Food & Drink

Restaurants that might not be around much longer

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Mar 3, 2011
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ar2020 wrote: Canadian fast food chains are disgusting for the most part. I will agree that the American chains taste better in America than their Canadian locations.
Which one(s)?
EastGTARedFlagger wrote: Wrong on all counts.

Ruth's Chris >>>>>>> The Keg >> Canyon Creek
Olive Garden >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> East Side Mario's
Five Guys >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> South Street.

Full stop.
You can’t even compare Ruth’s Chris to the Keg or Canyon Creek...

Ruth’s Chris vs Jacobs - Jacob’s hand down winner

Olive Garden vs East side - Olive Garden in the US

Five Guys vs South St. - IMO South St.
Last edited by markopas on Jan 28th, 2019 7:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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death_hawk wrote: I always thought Montanas had the worst ribs ever.
Then I went to Swiss Chalet.
They stole that title and ran away giggling.
If anyone has worse ribs than Swiss Chalet, I want to try them just to see how they can manage to beat a flaming dumpster fire.
I'm not even sure how someone can screw up ribs that badly.
They managed to over braise them so they fell apart, fridged them so they managed to stay solid, then failed to reheat them, and covered them in a terrible sauce.
Literally nothing was right.
I can't even think of any other ways to fail beyond that. There's nothing else to screw up.
Come on DH, you should know that MTY and Cara can do no wrong....
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markopas wrote: Ruth’s Chris vs Jacobs - Jacob’s hand down winner
Jacob's isn't a national chain, it's an independent with one location. Apples to oranges comparison.
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Feb 22, 2016
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playnicee1 wrote: Sorry, but South Street is way better, hands down!
Means you're a Lick's fan.... which speaks volumes about your palate....
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playnicee1 wrote: If Baton Rouge were a "Rib house" I would never ever go back. Worst ribs ever! Sauce and all!
Usually when something is done not so great, the sauce at least makes up for it.
Nope, not at Baton Rouge. Everything about their ribs were just a disaster.
I might return one day and order a steak or something but never the ribs!
To be fair, I've never had Baton Rouge (or even heard of it until like 5 hours ago).
If I ever see one, I'll try the ribs just for you because I want to see what kind of disaster it is.
I'm a sucker for punishment like that.
Same reason I keep giving Swiss Chalet chances even though nothing has changed in 30 years.
Well except the size of their chickens.
EastGTARedFlagger wrote: Wrong on all counts.

Ruth's Chris >>>>>>> The Keg >> Canyon Creek
Outside of The Keg, are these Ontario only? I've never heard of any of these. Well Ruth Chris, but that was mostly from here. I've never seen them IRL.
Olive Garden >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> East Side Mario's
To be fair... Chef Boyargee >>>>>>>>> East Side Mario's
Five Guys >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> South Street.
Also never heard of South Street.
But 5 guys isn't even that good.

playnicee1 wrote: Ruth Chris refuses to stop using butter for cooking. That rules it out for a few of my friends.
How is this a bad thing?
MORE people should start using butter. Not less.
Do you not have anything else to do rather than argue with strangers on the internet
Nope. That's why I'm on the internet arguing with strangers. If I had anything better to do I'd probably be doing it.
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EastGTARedFlagger wrote: Means you're a Lick's fan.... which speaks volumes about your palate....
Actually, I don't like Lick's.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
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death_hawk wrote: How is this a bad thing?
MORE people should start using butter. Not less.
Allergies.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
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Aug 22, 2006
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playnicee1 wrote: Allergies.
Sure, but I'd rather they substitute for one person rather than ruin it for everyone.
Do you not have anything else to do rather than argue with strangers on the internet
Nope. That's why I'm on the internet arguing with strangers. If I had anything better to do I'd probably be doing it.
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death_hawk wrote: Sure, but I'd rather they substitute for one person rather than ruin it for everyone.
They sub for NO ONE. So, for some special event or gathering, friends that be rule out Ruth Chris-even if someone else is willing to pay, simply because of the butter.
But they will still be around because they have their share of regulars.
(lol, okay, I can not confirm that they are regulars, I can only confirm that the place always seems to look busy...or at least busy enough)
Last edited by playnicee1 on Jan 28th, 2019 8:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
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death_hawk wrote: Outside of The Keg, are these Ontario only? I've never heard of any of these. Well Ruth Chris, but that was mostly from here. I've never seen them IRL.
To be fair... Chef Boyargee >>>>>>>>> East Side Mario's
Also never heard of South Street.
MORE people should start using butter. Not less.
I forgot you're in BC (or was it Alberta? I know you're out west from our past discussions). Thanks for reminding me (or smacking me in the head!)

