 Mr. Smith  February 9, 2010, at 9:46 am
It’s tradition of That’s All Folks to take advantage of low-priced quality food from chain restaurants and when TGI Friday’s relaunched their 3 Course Meal for $12.99, we weren’t gonna miss it this time. Our first restaurant chain review of Applebee’s didn’t go well at all and our second chain review of Chili’s was pretty awesome. TGI Friday’s has always been a favorite in the Smith household but how would their menu options and food quality hold up this time?
As is standard operating procedure, we patronized the TGI Friday’s restaurant located in the Biscayne and 146th Shopping Plaza. The Mrs. and I have been to this one a few times before, always walking away satisfied. We arrived at 6pm sharp and after a 15 minute wait for the dining room, we were promptly seated at a wobbly table next to a screaming brat! If any of you reading this are married, then you know that when your wife is not happy, she can stare a burning laser through your eyes right into the back of your brain. Well the second we sat down, I could feel that laser and knew that we had to move. Luckily for us, there was an open booth available and we quickly scampered over.
Our waitress found us fast and promptly brought out the Pepsi and water, ready to take our orders. Mrs. Smith decided to go with the Pot Stickers as an appetizer, Parmesan Encrusted Chicken as the entrée and finished off the meal with a Brownie Obsession. I on the other hand opened with the safe selection of Fried Mozzarella Sticks, ventured into new territory with the Ultimate Sicilian Chicken Sandwich and closed shop with the Vanilla Bean Cheesecake.
The appetizers came in good time and were both delicious. You simply can’t go wrong with mozzarella sticks, no matter you situation or your tastes and the pot stickers that the Mrs. ordered were quite tasty. Portions were six a piece and unlike the deals at Chili’s and Applebee’s, these were regular sized and very fulfilling.
Continue reading “TGI Friday’s 3 Course Meal for $12.99 Review»” »
Mrs. Smith January 4, 2010, at 10:45 pm
 I know this story actually came out months ago, but I just found out, and I think it definitely deserves a second wind. In honor of National Ice Cream Week in the UK, there was a poll of more than 1,000 women who voted on which actors body they would like to immortalize in a Popsicle. The majority of the voters wanted the image of Daniel Craig, emerging from the water in Casino Royale.
A smoothie store called Del Monte has taken liberty of making that dream come true, and sculpted a limited edition Popsicle in the shape of Daniel Craig’s nude upper body. The frozen treat supposedly comes in pomegranate, blueberry and cranberry flavors and are under 100 calories each. The icy desert is no longer available for mass production, but the image of Daniel Craig’s upper body on a stick will be edged in our minds forever.
Mrs. Smith January 1, 2010, at 8:33 pm
 Boy oh boy I wish it was. If you’ve watched TV in the last month or so, you have probably seen the new Taco Bell drive-thru diet commercials. As part of the latest craze to stay healthy, Taco Bell came out with its own version of the Veggie Burger – The Fresco Menu. The commercial stars a lady named Christine Dougherty who miraculously lost 54 pounds in 2 years with the help of Taco Bell’s Fresco menu. Funny enough Taco Bell made disclaimers like ” The fresco menu is NOT a low-calorie food“. Even Christine Dougherty’s statement states the following:
“As you know, the Drive-Thru Diet® menu is not a weight-loss program. For me, I didn’t want to cut out my fast food so I started choosing Fresco items from the Drive-Thru Diet® menu and making other sensible choices“
And my favorite…
“These results aren’t typical, but for me they were fantastic!”
Notice the bolded parts? makes you wonder if it’s the “other sensible choices” she made that helped her lose all that weight, or the fact that she had a burrito with no cheese. Are you kidding me? who’s to say that in the midst of all the Taco Bell runs, she didn’t have a salad from Burger King?… can we credit her weight loss to that fine fast food organization? Well, let’s look at the facts more closely. The Fresco menu includes delectable treats like a Fresco steak taco, burrito supreme, bean burrito, both soft and crunchy tacos and the ranchero chicken soft taco. But are they really better for you then the originals? Lets compare one.
Would you look at that, the fresco burrito has 20 fewer calories than the original… I feel the weight melting off already. Lets also note that it has more carbohydrates, more sodium and less protein then the original. All great things when your trying to lose weight. NOT. So for conclusion, if you are really trying to lose weight… exercise and don’t eat Taco Bell.
