Agreed, especially in Toronto. With all the fantastic food choices, why in the world would adults go to the Mandarin, Boston Pizza, Red Lobster, Olive Garden etc. I'll give you a pass if you want to take the kids out somewhere.james t kirk;6411644[COLOR="#FF0000" said:]Chain / corporate restaurants are to be avoided in my opinion.[/COLOR] Even when they are owned by Jamie Olivier. It's based on marketing image, price points, and target diners. I like and frequent restaurants where the chef is the owner and the restaurant is his or her baby. Not a restaurant run by beancounters. Oliver's restaurants (I've never been) sound like up market Olive Gardens.
But as far as it goes, he had a good run.
Jc you walk in darkness. You're not into food porn?I will never understand the obsession with food.
Went to one of his “Italian” restaurants in the UK. Overpriced and average food. Place was busy though. About same caliber as an Olive Garden.Chain / corporate restaurants are to be avoided in my opinion. Even when they are owned by Jamie Olivier. It's based on marketing image, price points, and target diners. I like and frequent restaurants where the chef is the owner and the restaurant is his or her baby. Not a restaurant run by beancounters. Oliver's restaurants (I've never been) sound like up market Olive Gardens.
But as far as it goes, he had a good run.
+1 but the food was slightly better than Olive Garden considering its English. Also went to the one at Yorkdale which was much better than the UK fare but wouldn't want to go back.Went to one of his “Italian” restaurants in the UK. Overpriced and average food. Place was busy though. About same caliber as an Olive Garden.
Does not surprise me.
Huh??? How much did you drink?I went to one of these restaurants and was not impressed with the value. Spent almost $400 on two people and never bothered to come back. Maybe the quality was just not there and way overpriced.
Opps my bad and never mind I thought it was Oliver & Bonacini as well. I was thinking of Auberge du Pommier. It was only half a bottle here with appetizers, main and desert. I never been to Jamie Oliver.Huh??? How much did you drink?
I went with a party of 6 and it was under that and we had wine. Most of the items on the menu average at $20ish and only a few over $30 with appetizers in the $5-15 range.
Here we go, the menu at Yorkdale with prices:
https://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/canada/restaurants/yorkdale/menu/starters/
VBB
I eat to live not live to eat. Sometimes, I even forget that.Jc you walk in darkness. You're not into food porn?
Especially ones located inside shopping malls. The rent in is astronomically high and that gets passed on to you.Chain / corporate restaurants are to be avoided in my opinion. Even when they are owned by Jamie Olivier. It's based on marketing image, price points, and target diners. I like and frequent restaurants where the chef is the owner and the restaurant is his or her baby. Not a restaurant run by beancounters. Oliver's restaurants (I've never been) sound like up market Olive Gardens.
But as far as it goes, he had a good run.
Convenience mainly. You know what to expect at a chain restaurant even if it is mediocre.Agreed, especially in Toronto. With all the fantastic food choices, why in the world would adults go to the Mandarin, Boston Pizza, Red Lobster, Olive Garden etc. I'll give you a pass if you want to take the kids out somewhere.
Sometimes things get so big, like in the case of Jamie Oliver's restaurants that you can no longer control things and it becomes too hard to make necessary changes. There's serious competition in the food industry as one needs to reinvent themselves from time to time to remain relevant. He sat back enjoyed the ride but that only lasts so long.
As for sushi, unless it's a Japanese chef owned restaurant, I'm not going...
I'm partially with you on this because there's nothing like making something nice at home. I can control exactly what goes in my food, cook fast or slow, fancy or simple. That being said, it is nice to get out to a nice restaurant every once in a while so that someone else can do the work.I will never understand the obsession with food.
When I cook at home I usually freeze most of it for later meals. Also I can't cook when I'm hungry.I'm partially with you on this because there's nothing like making something nice at home. I can control exactly what goes in my food, cook fast or slow, fancy or simple. That being said, it is nice to get out to a nice restaurant every once in a while so that someone else can do the work.
I see you've been reading the politics forum.:biggrin-new:Jc you walk in darkness.