A minor rant...

[RonB]

My wife wanted to go somewhere "fancy" for her birthday yesterday, so we went to The Tobacco Company in Richmond VA. First, everything was very well prepared, the service was great, and it had the atmosphere she was looking for.

However, I think I could have done better on every dish we were served. My wife even said my steaks are better. We still had a great time, but I could have bought a big ole prime prime rib from Costco and all the fixin's and invited a bunch of friends and still saved money. Of course, it would have been a bit more work for me, but that's the kinda work I enjoy.

[Huskee]

That's the downside of knowing your stuff. I have learned to take it as a compliment when I am unhappy w/ a restaurant's steaks or BBQ. We went to a [chain] BBQ joint yesterday, with "Smokey" in the name, with some friends who really wanted to go there. My son got the ribs, they tasted completely smoke-free, oven baked, covered in sauce. Laughable. I got a triple-decker burger and it was fantastic! Knowing what to get is a key to leaving those places a little happier! I rarely get steaks out anymore for this reason. I have found that restaurants usually can do a great burger, but not so much with steaks.

[Sweaty Paul]

I almost never order steak out anymore unless as an avenue to avoid carbohydrates (part of my diet plan as I'd rather have a good beer for a carbohydrate serving instead of a bun).

[JoeSousa]

I very rarely ever get a steak when I go out anymore. Even at fancy, expensive steakhouses I just spend the whole time being critical of what they did wrong and how I could do it better.

And don't get me started about the barbecue restaurants around here.

And I agree with Huskee. More and more I lean towards getting a burger when I go out. Or sometimes fish depending on the restaurant.

[Huskee]

Fancy chicken dishes like "champagne chicken" or seafood dishes are another fave of mine, something I might not know or care to try at home. I suppose that's what steaks & BBQ are to many- something they don't know or care to try at home so they're easily impressed.

[JoeSousa]

I have a good friend who doesn't eat steak but loves going to fancy steakhouses because they always have excellent chicken

[troymeister]

I hear ya!!

[HawkerXP]

Nice shirt!

[mnavarre]

As far as fancy steakhouses go part of it's the whole atmosphere & service thing. I mean I can make a steak at least as good as Cowboy Star or Donovans', but the sides? The Halibut cheeks my wife got last time? I didn't even know fish had cheeks. But Ruth's Chris? Meh. Not worth it.

Barbecue? Not unless I know they actually take it seriously

Most of the time we go out it's something that's outside of my wheelhouse. Like ramen. Sure, I could spend three days making proper Tonkotsu, or I can walk a mile and someone's done it for me. Or French. American-Italian (or proper Italian, for that matter).

But, yeah, I'd mostly rather just cook at home. Now if I could train the cat to bring me another Old Fashioned mid-meal...

[HouseHomey]

Triple like if I could.

[jfmorris]

I am so glad to hear someone else say "Meh" to Ruth's Chris. I've been there about a half dozen times, all paid for by someone else, usually work. One time someone gave the wife and I a $150 gift card for the place, and I took her. I felt that the steaks I've had there were barely seasoned, and while it might have been good quality meat, I would have just as soon had a steak off the Weber Kettle at home, seasoned with Montreal Steak.

[Donw]

Yes you could have cooked the food better I have no doubt. But, your wife wanted the experience of the restaurant, the service, the conversation, and the ability to enjoy a meal without needing to even think about any prep, timing, nor any cleanup. Next time sit back, enjoy the fact that your significant other is enjoying herself, and, order the fish. 🙂

[Willard]

You nailed it Donw

[RonB]

I did enjoy the experience, but it would have been even better if the food was as good as what I cook.

[Ahumadora]

Yep, I barely go out to eat anymore. With all the kids and hassle it is easier and much better to cook at home. Also I can have a beer and not worry about driving. I always end up dissapointed at the quality. I guess this problem is pretty exclusive to AR members

[Nate]

I understand what you are saying but look at it a little different especially when it comes to cost. I get that I could buy some dang nice steaks for what I pay to buy a steak at a restaurant but I will pay the premium to: not have to prep, cook, or cleanup and there is also the added benefit to be served by someone else. Sometimes it is nice to be able to just sit down, eat, and walk away from the table with no further worries... that is why I pay the premium.

