Do You Think Fazolis Will Ever Make A Comeback In S.A?? (Atlanta: buyer, restaurant)

[cr1039]

^^ If I gave the impression via the Kia and Mercedes comment that all good food has to be costly, then I certainly used a poor choice in example.

I personally chose not to purchase cheap and quick meals any more than say a few times a year. Picking up for dinner a pizza or maybe Freebirds.

Generally, when I go out to eat, I would like to order dishes that I would otherwise not prepare fresh myself - Gnocchi, home made stuffed pastas etc.

I find the art of cooking absolutely fascinating. What makes a chef tick? What ingredients are used? Is local produce utilized?

I also find the entire restaurant industry to be pretty neat. The music, paint colors, seating etc. in each establishment is typically chosen SO carefully.

I am getting off track...

The main ingredient in food is love - love of the person who is preparing the food, love of the person who grew the food and tended to the land - and all of that hippie stuff...

So that is why a chain with kids slinging burgers or pasta or whatever is just not interesting to me.

I would rather cook many nights straight and then go to a "nice" dinner, sit for hours, enjoy drinks, the food, the atmosphere and the company.

If to do that I have to "give up" the convenience of a pizza or a ready made meal for Hubby and I, I will, and use that $ for a different type of experience. And an evening like that does not have to cost $50 a plate, it really does not - but it is easier to spend more on one dinner out a week when that is the only meal out...

[sapphire]

That's awesome.

No, really.

[dvlpr]

Originally Posted by sapphire

Why does every restaurant that people feel the need to spew advice about have to cost $50 a plate and only be served with the finest wine?

I seriously doubt that the majority of people make those kinds of places (either a Fazoli's or a Sandbar) a habit to eat at. If you do spend your money at the higher end places many times a week, my opinion is you've lost your marbles. And this is an opinion board.

So what if some people like a cheaper, quicker meal once in a while, that they didn't have to prepare themselves? There are Mercedes nights, and there are Kia nights.

edited to add...I've never eaten at Fazoli's--they were gone before I had a chance to try them. If they do reappear, I'll give them a shot.

I'm not an elitist. I eat cheaply, and often (given the condition of commercial real estate, quite often, actually).

But I am also prone to (rare) moments of common sense. And common sense dictates that if a "restaurant" can a) purchase "ingredients"; b) pay someone to "prepare" and serve it; c) pay rent, utilities, and overhead and; d) STILL turn a profit by charging less than $4 for plate of freaking food......you're not getting quality food.

C'mon, Sapphire. You know that cheapest is rarely best, paticularly for something you're going to put in your (and your child's) body. I think it's a shame that fewer people are cooking at home, with fresh ingredients and non-processed stuff. But as you said, this is an opinion-board, and food is a highly personal thing. And, of course, I'm "on the record" as being a fervant Whataburger afficianado.

Oh, and the "$50 plate" places you're making reference to (even though there are very few places in SA that charge those prices, Sandbar included) tend to be chef-driven, independently-owned restaurants that care about the quality of the food they serve. Theyr'e much easier to love than a drive-thru food hut, I think.

[davi78239]

did anyone ever get around to trying their pizza? That's the one thing that I never tried there cause I was always into the pasta. I do remember that their italian ice was good and especially those Chocolate Chip Cookies.......mmmmmm

[dvlpr]

Originally Posted by davi78239

did anyone ever get around to trying their pizza? That's the one thing that I never tried there cause I was always into the pasta. I do remember that their italian ice was good and especially those Chocolate Chip Cookies.......mmmmmm

I gotta say, davi....I could literally not disagree with you more on this....but I love your enthusiasm!!!

[mojokitty]

Originally Posted by cr1039

^^ If I gave the impression via the Kia and Mercedes comment that all good food has to be costly, then I certainly used a poor choice in example.

I personally chose not to purchase cheap and quick meals any more than say a few times a year. Picking up for dinner a pizza or maybe Freebirds.

Generally, when I go out to eat, I would like to order dishes that I would otherwise not prepare fresh myself - Gnocchi, home made stuffed pastas etc.

I find the art of cooking absolutely fascinating. What makes a chef tick? What ingredients are used? Is local produce utilized?

I also find the entire restaurant industry to be pretty neat. The music, paint colors, seating etc. in each establishment is typically chosen SO carefully.

I am getting off track...

The main ingredient in food is love - love of the person who is preparing the food, love of the person who grew the food and tended to the land - and all of that hippie stuff...

So that is why a chain with kids slinging burgers or pasta or whatever is just not interesting to me.

I would rather cook many nights straight and then go to a "nice" dinner, sit for hours, enjoy drinks, the food, the atmosphere and the company.

If to do that I have to "give up" the convenience of a pizza or a ready made meal for Hubby and I, I will, and use that $ for a different type of experience. And an evening like that does not have to cost $50 a plate, it really does not - but it is easier to spend more on one dinner out a week when that is the only meal out...

CR, as much as I LOVE the same things that you described, I can't help but point out that it's just you and hubby. It might be a little different if you had children in the home as well. I'm a SAHM and some nights, I'm just too exhausted to cook a home made meal, so I choose a pizza or take out chinese instead. I LOVE going to nicer restaurants with the long dinner/wine, etc. I don't get that luxury often though. My little one would NEVER sit through a meal like that and sometimes won't eat some of the things I make. You might want to take into consideration when thinking about people talking about fast food restaurants. I personally don't like Fazolis...what other people like...great!

[tonyled]

i too loved fazolis

i "heard" that the owner of the franchise in SA refused to pay taxes and was subsequently shut down

[SnappyBob]

I used to get the spaghetti marinara from the drive thru for $1.99 I think. I would always ask for extra sauce and they would always dump it on there no questions asked and no extra charge. Sometimes they would throw in an extra bread stick too. I love spaghetti but I am a little picky and I must say that I never had a bad plate of spaghetti there. I always wondered how they could stay in business like that. Maybe it was because they were not paying their taxes. That would boost the profit margin. BTW, coincidentally, I am heating up some leftover home made spaghetti in the MW as I write this.

[Azure110]

I am in Georgetown, Ky right now. I had the opportunity to try Fazolis here and I must say it is pretty amazing for fast food italian. Too bad I didn't get to try it out when they were in SA.

It is no olive garden but I would have to say it is pretty close.

[Mom2Feebs]

Fazoli's is on the no-no list in the book Eat This, Not That! The kids' meals are apparently atrocious as far as fat and calories go.