Arbitrary, Incidental, and Accidental Musings...

I promised Rachel I would take her to Kazu for Valentine's Day. Well, let's just say Valentine's Day came a little late this year. I had read about Kazu in Connecticut magazine while waiting to get my hair cut. That issue was all about the best restaurants in the state. I noticed that Kazu was rated "Best Asian restaurant in Fairfield County". That accolade absolutely needed to be explored further. After eating there, I can tell you without a doubt that I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly. I haven't had better yet in Fairfield County. Sorry Kotobuki.

Kazu is a semi-trendy Japanese eatery about 100 feet away from the SoNo (yes, I hate writing that word) Crown Regent movie theater that offers great food and very good service. The waiters and hostesses weren't exactly authentically Japanese if you know what I'm saying (and I think you do), but sometimes that's a refreshing change. In this case, it certainly didn't detract from my meal or my experience.

Where to start... I know, let's start where these reviews should always start... with the beer. I ordered a 22 oz. Asahi. Now, let me tell you something: All Japanese beers are basically Budweiser. Sorry, but it's true. I'm not sure the Japanese have the concept of the microbrew (If I'm incorrect, please let me know where I can get a nice Japanese microbrew. I would be very appreciative.) However, if you had to really pin Japanese beers down with their American equivalents, then you could say that Kirin = Budweiser, Sapporo = Miller High Life, and Asahi = Coors Banquet Beer. Using that math, I'll choose the banquet beer every day of the week (sorry, Phatty). I very much enjoyed my Asahi. Not just because you can't get it often in Japanese restaurants, but also because it complimented the food perfectly. Especially the spicy parts of the meal. If given the choice (which isn't often), I'm going Asahi from now on when eating Japanese. Case closed.

What to order: The appetizers are delicious. Kazu offers a normal appetizer menu, a dumpling menu, and a roll menu (rice paper wrapped treats). Of course, we had to try something off of each menu. We ordered:

Buffalo Dumplings: Large (almost pierogi sized), deep fried, golden brown and delicious, filled with buffalo chicken and chili. This was served with a blue cheese dipping sauce and really blew away any buffalo chicken appetizers you can get anywhere else. Not very spicy, but still great stuff.

Sono Summer Roll: Shrimp tempura, crab (not sure if that should word should have started with a 'k' or not), avocado, hoisen sauce, and rice noodles wrapped in rice paper and served with two dipping sauces. This was good, but not tremendous. I didn't notice the dipping sauces until the end and there wasn't a ton of this dish to share with three people, so I don't think I got an accurate read on this dish. It seemed like this and all other rice paper wrapped foods on the menu had potential. Sorry, we'll have to revisit that at a later date.

Tempura Appetizer: This was your standard shrimp and vegetable tempura appetizer except for two things. 1) The shrimp were huge. 2) There were three shrimp where you normally only get two. It was delicious and worked very well with the standard tempura dipping sauce it was served with.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Now, I'm a little spoiled when it comes to lettuce wraps because I feel that P.F. Chang's has the best lettuce wraps in the world. It is very hard to convice me otherwise and I have had enough sub-standard wraps to prove me correct. I mean, come on... how many other lettuce wraps have you craving them weeks later and how many other wraps could actually get me to eat mushrooms? Anyway, Kazu's chicken lettuce wraps were very good. Not P.F. Chang's good, but good. These wraps were served with crisp iceberg lettuce and plenty of it (which is usually a problem with lettuce wraps - not enough lettuce for the amount of meat). The ground chicken was served pretty much by itself, but marinated with a tasty sauce. They had a few vegetables on the side as well. I added red onion to mine. Good enough to tide me over until they open a P.F. Chang's closer to my house.

The Sushi: Rachel and I ordered our standard assortment of fresh salmon, tuna, and shrimp. Today, I threw a spicy salmon roll in there just to make things interesting. And boy, am I glad I did. That had to be the best spicy salmon roll I have ever had. Why? Well, it was actually spicy for one. No, not "kill you" spicy, but it had enough that the burn lingered for a little while. Mix that with some Asahi and you really have something there. Also, the salmon wasn't chopped or mashed into unrecognizable pieces. It was sliced into tiny cubes that gave the roll a better consistency than you are used to for a spicy roll with mayo in it.

