"September 2017" "What's for Dinner?"

NormM wrote:Charlie brought home some roast chicken and sides from a Mexican food truck.  It was good.

NormM wrote:One of the TV cooks remarked that the best restaurant cooks always seem to be Mexican. I think it was Bourdain who said it.  Once when Cassie was still with us (she speaks Spanish)  she noted that all the people in the kitchen of the Greek restaurant we were in were speaking Spanish.

bethk wrote:And in The Villages all the restaurants are use to individual checks.  We can have some picky people but, as a rule, everyone is pretty good about not making a lot of changes or requests.  And everyone is a decent tipper.  I don't think I've ever seen anyone leave less than maybe 18%, but that's just a guesstimate since I don't take my calculator around the table to check.  But the one thing they DO require (and remark on when we're deciding where to go...) ~ Which restaurants have the most liberal "POUR", that is, do you get a FULL glass of wine for your money or not?  LOL

bethk wrote:When we are 'in season' and we have our community monthly breakfasts where we have 40 or 50 people show up at 9 a.m. we STILL get individual checks without question.  And that's when our neighbors get REALLY generous with their tips.  It's not unusual to see a $10 tip on a $12 check just because everyone appreciates the wait staff and how good they are down here.  They even tip the same when it's a breakfast buffet because the wait staff is very attentive to making sure the coffee pots are refilled and plates cleared.

Bugster2 wrote:Joe and I ran into the snottiest waiter at Nepenthe in Big Sur. We were with a group of people. I wasn't going to eat but Joe was. I asked if we could have a separate check. We were the only ones asking. He was a high busted queen and told us in his snottiest voice that they don't do separate checks. Well, excuuuuuse me! We got stuck paying for a meal and wine we didn't drink.

Crybaby wrote:

That really speaks well for the women you “hang” with, Beth, and the community residents as a whole in The Villages. Though I never worked at a place that could accommodate a huge crowd, it was always a server’s worst nightmare when a large group of people came into the place at one time, as it’s kind of hard to please everyone as you get to people as fast as you can but it’s often not as quickly as you would like or as the customer would like.  But then your community seems to be so attuned to the residents there that it’s pretty impressive.  I’ve always doubted that the type of community you live in would appeal to me but the more I hear about it, the nicer it sounds.  And of course, I’d count myself lucky to end up having you and Dane as neighbors (and not just ‘cause I would be hoping you’d deliver some of your baked goods to my house either)!    

NormM wrote:
I made a Texas style chili (no beans, chunky meat and spicy)

Crybaby wrote:

bethk wrote:And in The Villages all the restaurants are use to individual checks.  We can have some picky people but, as a rule, everyone is pretty good about not making a lot of changes or requests.  And everyone is a decent tipper.  I don't think I've ever seen anyone leave less than maybe 18%, but that's just a guesstimate since I don't take my calculator around the table to check.  But the one thing they DO require (and remark on when we're deciding where to go...) ~ Which restaurants have the most liberal "POUR", that is, do you get a FULL glass of wine for your money or not?  LOL

Well that just proves they are a fun bunch of dames to have lunch with! Having worked as a bartender, a cocktail waitress and with my last service job being that of a waitress from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., I served food at lunch and then cocktails in the afternoon.  Nothing I liked better than people who would have a drink or two with their lunch, as it jacked up the bill so the percentages were more in my favor.  

bethk wrote:When we are 'in season' and we have our community monthly breakfasts where we have 40 or 50 people show up at 9 a.m. we STILL get individual checks without question.  And that's when our neighbors get REALLY generous with their tips.  It's not unusual to see a $10 tip on a $12 check just because everyone appreciates the wait staff and how good they are down here.  They even tip the same when it's a breakfast buffet because the wait staff is very attentive to making sure the coffee pots are refilled and plates cleared.

That really speaks well for the women you “hang” with, Beth, and the community residents as a whole in The Villages. Though I never worked at a place that could accommodate a huge crowd, it was always a server’s worst nightmare when a large group of people came into the place at one time, as it’s kind of hard to please everyone as you get to people as fast as you can but it’s often not as quickly as you would like or as the customer would like.  But then your community seems to be so attuned to the residents there that it’s pretty impressive.  I’ve always doubted that the type of community you live in would appeal to me but the more I hear about it, the nicer it sounds.  And of course, I’d count myself lucky to end up having you and Dane as neighbors (and not just ‘cause I would be hoping you’d deliver some of your baked goods to my house either)!    

bethk wrote:Did you make it in your Instant Pot?  Your meal looks like a perfect fit for that kind of cooking.

NormM wrote:

bethk wrote:Did you make it in your Instant Pot?  Your meal looks like a perfect fit for that kind of cooking.

I should have. I never thought about that.

NormM wrote:

I made a Texas style chili (no beans, chunky meat and spicy)

NormM wrote:I am thinking it needs some tweaking before it's a 'done' recipe.

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:Tina fried breaded egg plant and I kept pick pick picking from the dish.
I was full, so the rest here, will be for tomorrow, sauced and cheesed, and layered over spaghetti.Better yet, Rigatoni.....