[Cincinna]

I prefer family or chef owned and operated restaurants.

I have never really been to the Chain restaurants like Olive Garden, Red Lobster etc, because here in NY they are very few and far between.

There are literally thousands of restaurants in NYC of every kind, every price range and type of cuisine. We have many local small Italian resyaurants where the food is excellent, and actually cheaper than chains such as Olive Garden.

I love the idea of really good food , family owned and operated restaurants, at reasonablw prices.

I did enjoy my lunch at Cheescake Factory in Baltimore. Perhaps it was the great location with a view of the Inner Harbor that made it memorable. I don’t really remember what I ate. Baltimore is a surprising spot for good restaurants, anything and everything with Crab, which is local, plentiful, and cheap.

We also have Italian restaurants like Mario Batali’s Babbo, which is outstanding, really superb, and in the middle price range. His other restaurant, Del Posto is booked up three months in advance and is around $150 + per person.

[manc]

I’m down south but really love the north end , I have been to NY city and to China town but did not enjoy china town what so ever.

My wife worked for two weeks at red lobster and quit.
She told me stories of how the veggies are all frozen and they are cooked up in microwaves.

I worked as a truck driver and went to many restaurants and I have never eaten Chinese since.
Every place was horrible behind the scenes.
I have seen a man in the back making crab rangoons while picking his nose.
Preparing the meat while smoking and the ash went into the food.
Getting their for the delivery at 11 am and seeing a rat jump from a duck hanging up in the basement which had been there all night.
I could tell so many stories about china town and they are horrible.

went to olive garden in CT when I was up there and I actually liked it and yet I went to the one near me and I did not like it.

I suppose it’s where you are and who the place is operated by along with who the cook and server is.

I remember I went to a outback, OMG I loved the steak and yet I went back a few months later under a different cook and the steak was all fatty.

I guess it all depends on where you go and what time you go.

Good to hear you had a good time and I will give the place another go at another place