For our review this time we decided to try a Hibachi Grill, where they cook your meal in front of you. Crystal had never been to this type of restaurant, so after our viewers suggested both places we decided to do a restaurant-off. We went to BC Osaka's in Merrillville first. BC is a relatively new restaurant so the inside was very spacious and open. They also offer a buffet for those that might not like the grill(House of Kobe does not). We were seated immediately at a grill and the waiter took our drink orders. The menu is extensive with sushi available as well as the grill menu. Crystal ordered the Hibachi Steak meal for her and the chicken kids meal for Delilah. Rebecca ordered the Hibachi steak and chicken. The meal includes a salad, Japanese soup, 2 shrimp, grilled vegetables, rice or noodles, the meat of your choice, and ice cream for dessert. When we ordered the salad and asked for Ranch, we were told that only Ginger dressing was available(note they DO have a buffet with salad available just on the other side of the wall and THAT has Ranch, but we didn't know that at the time). Neither one of us likes Ginger dressing so we didn't eat the salad. The soup comes before the salad and consists of a clear broth with noodles, mushrooms, and green onions and was pretty good! Crystal got white rice and Rebecca special ordered Chicken fried rice(costs extra). After about a 10 minute wait, the chef came out and started cooking our meal. He makes the meal one item at a time and places it on your plate as it is done. He also passed out 2 types of dipping sauces; one is a ginger sauce and the other is a dark mustard sauce. We found the grilled vegetables and the meat to be under seasoned. Crystal liked how her steak was cooked, even though Delilah ate most of it! :) You definitely get plenty to eat and both of us took leftovers home!! Crystal did not have ice cream but Delilah got chocolate and Rebecca got orange sherbet. They came in cardboard cups with little cardboard spoons.
Food: ***
Service: ***
Atmosphere:****
Cost: ****
Child friendly: ****
Cleanliness: ****
The following Wednesday we went to House of Kobe in Schererville. It is an older building but has just been added on to and recently remodeled to make more seating available. The menu is basically the same as BC Osaka's, with sushi and grill menus available. House of Kobe has daily specials and on Wednesday's it is Land and Sea(steak and shrimp) for a discounted price. After being seated a woman brought out warm wet clothes to wash our hands(BC's didn't offer this) and took our drink orders. We decided to order the same thing we had gotten at BC's so it would be a completely fair review. Crystal got the steak and split it with Delilah and Rebecca got the steak and chicken with chicken fried rice(they do not offer noodles for the meal). You can also choose from about 5 different dressings for your salad! We only waited about 10 minutes until our cook came out to cook our meal. He was very engaging with the people around the grill and did little "tricks" to keep everyone entertained while he cooked. After having the soup we both decided that if we could mix the broth from BC's and the noodles and mushrooms from H.o.K the soup would be amazing! The salad of course was better because we actually got to eat it!! :) We liked the grilled vegetables from H.o.K, they were better seasoned and had more types of veggies in it. The dipping sauces were also better at H.o.K. Crystal said that her steak was better at BC's.
Food: ***
Service: ****
Atmosphere:****
Cost: ****
Child friendly: ****
Cleanliness: ****
About Me
- Table for 2 and a 1/2
- It all started when Crystal and Rebecca wanted to find a new restaurant to try in the Northwest Indiana area. After looking online at several sites, they didn't find any good detailed reviews on restaurants. So, they decided to make a list of restaurants they had not yet tried. While at the first restaurant they came up with the idea of blogging about where they went and their experiences. Crystal and Rebecca wanted to be able to share their experiences and give insight into some of the local restaurants. So here we are!! Crystal, Rebecca, and Crystal's 5 year old daughter, Delilah will be experiencing a new restaurant twice a month. We will give a detailed review of where we went, the entire experience, from how delicious and/or disgusting the food tasted, the cost/expense, service, and cleanliness. We will also rate the atmosphere, whether it would be great for a family, couples only, a night out with friends, or a big gathering. We will also include coupons we used and where to find them, kids eat free nights, and any other specials the restaurant might offer.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Giovanni's Restaurant Review
Unfortunately this review will not leave you wanting more. We went to Giovanni's in Munster with higher than usual expectations due to several good recommendations. Our experience was not the same.