Like Huskee mentioned I find myself getting other things... especially if there is lamb on the menu. I’m still trying to source a good local supply of lamb and learn how to get it right. So if I see some lamb chops or a rack on the menu then that is probably where I am going.

Hope you and your wife enjoyed your time out together though.

[Spinaker]

My thoughts exactly.

[RonB]

Thanx Nate. We did enjoy the evening, and it was nice to be pampered too. I'm just glad we don't do that very often.

[jfmorris]

This is key. The ability to just enjoy each others company and not worry with prep and cleanup is nice sometimes. Heck, I still need to go clean the kettle from Saturday evenings dinner. I left it going to burn out and never have made it back there yet!

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

So I was in Texas earlier this week and we stopped at a place with awards for being the best BBQ in town etc... The place smelled fantastic, the meats looked great, then venue was kinda hole in the wallish (which usually means GREAT food), and the value was ok... but the first bite of chicken all I could think was "I do better than this and I'm still learning" then I tried their sausage and was completely underwhelmed. I didn't have their brisket but the few in our group who did said it was a bit dry and that was fresh brisket because they had run out and there was a 30 minute wait. The more I learn and the better I get, the less I want to go out and eat the things I can make at home

[klflowers]

Yeah, I went to a local BBQ joint Friday, got all excited, and man was I disappointed. The ribs were just OK, the wings were dry, the slaw was KFC slaw (I love KFC slaw, but I go to KFC for it) and I am pretty sure the baked beans were from a can.

[SparkDog]

About the only time I go to a restaurant any more is when I am away from home. I cook a better steak and, outside of a few in KC that I like to go to when I am there, I cook better BBQ. It used to be the fun of a restaurant was getting the things we don't cook. My wife having to take Chinese and fried food out of her diet pretty much means anything she can eat, we do better at home.

[HouseHomey]

What price is a memory worth? Well done sir, send your rant here and leave the memory intact as you have. 👏👏

Now... I’m with Huskee as I LOVE chicken, duck and such. It takes some work for me being on both sides. I usually go for Pho, Ramen or Yellow Tail/salmon collars, tacos, deli sammich or a greasy burger.

Like others have said here at the fancy place I have lasagna, salmon, lamb shank (to die for) or roast chicken. *Note: great roast chix is hard to nail with the ticket machine going and the expo person shouting.

I couldnt agree more with all of the above. I’d rather eat your steaks, shorties and ribs n such.

Way to go Ron, way to pump me up. I’ll be spending a fortune doing the same thing in a couple weeks for our Anniversary.

[Troutman]

I got a gift certificate a few years back for $200 to one of the fanciest steak houses here in Houston, and there are some nice ones. We were thrilled and invited another couple saying that dinner was on us. Surely that was enough money.

Well we start with an appetizer, a bottle of wine, you get the picture. The steak choices were next, well that’s when I knew I was in trouble. Cheapest one was $40 and the sides were alla carte.

Bottom line the check for the four of us ended up being $400. Thank goodness I had that cert !!

You know for that amount of money I could have bought a months worth of prime beef. Moral to my story is I simply can’t afford to eat in a good steakhouse and have not been back to one since !!

But good golly that was one great steak

[Willard]

Same here. Same price...but for 2 people! It was me and Miss Terri’s 25th anniversary so we sucked it up and didn’t regret it. But that steak, smoked Old Fashioned and service was awesome.

[Troutman]

I failed to add that this was like 15 years ago. Today....probably $600 or more !!

[scottranda]

It has been a lonnnng time since I’ve been to the Tobacco Company. I don’t remember the food, but I wasn’t much into cooking back then, so I probably thought it was good. But, yeah, most restaurants are easily beatable in my own kitchen. Especially steaks.

Have they recovered fully from the fire there about a year ago?

[RonB]

Yes - they have completely restored it. It took five months to settle with the insurance company, but things went quickly after that.

[mrteddyprincess]

I made the mistake of being honest in my Google Maps critique of a independent mom and pop BBQ restaurant. I removed the review two days later. I sounded like a real @$$^*&% in the review the more I thought about it. I have given up honest critiques of "BBQ" restaurants because it's usually not a positive thing. I need to reconsider my willingness to eat "BBQ" in restaurants unless the restaurant is recommended by someone I know.