Applebee's

[Fish Assassin]

Who has one in their neighborhood? We just got one in Courtenay. And in my Opinion it stinks. Hog Tide and a co-worker will also agree... Hey, but GLG was there for dinner with his family and hopefully he has something better to say about this place.

Here is a letter I sent to their head office;

First the Riblets and Strips were great...OK...but that was it. My daughters mini burgers were plain and the only thing on the table for them was ketchup, salt and pepper. My chipotle bacon burger had nothing on it and the only thing on the table was the same thing that was there for my daughters burger. The burger tasted like some sort of boiled beef sandwich. It was so bad I traded half the burger to my other half for some of her ribs and strips. Still she would not eat it as it was that bad. To top it off the manager offered me his favourite burger to try and when it came to the table the meat was still raw. Not med/rare it was raw.

They did take my Burger off the bill but I think being that this was as bad as it was and the fact raw meat was brought to me on a plate the whole meal should have been covered by the restaurant.

That’s my thought. I look forward to yours.

 

[Pippen]

Ha ha.....when I lived in Wpg they opened one there in about ~1990; I went once with a buddy when I was 20 and that was the first and last time.

How long ago did it open? Having worked opening restaurants years ago I do know you will run into some product/quality issues in the first week or so as for the most part you are hiring an entire new staff and quite often the experience level is very low. I worked at opening a number of Earl's restaurants through the mid-90's and it can be a challenge starting from ground zero.

Again...having said that I would not expect anything more from Applebee's from what I have heard.

 

[Fish Assassin]

It has been open for over a month and I could give you a list of employee's and patrons that hate the joint. But still it was packed this evening...Love to see what happens to it in the future..In Courtenay. I would go to White Spot or even Dennys before I/we eat at Applebee's again. We don't have a Denny's here though.

 

[scott craven]

The one in Victoria sucks too...

 

[Klob]

Well said Holmes.

 

[Hog Tide]

first impression is everything! i was not impressed with the quality.
had the steak asked for medium and got a well done!also ate the stir fry and there was a burnt taste to the veggies or sauce. didnt compain but wont go back on my dime!
sure wish there was a manzavinos or olive garden in courtenay..

 

[Pippen]

I'll say.....if I am going to go to "any" of the chains it will be either an Earl's or a Joey's (partially for the eye candy too ). Having worked for them way back I know the care and attention they go to in picking great products to create their menu items be they meats, seafood, vegetables and the extent they go to in finding great supply chains for food AND beverage.

The other thing that does set them apart in this realm is the ongoing training and development they have for their staff. Evaluations, training, procedures and proven methodology is something that they have within the organization that is a model that many of the other chains have tried to replicate and plain and simple.....they haven't succeded. In that "category" of restaurants....they are heads above the rest.

But as holmes said.....it takes a passion and that's why when we go out to "dine" we generally steer clear of these restaurants. Ya...we'll hit them up for a game or if a bunch of friends are going but the restaurants where there is creativity and care put into your meals every day/night are where we choose to go. Luckily in Vancouver they do come in all price points where entrees are ~$20....right up to ~$50.

As for holmes......when in Nootka last year we weren't staying at Critter but every day we were there we wished we would have been around for dinner as the menu's looked AWE-------SOME!!!!

 

[wolf]

Problem with most of these places id the food is manufactured somewhere else and then just "re heated" there is no imagination or origanlity to it. go to montanas in the back all they do is microwave food thats it.

few hints if you go to a place and say order nachos and it comes on a plate the cheese is all gooey etc but the plate is cold or luke warm it has been microwaved they should always be baked its not even debatable LOL LOL
Me being a chef (not now thank god)always laugh when going into certain spots they base a menu off of certain mother sauces and that it.
hence why pub food is better than these chains you know its fresh and prepared and cooked in ovens or rationals.

Wolf

 

[Bag-Juan]

Agree with you Scott, the one in Vic sucks big time! The parking lot is a piece of crap too!!

 

[notmebud]

One of the best burgers and other grub The Roal Coachman in CR

 

[sammyslabber]

Thought of going a while back but heard nothing good so gave it a pass.I think like others home cooking for me no bad suprises or over priced meals.

 

[Rum Buddies]

chain restaurants like this have no soul, good cooking comes from passion and love for what youre putting out there, not from someone/ppl that just need a paycheck, if youre only cooking for a paycheck you should find another profession, i make everything from scratch, its about quality not quantity IMO...holmes*

If only every restaurant had this mentality!

 

[GLG]

Ummmmm holmes cooked food.

Yesterday at applebees the steak, chicken, fish and the pasta were good.
The service was not so good. We were a party of 6 and we got 5 plates and waited for the 6th for quite sometime. Seems like they missed one plate and had to rush it out.
Ordered coffee and desert and got the coffee fast but waited and waited for the desert.
Next time I go (if there is a next time) I will make sure there are no birthdays near us.
Don’t like all that girly staff singing BS. Perhaps they should do more customer service.
GLG

 

[Fish Assassin]

I just can't get over the fact they tried to serve me RAW gound beef. When I grind my own beef I will cook it med/well but not store bought or restaurant ground meat.