Want to try this “miracle food”? grab a free taco coupon, and hurry… they are only giving out a million of these.
Mrs. Smith December 18, 2009, at 7:32 pm
 If you love eating food, watching food and watching other people eat food – This is the show for you! The Travel Channels’ Man Vs. Food is unstoppable. But first, let me tell you a little secret, you’re going to want to sit down for this one, I… have never had cable. (Pause for gasps). You could only imagine the joy I experienced when I first moved out on my own (Ok, the second time I moved out on my own) and got cable! Especially now since I have nothing else to do but write and watch TV. It’s needless to say that the Travel Channel is one of my favorite channels, and this show is a big part of the why.
Man Vs. Food premiered December 3, 2008 on the Travel challenge and is all about a guy named Adam Richman who travels the country to find the most unique dishes and explore the local culture. Adam faces different types of eating challenges at local restaurants, from ultra hot dishes to incredible amounts for food that he has to eat, with a time limit or without. From a massive 2-gallon sundae heaped with 8 softball-sized scoops of ice cream to the Firebrand Chili Challenge. Adam Richman will eat anything for the sake of television.
Adam Richman began his superstar life on May 16, 1974 in Brooklyn, New York. And don’t think that food is the only thing he can do, Adam got his undergraduate degree in International Studies at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and earned a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama (Not bad for a TV personality). Richman’s passion for food has always been there, he held numerous restaurant jobs from the front to the back of the kitchen and kept a journal of the best food joints he has had the pleasure of visiting. Man Vs. Food was not Adam’s first gig, he had the chance to guest star on shows like on The Guiding Light, All My Children, Law & Order and a funny portrayal of God as a butcher on Joan of Arcadia. But don’t think of Adam as a fame loving food man, while interviewing with another one of travel channels best, Andrew Zimmerman, Adam stated the following:
At some point within the last handful of years though, I just really began to take stock in two philosophies – one of my Dad’s old maxims about life, “This Ain’t No Dress Rehearsal.” And the Samurai Bushido’s principal of making a decision about anything within the span of seven breaths. I acknowledge the outward-seeming esoteric, hippie-dippyosity of this, but in truth, I just combined them both and now approach actions, travel, people, food challenges with a sort of “suck the marrow out of the moment” philosophy. I strive to throw myself into whatever situation with a kind of committed, focused abandon. And I have to tell you — it’s sooooo cool. But I’m not a competitive eater and have no aspirations to be. That’s kinda the point — I’m just a dude who loves traditional food and likes to eat and travel.
The million dollar question – How does he tackle the food filled challenges? Richman exercises twice a day while he’s on the road, he does not eat the day before a challenge and he tries to stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water or club soda. He regularly gets his cholesterol, liver enzymes and blood lipids checked when not on the road. And after ending each taping he spends an hour on the treadmill.
Mrs. Smith October 30, 2009, at 9:54 am
Finally a candy that’s actually good for you. The new Jelly Belly Superfruit Mix is made with real fruit like Acai Berry, Barbados Cherry, Cranberry, Blueberry and Pomegranate. It’s the perfect Halloween snack when kids can’t get enough of candy (Just don’t tell them it’s good for them otherwise they wont eat it! Like the Chef Boyardee commercial lol).
The Beans also contain 25 percent of your daily Vitamin C intake and contain only 5 calories each. Who doesn’t like jelly beans? and now spend $35+ and get a FREE BeanBoozled Spinner Gift Box when you enter the coupon code: SPIN + get 10% off for Halloween with coupon code: BOO. Oh and did I mention that any purchase over $50 also ships for FREE! Get your last minute Halloween candy now!
Mr. Smith August 2, 2009, at 10:03 am
 Yet again, Mrs. Smith and I took to the streets and decided to try the 3-course meal that Chili’s had been advertising every 10 seconds. We paired this with going to see the horror movie “The Collector” (Review to follow later today) just to make sure this was a very memorable evening, one way or the other.
Our Chili’s of choice this time around was the one located right next to the Movie Theater (Biscayne and 199th) and we arrived promptly at 7:30pm. Packed as expected, I dropped the Mrs. off to get our place in line while I found a parking space. When I made it to the restaurant, it looked to be about a half-an-hour wait. We were given a black beeper, which seems to be the norm for chain restaurants around the country, and we found a cozy seat inside to wait our turn. After only about 15 minutes, our hostess was kind enough to seat us at a booth in the middle of the restaurant.