As for the salmon and shrimp? Excellent. Large pieces that had a wonderful texture and great, fresh taste. I found the tuna especially intriguing because of its texture. Why? Well, let's just say I don't eat sushi "properly". You see, when you eat sushi, you're supposed to pick it up with your fingers and always eat it in one bite. While sometimes I will eat with my fingers, I just don't buy into the whole "one bite" approach. Sure, if I'm in Japan I would eat it that way to not offend my hosts, but here in the States, I like to savor every bite. To me, that means properly using wasabi and soy sauce (in my case, light soy sauce) on every bite. Call me crazy. What does this have to do with tuna texture you say? Boy, you're filled with a lot of questions today. The point is, the tuna was of a texture that made you eat it in one bite. You could try to bite through it, but there wasn't a ton of give. Not the type of "non-give" you get when a piece of sushi isn't cut properly. Not at all. This was, "This tuna is of such great quality that you need to eat it properly". If you bit hard enough, it came apart perfectly. Really weird when you think about it. Actually, it's probably weirder when you read about it. In fact, let's just forget this last paragraph ever happened.

Why do I mention any of this? Because that's what I do here on this blog. I want to remember details like this years from now. I need to analyze the smallest details when it comes to great places. And Kazu is definitely a great place worth remembering.

The bad: Not a lot of bad here, but there were two things that stuck out. 1) No white tuna. Kotobuki got me addicted to the stuff and while it is somewhat easy to find, it's hard to find really good white tuna. That's where Kotobuki definitely has an advantage. 2) The rolls weren't very intriguing. Sure, they had some interesting ideas, but nothing I really wanted to try. Then again, I suppose you can't always find a roll with lobster and filet mignon on it. Oh well.

The bottom line: Okay, here's the greatest part... It's not all that expensive. Sure, if you're going to pig out on sushi (about $2.50 a piece), you are going to spend a bit, but that goes for any sushi restaurant. The key here is that the appetizers are so good (and you'll want to try quite a few) that you won't want to order a ton of sushi. However, if you're craving just sushi, this is definitely a great place to go. It could be my favorite sushi outside of New York City so far. (I'm really, really sorry Kotobuki) While the pieces aren't quite as big as NYC sushi, the quality is spot on. Add in great service and you have a real winner here. I certainly agree with Connecticut magazine and give Kazu a "must try".

...oh yeah, they have a standard teriyaki menu too if you're still too much of a wuss to eat sushi.

I haven't been to an authentic deli in a while and I'm sure I've never been to one in Stamford. On this particular day, I just happened to find myself by the Merritt Parkway and decided to stop in and grab a quick bite to eat at what appeared to be an authentic deli. It turned out to be a mixed blessing.

The Rye Ridge Deli is situated a stone's throw from the Merritt Parkway in the Tower Records shopping plaza on High Ridge Road. Having a very small and meek storefront, I would have never guessed that there was a thriving restaurant in the back. Staffed with courteous and helpful staff, the Rye Ridge Deli offers typical deli/diner food in a NY Italian/Jewish deli atmosphere.

What to order: The matzo ball soup was quite good. I've actually never seen a matzo ball that big in my entire life. However, I must tell you that I was very disappointed in my sandwich. For some reason, I walked into that deli craving a hot roast beef sandwich with mayo and mozzarella cheese. I know, this doesn't sound remotely good for you and it's not. However, after my friend Matt introduced me to an unbelievable version of this at the Firehouse Deli in Fairfield, I was hooked. The aforementioned unbelievable version was served up on a garlic bread roll (yes, I know, even worse for you) and the roast beef was rare, yet still warm. The Mozzarella was fresh and the mayo plentiful. I walked into the Rye Ridge Deli trying to replicate that sandwich. I knew it would likely be a long shot, but I was shocked to find that they already had a version of this sandwich on the menu. Calling itself a "roast beef balboa" the only thing that differed on this version was the fact that there was no mayo (which I ended up ordering on the side). Or at least, so I thought.

Unfortunately, the sandwich came out extremely overcooked with an unreal amount of fat on the roast beef (very chewy, almost inedible in parts). They didn't use fresh mozzarella, it was on long, seeded, Italian bread, and you could barely taste the garlic aspect of the bread except in the heel of the loaf. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.

The one saving grace of this meal was the french fries. They looked like Ranch 1 french fries, but unfortunately weren't quite as good. (Which is understandably difficult to match. Ranch 1 fries rock. ...I miss Ranch 1 fries) However, they certainly weren't bad. They just needed a little salt and my side of mayo to help out. Even better, they reheated better than just about any fries I've ever taken home.

The bottom line: I'm sure I just ordered wrong because the food was generally disappointing and Rachel liked her maple glazed turkey on rye with avocado a lot. The atmosphere is great, the location is half way between Rachel and myself for lunch, and the service was fast and friendly. They serve you pickles before your meal and they even sell specialty candies and Italian coffees. Not a bunch not to like, but I suppose I'll have to try another sandwich next time. I'll give this place another try, but for now... not a great rating.

After a long day of house hunting and computer work, there is only one thing you need... BBQ. Okay, I made that up. They have nothing to do with each other. It just sounded better than "Rachel really wanted to try this place". But really, when you think about it, when do you not need BBQ?

