Off of University Drive, there is a quaint shopping mall filled with expensive restaurants and coffee shops that all face what looks like a giant bidet of a fountain facing the street. At the sushi outlet that helps anchor this nouveau-bitche mall, you can find diverse shapes and sizes of B/CS 'tood.
The 'tood carries over to the wait staff. At dinner with friends, the waitron tried to ignore us, but seeing as we were in her seating area, she settled on treating us badly. This D-list Aggie Princess emoted disdain, some disgust, and dismissive airs as she plopped the dishes on the table. She didn't look directly at us, and used her most consistent monotone while talking. I practically cringed when I realized that none of us could wait to get out of there, as she carelessly took up the spilling plates and saucers.
I will reserve a compliment for my plate, a sushi and cucumber salad, which passed muster.
- Fierce Foodie
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Sunday, December 7, 2008
"That's the way they serve it in Italy"
Hi there, all you fellow foodies. I hope you have the chance to do some home cooking during the holidays. What are the other options out there for really good food?
This blog really owes its existence to the pretenses of some of the restauranteurs of the Brazos Valley. So I'm thinking of one of my earliest dining out experiences in College Station, with my boyfriend, at Cenare's. It was about 2003 or 2004.
It seemed to be a nice neighborhood restaurant. We drove there, and arrived next to TCBY and the Century Twenty One offices. We were initially optimistic. The inside seemed strip-mall dowdy, but the restaurant had enough business that we weren't too worried.
The menu prices seemed proud. But, we expected to pay the price of admission for a good meal in a desperate locale.
The regular waitron was pleasant enough, and didn't seem to hover around the table in the way that I can't stand. My companion ordered lasagne. I ordered spaghetti, just to be safe. When it arrived, it was hot, but it practically cracked in your mouth, it was so crisp. I set it aside, hoping to order something else instead later.
Meanwhile, the owner of the restaurant was making the rounds to the various guests seated at the tables in the restaurant. When she arrived at our table, looking semi-glamorous, she asked me, Are you enjoying your pasta? I replied that the pasta was under-done. The lady replied, "That's the way they serve it in Italy." I replied that I preferred it al dente. She left our table without looking behind.
Arrivederci, Cenari! We hardly knew ye! We've chosen the veggie dishes at the Chinese place nearby over the crispy spaghetti, and the local 'tood, every time since then.
-- Fierce foodie
This blog really owes its existence to the pretenses of some of the restauranteurs of the Brazos Valley. So I'm thinking of one of my earliest dining out experiences in College Station, with my boyfriend, at Cenare's. It was about 2003 or 2004.
It seemed to be a nice neighborhood restaurant. We drove there, and arrived next to TCBY and the Century Twenty One offices. We were initially optimistic. The inside seemed strip-mall dowdy, but the restaurant had enough business that we weren't too worried.
The menu prices seemed proud. But, we expected to pay the price of admission for a good meal in a desperate locale.
The regular waitron was pleasant enough, and didn't seem to hover around the table in the way that I can't stand. My companion ordered lasagne. I ordered spaghetti, just to be safe. When it arrived, it was hot, but it practically cracked in your mouth, it was so crisp. I set it aside, hoping to order something else instead later.
Meanwhile, the owner of the restaurant was making the rounds to the various guests seated at the tables in the restaurant. When she arrived at our table, looking semi-glamorous, she asked me, Are you enjoying your pasta? I replied that the pasta was under-done. The lady replied, "That's the way they serve it in Italy." I replied that I preferred it al dente. She left our table without looking behind.
Arrivederci, Cenari! We hardly knew ye! We've chosen the veggie dishes at the Chinese place nearby over the crispy spaghetti, and the local 'tood, every time since then.
-- Fierce foodie
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
KAMU-TV cooking shows
Hey!
Don't you hate the “TV Magazine with Sharon Colson” shows on KAMU-TV with the boring cooking tips? Mostly, these are "how to open the package and put it into the skillet on the electric stove" lectures that are repeated on the Research TV channel a few channels up on the cheap Suddenlink subscription.
This show is a little like listening to Dr. Ruth giving sex education over the radio. Sharon needs a little more spice to make it all worth it, though.
At least, Sharon keeps me stickin' around for the next program in the KAMU-TV line-up, “Show cattle.” Boy howdy! The cattle might show up on Sharon's next cooking show!
--Li'l Foodie
Don't you hate the “TV Magazine with Sharon Colson” shows on KAMU-TV with the boring cooking tips? Mostly, these are "how to open the package and put it into the skillet on the electric stove" lectures that are repeated on the Research TV channel a few channels up on the cheap Suddenlink subscription.
This show is a little like listening to Dr. Ruth giving sex education over the radio. Sharon needs a little more spice to make it all worth it, though.
At least, Sharon keeps me stickin' around for the next program in the KAMU-TV line-up, “Show cattle.” Boy howdy! The cattle might show up on Sharon's next cooking show!
--Li'l Foodie
Monday, November 24, 2008
"We Feed People"
We feed people.... No need to identify the corporate ID of this offending slogan. OK, it's Buppy's. We have all been subjected to their on-campus buffet offenses.
But who here will admit to "dining" at their industrial kitchen and onsite porch "restaurant?"
--Your Food Snob
But who here will admit to "dining" at their industrial kitchen and onsite porch "restaurant?"
--Your Food Snob
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
"How's everything tastin' for ya?"
"How's everything tastin' for ya?" makes me cringe, every time I hear it from a server. Maybe I first heard it at a Waffle House in North Texas, or was it at a Golden Corral in Red Bluff, California?
But "tastin' for ya" must be have East Texas origins, because practically every waiter or waitress who has held a menu here in the Brazos Valley uses that foul expression.
Whenever you hear that question, you are supposed to answer, "Great!" If you don't, you will not get any more iced tea refills.
But "tastin' for ya" must be have East Texas origins, because practically every waiter or waitress who has held a menu here in the Brazos Valley uses that foul expression.
Whenever you hear that question, you are supposed to answer, "Great!" If you don't, you will not get any more iced tea refills.
Let the food fight begin!
This blog is dedicated to immortalizing the "worst of the worst" dining experiences you have had in the Brazos Valley. Let's devote ourselves here to no holds barred critiques and criticisms of local cuisine, from the depths of Buppy's and Wings 'n' More, to the bathysphere of Luby's on South Texas Avenue.
And let's not forget about the poseur restaurants which promise quality, but deliver far, far worse.... Complain here about your let-downs and interpersonal disasters with clueless servers and obnoxious owners. Warn us about proud pricing for mediocre dishes. Slam the annoying advertising campaigns. Kvetch about dirty kitchens.
Yes, you've complained a lot in private about the crappy state of culinary affairs in the Valley, and so now it's time to do it in public, in the blogosphere. We can do it, yes we can!
And let's not forget about the poseur restaurants which promise quality, but deliver far, far worse.... Complain here about your let-downs and interpersonal disasters with clueless servers and obnoxious owners. Warn us about proud pricing for mediocre dishes. Slam the annoying advertising campaigns. Kvetch about dirty kitchens.
Yes, you've complained a lot in private about the crappy state of culinary affairs in the Valley, and so now it's time to do it in public, in the blogosphere. We can do it, yes we can!
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