Eating out

crankcall said:
Server in a good resteraunt is a make a nice living job. Server in the Keg is a decent job. Dealing with drunks in a pub or crap tips at a mom/pop diner is the short way out of the industry. But not everyone gets to be a nice place server, somebody has to work in those dumps. The challenge for servers / sous/ even the chefs at Michelin resteraunts , your working wierd hours so all your circle become industry folks, and you drink and do coke. Its almost part of the 'dirty' business. The ones that sober up ( Matty Matheson) become very successful . The ones that never figure it out off them selves ( Anthony Bourdain)
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The fight to the bottom. If someone took over one of those diners how much would it cost and how long would it take to make it better for everyone? How much more would the customers pay for the improvement?

Some people just like to pig out and they don't care what's in the trough, how it was served or who served it.
 
Am I the only person who really doesn’t like A&W?

I’ve always found their burgers small and kinda meh honestly.

I’ve started making my own smash burgers at home in the last few months. Finding regular full-fat ground beef is surprisingly challenging sometimes but it’s key as the lean and extra lean don’t make for good flavour. Also found a burger specific seasoning online a few months back that is quite good.

Scalding hot cast iron, some oil, a good solid metal spatula for the smash, and you’ve got a mean burger coming up, better than anything I’ve bought pretty much anywhere.

Best burger I’ve ever had outside that was actually on a Carnival cruise ship where there was a “guys burgers” (a Guy Fieri thing) that did smash burgers. Delicious.

I’ve tried 5 Guys and the likes and was also unimpressed, especially when 5 guys was something like $25 for freakin basic burger, fries, and a pop. If you bought a fancier burger that could be north of $30 easily. WTF?
 
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Always try to make my own burgers. Lean ground but supper fine diced onions mixed in, oregano, basil, gluten free worcestershire sauce and some barbecue sauce. Onions juice up nice as it cooks. Heather has got the gluten allergy

Did go to the harbor castle reign bar for dinner Monday. If her company wasn’t paying the first $200 of it not a chance. $80 for the 8 once tender loin no side. Yes oh my god tasty and every bite melted in my mouth. She did salmon with a mushroom side. $26 for wine, $11 for a pint. I can get decent steaks at Costco I need to know what the spices are.
 
Spices for steak ? Salt/pepper , that is all . Now we have three schools , salt first , salt last , then grilled or pan. I’m a salt first , then you wait an hour . Salt will pull moisture out then it goes back in but that takes an hour . Pepper can be anytime but the moisture will suck some pepper flavour in and that’s good . Or salt after cooking and just before serving . Grilling can dry a steak out , I like a screaming hot pan and baste the steak with butter . It splatters but your two mins aside , total six -eight mins and it’s not dry . Let it rest eight mins before cutting in.
For an interesting switch try oregano on your steak for ten-fifteen mins before cooking . It’s different but likeable .
I love steak houses , but it’s gotten to the point where it has to be an occasion. Even on corporate money I have trouble justifying $two hundred a head . In my head .


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Costco sells the Keg steak spice in big shaker jugs - it's our go-to. Just don't overdo it, it's very much a spice, not a rub.
 
Gary said:
I do "overdo" it as some sticks to the grill.
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For sure, but my son once layered the steaks in such a thick coating of it before doing them on cast iron. There was literally a crust, and since that rubs primary component is salt, suffice to say it was a little overwhelming lol.

That was the time he distinctly learned the difference between a rub, and a seasoning. ;)
 
Dr.Manhattan said:
This is a very high end Italian restaurant where you need to have a reservation or chances are you're not getting in. The menu changes throughout the year on whats in season and whats fresh. The cocktails are also amazing. Our waiter was fantastic - older gentlemen that lived in Italy most of his life. He actually went into detail on how the food is traditionally cooked in Italy and what specific pasta dishes came from certain towns in Italy. Me and the wife have gone there the past 3 years for our anniversary despite it being a 2 and a half hour drive ( Its in Winnipeg).

The restaurant with the 40% tip surcharge was a local restaurant that was more or less mediocre - meanwhile the high end Italian establishment had normal tip percentages of 18 / 20 / 22. Thats all restaurant dining, but if I want to keep complaining, even 2 combos from a local A&W came up to $40 something dollars, like wtf is that?
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My cousins live in the peg and when I visit, eating out is usually finger food, fast food or quantity over quality. I haven't been back since before Covid but I've seen some Manitoba historical videos on YouTube and I'm musing about going out this summer. Air travel has become such a crapfest that I haven't ruled out going on four wheels. We left Brandon when I was eight or nine and while I recognize a lot of place names I can't mentally figure out where they are.
 
nobbie48 said:
My cousins live in the peg and when I visit, eating out is usually finger food, fast food or quantity over quality. I haven't been back since before Covid but I've seen some Manitoba historical videos on YouTube and I'm musing about going out this summer. Air travel has become such a crapfest that I haven't ruled out going on four wheels. We left Brandon when I was eight or nine and while I recognize a lot of place names I can't mentally figure out where they are.
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My wife flies to Edmonton regularly as we have family there. Her last few flights were <$200 return. For some reason it’s a very cheap place to fly to.