The Cookhouse is a BBQ joint in Darien that was once a Red Lobster. In fact, when you sit down you can completely imagine where they used to put the fishing nets and block and tackle on the wall. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't as bad as those banks you look at that you know used to be Pizza Huts, but you could definitely tell. Fortunately for The Cookhouse, the food was much better than at a Red Lobster. Unfortunately for The Cookhouse, the service was just as bad or worse.

What to order:Well, BBQ of course. We got the family special that included choice of three meats (we chose ribs, pulled pork, and brisket, but chicken and andouille sausage were also available... I know, I know. Don't ask. I wanted the sausage. Next time. I promise.), two sides (we ordered creamed spinach and onion rings. ...look, the spinach was for the ladies at the table, okay?), hush puppies, cornbread, and biscuits. (and that officially ends my longest run-on sentence of the blog to date...) All of that for $20 per person (minimum of four people). And believe me, you get a lot. We even had to take some home (shut up Ken, we made a dent).

How was it? Let's start with the meat. The ribs were good. Not the best I've had, but they were quite decent. They were large and fell off the bone quite easily. The brisket, which I normally don't like, was also quite good. Not as good as Bobby Q's, but not bad. The pulled pork was excellent. There was a very good ratio of meat to fat in the pork and you get to slather all of these meats in The Cookhouse's custom sauces. They offer mild, hot, and scary. Scary turned out to be a misnomer as it wasn't that spicy. The hot sauce tended to offer the most flavor to spice ratio.

The "bread" category wasn't bad either. While not the most flavorful cornbread and biscuits I've ever had, they weren't very greasy which was a big plus. However, I think the biggest disappointment here was the hush puppies. I had always heard about these fried corn treats and always imagined something much more than what I got. They were small and somewhat flavorless. While not terrible, I was just very disappointed. If any of you out there can suggest a place where I can get real ("real" must include "tasty") hush puppies out there, please let me know. I'd be very interested.

The sides themselves were also disappointing, so I'm not going to write a ton about them. However, what I will write about are the corn nuggets. Creamed corn mixed with honey and deep fried to a golden brown, these appetizers are delicious. I know I've had them somewhere before, but I can't quite place them. Oh well, doesn't matter. You have to try these. They're ten times better than they sound.

Other items of note include the Cookhouse Ale (really, I think it's just Bass Ale with a different label slapped on the keg) which wasn't bad and the very plentiful desserts. The Cookhouse even makes their own ice cream fresh daily. Not too shabby.

The bad: The service. It was terrible, lazy, and slow. We had three different servers at different parts of the night and none of them knew what they were doing. They cracked jokes that didn't make sense and made me feel like 10% might be too much of a tip (note: I always try to tip 20% for good service). Also, the desserts took forever to come out because they ran out of biscuits. And finally, The Cookhouse is a haven for small children. Be prepared.

The bottom line: I certainly wouldn't agree with The Cookhouse's bold claim that they have the best BBQ in Connecticut. In fact, I don't think they even have the best BBQ in Fairfield County. Maybe they have the best in Darien. I'm still mulling that one over. Look, you have to be careful when you make a boastful claim like that. That's all I'm saying.

In all, it was definitely quite good and deserves a return trip to try all of those wonderful things I missed on the menu the first time around. Especially the plethora of appetizers. I just wouldn't expect much of the service if I were you and certainly don't head there if you're in a hurry. But then again, BBQ isn't about being in a hurry. It's about the slow smoking of meat, hanging out with friends, drinking a beer, and having a good time. That's something you can definitely accomplish at The Cookhouse.

After arguing violently for an hour about whether or not we were going to leave the bar and go to a proper dinner, the proper dinner people won out (I was in the "I'm hung over, I don't want to move, do whatever the hell you want." camp). Argument settled, we then began the long, cold trek down the pedestrian village to try a place that came highly recommended by our bartender for "fast and cheap". Enter: Spag & Co.

I originally wanted to try Spag & Co. on the last Tremblant trip and ended up deciding against it. Why? The menu was very sparse. Not a ton of variety. The selection was really something you would expect more at an Olive Garden than at a resort destination.

What to order: We all ordered different pastas which no one particularly raved about. I had the linguini carbonara. It can best be described as "eh". (hey, I haven't used that word in a review in a while) Actually, it wasn't that terrible. It included chicken and large pieces of bacon (American, not Canadian... actually, I think it was really ham), but could have used a lot more salt. Further, we tried to take the left overs home and that smelled up the refrigerator more than several cases of beer managed to smell up our condo. ...wait, scratch that last part. Actually, the best part of their carbonara was that they had an egg on the half shell that you could mix into the pasta. Outstanding. While this yolk was semi-cooked (you used to be able to get this raw in Canada), it was still a very nice touch.

