Where Should We Eat? -Dining Reviews in Hilliard, Ohio 43026 and the Columbus Area

?

2011-06-08T10:50:00.001-07:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.1

Bucca di Beppo - The Arena District - Columbus

2011-03-03T14:53:00.000-08:00

   Hey there Gang! It may not show in the followers category, but this blog seems to have been doing fairly nicely in the views department. After just 5 reviews, it has received an average of 8 views per day! I know that doesn't seem like much, but considering the fact that I've only done a few reviews, I'm impressed! Thank you all for your support and keep on coming back for more of the reviews you love!

   Now, to start off this review, I would just like to let you know that this visit to Bucca di Beppo took place about 2 months ago and, though I SERIOUSLY doubt that anything has changed, there is the possibility that something has I suppose.

   Alrighty, now lets get on with this thang! When you go to Bucca di Beppo in Columbus, which is right in the heart of Columbus, you realize that the parking is nothing more than horrible. In fact, when we arrived, it took us a good five minutes before we realized that there was just no way to park without taking at least a 3-5 minute walk through the arena district. So, if you are taking some older folks with you, it may be in your best interest to first, call ahead and see what the wait time is and second, drop them off at the door.

   Okay, now that you're all parked, you should probably know where to walk in at. I say this because the front of this place actually (to me anyways) looks like the back. However, once you walk in, you are greeted with a smile. The outside of the building is very pleasing to the eye in the sense that it has all kinds of vines lining the walls and a beautiful submerged area for outside dining. I REALLY like that it is submerged because, being that it is below the ground level, it really cuts down on wind and sun if you like to eat outside.

   Now that you are finally in this place, if you have never been there you should ask your host to give you the long walk to your table through the kitchen. I know this sounds odd, but it really is pretty cool. They actually have a large booth set up in there that (I believe) is available for reservation. Also, you should take a good look around, because this place has a lot going on in the decoration department. It is lined with all kinds of funny pictures and memorabilia. This place would have met my expectations for a Hollywood Italian restaurant!

   Finally, I'll get to the food. We were both in the mood for Italian that day, so we both knew exactly what we wanted; we wanted Spaghetti and meatballs! So, that is what we got and, I have to say, we got it all right . . . WAY too much of it (though, I am not complaining). The website even tells you that they serve up two portion sizes. One, the small that feeds up to three, and the Large which "feeds an average-sized countury (yes, the website DOES say that).

   Overall, the spaghetti and meatballs meal was so-so to me, which is a surprise nearly as big as the dish itself considering how much it was talked up by the people in the town. However, I did come across a review at Urbanspoon.com (here) that claims the food has been changed in the recent year, so this may explain the strange phenomenon. Though, unlike this reviewer, I didn't think the food was bad at all. It wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either. The meatballs tasted a little off from what I expected . . . it just seemed like they needed something more. However, the sauce was great, and the noodles . . . well, if an Italian place screws up noodles (which Bucca did not), then they may as well give up and start a lemonade stand.

   Now, I would like to point out to you that this place is a REALLY fun place to eat! However, this does mean that other people are trying to have fun as well and things can get a little loud in there. There are a lot of people that go here for birthday parties, graduation parties, and many more things of that nature, I'm sure. So, in short, be prepared for things like this to happen and don't be afraid to get a little loud yourself. This place seems to be built on the premise of fun.

The Verdict: 7.0/10

This place was astonishing in service, atmosphere, and portion sizes. The prices may SEEM a little high, but keep in mind that two people can easily get full on ONE large spaghetti and meatballs portion. However, the food was only so-so. I saw nothing astonishing about it but, once again, I didn't see anything terrible about it either. Overall, Bucca di Beppo is a great place for family, friends, and LOTS of FUN!

http://www.bucadibeppo.com

Ruby Tuesday - Hilliard-Rome Road

2011-02-25T06:12:00.000-08:00

   Hey there fans and other visitors who should bookmark this page! (I kid) Here's the deal. I absolutely LOVE Ruby Tuesday and never usually say anything bad about them. However, this is a review, and I always like to give my readers some cons to go along with the pros. After all, they are sort of like peanut butter and jelly . . . Jelly (the pros) is just too sweet by itself and peanut butter (the cons) can stick to the top of your mouth and . . . well, I'll be honest. I'm going nowhere with this. Here's the review. CHEERS!