The appearance of the restaurant was outdated and the lighting was dimmer than your typical diner restaurant. The hostess seated us immediately; however, unfortunately we waited longer than necessary before our sever introduced herself. We ordered our drinks; as well as our Bruschetta appetizer( Early that day we had joined their email list to receive a free Bruschetta appetizer). When we asked the waitress she said it was for our next visit; however, that was not what was stated on the advertisement(at 11pm that night we finally received the coupon offer in our email). We saw other tables receiving bread with their drinks and even after our appetizer we still had not been given bread. After we asked the server she brought some out.
We couldn't decide between the crab cakes or Bruschetta for our appetizer so we asked the server for her opinion. She recommended the Bruschetta( wish we would have gone with the crab cakes). The Bruschetta was a slice of barley toasted bread topped with unseasoned tomatoes with exactly one olive(disappointment? To say the least.).
When deciding on our meals, we stupidly asked her for her opinion again. Rebecca asked about several seafood items and she recommended the broiled, rubbery, oil drenched puke-worthy lake perch(not in the servers words but was Rebecca's experience). Crystal ordered the "Fazoli's" Chicken Alfredo, bland, chain restaurant pasta( once again not the servers words and can be found under Chicken Alfredo on Giovanni's menu if you dare) as well as the whipped potatoes(I'd love to tell you how they were; however they never came but didn't forget to bill me for it :) ). After Rebecca's bad fish Crystal offered to share her bearable fettuccini. Since there is not a children's menu available Delilah ordered a small cheese pizza( one thing that you think would be impossible for a 5 year old to dislike. WRONG). Delilah is not a picky child in fact she enjoys Frozen Pizza. When asked by the server if her food was good, Delilah said she didn't like it and wouldn't eat more than a piece.
Just a bad day for Giovanni's? We hope so...maybe or maybe not.
Our overall experience:
Cleanliness: **** stars
Cost: *** stars
Food: * stars
Service: ** stars
Overall: ** stars
The appearance of the restaurant was outdated and the lighting was dimmer than your typical diner restaurant. The hostess seated us immediately; however, unfortunately we waited longer than necessary before our sever introduced herself. We ordered our drinks; as well as our Bruschetta appetizer( Early that day we had joined their email list to receive a free Bruschetta appetizer). When we asked the waitress she said it was for our next visit; however, that was not what was stated on the advertisement(at 11pm that night we finally received the coupon offer in our email). We saw other tables receiving bread with their drinks and even after our appetizer we still had not been given bread. After we asked the server she brought some out.
We couldn't decide between the crab cakes or Bruschetta for our appetizer so we asked the server for her opinion. She recommended the Bruschetta( wish we would have gone with the crab cakes). The Bruschetta was a slice of barley toasted bread topped with unseasoned tomatoes with exactly one olive(disappointment? To say the least.).
When deciding on our meals, we stupidly asked her for her opinion again. Rebecca asked about several seafood items and she recommended the broiled, rubbery, oil drenched puke-worthy lake perch(not in the servers words but was Rebecca's experience). Crystal ordered the "Fazoli's" Chicken Alfredo, bland, chain restaurant pasta( once again not the servers words and can be found under Chicken Alfredo on Giovanni's menu if you dare) as well as the whipped potatoes(I'd love to tell you how they were; however they never came but didn't forget to bill me for it :) ). After Rebecca's bad fish Crystal offered to share her bearable fettuccini. Since there is not a children's menu available Delilah ordered a small cheese pizza( one thing that you think would be impossible for a 5 year old to dislike. WRONG). Delilah is not a picky child in fact she enjoys Frozen Pizza. When asked by the server if her food was good, Delilah said she didn't like it and wouldn't eat more than a piece.
Just a bad day for Giovanni's? We hope so...maybe or maybe not.