The bottom line: Not very good. The cheesy garlic bread looked and tasted like it was made by a five year old. The service was just okay and the atmosphere was very small and lacking. I very much miss the old restaurant that stood on this spot, Le Poulet Grille (which had a much better carbonara I might add). I would definitely skip this one if I were you. The bartender was right about one thing though... it was cheap. Score one for the wallet.

Back to Canada! With my diet now over, it was time to return to the Great White North and yeah... do a little skiing. Normally, I have a rule when it comes to sushi restaurants. The farther you are away from the ocean, the worse the sushi is going to be. In the past, that was a great rule to have, especially at ski mountains. However, with today's transportation infrastructure and the flash freezing process, that rule is starting to become less and less important. Restaurant U would prove to destroy this rule.

Restaurant U is a small place whose design is very reminiscent of something a more trendy Todd English would have put together. Situated in the basement of the Tremblant Westin hotel, U offers very fresh sushi and sashimi as well as some interesting takes on old standards like filet mignon. The service is excellent and the martinis are creative and plentiful.

What to order: Martinis... yeah. Maybe that's the problem. I don't remember a ton about this meal, but I know I did like it. We showed up a little tipsy and left a lot drunk. However, I remember the standard sushi fare being very good. Salmon, tuna, you name it. In fact, I'm sure I ate some sushi there that I've never tried before. With the largest plate of sushi I've ever seen put in front of me and my diet now over, how could you blame me? It was very delicious.

I do remember Tom ordering the chef's choice which he remarked was excellent. I've always wanted to try something like that, but I am very particular about my sushi and quite frankly, I don't trust the chef to know what I would like. However, I think it's very cool that someone could take a risk like that with something like sushi. My hat is off to Tom.

The bottom line: Great atmosphere combined with service that was helpful and still served us alcohol after we were clearly drunk make Restaurant U a winner. I definitely need to go back next year and try it out while more sober.

Did I miss something? Did metal return when I wasn't looking? Apparently the metal gods have returned from Valhalla and have plunged their mighty lightning bolts into an already dying grunge/rap metal/punk/emo/whatever era. As you can probably tell by the previous sentence, Avenged Sevenfold is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise same-sounding "metal" world these days. And with absurd band member names like "Zacky Vengance" and "Synyster Gates", there's really nothing that old time Nikki Sixx fans wouldn't like.

Avenged hails from Huntington Beach, CA. (the 714, yo... okay, I promise never to do that again) Instead of being a ska band or rap metal like most bands from that area, they are a straight metal band that has pounding double base, Sebastian Bach like low growls, and harmonic hooks that could be straight out of a Silas Wylde music work (think Galactic Cowboys here, people). The guitar solos (sometimes dueling!) top off a wonderfully full album that becomes progressive when necessary, is complex enough to pay early Metallica homage, and still realizes when it needs to slow down and rip it up with acoustic guitars.

The bottom line: Good stuff. Another fine pick by Raffi. I'll be listening to this one for quite a while more to try and pick up on all the nuances. The great part here is that it appears that there are a ton of influences and picking them all out will be difficult, yet rewarding experience.

There are a lot of Japanese steakhouses out there. However, most of them miss the mark. Operating a couple of elegant restaurants in New York and New Jersey, Kiku offers sushi and more importantly a proper hibachi (teppanyaki) experience. Today, we visit the brand new Paramus, NJ location.

And what a location it is. I was wondering why they moved from their Route 4 location to their brand new location on Route 17 only two miles away. The answer? Space. This new location is four times the size of their old location and on this Saturday night, they used every single inch of that space due to the unreal amount of people dining there. Unfortunately though, it doesn't appear that they are using this space very wisely.

The story I am about to relate is a horrible tale of service, but also of terrific food. In fact, our visit to Kiku last night brings up an interesting quandary for my reviews. What do you do when you get great food, but terrible service? Service can always change, but food is usually less temporal. For example, the service is rude and obnoxious at Peter Luger's, but the steak is awesome. Do I not go there again because of that? Maybe I'll get much better service next time. In some cases, the service will get better. In other places, they just might be plain mean. You never know.

I suppose the answer to this question is "How much does the bad service detract from the overall experience?" If it is enough to make your meal miserable, then you probably don't want to go back. Luckily for Kiku, they have multiple locations and have treated me exceptionally well over the years. They have both history and alternative geography on their side. Their new Paramus location however, is another story entirely...