  My fiancée and I went to this lovely franchise recently and, as usual, we were very pleased with our meals. Now, I know that most of the guys that go here usually get a steak or a burger, which is great! However, I am a different breed; I'm the kind of guy that only goes to this place when I'm in the mood for seafood. This is because of their awesome meal called the "New Orleans Seafood." Basically, it is heaven . . . that is, if heaven were a plate of dead and delightfully "spicy, broiled tilapia topped with sautéed shrimp and rich Parmesan cream sauce. Served with your choice of two Signature Sides." (yes, that is definitely copied straight from the menu :p ).

   Though I am a lover of the "New Orleans Seafood" dish, I have also tried a number of their burgers and their steaks a number of times. Their burgers are nothing less than grand. My very favorite is the Smokehouse, but they are all VERY flavorful and I have yet to get a bad one! However, I have to say that the steaks, in my experience, are not always cooked the way I ask them to be. However, the servers and management are top-notch and are usually very intent on making you a happy customer!

  Now for the bad news. Once a friend and I went to this franchise (in Vandalia, Ohio) and he ordered just a piece of bbq chicken. I have to tell you, it was the WORST thing I had ever seen come from a restaurant of this caliber. Literally, it was a chicken breast (very dry) topped with some barbecue sauce, which was COLD! After trying it, I couldn't help but wonder how such a thing was ever even put on the menu! Though, if I am not mistaken, it may be off the menu now. Anyways, the point is this: DON'T ORDER IT!

   As I stated earlier, I LOVE Ruby Tuesday. Not that it's my favorite restaurant in the world, but it DOES satisfy my seafood and burger cravings. Though, I heard on the radio this morning that there is a new seafood place called Fisherman's Wharf, which is the self proclaimed (via radio commercial) "best seafood in the Columbus area." I think I know where I'm taking MY next seafood craving! (Sorry Ruby, but I've got a blog to maintain here ;p )

Thanks for reading!

Subscribe or bookmark if you live in the Columbus Area! I'm just getting warmed up!

Verdict 8.0/10

I have to leave room for improvement here. I simply can't give this place more than an 8 because it is not all it could be. First, I have never liked the idea of a salad bar (which Ruby Tuesday has). At least, not for this type of restaurant. Why can't they just do like the Olive Garden and bring a large bowl of Salad to each table. It just seems much classier. Also, the lighting isn't always great. SOMETIMES they turn them up a notch and you can see just fine, but others, the low light just annoys me. Overall, I LOVE Ruby and those of you who don't, well, call me a liar in a comment! I'm down for some criticism; so lay it on me!

http://www.rubytuesday.com

Cici's Pizza -West Pointe Plaza off of Hilliard-Rome

2011-02-22T18:06:00.000-08:00

   Alrighty guys, I simply have to review Cici's here in Hilliard because I have always loved the concept of a pizza buffet. Unfortunately for me, it is a love-hate relationship. Lets just say, I love it, but it hates me. I basically grew up with a pizza buffet in town and my family of six, which included two step brothers on my Dad's side, went there basically every weekend. However, it was not a Cicis. It was an East of Chicago pizza and most of you guys have probably never even heard of the chain.

   I'll start off by saying that all pizza buffets are just about the same stuff. They all have some sort of meaty pizza, some weird Hawaiian pizza, a couple of dessert pizza's. However, Cici's really steps it up a notch. They have a HUGE spread at seemingly any given time and sometimes they even have some stuff I'd never tried before! For instance, these guys have a buffalo pizza in which the tomato sauce is replaced with buffalo and it is topped with chicken bits; it is now my personal favorite on their buffet!

   Unfortunately, when it comes to almost any buffet style restaurant, I feel that there is a huge decline in quality. This is not to say that I don't like this pizza, but it just isn't my favorite in the world. However, for a single parent feeding a child or 6, or even a family looking for a cheap, filling meal, Cici's is an awesome bargain! Even their take out deals beat out Little Caesar's in my opinion. Little Cesar's boasts a 5 dollar hot and ready large peperoni or cheese pizza, where Cici's boasts 3 medium 3 topping pizzas for 10 dollars . . you be the judge on that one.