Our overall experience:
Cleanliness: **** stars
Cost: *** stars
Food: * stars
Service: ** stars
Overall: ** stars
Friday, March 15, 2013
Cooper's Hawk Restaurant Review
This week we decided to try Cooper’s Hawk in Merrillville. We were unable to find any coupons or specials online. What we did find was that their website was very well set up and had all the meals and prices listed for you to see. The ability to see prices beforehand helped us to budget for our evening. We went on a Wednesday night around 6:30 and were seated almost immediately. Although we w...ere seated immediately, we felt that we were put in an area that was separated from the rest of the restaurant because we had children. There was already a family with young children seated in the same area and while we were dining, another family with young children was also seated.
Our waitress was named Cassie and was very upbeat and helpful. She was very attentive and always made sure we had everything we needed.
We started our meal with Wine Flights. Wine Flights are 4 glasses filled halfway with 4 different types of wine (Flight choices can be found on their menu). Crystal chose the Desert Flight-Rhubarb, Peach, Sweet Red, and Raspberry. Crystal enjoyed all of them except the Peach. Rebecca had the Sparkling Flight-Sparkling Red, Sparkling Peach, Sparkling Moscato, and Romance Red (substituted). Rebecca liked all of them except the Sparkling Moscato. When dining at Cooper’s Hawk you are entitled to try 2 samples of wine each at no cost. Rebecca tried the Ice Wine.
Our waitress was named Cassie and was very upbeat and helpful. She was very attentive and always made sure we had everything we needed.
We started our meal with Wine Flights. Wine Flights are 4 glasses filled halfway with 4 different types of wine (Flight choices can be found on their menu). Crystal chose the Desert Flight-Rhubarb, Peach, Sweet Red, and Raspberry. Crystal enjoyed all of them except the Peach. Rebecca had the Sparkling Flight-Sparkling Red, Sparkling Peach, Sparkling Moscato, and Romance Red (substituted). Rebecca liked all of them except the Sparkling Moscato. When dining at Cooper’s Hawk you are entitled to try 2 samples of wine each at no cost. Rebecca tried the Ice Wine.
We ordered the Chicken Pot Stickers as an appetizer and it was delicious!! Rebecca also had the Tortilla soup. There were many choices on the kids menu. Mason (guest) chose chicken fingers with fries and Delilah chose a cheeseburger with fries. The plates were generous in size and had plenty for a child’s meal. Crystal chose Dana’s Parmesan Chicken with Betty’s Potatoes. “I loved the meal! The chicken was well seasoned and the butter sauce was amazing! Betty’s Potatoes were spectacular!” Rebecca had the Jalapeño bacon cheeseburger with fries. “I had the cheeseburger medium-well and asked for the bacon to be well-done. The cheeseburger was very good and cooked just how I asked. The fries were tasty and well seasoned.” We decided against dessert because we were so full from dinner.
After dinner we were introduced to the wine club. The waitress gave us an informational pamphlet on the wine clubs that were available, the prices, and the perks. We chose to join the Sweet Club with 2 bottles a month for $31.99(see website for details).
Our total bill for 2 adults and 2 children was $84.10. We also bought 4 bottles of wine on our way out for $50.32 with the wine club discount.
Cooper’s Hawk has a full winery and store with treats, wine, and trinkets available for purchase.
Cleanliness: **** stars
Cost: ***** stars
Food: **** stars
Service: ***** stars
Overall: **** stars
Our First Restaurant Review(Gauchos)
For our first restaurant review we chose to go to Gauchos in Valparaiso. It was a restaurant that neither one of us had ever experienced, so we thought it would a great first one to try.
Upon further investigation, we learned that during the month of your birthday, you receive a free meal ($39.95 value, ID required). We also discovered the night we chose (Wednesday) has a special called Wild Wild Wednseday. The specials include $10 off any Feast of Meats, $4 Long Islands and Long Beaches, $5 Martinis, children ages 6-12 eat for only $7, and children 5 and under always eat free.