The reservation: I called a day ahead to make a reservation for seven people at seven o'clock. I then called the day of and changed this reservation to nine people. No problem, right? Wrong. The person taking the reservation didn't speak much English and took around five minutes to both take and change the reservation. It's not like I was calling during the busy dinner hours either. I specifically called to avoid the rush. Once we arrived, things didn't get any smoother. She gave us a number on a Kiku post-it note and said she would call our table shortly. When shortly didn't come, my friend Scott decided to take things into his own hands. I'm not sure what he did (I think I saw some threatening body language), but we quickly found that they had lost the other part of the post-it note used to call the table and they vowed to get us the next available table (gee, thanks). Great system. Remind me to use it if I ever open up my own restaurant.

The waiter: Finally seated at our own hibachi table at 7:30 (I wonder if I can get a table like that for my apartment...), I needed a beer (yes, I know... diet. Right. I got you.) and ordered a Sapporo. I was lucky. Sapporo was one word our waiter did know because it wasn't English. It turns out that he even spoke less English than our "hostess". Seriously, how can you be in the service industry without knowing certain basic words? This shocks me because it is in no way a concept exclusive to Kiku. Happens all the time. Here are some examples of our waiter's stunning grasp of the English language:

Raffi: "Do you have Ketel One?"
Waiter: "Ketel One?" ...blank look...
Raffi: "Okay, Grey Goose. Do you have Grey Goose? It's a vodka."
Waiter: "You want a Grey Goose and vodka?"
Raffi (defeated): "No, it is... yes, Grey Goose."

Scott: "Can we get a separate check?"
Waiter: "Is that some sort of wine?"

This was not a joke. This guy was terrible. He didn't even know what a Bud Light was. HOW CAN YOU BE A WAITER AND NOT KNOW WHAT A BUD LIGHT IS?! (It's not like they don't serve Bud Light there. Someone must have ordered one at some point.) He even brought eight portions of food items instead of nine. It was just awful. I would have stiffed him on the tip if it weren't for the fact that I know he has to tip out to the bus boys and that he shares his tip with the Hibachi Chef (who was much nicer, but only slightly more competant. More on that to come). The weirdest thing? His English pronunciation was perfect. It's like he learned to speak the language but didn't pay attention to the meaning of any of the words. I would say he was just screwing with us, but no one could have been this incompetent on purpose.

The best part? Our waiter was so incompetent that he didn't put everything that we ordered on our bill. We easily got off twenty dollars cheaper than we should have. I guess karma works out sometimes.

The chef: The chef was much nicer although he leaned too heavily on the lame jokes and the now cliched "Onion Volcano". Seriously, who hasn't seen that by now? I think a good Hibachi chef should come up with his own stuff and make it interesting for the patron. Maybe I'm becoming jaded here, but I think I'm over the whole "prepare it at the table thing". At least the show part anyway. I just love my food hot and I want it sizzling off of the grill. That's why I keep going back.

The chef was the nicest person at Kiku and also the most fluent in English. He made tremendous fried rice and all the other food was great. There was just one problem. He forgot my lobster. I don't know how he did it. He confirmed my order right before he started cooking. I think the only explanation is that nine people is an odd hibachi number to cook for. These people may get flustered when there is any more than the standard eight people at a table. That must be it. Or at least, that's what I'll keep telling myself.

The omission was fixed quickly and easily (although it seemed somewhat embarassing for the chef) and it was seriously the best lobster I've ever had at a Japanese steakhouse. So at least they've got that going for them... which is nice.

What to order: Oh yeah, you probably want to know what to get if you ever feel the need to brave this atrocity of service. Well, if you're still with me here, Kiku offers your typical features of hibachi dining, but also some more interesting variations as well. My favorite is the Kiku Hibachi Special which is a double filet mignon order. It's $39, but if you're hungry, it's worth it. Plus, you get the standard salad, soup, rice, ice cream dessert, and shrimp appetizer included. And of course, you can order it up with a 22 oz. Sapporo or Kirin. (I prefer Sapporo for some reason. Kirin is more like the Japanese Budweiser to me.) On this evening (as mentioned previously), I ordered the filet mignon and lobster hibachi. It's the Japanese version of surf & turf. Let me tell you, for $32, you really can't beat it and it is a TON of food (yes, diet. I heard you before).

If steak and lobster aren't your thing, Kiku offers chicken, shrimp, scallops, and sirloin. All chicken and beef can be ordered teriyaki style as well. All are excellent.

If appetizers are more your thing, Kiku stand out shumai, negamaki, gyoza (which were excellent and perfectly fried), a full tempura menu, and great (yet pricey) sushi options. Raffi had the eel and said it was one of the best he's ever had. No sushi for me tonight, but I can tell you that I enjoy the sushi there very much. In fact, my very first sushi attempt came at Kiku while I was in high school. Sort of a life changing culinary moment there actually.

