Kingdom Buffet, What Can I Say

Dear KB,
You are so bad for me, yet so good. You disappoint me with hardened perogie-like dumplings and stale desserts, yet then you turn around and rock my world with frog legs and peppered squid. You do the unthinkable with your pizza and macaroni and rubbery jello sitting there under the glow of the heat lamps, and then delight and amaze with an elegant cucumber salad and baked fish. I can't ever imagine taking you home, but I know I can't stay away for long.

India Garden, I Think I Love You

Dear India Garden, I'm so glad you are here in Rochester and I hope we can spend more time together. My Americanized palate may not be sophisticated enough to identify authentic Indian food or discern southern Indian from northern Indian food, but I know what I like (and miss so terribly) and you are it!!

With Minnesota-meets-India service (which means exponentially courteous), India Garden serves up buttery garlic naan and lovely renditions of my standard (and likely predictable) favorites - Saag Paneer and Chicken Tikka Masala - plus an array of delicious lamb dishes. Don't let the humble location next to a laundromat and hunting store throw you off, put India Garden on your list for date night!

Really Chesters???

Really Chester's??? Were you really able to take my order, cook my meal and bring it to me in less than 8 minutes from the time I ordered it without using a heat lamp or microwave??  Really?? I mean, I ordered pasta, so I guess you may have some cooked up noodles standing at the ready... but really? Really Chefs Scott Foster and Derek Jensen?? Is that what you mean by classic American food - it arrives by truck, pre-packaged and frozen ready to be thawed, heated, and served by an army of servers in key lime polo shirts?? 

I'm sorry Chester's, that I've got to call you guys out. I like your patio in the summer, I like your comfy booths in the winter (nice upholstery choice btw), and I like your bar for after work happier hour. But half your menu tastes like a yuppified version of Olive Garden or Chili's (No, dear readers, those are not good restaurants... those are dine-in fast food restaurants).

My advice for Chester's - embrace the local food movement - you live in the middle of America's farmland for pete's sake! Try to make half your menu seasonal and from scratch. This fellow might have some ideas for you: Jamie Oliver

Brown Bag it for Games at Dooley's

Between the World Cup, the World Series, and the start of the football season, I've had the misfortune of finding myself at Dooley's and hungry more than a few times in the past few months. The place would be an amazing hangout for games if it didn't pretend that it was a full service restaurant and just let people order in pizza from Bilotti's  across the street.

Could it really be that bad? YES. This place must have bought out a stock of ruffle potato chips because they show up with abandon in totally inappropriate and unappetizing ways. Guys, c'mon, fish and chips do not mean VanDeKamps with a handful of potato chips. And Irish nachos, while I appreciate the gimmick, are pretty much terrible. 

Our hope at Eat My Rochester is that the disappointingly shoddy quality of food at Dooley's is just a function of working out the kinks in their first few months of business. We're pulling for you guys, but we'll be brown bagging it until then!