Tag Archives: restaurant reviews

Angelo and Maxie’s- Restaurant Week 2010

1 Mar

After a lovely mani/pedi date with the incredible Lori, she recommended we visit Angelo and Maxie’s where not only was her friend, Carlotta, tending bar, but it was also Restaurant Week.  Even though I’m supposed to be on a diet, I figured I could make it work at a steak house with portion control.  Plus, I just need to enjoy SOME of Restaurant Week like I have in year’s past (Summer 2009 and Winter 2009).

In case you don’t know how restaurant week works, here is the menu from Angelo and Maxie’s (they all work similarly with a prix fixe of an app, entree, and dessert with lunch for $24.07 and dinner for $35):

*****

RESTAURANT WEEK 2010 MENU

Sunday-Friday

January 25th-February 28th, 2010 

(excluding Saturdays and February 14th)

_____

First Course

Choice of:

Maxie’s House Salad

Angelo’s Caesar Salad

Soup of the Day

_____

Second Course

Choice of:

Grilled Filet Mignon (au poivre or béarnaise available)

Charbroiled New York Sirloin Steak

1 ½ pound Herb-Roasted Chicken

Broiled Salmon over Fresh Sautéed Vegetables

Marinated Roumanian Steak with Grilled Onions (dinner only)

Maxie’s Chopped Steak with Sautéed Onions (dinner only)

_____

Third Course

Choice of:

Cheesecake

Chocolate or Vanilla Ice Cream

Fresh Fruit

_____

LUNCH:  $24.07

DINNER: $35.00 

*****

Lori and I both chose the caesar salad (per Carlotta’s recommendation) but only I went all in with the anchovies.  (Lori got them on the side but couldn’t bring herself to try one).  I LOVE salt, so I like anchovies, though only in small doses.

We also both chose the Filet, however, I went with mine sauceless (hoping to save some calories).


Lori chose au poivre.

For my dessert, I sucked it up and chose the fruit salad.  It was a sad moment in my life, but I knew I couldn’t have both the steak AND the cheesecake.

Or could I? Lori was gracious enough to give me a few bites. Thank GOODNESS I didn’t get this… it was so insanely good I never would have stopped eating it.

I love the take-home bags with all the cows.

We also each enjoyed a glass of the Malbec, again as recommended by our lovely bar tender Carlotta. It was a Carolores Del Sol and we both enjoyed it very much! Will have to be on the lookout for that little gem.

Overall, I thought our meal was great, and for $24 it’s hard to beat! The steak was cooked perfectly and, if you’re not slaving over a diet, you MUST try the cheesecake.  Holy cow!

Total Nom Points: 7 out of 10

Lori, a fellow food blogger (and lover), wrote about our experience here if you’d like to see her perspective on the same meal.

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The Stinking Rose- San Francisco

1 Feb

On Christmas night, after spending the day seeing a movie at the Castro, wandering that neighborhood, then making our way up to the painted ladies and then strolling through the Civic Center area, we found ourselves at our evening destination: The Stinking Rose. Mike and I LOVE garlic… and I mean LOVE.  We roast heads and eat the whole thing and add at least twice as much garlic as is called for in any recipe.  So what better than an entire restaurant themed around garlic?

We started with a pot of roasted garlic.  It was a LOT of garlic but, surprisingly, not really garlicky.  It was wholly disappointing compared to the ones we roast up in our oven (cut the top of the head off to expose the cloves, brush with olive oil, wrap in tin foil, put in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, scoop or squeeze out the cloves… you’ll thank me).


We ordered drinks and I know Mike got his new favorite, Anchor Steam beer.  I went with the blueberry margarita.  It was okay, but I wanted more blueberry!

For my entree, I chose the garlic prime rib.  What could possibly be bad?  Weeeellll… it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either.  It was just… bland.  How can THAT much garlic be BLAND?

Mike got the Porterhouse Pork Chop, pan-roasted with sweet garlic relish and caramelized apples… and well… the apples were good.

We decided we would go for broke and try the garlic ice cream. Why not?  This was actually the BEST part of the meal (by far).  The sweet garlic was flavorful without being overpowering and the caramel sauce on top just added the right kick to it.  We really enjoyed this… and only this.

Without getting too personal, I must confess that the aftermath of so much garlic (regardless of how weak it tasted) was NOT pretty.  I think both Mike and I were thankful we weren’t a new couple!

Overall, The Stinking Rose was completely boring.  My theory is they rely too much on their gimmick to worry about fresh and well cooked ingredients.  It has so much potential and it just fell entirely short.  It was fun though!

Total Nom Points: 4 out of 10

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Sears Fine Foods- San Francisco

29 Jan

We had no idea what to do on Christmas Day.  We knew it would be tough to find places to eat and our only plan was to have a merry Jewish Christmas at the movies (specifcally to see “Nine” at the famous Castro movie theater!)  We asked the concierge where we might find a place open for breakfast and they recommended Sears Fine Foods right up the street.

The place was kitschy but cute.  Very diner-like with a theme revolving around getting a token as you leave to spin a slot machine for a free meal.  (We didn’t win) 

We went all-in for the breakfast.  Mike got 2 eggs, 2 strips bacon, 2 sausages with 2 pancakes.


I went with the “Sears’ World Famous 18 Swedish Pancakes” (with a side of sausage).  They were actually quite tasty!  I still like my own better, but these were still good.  Light and flavorful.

Though I’m not sure if I’d call them “world famous.”

Overall, Sears Fine Foods was exactly that… fine.  I wouldn’t go out of my way to go there again, but if it’s the only place open on Christmas Day, it’s not a terrible option.

Total Nom Points: 5 out of 10

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