What helps set Kiku apart in the hibachi game is not only the quality food, but also the fact that they serve delicious grilled noodles standard with every hibachi meal. Some Japanese steakhouses treat the noodles as an extra and most don't have them at all. I feel that this is terrible because it really makes the meal. Those semi-crisp grilled noodles beat fried rice any day. But you could have both if you want (for an extra $3). If you're really hungry, you can order the Kiku Hibachi Special with extra noodles like Scott did. That's really the way to go.

For dessert, you can get an assortment of ice creams and sherbets free with the meal. If you're really enterprising, try the green tea ice cream.

The bottom line: This was an interesting review to write. I've always loved Kiku, but the service and the new restaurant really bordered on seriously detracting from the always amazing food. In fact, I'm not sure I like this new location at all. It's too big. They even have a Japanese pottery store attached to the side of it. Because of their size, they seem to want to deal in high turnover (we even thought we garnered some evil eyes after we stayed a short time after dessert... or maybe it was because Scott only tipped 10%, not sure). This focus on turnover leads to bad hiring practices, which in turn, leads to terrible service.

What does this mean? It means I love Kiku, but not in Paramus anymore. It's an elegant atmosphere where you get perfectly cooked, high-quality food served with noodles (did I mention the noodles?). The sushi is high quality and everything is just plain well done. Even better, you don't leave smelling of cooking oil like you do in other Japanese steakhouses. What's really not to like here other than the service?

The bottom line is you need to go to the Alpine, NJ location if you want a truly great experience. I rate Kiku an 86 overall if you visit a good Kiku, but if you visit the Paramus location, I would rate it somewhere in the 50's.

Yes, I'm still on my diet! Leave me alone. I ate a new Buffalo Chicken Snacker and a couple of potato wedges. That's it. However, I have eaten at KFC enough in my life where I could write this review blindfolded. ...okay, maybe my typing isn't that good.

Anyway, KFC has changed a lot over the years. From being bought out by Pepsi, to remaking it's image in a healthier way (you rarely hear the words "Kentucky", "Fried", and/or "Chicken" much in their commercials anymore), to attempting to keep up with the other dollar menu restaurants, KFC has managed to stay remarkably relevant. While their popcorn chicken and $0.99 Snackers sandwiches aren't all that great (they're more coating than anything), they appear to be heading towards the healthier side by offering grilled chicken wraps and salads. Yeah, I know. I'm shocked to see salad at KFC too.

What to order: Chances are you've been to KFC before, but if you haven't been in a while, it's still all about the Original Recipe chicken. Those 11 secret herbs and spices truly do make the chicken finger lickin' good (and greasy) whether you are a white meat or a dark meat fan. If you happen to be a proponent of extra crispy, believe me, I understand. However, you're really missing out. I unfortunately have yet to try the Hot & Spicy chicken which really doesn't make much sense when you think about it. Maybe I just realize that I will be disappointed because nothing is ever hot & spicy at KFC.

Personally, I tend to go for the two piece meal or whatever special they're running that month when I'm not dieting. The two piece meal gives you two white or dark pieces (you can substitute if you want which means if you're really hungry, you can get two breast pieces for a slightly higher charge) a bread (biscuit or cornbread) and two sides. I believe at most KFCs you have to order the soda separately. For the sides, I go with the mashed potatoes and gravy (not great, but certainly tolerable), and either mac and cheese or corn on the cob. For the bread choice, it's all about the cornbread. Don't get me wrong, I love biscuits. However, the smart money is always on the cornbread. Especially if it has little pieces of corn in there and jalapenos... which KFC doesn't have... so, that side thought is really irrelevant.

The crispy strips are there for you if you don't like eating your chicken on the bone (according to a KFC website poll, 54% of internet visitors do not) or out of a bucket. But really, why would you not want to eat chicken out of a bucket? It's the American way. In fact, I always find myself disappointed when we don't order enough food to warrant a bucket and they end up putting it in those little boxes instead.

Don't order: The popcorn chicken. Great concept, terrible execution. It's what everybody loves about KFC... the coating. However, the aftertaste is horrendous. It's almost chemical in nature like after you're done eating a McGriddle sandwich. You'll never be able to finish the box of chicken because you'll feel nauseous. Also, the wings are an abomination. Flavor station or not, there is nothing that can cover up the fact that they aren't meaty and don't taste good. This fact really perplexes me because their regular wings that come with a meal are so good. They don't use the same wings. It just doesn't make sense!

The bottom line: Without exception, I find that I always get terrible and slow service at KFC. I don't understand why fried chicken that is lying out and already cooked is so hard to deliver versus say a taco or a hamburger that needs assembly. In fact, I think this is a good way to explain KFC to an outsider. If you order the right thing, it's good, but everything else about the place is a quandary. It just doesn't make sense. You get the feeling that with just a little bit of effort, things could be a lot better than they are.

