not working properly at Surf's Up. That could have been an unfortunate coincidence that they all crapped out at one time or it could be a sign of improper maintenance.
Our family has definitely had fun at both place and felt fully germed up after leaving both. Surf's Up has sanitizing gel stations throughout, which was much appreciated.
If we had to choose one we like best, East of Chicago beats out Surf's Up. The downfall? It's not as close to our home as Surf's Up. Though for anyone visiting the Grand Strand, East of Chicago will likely be more convenient for you. I'm certain, though, that I will return to Surf's Up.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Who knew I had so much influence!
According to the Myrtle Beach Sun News, the NASCAR Sports Grille is closing! I better be careful with my words. A review of being a bit expensive evidently carries a lot of weight in this town! RIP NASCAR Sports Grille. May your owners find the employees new jobs.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Dinner out - La Hacienda
So evidently I'm anti-cooking today because after we headed out for Saturday Excursion #2, we were easily coaxed into stopping at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants for dinner. Our youngest declared it was her "special day" since she signed up for dance class and got tap shoes, and we agreed.
La Hacienda is on Oak Heart Rd. in Myrtle Beach and has recently topped our list for tacos. It's got the same predictable menu as is found in most Mexican restaurants in North and South Carolina. A #11 is a taco, burrito and enchilada. If ever we're not sure if a restaurant is part of this "franchise" (by different names) we call and ask if the #11 is what we think it is. We're rarely surprised.
This establishment is in a strip mall anchored by Piggly Wiggly. My experience with such places is that while they may offer some great food, they don't necessarily put forth the best in atmosphere. That's not the case with La Hacienda, though. There's a beautiful mural along one whole side, a "sky" on the ceiling and fun architectural arches throughout. The tabletops appear to be granite. While it doesn't have an upscale feel, it's definitely nice. My children enjoy the fountain in the center of the seating.
To start our meal, I got a big BIG margarita, on the rocks with no salt. I later, happily, discovered that it was ordered during Happy Hour and that mother was only $2.50. Had I known that earlier, I would have ordered another!
A true love of our family's is the queso dip for the chips. It's delicious melted white cheese with very mild seasonings. The kids have never gotten a hot spot. For my entree I got the standard Quesadilla Relleno, which is a quesadilla with cheese, chicken (or beef) and refried beans. On the side is rice, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and guacamole. As usual, it was fantastic!
Hubby got...you guessed it...a #11 with a beef taco, beef burrito and cheese enchilada. For him, it's comfort food and never disappoints. He was pleased.
The ladybugs got one cheese enchilada and one chicken and cheese enchilada. There were very little leftovers.
The service at this restaurant has always been very pleasant and accurate. My only complaint tonight is that the toilet was broken, but that's never been the case before. I don't feel like it's a sign of their maintenance level. The minute I brought it to the management's attention, someone went in there to take a look.
Our total was $37 with tip.
I give this dinner a very solid momorable mention. We will return time and time again whether it be to eat in or take out!
La Hacienda is on Oak Heart Rd. in Myrtle Beach and has recently topped our list for tacos. It's got the same predictable menu as is found in most Mexican restaurants in North and South Carolina. A #11 is a taco, burrito and enchilada. If ever we're not sure if a restaurant is part of this "franchise" (by different names) we call and ask if the #11 is what we think it is. We're rarely surprised.
This establishment is in a strip mall anchored by Piggly Wiggly. My experience with such places is that while they may offer some great food, they don't necessarily put forth the best in atmosphere. That's not the case with La Hacienda, though. There's a beautiful mural along one whole side, a "sky" on the ceiling and fun architectural arches throughout. The tabletops appear to be granite. While it doesn't have an upscale feel, it's definitely nice. My children enjoy the fountain in the center of the seating.
To start our meal, I got a big BIG margarita, on the rocks with no salt. I later, happily, discovered that it was ordered during Happy Hour and that mother was only $2.50. Had I known that earlier, I would have ordered another!