Verdict: 10/10 for value and 6.0/10 for quality

Here, you will see the classic case of "you get what you pay for." It is absolutely great for big families in need of something filling for 5.75 a head on the buffet. Though, if you are looking for quality, well, go to your favorite pizza place, which may even be Cici's I suppose! Everyone is different when it comes to pizza it seems!

http://cicispizza.com

Romano's Macaroni Grill - Park Ctr. Circle, Dublin, OH 43017 - My First Unfortunate Food Experience Since I Got Here

2011-02-21T13:36:00.000-08:00

I am going to start off this post on a negative note and, out of respect for the good points of this experience, end with the positive. To be honest, it wasn't all bad and it may just be my taste buds that are used to other styles of Italian food, so I will leave this one up for discussion. Feel free to discuss and I WILL get to your questions and/or concerns ASAP.

First of all, when I walked in the door on February 1st of 2011, the lighting in this place was just terrible. Seriously, I felt like I was in a freaking cave. I found it VERY hard to even read the menu. Now, I know that the economy has been hit and that EVERYONE is doing their best to conserve energy, but having people basically eat in the dark is, simply put, unacceptable. If you work there, please let management know that I filled out a complaint card about this and it really should be investigated. I understand that low lighting is supposed to be "stylish" and "romantic," but if you were going for that type of thing, there should be candles on the tables with an actual tablecloth instead of a giant piece of paper posing as one. That's right. Their tables are covered with paper . . . much like the bed at the doctors office. uggghh. Need I say more?

Second, My girl and I split a large dish called the "Mama's Trio," which consists of Lasagna al Forno, Chicken Parmigiana with Capellini Pomodoro, and Roasted Chicken Cannelloni. Now, unlike some restaurants, this place did have the courtesy to actually split this dish for us into two different plates, which was very nice of them. However, Neither me or her were impressed with anything in the trio except for the Roasted Chicken Cannelloni, which was simply magnificent. The other two dishes, the Chicken Parmasiana and that Lasagna thing were just terrible. The Chicken Parmasiana tasted as though it had been fried about half of the time required. the actual chicken was tough, and the breading had a very slimy (not yet done) texture to it. The Lasagna thing was . . . well, just not for me at all. It actually tasted like Lasagna with McDonald's hamburger meat to me. However, I do have a few friends that don't mind it, so don't take my word for it. But if you get it and don't like it, just remember I told you so. :p

So, after our "meal," We had some drinks, which were just great. I really wanted their "leaning bellini" since the website claimed it as their "signature bellini," but, to my dismay, they were out of bellini mix. This made me sad. But I did get me a Pomegranate Martini, which was AWESOME! But seriously, places shouldn't "run out" of the mix for their "signature" drinks. Its just not good business.

Now, the good parts were that we had EXCELLENT service, GREAT drinks, and the place actually looked pretty cool (though it would have looked better if I could have seen it in some brighter light) :p

The Verdict: 6.0/10

I like to think of myself as a person who can see all sides of one story, not to say that I am an "ominous presence," but I do my best to be empathetic. The truth is, I personally will probably never go back, but there are a few (not all) that disagree with my judgment. If we would have had bad service, it probably would have dropped down to about 3.0/10, so this Romano character needs to be thanking his lucky stars that he has some good help. After all, it is hard to find these days. ;)

http://www.macaronigrill.com

Next Stop, Fazoli's? on Hilliard-Rome Road? hmmm . . .

2011-02-21T11:08:00.000-08:00

   Hey there current and potential subscribers! As the title states, I will be reviewing the local Fazoli's today. Now, I know exactly what you are thinking and honestly, I am thinking it as well. I never though that I would be reviewing a "fast food place" on this blog, but I went to Fazoli's today and I was so pleased with the experience, that I couldn't help myself!

   To start off, I walked in the door and noticed that even though it was pretty busy, the noise level was extraordinarily tolerable. Then, I noticed that they had a table set out that had some papers laying on it for customers to have. My curiosity got the best of me, so I went to see what it was all about. What I found was actually some information on the nutrition of their food, something else I can't remember (not important enough I guess), and, get this, a DELIVERY Menu! I don't know about all of you guys, but I have NEVER heard of a Fazoli's that delivered before! Then again, I do come from a humble background. ;)

   Anyways, I ordered their trio and my girlfriend, Sarah Douglas (HI SARAH!) ordered one of their new three cheese mini bakes. Then, they asked us to sit down and they would bring our food to us. Now, I know that it has been a long time since I had been to a Fazoli's (mostly because there wasn't one near my old town), but I was expecting to get Fazoli's food presented in Fazoli's fashion, which to me meant that I would get a trio on a paper tray, a soft drink that was self refilled, and a throw away cup. WRONG! I'm sure glad THAT question wasn't presented to me by Regis for a cool million! Instead, we had a very nice SERVER that kept our drinks filled and our bread sticks plentiful! Also, our food was presented on actual plates! I looked at Sarah and asked "What the CRAP is this!?" She replied in a cool and, as usual, know-it-all manner (LOL), "Yeah, their like a full blown restaurant now." "Pffft" I replied, shrugging off the fact that, yet again, she knew something I did not."