SBC sits right across from the Majestic movie theater in downtown Stamford and is about the closest thing Stamford has to a chain eatery. (sorry, Bennigan's doesn't count) A somewhat trendy, steel and copper adorned structure houses an almost New York City Style brew house. SBC offers many different kinds of custom beers, starters, salads, steaks, sandwiches, and pizzas. Just like any good ol' drinkin' hole should.

The beers: SBC offers several "tiers" of beer based upon color and heartiness. Unfortunately, they give pointers as to what their beers taste like. I say "unfortunately" because they don't pick great beers to measure up to. A place that brews their own beer should never say things like "tastes just like Miller Lite or Coors Light". Now, I'm not going to say anything about Miller Lite or Coors Light here, but I feel that if you brew your own beer, you should probably have higher aspirations than that.

I will, however, say something about Bud Light here. Side story: When we showed up at SBC tonight, Budweiser was holding some sort of St. Patrick's Day promotion where they were giving away free Bud Lights in the new pint-sized "aluminum bottle" meant to keep beer colder longer (seriously, they had a Clydesdale there and everything). The "Bud Light Girl" (BLG) approached our table and asked if we wanted a free Bud Light. Now, I'm not a huge fan of Bud Light because I don't think beer should be created using rice and fermented for about as long as it takes to tie my shoe (which is incidentally what Bud Light tastes like). However, Free + Beer = Good by whatever decimal system you happen to be using, so of course I said, "yes".

Well, that's where the story should end. The BLG turning around to the bar and handing us some ice cold promotional beers. However, that's not what happened. Right as the BLG turned to leave, she turned back and asked us, "I see you're not drinking our product tonight. Do you mind if I ask why?" Perplexed by the stupidity of this question, my friend and I shot back in perfect unison, "Becaaause... we're at a brewery?". The look of death the BLG shot us back was palpable. It was as if we had just shot her Clydesdale. I would hope that this moment would have her question the marketing saavy of her current employer, but I doubt it. In fact, I hear she's heading to the Coors Light factory in Golden, Colorado next Tuesday to market Budweiser Select.

Anyway, she eventually returned 10 minutes later with lukewarm Bud Lights (which kept remarkably at the same lukewarm temperature the entire evening in those fancy new aluminum bottles), apologized for the delay (whatever) and then quickly left the bar for the evening. Oh well, what do you expect for free other than an odd experience to blog about the next day?

So, back to the restaurant... SBC has beers ranging from light pilsner, to different shades of IPA, coppers and English ales, and then finally porters. Maybe it's because of the bad comparisons they make on the beer menus, but I find myself oddly disappointed with their beers in general. The One Way IPA isn't bad and the Stamford Red is certainly a must get, but their other stuff just misses the mark in my book. While certainly not terrible, I wouldn't suggest anything on the lighter side of the beer menu.

What to order: SBC has decent pizza, a decent crab cake, and a solid burger. The salad I ordered on this night was pretty good, but the shrimp that topped it were the main treat. The clam chowder was nice, with firm potatoes, but it was a tad creamy even for my taste. I would get it again though. The ribs are good and they claim to have the best prime rib ever. That is certainly a dubious claim that I will have to check out on a return visit. I think SBC's real strength is in their appetizers. You can get all sorts of satays and scallops which are kind of rare in the bar food arena. Oh, and did I mention that the brew fries are coated with beer batter and double fried for extra crispiness? Good stuff.

The bottom line: Good, friendly service doles out efficient and fast food (and I mean fast). While not the most tremendous food on the bar scene, it satisfies and gets the job done. You feel as if you went to a nicer place, but the prices won't kill you. It generally falls short in a lot of places, but makes up for it elsewhere. SBC even offers a take-out pizza special for $20. You get a large pie and a growler (64 oz.) filled with any of their beers. I'm definitely going to need to take advantage of that in the future. In fact, we may have to revisit this entire SBC concept in a later blogging (as we have in the past) as I get a chance to throw down more of their beers and dishes. For now though, SBC clocks in at a solid 61.

Bobby V's has been a Stamford institution for many years. Bobby Valentine (former New York Mets, Texas Rangers, and current Chiba Lotte Marines manager) opened this chain of restaurants some time ago and has watched several succeed across the country while others have failed. In the success column, Bobby V's was recently voted #4 sports bar in the nation by ESPN's "Cold Pizza". (How fair a poll could this possibly have been? I can only imagine ESPN Zone was rated #1 with ESPN Club ranking a close second) In the failure column, the poor, misunderstood (and hidden from view which would explain why no one went there... duh!) Norwalk, CT restaurant.

