Hello again everybody. I apologize for not adding to the blog sooner, but I was in Europe for most of July. Yeah, yeah, tough life, I know. Anyway, now that I'm back we will start adding some more reviews. In fact, we are in the process of writing one for The Grand Station located in downtown Arlington Heights, so stay tuned.
I've also added a new poll to the blog. Should I review several of the restaurants I visited while in Europe? It's time to let the public decide.
Eat well...live well
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Buffalo Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor
Buffalo Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor
1180 Lake Cook Road
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
847-808-1120
http://www.thebuffalorestaurant.com/Buffalo/Home.html
Date visited: July 9, 2009
The Buffalo is a local "mom and pop" restaurant that has been around for years on the corner of Lake Cook Road and Arlington Heights Road. It is a favorite place for families, little league teams, teenagers, and senior citizens to dine from a variety of choices of American fare. Sandwiches and burgers can be ordered "regular" which only includes the burger/sandwich or "deluxe" which includes fries and a bowl of soup. Naturally, the "deluxe" platter costs slightly more. The Buffalo is known for it's fountain desserts and specialty ice cream sundaes. This is not our first time eating here, however, it will be our first official review of the restaurant.
Meal ordered: buttermilk pancakes, matzo ball soup, chicken noodle soup, Bionic Burger, and fries.
Missy says:
The Buffalo is a great place when I'm in the mood for something easy going and comforting. I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, ambiance, and I can always find something to satisfy my cravings. I thought the matzo ball soup was very good. The broth was salty enough and the balls were hard, just the way I like them. I would like to see the matzo ball be a little bit bigger, but overall it was a good quality matzo ball soup.
The buttermilk pancakes were good and served hot. They were nice, soft and moist. Even though there are small butter packets on the table, it would have been nice to have a larger container of whipped butter on the side.
One of the reasons I come here is because of the bread basket. There are always a variety of rolls to choose from, which is great because I'm a carb freak. :-) Next time I will definitely review their desserts.
Overall, you really can't go wrong with the Buffalo. It's a local, long-time establishment that has solid food, good service, and an easy-going atmosphere. I love restaurants that serve breakfast for dinner! I will say, though, sometimes on the weekends you may have to wait for a table, as it does get crowded with teenagers and families.
Kevin says:
I find the Buffalo to be a place to have a simple meal. Their large menu is filled with comfort foods. You can choose either breakfast, lunch, or dinner entrees at any time of the day. Desserts are a specialty of theirs. This is the kind of place where you always get a bread basket with a mixture of crackers, rolls, and those crunchy bread sticks.
Since they have a large menu, I do not find that they specialize in any one particular kind of food. Overall, I would say the food quality is average; they're a "jack of all trades, but master of none" kind of restaurant. I ordered the Bionic Burger, which automatically comes as a "deluxe" meal that includes a bowl of soup and fries. I had the chicken noodle soup, which was just OK. I found the noodles to be overcooked and slightly mushy. The Bionic Burger is a half-pound burger with mushrooms, grilled onions, cheese, and bacon. I ordered mine cooked medium. Like the noodles, the burger was slightly overdone. There was a little too much charring for my taste.
Our server was polite and attentive. I usually only drink water when I go out, and she kept refilling my glass with out being asked. It did take about 20 minutes for our food, which I thought was quite long for pancakes and a cheeseburger, but she genuinely apologized for the wait. When I asked for a side of mayo she brought out two small plastic containers of it.
Overall, when you're looking for a place to go because you don't have a specific craving for anything, or if several people in your group have different cravings, the Buffalo is a safe choice to meet everyone's desires.
Missy's ratings:
1180 Lake Cook Road
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
847-808-1120
http://www.thebuffalorestaurant.com/Buffalo/Home.html
Date visited: July 9, 2009
The Buffalo is a local "mom and pop" restaurant that has been around for years on the corner of Lake Cook Road and Arlington Heights Road. It is a favorite place for families, little league teams, teenagers, and senior citizens to dine from a variety of choices of American fare. Sandwiches and burgers can be ordered "regular" which only includes the burger/sandwich or "deluxe" which includes fries and a bowl of soup. Naturally, the "deluxe" platter costs slightly more. The Buffalo is known for it's fountain desserts and specialty ice cream sundaes. This is not our first time eating here, however, it will be our first official review of the restaurant.
Meal ordered: buttermilk pancakes, matzo ball soup, chicken noodle soup, Bionic Burger, and fries.
Missy says:
The Buffalo is a great place when I'm in the mood for something easy going and comforting. I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, ambiance, and I can always find something to satisfy my cravings. I thought the matzo ball soup was very good. The broth was salty enough and the balls were hard, just the way I like them. I would like to see the matzo ball be a little bit bigger, but overall it was a good quality matzo ball soup.
The buttermilk pancakes were good and served hot. They were nice, soft and moist. Even though there are small butter packets on the table, it would have been nice to have a larger container of whipped butter on the side.
One of the reasons I come here is because of the bread basket. There are always a variety of rolls to choose from, which is great because I'm a carb freak. :-) Next time I will definitely review their desserts.
Overall, you really can't go wrong with the Buffalo. It's a local, long-time establishment that has solid food, good service, and an easy-going atmosphere. I love restaurants that serve breakfast for dinner! I will say, though, sometimes on the weekends you may have to wait for a table, as it does get crowded with teenagers and families.