Canyon Creek is owned by SIR Corp. which are the same geniuses behind Jack Astor's, Scaddabush, Red's, and several other places. Why you aren't too familiar with their banners is because the SIR Corp dudes have/had a "gentlemen's agreement" (more like mafia territory agreement) with the Earl's/Joey's/Cactus Club people (which you DEFINITELY are familiar with!) so SIR Corp wouldn't expand west and Earl's wouldn't come east. The agreement's gone to shit as you can imagine but it'll take a long time for the Earl's brands to fully infiltrate Ontario as it will for the SIR brands to spread west.

It's explained here:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report- ... cle624967/

South Street is a spinoff of New York Fries (which is a Cara brand) and is only in Southern Ontario (for now). NYF is still owned by Cara but the burger chain is not.

Ahhhh... Chef Boyardee.... memories of grade school dinners! You're right, their canned stuff is WAY better than East Side Mario's...

And agree 100% on the butter. I guess the MTYseguy thinks margarine tastes better. Gordon Ramsay would say he has a palate like a cow's backside....
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playnicee1 wrote: Actually, I don't like Lick's.
Don't kid yourself, South Street is the same concept as Lick's, minus the ice cream sundae bar. I'm very famiiiar with both chains.
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EastGTARedFlagger wrote: I forgot you're in BC (or was it Alberta? I know you're out west from our past discussions). Thanks for reminding me (or smacking me in the head!)
Why not both?
It depends on the season. I'm allergic to snow Face With Tears Of Joy
Canyon Creek is owned by SIR Corp. which are the same geniuses behind Jack Astor's, Scaddabush, Red's, and several other places. Why you aren't too familiar with their banners is because the SIR Corp dudes have/had a "gentlemen's agreement" (more like mafia territory agreement) with the Earl's/Joey's/Cactus Club people (which you DEFINITELY are familiar with!) so SIR Corp wouldn't expand west and Earl's wouldn't come east.
We had a Jack Astor's in Calgary. I don't know if it's still there though.
I also didn't realize that Earl's wasn't in the East. The others I can understand because I'm not sure they have a giant presence outside of BC. Well Joey's does, but yeah you get the point.
The agreement's gone to shit as you can imagine but it'll take a long time for the Earl's brands to fully infiltrate Ontario as it will for the SIR brands to spread west.
Great... the only thing we need is more casual fine dining.....
And agree 100% on the butter. I guess the MTYseguy thinks margarine tastes better. Gordon Ramsay would say he has a palate like a cow's backside....
Face With Tears Of Joy
Do you not have anything else to do rather than argue with strangers on the internet
Nope. That's why I'm on the internet arguing with strangers. If I had anything better to do I'd probably be doing it.
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playnicee1 wrote: They sub for NO ONE. So, for some special event or gathering, friends that be rule out Ruth Chris-even if someone else is willing to pay, simply because of the butter.
Sometimes it isn't feasible to sub out because it's already prepped.
Still... if you have a legitimate allergy, you have to work around the menu (or go somewhere else).
I'd rather a restaurant stay on course rather than bend to every allergy on the planet. There's already some concepts like that.