Bobby V's is in an excellent downtown Stamford location near many of the major and popular bars. This makes it an excellent stop for bar crawls and grabbing a quick bite. The interior is littered with signed pictures of sports stars, jerseys, TVs, and memorabilia. My favorite are the tables which have former baseball, basketball, football, and hockey cards laminated underneath. It is truly a blast from the past. Add beer to this mixture and you can have quite the laughs at the expense of say... oh... Oscar Gamble's hair.

And one day if you're lucky, you may just catch Bobby V. himself. During one of my friend's birthday dinners there, Bobby showed up and bought the entire table of 20 a round of shots. Seemed like a cool guy. Terrible baseball manager, but a cool guy.

Anyway, here's the problem with Bobby V's. It's the food. I'd say stick to the beers and you'll be fine, but you've come to expect more than that out of me, so here goes. If you must order food here, please come with the expectation that you will end up being disappointed. There will be an empty feeling no matter how much you eat. Okay, ground rules accepted? Good. Here we go:

What to order: Anything "buffalo" is okay. Sandwiches, wings, doesn't matter. Not great. Just okay. The fajitas aren't bad either. I suggest the shrimp fajitas. The fries are coated before they get fried for extra crunch. Not bad. I would generally suggest sticking to the appetizers and anything you know they bought in bulk freezer packs and just dumped into the deep fryer (mozzarella sticks, potato skins, etc...) I mean, that's what bar food is about anyway, right?

What not to order: No nachos. No pizzas. No wraps (even though Bobby V. absurdly claims to have invented the "wrap" in the early 80's, please do not order one here). You want a burger? Go next door to Black Bear Saloon.

The bottom line: Food sucks, service sucks, but it's a decent sports bar. Considering the amount of decent food options lining the streets of Stamford, eat first and then come here to catch the game. What Bobby V's does have is the entertainment factor. In addition to watching the game, they have NTN trivia (which I used to love but don't get to play that often anymore), and Wednesday night karaoke. Considering Rachel and I met at just such a karaoke night at Bobby V's a few years back, I can never hold a grudge against this place. Try as I might to stay away, I will always be drawn back here. Just not for the food.

Well, I couldn't review At The Drive In without getting back to an album I received a while ago. Surprising enough, it's the most recent Mars Volta album. Okay, that's not surprising.

Boy, where to start on this one? It's by far the oddest of the three albums. Large periods of silence, noise and miscellaneous end up framing weird songs that are neither ATDI, De-Loused in the Comatorium, or anything else that I could have been expecting. There are no song breaks. While I'm used to this out of a concept album, I'm not so sure this is a concept album. If it is, I'm not sure what the concept is. The lyrics are strangely beautiful, yet confusing. Overall, I find myself confused more than entertained. That's generally not a good sign for an album.

The bottom line: As you can probably already tell, I'm not sure what to make of this album, but I'm generally not a fan. I liked some songs such as "L' Via L' Viaquez", but others made me want to reach for the track skip button. I like to say that there are a lot of bands I would enjoy more if I were high, but as odd as this album is, I don't think that's the case here. I'm really starting to miss what Mars Volta did with their first album. Oh well, I guess it's hard to get that feeling more than once.

If you recall, I wrote a review a while back on The Mars Volta. For Christmas, I received the anthology of their precursor band At The Drive In. I was a little surprised to see how different the two bands were. Sure, they have the same vocals and some of the music sounds the same, but the Zeppelin-esque feel to the whole thing is gone. I understand that earlier works of any band are going to be more raw, under produced, and sometimes even punk-like. Unfortunately however, without that Zeppelin feel to it, At The Drive In doesn't really deliver in the way that I had hoped.

Seeming more noise at points than music, I find myself bewildered by this album. Is it art? Is it experimental? Is it something else entirely? I'm not quite sure. The songs are generally short and crazy, but then it seems to change a third of the way through. I suppose as an anthology, this shouldn't surprise me. However, what is surprising is how clear the progression is towards De-Loused in the Comatorium. Kind of cool actually.

The bottom line: Generally not for me. Sorry folks (read: Raffi and Jonathan). I have a feeling that if I listen to this enough times it will grow on me, but I'm not sure I have the time to invest in something that is sonically odd and is really a greatest hits of a band from a time period where I hated music. (The 1990's. Don't even get me started on music in the 90's. That's a post for another time.) Anyway, if you're a big fan of The Mars Volta, head out and pick this one up. Hearing the roots of any band you love is always a worthwhile and enjoyable endeavor. However, if you only enjoy The Mars Volta a little like I do, this may not be for you. And it would then certainly never prepare you for...