At that price that wouldn’t even be the cost of gas to drive out and back, much less than the time.
 
PrivatePilot said:
My wife flies to Edmonton regularly as we have family there. Her last few flights were <$200 return. For some reason it’s a very cheap place to fly to.

At that price that wouldn’t even be the cost of gas to drive out and back, much less than the time.
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Unless you have a car full of people, the fuel and wear and tear costs favour flying. It's just the cattle car attitude.
 
Cheap flights to Edmonton are a crap shoot , both my kids live Northern AB and we are back and forth, it’s been $two fifty and $six ninety nine . But then it’s a four hr drive to ft Mac , so I’m already being punished .


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crankcall said:
Grilling can dry a steak out , I like a screaming hot pan and baste the steak with butter . It splatters but your two mins aside , total six -eight mins and it’s not dry . Let it rest eight mins before cutting in.
For an interesting switch try oregano on your steak for ten-fifteen mins before cooking . It’s different but likeable .
I love steak houses , but it’s gotten to the point where it has to be an occasion. Even on corporate money I have trouble justifying $two hundred a head . In my head .
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Just salt and pepper before cooking, but I set my pepper grinder to coarse for a crusted peppercorn steak. Reverse sear in oven until 125F using 170F for around 2 hours (or 200F for 45 minutes if I'm not patient). Then pan fry to sear the outside for a few minutes. Deglaze the pan with some brandy, then add cream and butter for a nice sauce.

It's hard justifying steakhouse prices these days. Hy's is still one of my favorite steakhouses, but I miss the opulence of old location and some of the menu items like the Cajun blackened rib steak that used to make me tear up on first bite.
 
Can't even afford a decent steak eating in anymore.
Fortunately kangaroo is a wonderful healthy sub. No methane farts and tastes great medium rare which is how I prefer it,
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K Roo Herb & garlic Kangaroo Kebabs Quick & Easy to cook 98% Fat Free
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$9 for 3/4 lb high quality protein. Had half a kabob this morning with one egg - dog got to lick the plate.....happy pooch.
Ended up freezing half the packet.
 
I had a caesar wrap with fries and two 8-oz beers at my gig on Friday night. Cost me $48 with tip.

Every time I eat out now, I find myself thinking that I'm being an idiot. Good thing the wife and I have really stepped up our game in the kitchen after Covid. I've got a top sirloin steak, a bit of garam masala, a bit of garlic, some thyme, green beans... total cost about $26 to feed three. Maybe we'll share a bottle of wine bringing the cost to $40.

I just can't justify the restaurant pricing.
 
Shaman said:
I had a caesar wrap with fries and two 8-oz beers at my gig on Friday night. Cost me $48 with tip.

Every time I eat out now, I find myself thinking that I'm being an idiot. Good thing the wife and I have really stepped up our game in the kitchen after Covid. I've got a top sirloin steak, a bit of garam masala, a bit of garlic, some thyme, green beans... total cost about $26 to feed three. Maybe we'll share a bottle of wine bringing the cost to $40.

I just can't justify the restaurant pricing.
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Will it be harder on the middle of the road eateries?

Sometimes I just need fuel for the stomach and I don't care what it is, McDs, BKs or Costco's $1.50 hot dog with drink or huge slice of pizza with drink for about $5.00. Most people look for cheap and convenient, (my view). You can get a tummy top up for well under $10. Their foot traffic will likely not change but the tabs will be smaller.

The next step up is a sit-down dinner with the squeeze. Two entrees with tax is hard to do for under $50.00 Add an appetizer and two drinks and you're easily at $100.00. It's OK eating but not the next step up which is celebration mode.

Celebration mode is the squeeze's birthday, anniversary, a graduation etc. Expect $100 a head and up. This happens a few times a year in our house so might be a grand or so a year in the overall budget and it's far cheaper than a divorce attorney.

The roadhouse / sit down diner once a week could easily take $3,000 to $5,000 out of the annual budget. More if there are kids and heaven forbid teenage eating machines. Those meals aren't hard to duplicate at home.

I just finished lunch, a bowl of hearty chicken stew. The chicken legs were $8.00, potatoes 10 pounds for $2.00 a carrot or two and a few add ins gave us six large bowls of stew for less than $2.00 a bowl. Good kitchen tools are a lifetime investment, often paying for themselves the first time they are used.

Professional chefs can make a lesser grade of meat taste good. If you don't have those skills, buy the better grade. You'll still be further ahead.

Running a restaurant with a diverse menu takes guts. Nothing is cheap, rent, coolers, wages, cleaning, power, staff.

Previously mentioned, a neighbour (Family of four) has opted to forgo their weekly dinner out at run of the mill places and now go out once a month to a celebration spot. Same yearly expense but a better experience.

The casual diners will have to look at ways of balancing their books.
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