A true love of our family's is the queso dip for the chips. It's delicious melted white cheese with very mild seasonings. The kids have never gotten a hot spot. For my entree I got the standard Quesadilla Relleno, which is a quesadilla with cheese, chicken (or beef) and refried beans. On the side is rice, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and guacamole. As usual, it was fantastic!
Hubby got...you guessed it...a #11 with a beef taco, beef burrito and cheese enchilada. For him, it's comfort food and never disappoints. He was pleased.
The ladybugs got one cheese enchilada and one chicken and cheese enchilada. There were very little leftovers.
The service at this restaurant has always been very pleasant and accurate. My only complaint tonight is that the toilet was broken, but that's never been the case before. I don't feel like it's a sign of their maintenance level. The minute I brought it to the management's attention, someone went in there to take a look.
Our total was $37 with tip.
I give this dinner a very solid momorable mention. We will return time and time again whether it be to eat in or take out!
A busy Saturday with a lunch stop at the NASCAR Sports Grille
It's been a busy Saturday...
I exercised, showered, got the dog refills on some prescriptions, signed my younger daughter up for dance class (!!!), went to Target for an umbrella and dance stuff, ate lunch at NASCAR Sports Grille and went to the evil Wal-Mart looking for dance shoes, which they did not have. On the way out, however, I saw a poster for the new NKOTB album. *swoon* I spent a large portion of my teenage years lusting after each of the NKOTB, with the exception of Joey. I'm sure I'll have more fodder on that later.
Since so many folks are always looking for restaurant reviews in the Myrtle Beach area, I'm going to start doing a few of my own to help the cause. NASCAR Sports Grille today was pretty good. Despite it being a weekend and still technically "in-season", the place was pretty empty at around 12:30 PM. As would be expected, there is loads of racing memorabilia, if that interests you.
Since we've been last, it's had a major overhaul which includes small flat screen TVs at each table. My first reaction was "Wow! This is cool!", especially when I realized Finding Nemo was on one of the channels. I'm assuming a few of your choices are TV feeds while others are tapes continuously running somewhere up in a master control room. Our kids' selection and another video of all-time most dramatic racing crashes led me to that conclusion. My youngest had some unknown, yet strong, ill-reaction to Nemo, so we ended up watching synchronized swimming from the Olympics.
Hubby ordered a hot dog and fries ($10.49!). I got a grilled chicken sandwich with Monterrey jack cheese and bacon and a side of onion rings (about the same price as hubby's). The girls got macaroni and cheese and pizza.
While we waited, we first visited the bathrooms. They were clean, though down two flights of stairs. Thankfully my kiddos are old enough to handle such obstacles with ease, but I wondered how a disabled or elderly patron would fair. There was a unisex bathroom, presumably handicap accessible, at the top of the stairs. I'll assume it was a single because when we attempted to take a peak, it was locked.
After returning to the table, the gals colored on the place mats they were given then hubby and I did a word search race on them. Just for the record - I smoked him! :-)
Our food came quickly and was prepared well. I was surprised, though, to find that the pizza and mac and cheese, both, were served with fries. While all food was good, this place gets a thumbs down on offering kids more nutritious options.
My chicken sandwich had no hard or undesirable parts. The onion rings were delish! The batter was thick and crisp. I fully admit to peeling it off the last few and only eating the fried part! (yes, I'm the same girl was just complaining about nutritious value in the last paragraph) The mac and cheese was the good Kraft stuff and very creamy. The fries were crisp and perfectly salty. Hubby's hot dog looked yummy, topped with chili and some other fixin's. I have no complaints about the food at all!
As we ate, our family was unusually quiet. It took me a minute to figure it out, but it was because of that TV! We don't normally eat, all together, in front of one. Everyone, myself included, was chowing whilst watching teams of women swim their routines. Silence from us. The background noise was very loud, though. There are several very large screen TVs going at the same time and the volume was quite high on them.