Kevin says:
I find the Buffalo to be a place to have a simple meal. Their large menu is filled with comfort foods. You can choose either breakfast, lunch, or dinner entrees at any time of the day. Desserts are a specialty of theirs. This is the kind of place where you always get a bread basket with a mixture of crackers, rolls, and those crunchy bread sticks.
Since they have a large menu, I do not find that they specialize in any one particular kind of food. Overall, I would say the food quality is average; they're a "jack of all trades, but master of none" kind of restaurant. I ordered the Bionic Burger, which automatically comes as a "deluxe" meal that includes a bowl of soup and fries. I had the chicken noodle soup, which was just OK. I found the noodles to be overcooked and slightly mushy. The Bionic Burger is a half-pound burger with mushrooms, grilled onions, cheese, and bacon. I ordered mine cooked medium. Like the noodles, the burger was slightly overdone. There was a little too much charring for my taste.
Our server was polite and attentive. I usually only drink water when I go out, and she kept refilling my glass with out being asked. It did take about 20 minutes for our food, which I thought was quite long for pancakes and a cheeseburger, but she genuinely apologized for the wait. When I asked for a side of mayo she brought out two small plastic containers of it.
Overall, when you're looking for a place to go because you don't have a specific craving for anything, or if several people in your group have different cravings, the Buffalo is a safe choice to meet everyone's desires.
Missy's ratings:
- Ambiance: 3 tines
- Food Quality: 2.5 tines
- Price: 2.5 tines
- Service: 3.5 tines
- Overall: 3 tines
Kevin's ratings:
- Ambiance: 3 tines
- Food Quality: 2 tines
- Price: 2 tines
- Service: 3 tines
- Overall: 2.5 tines
Eat well...live well
Saturday, July 4, 2009
China Kitchen
China Kitchen
1402 E. Hintz Rd.
Arlington Hts., IL 60004
847-797-0800
http://www.chinakitchennumberone.com/
Date visited: June 29, 2009
China Kitchen is a Chinese take-out only place located in the strip mall on the corner of Windsor and Hintz roads. It has large menu (which can be found online) with popular Chinese dishes. We chose this restaurant because of the coupon in the Entertainment Book.
Meal Ordered: Cashew Chicken, Moo Shu Beef, Vegetable Fried Rice (steamed rice and fortune cookies included with order)
Missy says:
Their food was average to below average. The sweet and sour sauce was very watery and the cashew chicken could have used more cashews. You can see the kitchen from the counter and it looked cluttered and dirty. Their fortune cookies tasted like cardboard. I am in no hurry to return to China Kitchen.
Kevin says:
I was not too impressed with their food. The Moo Shu Beef came with what they call Mandarin Pancakes, which look like flour tortillas, but are much thinner. It came with a plum sauce, which I did not try. I wasn't sure if the pancakes were supposed to serve the same purpose as a tortilla, but I did fill them with some beef and fried rice. With out that, the pancakes are quite bland. Everything was just OK. With the Entertainment Book coupon, we did feel the price was right.
Missy's ratings:
Kevin's ratings:
Eat well...live well
1402 E. Hintz Rd.
Arlington Hts., IL 60004
847-797-0800
http://www.chinakitchennumberone.com/
Date visited: June 29, 2009
China Kitchen is a Chinese take-out only place located in the strip mall on the corner of Windsor and Hintz roads. It has large menu (which can be found online) with popular Chinese dishes. We chose this restaurant because of the coupon in the Entertainment Book.
Meal Ordered: Cashew Chicken, Moo Shu Beef, Vegetable Fried Rice (steamed rice and fortune cookies included with order)
Missy says:
Their food was average to below average. The sweet and sour sauce was very watery and the cashew chicken could have used more cashews. You can see the kitchen from the counter and it looked cluttered and dirty. Their fortune cookies tasted like cardboard. I am in no hurry to return to China Kitchen.
Kevin says:
I was not too impressed with their food. The Moo Shu Beef came with what they call Mandarin Pancakes, which look like flour tortillas, but are much thinner. It came with a plum sauce, which I did not try. I wasn't sure if the pancakes were supposed to serve the same purpose as a tortilla, but I did fill them with some beef and fried rice. With out that, the pancakes are quite bland. Everything was just OK. With the Entertainment Book coupon, we did feel the price was right.
Missy's ratings:
- Ambiance: 1 tine
- Food Quality: 1.5 tines
- Price: 3 tines
- Service: 3 tines
- Overall experience: 2 tines
Kevin's ratings:
- Ambiance: N/A - I did not pick up the order
- Food Quality: 2 tines
- Price: 3.5 tines - had coupon
- Service: N/A
- Overall experience: 2 tines
Eat well...live well
Welcome to Dining Discourse...
This idea started several years ago, as we decided to review the restaurants we visited. It was always a way for us to determine whether we would visit again, and also served as a way to have some dinner conversation.
Our goal is to provide honest reviews of restaurants where we eat. We have created several categories to evaluate. Those categories are:
Our goal is to provide honest reviews of restaurants where we eat. We have created several categories to evaluate. Those categories are:
- Ambiance
- Food quality
- Price
- Service
- Overall experience
We use a fork rating system:
- 4 tines = Superior
- 3 tines = Very good
- 2 tines = Average
- 1 tine = Poor
- 0 tines = Complain to the manager
We are always looking for new restaurants to review and we hope that this will be helpful in your dining experience.
Please vote in our monthly poll to the right.
Eat well...live well
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