I wonder how long they will last here in Courtenay. A couple of years I would think but that is about it.

 

[wolf]

Well for starters raw ground you have a good chance of e-coli, the problem lies with training and good quality papered chefs/cooks thats the real issue here because if the person behind the grill isnt trained properly there not going to know. the how or reasons to food safe. I cant tell you how many training/inservices ive been to.... (now what to do with all these pieces of paper LOL LOL)

Ill tell you cooking "home" style is not that hard when I opened that high end retirement home my vision and my managers vision was to cook as much as possable from scratch and we wanted all in home baked goods as well , all our sauces and gravies were from scratch the daily soups were all homemade. hell I even ordered in whole turkeys then made stocks from all the bones because in my eyes the residents deserved the best, unfortunatlly now its all packaged a real shame because when I cooked for the 250 residents I treated them as I was cooking for my grandma and grandpa and your family as well.

But until they accually pay a good wage to a cook/chef you will always and will continue to see the same issues time and time again it just doesnt pay I have 5 degrees in cooking but what good is it when I can go be a gopher in a job site and make more $$$$$$$ a little skewed id say.


Wolf

 

[Sushihunter]

Island Restaurants

Interesting discussion.

I've spent many years in restaurant kitchens myself.

Over the years I've worked at the King Wah in Richmond, (my first job when I was 16), Pizza Patio, Dino's Pizza, Wendy's, Town & Country Inn, Earl's - Lougheed, Newland's, Brass Kettle, Fish House in Stanley Park, Shearwater, and a bunch of others.

I have not yet tried Applebees, but it does sound like opening jitters. I'd check back after about 90 days and see if they got their act together.

I can vouch for Holmes - have eaten his food at Critter a couple of times - wish I could get out there more often!

I've eaten at the Royal Coachman a few times over the years. It's not bad, the dinner specials can be good value. Don't expect Keg type food quality, but all very edible.

Another place I like in Campbell River is the Ideal Cafe. Greasy spoon in the best tradition. Good hearty food for a fair price. Convienently located next to Ideal Tackle.

If you are going through Gold River, there is a place across the street from the Gold River Lodge that is quite good. Don't know the name. They are where the old Mohawk gas station used to be on the corner where you turn into the industrial park. About a mile SE of town just as you cross the GR bridge on your way to the boat ramp. Great breakfast and lunch items and coffee. Try the Eggs Beni!

Another place in GR is the Odika Restaurant. A bit of an African influence and very good food.

I'm still searching for a "great" hamburger on the Island. Found a great pub in Port Alberni, but never get in there any more. In Courtenay, there is the Roadrunner Cafe in one of the motels who's name escapes me at the moment - they used to have a great burger, but they just didn't sell enough of them and took it off the menu.

 

[bryce]

the applebees in vic is terrible

 

[Pippen]

Interesting discussion.

I've spent many years in restaurant kitchens myself.

Over the years I've worked at the King Wah in Richmond, (my first job when I was 16), Pizza Patio, Dino's Pizza, Wendy's, Town & Country Inn, Earl's - Lougheed, Newland's, Brass Kettle, Fish House in Stanley Park, Shearwater, and a bunch of others.

Hey Jim......a buddy of mine Kevin was the RL that opened up Lougheed (I haven't spoken to him since last ski season, but I think he is still at Whistler which has been 'his' for quite some time now) ; I was over at North Van at the time which was my "avenue" that brought me from Wpg to the West Coast. Oddly enough when I left Earl's to go back into the 'business world' and use my degree I was working a few evenings a week behind the bar at the Fish House....slinging drinks, being an idiot and shucking oysters; and occasionally getting in fun yet heated arguements with Karen Barnaby.

 

[Striper Sniper]

Let's not forget about Sooke Harbour House......................... very, very excellent!

SS

 

[Pippen]

one of the best meals ive ever had was at a restaurant in tofino called "shelter"(not sure if its still there) *

Yup....Shelter is still there and pretty darn good. Tofino won't let any "chains" in to town and if I heard correctly (tofinofish may correct me) Shelter is/was owned or started by Cactus Club. Although it's not total "high end" dining I have had many a great lunch and dinner there; it's usually my stop for a beer (or 3) and lunch when I finish up meetings when there for work. I always time my "work meetings" over there on a weekend I am gonna be there to fish, so I just wait for the others to arrive via plane or car and check out the cute girls working there.

It's too bad that one of my fave restaurants over there changed ownership and I understand it is nowhere as good.....but the RainForest (or RainCoast) restaurant was AWESOME. My favourite meat is duck....if it's cooked properly and the duck I had there about 3 years ago ranked right up there with the best I have had.