Our bill, with a 20% tip, came to just over $42. To me, that feels a bit steep for lunch when your entrees include a chicken sandwich and hot dog for the adults and two kids' meals. I did forget to ask for a local's discount, so I could have gotten by with a little less probably. I also did not have a coupon. It's quite possible they make it easy for folks to save a little cash and I missed out.
If I was a tourist, this would probably be a fun place to eat...especially if I was (and I am!) a racing fan. The menu choices were good and basic. I venture to believe there was something for everyone. As a local, we probably will not return until some touristy friends are in town, though. It was loud and pricey.
I exercised, showered, got the dog refills on some prescriptions, signed my younger daughter up for dance class (!!!), went to Target for an umbrella and dance stuff, ate lunch at NASCAR Sports Grille and went to the evil Wal-Mart looking for dance shoes, which they did not have. On the way out, however, I saw a poster for the new NKOTB album. *swoon* I spent a large portion of my teenage years lusting after each of the NKOTB, with the exception of Joey. I'm sure I'll have more fodder on that later.
Since so many folks are always looking for restaurant reviews in the Myrtle Beach area, I'm going to start doing a few of my own to help the cause. NASCAR Sports Grille today was pretty good. Despite it being a weekend and still technically "in-season", the place was pretty empty at around 12:30 PM. As would be expected, there is loads of racing memorabilia, if that interests you.
Since we've been last, it's had a major overhaul which includes small flat screen TVs at each table. My first reaction was "Wow! This is cool!", especially when I realized Finding Nemo was on one of the channels. I'm assuming a few of your choices are TV feeds while others are tapes continuously running somewhere up in a master control room. Our kids' selection and another video of all-time most dramatic racing crashes led me to that conclusion. My youngest had some unknown, yet strong, ill-reaction to Nemo, so we ended up watching synchronized swimming from the Olympics.
Hubby ordered a hot dog and fries ($10.49!). I got a grilled chicken sandwich with Monterrey jack cheese and bacon and a side of onion rings (about the same price as hubby's). The girls got macaroni and cheese and pizza.
While we waited, we first visited the bathrooms. They were clean, though down two flights of stairs. Thankfully my kiddos are old enough to handle such obstacles with ease, but I wondered how a disabled or elderly patron would fair. There was a unisex bathroom, presumably handicap accessible, at the top of the stairs. I'll assume it was a single because when we attempted to take a peak, it was locked.
After returning to the table, the gals colored on the place mats they were given then hubby and I did a word search race on them. Just for the record - I smoked him! :-)
Our food came quickly and was prepared well. I was surprised, though, to find that the pizza and mac and cheese, both, were served with fries. While all food was good, this place gets a thumbs down on offering kids more nutritious options.
My chicken sandwich had no hard or undesirable parts. The onion rings were delish! The batter was thick and crisp. I fully admit to peeling it off the last few and only eating the fried part! (yes, I'm the same girl was just complaining about nutritious value in the last paragraph) The mac and cheese was the good Kraft stuff and very creamy. The fries were crisp and perfectly salty. Hubby's hot dog looked yummy, topped with chili and some other fixin's. I have no complaints about the food at all!
As we ate, our family was unusually quiet. It took me a minute to figure it out, but it was because of that TV! We don't normally eat, all together, in front of one. Everyone, myself included, was chowing whilst watching teams of women swim their routines. Silence from us. The background noise was very loud, though. There are several very large screen TVs going at the same time and the volume was quite high on them.
Our bill, with a 20% tip, came to just over $42. To me, that feels a bit steep for lunch when your entrees include a chicken sandwich and hot dog for the adults and two kids' meals. I did forget to ask for a local's discount, so I could have gotten by with a little less probably. I also did not have a coupon. It's quite possible they make it easy for folks to save a little cash and I missed out.
If I was a tourist, this would probably be a fun place to eat...especially if I was (and I am!) a racing fan. The menu choices were good and basic. I venture to believe there was something for everyone. As a local, we probably will not return until some touristy friends are in town, though. It was loud and pricey.
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