Overall, the the food was typical Fazoli's food. I got a trio with lasagna, spaghetti, and alfredo noodles. However, Sarah's three cheese ravioli mini bake (that's a mouthfull . . . no pun intended), a new menu item, was actually pretty damn good! In fact, I'll probably order it next time I go!

   Now, while we were there, we had a manager personally come to our table and ask us whether everything was alright. I don't know about you guys, but this IS something I expect from any restaurant that has actual plates and cups that get washed and re-used. He seemed to be a very kind man and very approachable, so I'm going to add that to the plus column as well.

   Alright, now I have to say something negative (sorry Fazoli). One thing that I noticed while I was there was that the restaurant had gone from a semi-fast-food place to an actual sit down restaurant. That is great! However, it did come with a price. A monetary price. It seems that the franchise, in order to pay for the new costs of servers, silverware, and stylish plates, have hiked up their prices. Basically, what you used to pay 4-5 dollars for, you will now be paying at least $6.00. Though this is disappointing, I do like the changes and nothing comes free anymore. Oh well, what can you do?

The Verdict: 8.0/10

(10 being the best I could EVER expect from a Fazoli's)

I took two points off for the price hike because honestly, I just don't think that it's worth it. However, I know that there are some people that LOVE the franchise and there are some people (like me) that just get that craving every once in a while, so If you like their food, the service was fast, friendly, and just a little bit over budget.

http://fazolis.com/

________________________________________________________________________

For some AWESOME Restaurant recipes you can make at home, ,CLICK HERE!

First up, Texas Roadhouse on Hilliard-Rome Road.

2011-02-20T06:03:00.000-08:00

   So . . . The day of the experience was Valentines day and took place around 5:00 pm. This means that they were absolutely packed. We walked in and, to my surprise, they only had a 10 minute wait. To make things even better, we only ended up standing for about 7 minutes. The only complaint that I had about the wait was that there was a party of about 10 people and another couple waiting as well. This was a problem because, well, let's just say that Texas Roadhouse isn't exactly set up for a large amount of people waiting for tables. The front of the restaurant was absolutely packed with 14 people waiting. We were all basically back to back and shoulder to shoulder and it was WAY too cold to go outside. However, as I said, it was a short wait even on Valentines Day, so there was no harm done.

   Next, we were escorted to our table, by a young girl version of cupid, which I thought was pretty cool. It is nice to see a restaurant let their employees have a little fun because it makes it more fun for everyone! Anyways, the first thing I noticed was that the lighting in the restaurant was very pleasing. Some places have some of the worst lighting situations . . . eheem(macaroni grill) . Also, the booths that we sat in had plenty of room, which pleased me very much.

   When we ordered, we ordered from a young girl who will remain nameless. She was a very cute girl who's looks were only surpassed by her attentiveness to our drinks and overall helpfulness. Seriously guys, she was a great waitress, which really reflects the training that this place puts into their employees.

   First, we got our salad, which took about 4-5 minutes. Then, about 10-12 minutes later, we got our food, which was a prime rib and a 12 oz. steak. As we always do, I tried hers and she tried mine and I am here to tell you that it was absolutely perfect. We both ordered our meat medium and that is exactly the way it came out. To top it off, we didn't even wait 15 minutes for it either!

   So, here is Texas Roadhouse getting absolutely slammed and by the end of our meal (about 45 minutes), we had two managers ask us how things were, about 3 drink refills each, and some other girl bring us some coupons for our next visit! I have to tell you, I was and still am pretty impressed. I will most likely be using that coupon sooner than later!

Verdict- 9.0/10

Minus 1 point only because the front of the restaurant is too small to handle large groups of people waiting to eat . . . but if the weather permits, you can always go outside and wait because they give you the vibrating notifications

Happy Eating!

http://www.texasroadhouse.com/