Hallie, our waitress was lightning fast in getting over to us and kindly pointed out the specials that were running. First came the drinks and I splurged this time with a Coke (Asked for Pepsi, but what can you do, no restaurant in the country carries both) and the Mrs. stuck to her water with lemon. 60 seconds later, we had our drinks and were ready to give the appetizer: half order of Texas Cheese Fries. Took us a few minutes to find the right entrée’ choice (15 total to choose from for this promotion) but we finally decided. Mrs. Smith chose the Mesquite Chicken Salad and I chose the Country Fried Steak. Again, I let my decision be based on the most expensive thing on the menu; I don’t know why I do that! We had also decided on the Molten Chocolate Cake dessert early, so we were straight to the gate.
The Cheese Fries arrived promptly, about 10 minutes before the Entrée’s and were very good. Melted cheese with jalapenos, bacon, and proper seasoning went a long way and were quickly devoured. A few minutes of digestion time later, our meal was ready. First, the large salad was placed down and I smiled knowing there was no way that could be taken out in one sitting, then, when I was presented with my meal, I quickly hit my head with my hand thinking “There’s absolutely no way I can finish this!” In addition to the massive amount of Country Fried Stake, I also was given a healthy portion of Mashed Potatoes and a nice piece of Corn-on-the-Cob. Just as quickly as I laughed at the Mrs., I knew I too was doomed. Rather than try to eat the whole thing and be in pain for the movie, I made the decision to eat half, box half, and leave room for the looming dessert. (Certainly the right move)
My steak was crispy, very tasty and well presented. The corn was fantastic, well buttered and salted, and easily stripped of the cob with my chompers. The mashed potatoes were thick and creamy … very tough at a chain restaurant from what I have experienced in the past. The Mrs. quickly went through her salad, knocking out everything but some lettuce. She mentioned it was good too, though needed more BBQ sauce to make it better. When finished, Hallie was quickly over to provide a box and take our plates. (I also did not mention that she provided refills without us asking, another rarity these days). With room to spare, we were ready for our Molten Cake.
Wonderfully presented, we smiled when we saw what was shortly to exist only in our stomachs. The chocolate cake provides a foundation for the one scoop of vanilla ice cream, which is encapsulated in chocolate. Drizzled on the plate was a little caramel, just for effect. A few minutes later we placed our backs against the plush booth seats after a job well done. Certainly a great finish to a great meal and experience.
The total cost of the meal was $30.00 (Including Tax and a generous tip which was well-deserved). I also walked out of there with lunch for today, which only adds to the good time we had. Unlike Applebees, we WANTED to go back and do this again, rather than hope it goes better the next time. A great way to kick of the Saturday Night!
For huge dining savings check out Restaurant.com
Mrs. Smith July 16, 2009, at 9:07 am
Restaurant.com Alert People!!!
Get 60% Off at Restaurant.com + receive a FREE $10 Gift Certificate! Use coupon code “KITCHEN” on both of their most popular products, Dinner of the Month Club and the $25 Gift Certificates.
$25 Restaurant.com Gift Certificates for $4.00
Offer Terms and Conditions: The FREE $10 Gift Certificate code is not valid on Dinner of the Month purchases and will be emailed to you within 24 hours.
Check out the full Restaurant.com review
Mrs. Smith June 20, 2009, at 4:58 pm
Well almost free… Let me introduce you to Restaurant.com!
We all know that the center of the social world is fine dining, especially in the Entertainment world. It’s all about the latest hot spots, the coolest restaurants and for most of us, the right prices. But what if you could combine all of these aspects and enjoy the latest hot restaurants AND at the right price? Now you can.
Restaurant owner? Great! Register now with Restaurant.com and put your pride and joy on the map at NO COST to you. You just worry about putting good food on the table and let Restaurant.com worry about getting people sitting at those tables.
Restaurant goer? Awesome! In just a few easy steps, you will be on your way to dining happiness because Restaurant.com offers a national directory of more than 8,500 restaurants. Enter your zip code, mile radius and state or search by cuisine and you will be provided with a list of local participating restaurants and a selection of gift cards available. Select your choice of gift card, purchase and print. It’s that easy!