We suggest when going to Gauchos that you dress a little above jeans and a tshirt.
We arrived around 6:30 and were seated almost immediately. Our waiter, Robert, Rob, Bob, bobo, or hey you (in his words) approached our table promptly. He was polite, knowledgeable, and friendly. Since it was our first time at Gauchos, he explained what a Brazilian feast was, as well as a brief description of each feast. He then explained the birthday special, which we found a little misleading. The special online says “Free birthday meal during the month of your birthday, which includes all you care to eat Feast of the Meats or Seafood Feast.” You really only get $39.95 off your meal; therefore if you get the all you care to eat Seafood Feast, like the special states, you will still have to pay $10 because the meal is $49.95.
We both chose the Surf and Turf Feast of Meals so we could get the full experience of the meat and seafood that they offer.
Crystal enjoyed a Long Island, Rebecca had a Long Beach, and Delilah had a Cherry Lemonade that she loved. Both adult drinks were delicious!
Before we began our feast we had small salads from the salad bar and Delilah had some fruit, cucumbers, and cheese. There was a large selection to choose from and all the items were fresh. When we were done with our salad our waiter brought out Stop/Go cards for each of us. The cards are to let the Gauchos (the person who brings around the fresh meats and seafood around) know when you are ready for the next meat/seafood and when to pass your table. To prepare us for the meal the waiter brought out mashed potatoes, bread, glass bowls (for crab legs), and a collection of dipping sauces for our meal.
Once we flipped our cards to Go, our feast began! The meats arrived on skewers one at a time. We could choose to partake or pass and wait for the next meat/seafood to come around. Before long our plates were full of delicious smelling food and we had to turn our cards to Stop so we could enjoy it all.
Rebecca is not a fan of red meat so she only tried the chicken and few of the meats. “The chicken wrapped in bacon was moist and flavorful. I tried the ribeye and while it was cooked to my taste (medium well) I didn’t feel it had much flavor to it.” Rebecca tried all of the seafood and was pleasantly surprised at how fresh and well-cooked it was. “The grilled and mesquite shrimp were both tasty and the crab legs were the best that I had in a long time and I would recommend them to anyone.”
Crystal likes red meat, chicken, and seafood, so she tried a little bit of everything. “The red meats were good except for the filet mignon wrapped in bacon was a little dry and hard to swallow. I like that all the meats were cooked medium rare to medium, unless requested otherwise. My favorite was the crab legs as well and I feel they were steamed to perfection. The only disappointment for me was that the ribs did not come around once during our hour and a half dinner.
There was not a kids menu so the children are expected to choose the same options as the adults. The only items Delilah would eat were the fish (Lake Perch) that she thought tasted like chicken. We do not suggest Gauchos if you have picky children who do not like to try new things.
We recommend Gauchos for couples, groups, and occasional Sunday family dinner.
Everything at Gauchos seemed to be well maintained and clean. The bathrooms were clean; however, they were not child friendly. The toilet paper was so high that Delilah (5) could not reach it and then when washing her hands she could not reach the paper towels without assistance.
Cost: For two people each getting the Surf and Turf Feasts (with $39.95 off for Crystal’s birthday), three drink specials, Delilah eating free, and a cherry lemonade, our bill totaled $110.00 plus tip.
Worth it?
For our first experience, yes. However, it is not a place we would frequent often due to: cost, location, and Gaucho style service.
Before leaving one person at every table was asked to spin a “wheel of fortune” type wheel. You had a chance to win a free dinner, do the robot, or $10, $20, $50 off your next meal. Crystal spun the wheel and it landed on “do the robot.” After doing the robot, she was given a $25 off certificate for two or more people with her next visit within 90 days.
Cleanliness: **** stars
Cost: ***** stars
Food: **** stars
Service: ***** stars
Overall: **** stars
Upon further investigation, we learned that during the month of your birthday, you receive a free meal ($39.95 value, ID required). We also discovered the night we chose (Wednesday) has a special called Wild Wild Wednseday. The specials include $10 off any Feast of Meats, $4 Long Islands and Long Beaches, $5 Martinis, children ages 6-12 eat for only $7, and children 5 and under always eat free.
