We went to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2-The End of it all. Good movie, probably best of the series. We will go back and see it again.
I am 54 years old and I found myself sobbing in the theatre, feeling a little self-concious that no one else was crying. But the next day, several TV shows assured me that I was not the only one with tears-maybe in that theatre for that show I was, but across the nation, the theatre floors definitely got washed with salt water.
Jordan Creek Movie Theatre is a great place to see a movie. It has a better selection of movie treats than the average theatre and it is decorated beautifully. It has a great arcade room and tables in the lobby to sit and eat or wait for the movie to start.
The thing that makes it great is the fact that you can bring food into the theatre and eat it in there. I don't mean just the popcorn and other stuff they sell, I am talking food from the mall food court or even, if you were so inclined, food from home.
Really, you have their blessing to go over to Panera Bread or Cheesecake Factory or even Charlie's Subs and bring in your food, into the actual theater and eat it while watching the movie.
It's not easy, you kind of have to leave a seat between you and your seatmate to use as a table but it is definitely doable and so decadent. I love to do things that feel like I'm breaking the rules and getting by with it. And for me, this is an example of that behavior.
This time I was glad the meal was over before the movie started though. All those tears would have made my sandwhich soggy and ruined my chocolate chip cookie.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Montana Mike's Steak House
Very rustic, in a campy sort of way. The picture of Lake Iwannasteak greets you as you sidle past the log cabin style walls and sets the tone for your experience.
Fun and friends and beer.
But don't go expecting a great dining experience.
There is something about the breadcrumbs. They have a bitter aftertaste. We had the Mountain Topped Mushrooms. Stuffed mushroom caps-good portion size but dipped in breadcrumbs then deep fried. The mushroom cap was good and the stuffing was okay but there was this bitter aftertaste.
Another member of my party got the chicken fried sirloin steak. He loves chicken fried steak. The steak was large, the gravy was great-just the right amount of pepper and cooked well-no flour taste. The steak was tender and easy to cut but again the bitter aftertaste.
It wasn't so bad that it was inedible but did make you feel sort of off, not want to order that again. I had pork chops which are hard to make, dry out easily and mine were a bit overdone but again edible just not pleasant.
The catfish was clearly breaded and frozen then fried when it got to the restaurant. But the portion was generous and the taste was good. Pleasant even, and I am not a great fan of bottom feeders.
The cheese fries are okay, very seasoned fries topped with cheese and bacon bits-salt on salt-some would say that's a food group, I say uncle-too much sodium for me.
The best part was the honey butter served with the very generous commercially prepared warmed rolls. Scrumptious and complemented almost everything on the menus.
Sides--they make a big deal out of the sides.
The mashed potatoes may be real(they say authentic) but need seasoned. The waitress assured me that the mushroom gravy was homemade-yep, homemade out of a package complete with one little dehydrated mushroom swimming in the dark brown soupy stuff.
The Caesar salad was right up there with the salt food group but the romaine lettuce was fresh and crispy.
All in all, a great place for beer and snacks. Be sure to order the beer or Loose Moose margaritas, it will dull the less pleasant flavors of the decently edible food.
Fun and friends and beer.
But don't go expecting a great dining experience.
There is something about the breadcrumbs. They have a bitter aftertaste. We had the Mountain Topped Mushrooms. Stuffed mushroom caps-good portion size but dipped in breadcrumbs then deep fried. The mushroom cap was good and the stuffing was okay but there was this bitter aftertaste.
Another member of my party got the chicken fried sirloin steak. He loves chicken fried steak. The steak was large, the gravy was great-just the right amount of pepper and cooked well-no flour taste. The steak was tender and easy to cut but again the bitter aftertaste.
It wasn't so bad that it was inedible but did make you feel sort of off, not want to order that again. I had pork chops which are hard to make, dry out easily and mine were a bit overdone but again edible just not pleasant.
The catfish was clearly breaded and frozen then fried when it got to the restaurant. But the portion was generous and the taste was good. Pleasant even, and I am not a great fan of bottom feeders.
The cheese fries are okay, very seasoned fries topped with cheese and bacon bits-salt on salt-some would say that's a food group, I say uncle-too much sodium for me.
The best part was the honey butter served with the very generous commercially prepared warmed rolls. Scrumptious and complemented almost everything on the menus.
Sides--they make a big deal out of the sides.
The mashed potatoes may be real(they say authentic) but need seasoned. The waitress assured me that the mushroom gravy was homemade-yep, homemade out of a package complete with one little dehydrated mushroom swimming in the dark brown soupy stuff.
The Caesar salad was right up there with the salt food group but the romaine lettuce was fresh and crispy.
All in all, a great place for beer and snacks. Be sure to order the beer or Loose Moose margaritas, it will dull the less pleasant flavors of the decently edible food.
Nick might be cute...
John and Nick's Prime Ribs and Steak
The little boy is very cute, the staff is very nice, the decor is definitely upscale and abundant. The atmosphere was nice but it was a Friday night and very crowded. They take reservations for six or more but do allow you to call ahead saving standing in line.
Yes, I said standing in line. No seating available unless you choose to go to the lounge.
I worry about restaurants with that much decor and dark wood and stacks of wine bottles arranged in tasteful dark wood cabinets when those restaurants are placed in a small strip mall next to a muffler shop.