 Are you that in love with Restaurant.com that you want to save even more? I thought so! Just check out the Dinner of the Month Club. These fantastic gift cards make for great gifts for any occasion (Especially to yourself). Dinner of the Month Club offers 3 options:
1. 3 Months -(3) $25 gift certificates (a $75 value) for only $30 + a FREE $10 gift certificate for a total savings of $55!
2. 6 Months – (6) $25 gift certificates (a $150 value) for only $60 + a FREE $25 gift certificate for a total savings of $115!
3. 12 Months – (12) $25 gift certificates (a $300 value) for only $120 + a FREE $50 gift certificate for a total savings of $230!
Holy %$#@ what a deal!
Mr. Smith May 31, 2009, at 6:25 pm
 Mrs. Smith and I like to occasionally dine-out on a Saturday Night and being that we have no money, the Applebee’s 2 for $20 sounded just right. After a quick trip to Google Maps, we were on our way to the Applebee’s located in Doral.
We arrived around 5:45 pm, which seems a few minutes too late, as there was a good size amount of people waiting. Not a problem, when people wait, they wait because the food is good, so we were handed our black beeper (cool little device that blinks and vibrates when your table is ready) and we patiently waited outside. About 20 minutes we were seated at what was undoubtedly the coldest table in the Restaurant. Although there was no vent next to us, we were seated by a very drafty window. South Florida seems to have a case of recent wet weather, so it was somewhat chilly outside.
Anyway, after being seated we waited for just over 15 minutes before a waitress came to our table asking for our drink or menu order. Mrs. Smith gave every passer by a glaring look of anger but I managed to keep my cool. We decided to order the Boneless Buffalo Wings as an appetizer and the Mrs. had the A1 Stake-house Burger, while I chose the Three Cheese Chicken Penne (The most expensive thing on the regular menu for this promotion, I thought I would get a maximum return on my selection).
The Buffalo wings (10) arrived shortly thereafter with 5 pieces of celery and a blue cheese type sauce. Too small to be worth the $8.65 they are on the menu, we gobbled them down pretty quickly as they tasted pretty good. Only a couple of minutes later, our entrée’s were ready! Mrs. Smith was served her Burger first, (so few serve the lady first) then I was given a big bowl of Pasta. Absent from my pasta was the focaccia stick it should have come with and the serving of grilled chicken that was used was smaller than I had anticipated (About half a breast, sliced)
The first words out of Mrs. Smith’s mouth when describing her burger was “a little pathetic” and I was less than impressed with my meal. Considering the advertisement we were bombarded with when we logged on to Applebee’s website, we expected the Burger to be much more impressive in look. Setting our early feelings aside, we dug into our meals and finished around the same time. While the wife had good things to say about the taste of her Steak-house Burger, and the taste of the Honey-Mustard sauce they gave her, I struggled to down my Pasta filled bowl as the mix of cheeses and lack of chicken made for a very heavy meal.
To finish the meal properly, we asked for the desert menu, which we didn’t realize was considerably short. Only four choices to choose from, we decided to share the Triple Chocolate Melt-Down (Heated Chocolate Cake with fudge, vanilla ice-cream and whip cream). Two spoons and 5 minutes later, it was devoured and undoubtedly the most delicious and well presented part of the evening for the both of us. With tax and tip, the meal set us back $32.00. Was it worth it? Probably not but with the right waiter, table and meal, it certainly could be.
For huge dining savings check out Restaurant.com
Mrs. Smith March 28, 2009, at 3:59 pm
Most of us Miamians know aloe for the soothing sensation it brings to our skin after a long day of frolicking at the beach. Well get ready folks to enjoy aloe in a whole new way! ALŌ on the rocks! This new revolutionary drink originated in Taiwan and is finally making its way to the US. On top of being organically delicious, it also has a variety of health benefits including aiding digestive function, soothing heartburn and preventing constipation.
It’s full of nutrients (loaded with calcium and vitamin C), minerals and amino acids. Sweetened with cane sugar, honey and natural grape flavor, it has all the ingredients to be the perfect refreshment on a hot summer day.
ALŌ comes in 4 different flavors – Elated, Awaken, Exposed and Enliven – and is sold in 16 once bottles at select Whole Food stores as well as Online. Hopefully you will soon see it sold at your local gas station but until then, this delicacy can be enjoined by those of us who can afford it.
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Newlywed Bachelor couple Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney look happy at a date night in Hollywood Monday – the same evening their wedding special aired on ABC
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