We suggest when going to Gauchos that you dress a little above jeans and a tshirt.
We arrived around 6:30 and were seated almost immediately. Our waiter, Robert, Rob, Bob, bobo, or hey you (in his words) approached our table promptly. He was polite, knowledgeable, and friendly. Since it was our first time at Gauchos, he explained what a Brazilian feast was, as well as a brief description of each feast. He then explained the birthday special, which we found a little misleading. The special online says “Free birthday meal during the month of your birthday, which includes all you care to eat Feast of the Meats or Seafood Feast.” You really only get $39.95 off your meal; therefore if you get the all you care to eat Seafood Feast, like the special states, you will still have to pay $10 because the meal is $49.95.
We both chose the Surf and Turf Feast of Meals so we could get the full experience of the meat and seafood that they offer.
Crystal enjoyed a Long Island, Rebecca had a Long Beach, and Delilah had a Cherry Lemonade that she loved. Both adult drinks were delicious!
Before we began our feast we had small salads from the salad bar and Delilah had some fruit, cucumbers, and cheese. There was a large selection to choose from and all the items were fresh. When we were done with our salad our waiter brought out Stop/Go cards for each of us. The cards are to let the Gauchos (the person who brings around the fresh meats and seafood around) know when you are ready for the next meat/seafood and when to pass your table. To prepare us for the meal the waiter brought out mashed potatoes, bread, glass bowls (for crab legs), and a collection of dipping sauces for our meal.
Once we flipped our cards to Go, our feast began! The meats arrived on skewers one at a time. We could choose to partake or pass and wait for the next meat/seafood to come around. Before long our plates were full of delicious smelling food and we had to turn our cards to Stop so we could enjoy it all.
Rebecca is not a fan of red meat so she only tried the chicken and few of the meats. “The chicken wrapped in bacon was moist and flavorful. I tried the ribeye and while it was cooked to my taste (medium well) I didn’t feel it had much flavor to it.” Rebecca tried all of the seafood and was pleasantly surprised at how fresh and well-cooked it was. “The grilled and mesquite shrimp were both tasty and the crab legs were the best that I had in a long time and I would recommend them to anyone.”
Crystal likes red meat, chicken, and seafood, so she tried a little bit of everything. “The red meats were good except for the filet mignon wrapped in bacon was a little dry and hard to swallow. I like that all the meats were cooked medium rare to medium, unless requested otherwise. My favorite was the crab legs as well and I feel they were steamed to perfection. The only disappointment for me was that the ribs did not come around once during our hour and a half dinner.
There was not a kids menu so the children are expected to choose the same options as the adults. The only items Delilah would eat were the fish (Lake Perch) that she thought tasted like chicken. We do not suggest Gauchos if you have picky children who do not like to try new things.
We recommend Gauchos for couples, groups, and occasional Sunday family dinner.
Everything at Gauchos seemed to be well maintained and clean. The bathrooms were clean; however, they were not child friendly. The toilet paper was so high that Delilah (5) could not reach it and then when washing her hands she could not reach the paper towels without assistance.
Cost: For two people each getting the Surf and Turf Feasts (with $39.95 off for Crystal’s birthday), three drink specials, Delilah eating free, and a cherry lemonade, our bill totaled $110.00 plus tip.
Worth it?
For our first experience, yes. However, it is not a place we would frequent often due to: cost, location, and Gaucho style service.
Before leaving one person at every table was asked to spin a “wheel of fortune” type wheel. You had a chance to win a free dinner, do the robot, or $10, $20, $50 off your next meal. Crystal spun the wheel and it landed on “do the robot.” After doing the robot, she was given a $25 off certificate for two or more people with her next visit within 90 days.
Cleanliness: **** stars
Cost: ***** stars
Food: **** stars
Service: ***** stars
Overall: **** stars
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