I was right to worry.
I chose the prime rib with bacon wrapped scallops. I was there with 5 others and the staff was very good at accommodating our party. We were comfortable and actually right by the salad bar but the line at the salad bar was not intrusive at all.
I have noticed that I keep hesitating to talk about the food. Everyone was so nice and very helpful that I don't really want to ruin this but here we go.
I ordered prime rib-their specialty dish-and I asked for it to be cooked medium. It came out rare-the old joke about it mooing when you cut into it was bandied about. It was a nice piece of prime rib-cut about one inch or so thick but it resisted my fork when I cut into it.
I waited to see what the other prime rib ordered by one of the party I was there with would look like. It was a little more done, on the rare side of medium she quipped. But it was only 1/2 inch thick and there was a huge disparity in the portions.
She ordered hers without the scallops. But they were both supposed to be 8 oz portions. The price difference between her dinner and mine reflected the cost of the scallops on the starter menu. So it should have been the same piece of meat. Not at all.
They invite you to come into the kitchen and say hello-written right on the menu. There is an episode of "The F Word" where chef Gordon Ramsey teaches some butcher students how to tell if meat is rare, medium or well by touching different parts of the face. It took willpower to not go into the kitchen with that lesson.
I would have sent it back but it was a prime example of all the food in the restaurant or at least what I experienced. The bacon wrapped scallops had no flavor, not even the bacon. And while the menu says they are golden fried scallops-they had grill marks and nothing golden about them.
The onion rings were done well as far as cooking but not much flavor-and I don't care for heat. I have a palate that prefers mildness but these were so mild that I started fantasizing about a hint of cayenne. The mozzarella cheese sticks were the same as you get in most nice restaurants-seems as if they all have the same supply company.
But the worst sin had nothing to do with lack of flavor or cooking know-how. It was portion size. Another member of our party ordered the grilled salmon. At $16, I would have expected a decent portion, I know how much good salmon is in the store, I have eaten it at other restaurants but the tiny slice that was on that plate was like a child's portion. The dill cucumber sauce that was served with it was very, very good. Even with the salmon a little overdone, the sauce lifted it to a better level, if there had only been more to make the check a little easier to swallow.
Between the "famous salad bar" mediocre at best-which had nothing homemade on there except the cut of the lettuce and the lack of skill in the kitchen, we won't probably be returning even though that kid is cute beyond words.
The little boy is very cute, the staff is very nice, the decor is definitely upscale and abundant. The atmosphere was nice but it was a Friday night and very crowded. They take reservations for six or more but do allow you to call ahead saving standing in line.
Yes, I said standing in line. No seating available unless you choose to go to the lounge.
I worry about restaurants with that much decor and dark wood and stacks of wine bottles arranged in tasteful dark wood cabinets when those restaurants are placed in a small strip mall next to a muffler shop.
I was right to worry.
I chose the prime rib with bacon wrapped scallops. I was there with 5 others and the staff was very good at accommodating our party. We were comfortable and actually right by the salad bar but the line at the salad bar was not intrusive at all.
I have noticed that I keep hesitating to talk about the food. Everyone was so nice and very helpful that I don't really want to ruin this but here we go.
I ordered prime rib-their specialty dish-and I asked for it to be cooked medium. It came out rare-the old joke about it mooing when you cut into it was bandied about. It was a nice piece of prime rib-cut about one inch or so thick but it resisted my fork when I cut into it.
I waited to see what the other prime rib ordered by one of the party I was there with would look like. It was a little more done, on the rare side of medium she quipped. But it was only 1/2 inch thick and there was a huge disparity in the portions.
She ordered hers without the scallops. But they were both supposed to be 8 oz portions. The price difference between her dinner and mine reflected the cost of the scallops on the starter menu. So it should have been the same piece of meat. Not at all.
They invite you to come into the kitchen and say hello-written right on the menu. There is an episode of "The F Word" where chef Gordon Ramsey teaches some butcher students how to tell if meat is rare, medium or well by touching different parts of the face. It took willpower to not go into the kitchen with that lesson.
I would have sent it back but it was a prime example of all the food in the restaurant or at least what I experienced. The bacon wrapped scallops had no flavor, not even the bacon. And while the menu says they are golden fried scallops-they had grill marks and nothing golden about them.
The onion rings were done well as far as cooking but not much flavor-and I don't care for heat. I have a palate that prefers mildness but these were so mild that I started fantasizing about a hint of cayenne. The mozzarella cheese sticks were the same as you get in most nice restaurants-seems as if they all have the same supply company.
But the worst sin had nothing to do with lack of flavor or cooking know-how. It was portion size. Another member of our party ordered the grilled salmon. At $16, I would have expected a decent portion, I know how much good salmon is in the store, I have eaten it at other restaurants but the tiny slice that was on that plate was like a child's portion. The dill cucumber sauce that was served with it was very, very good. Even with the salmon a little overdone, the sauce lifted it to a better level, if there had only been more to make the check a little easier to swallow.
Between the "famous salad bar" mediocre at best-which had nothing homemade on there except the cut of the lettuce and the lack of skill in the kitchen, we won't probably be returning even though that kid is cute beyond words.
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