Although to be fair, I like the gluten free fad.
Not that I'm gluten free because bread is awesome, but it gives people that legitimately had celiac a chance to eat "normalish" foods.
Plus it gave me a bunch of laughs when idiots asked me if my steak was gluten free.
Do you not have anything else to do rather than argue with strangers on the internet
Nope. That's why I'm on the internet arguing with strangers. If I had anything better to do I'd probably be doing it.
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EastGTARedFlagger wrote: And agree 100% on the butter. I guess the MTYseguy thinks margarine tastes better. Gordon Ramsay would say he has a palate like a cow's backside....
I am not aware of what to replace the butter with. I'm not the one with the allergies, so that's not my problem.
I never said the place was bad I simply said they do not accommodate those with butter allergies.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
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death_hawk wrote: Great... the only thing we need is more casual fine dining.....
You know what I call all those chains (Jack Astor's, Montana's, Pickle Barrel, Earl's, Joey's, Moxie's, Cactus Club... and in the USA they go by names like Ruby Tuesday's, Applebee's, TGI Friday's...)?

McSYSCO Bar and Grill !

They all serve pretty much the same shit and it all came frozen from the back of a SYSCO truck.
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death_hawk wrote: We had a Jack Astor's in Calgary. I don't know if it's still there though.
I also didn't realize that Earl's wasn't in the East. The others I can understand because I'm not sure they have a giant presence outside of BC. Well Joey's does, but yeah you get the point.
This Jack Astors is very much in business:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/9823+ ... 114.073297

I'm honestly not sure if this is the same Earl's though, or just someone stealing the name in Toronto:

https://earls.ca/locations/king-street

Joey's has various locations in Toronto also.
Last edited by playnicee1 on Jan 28th, 2019 8:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
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EastGTARedFlagger wrote: You know what I call all those chains (Jack Astor's, Montana's, Pickle Barrel, Earl's, Joey's, Moxie's, Cactus Club... and in the USA they go by names like Ruby Tuesday's, Applebee's, TGI Friday's...)?

McSYSCO Bar and Grill !

They all serve pretty much the same shit and it all came frozen from the back of a SYSCO truck.
I kind of wish we had a (price scaled) version of the US chains.
How is that all the places you listed $30/plate?
I want "2" people to eat for $8.

Side note: I want a Golden Corral here.
I can't figure out how they make any money.
Don't get me wrong. It's not good. But it's definitely "This is only $8" good.
Do you not have anything else to do rather than argue with strangers on the internet
Nope. That's why I'm on the internet arguing with strangers. If I had anything better to do I'd probably be doing it.
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playnicee1 wrote: This Jack Astors is very much in business:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/9823+ ... 114.073297
Well hell. It is still there.
I miss the days when it was a Fuddruckers.
But that was like 20 years ago.
I'm honestly not sure if this is the same Earl's though, or just someone stealing the name in Toronto:

https://earls.ca/locations/king-street
The infiltration has started.
Do you not have anything else to do rather than argue with strangers on the internet
Nope. That's why I'm on the internet arguing with strangers. If I had anything better to do I'd probably be doing it.
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EastGTARedFlagger wrote: They all serve pretty much the same shit and it all came frozen from the back of a SYSCO truck.
Don't forget that the innards are 100% swappable too.

If I blind folded you and lead you inside, there's no way you could figure out which restaurant it is.
Do you not have anything else to do rather than argue with strangers on the internet
Nope. That's why I'm on the internet arguing with strangers. If I had anything better to do I'd probably be doing it.
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EastGTARedFlagger wrote: Don't kid yourself, South Street is the same concept as Lick's, minus the ice cream sundae bar. I'm very famiiiar with both chains.
I highly doubt that. They have better toppings. Better burgers, better toppings on their burgers.
If you mean meat on bun nothing else, South Street still comes out ahead.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

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