Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Plenty of people go to a steakhouse only to accompany someone who really wants a steak.
Or because some client or vendor or out-of-town visitor wants to go. Our vendors always want to take us out for steaks at some cheesy joint, like the Rosemont Gibson's. Why? Because they are not from Chicago and may be staying in a hotel out by the airport, and it's an easy pick for someone who doesn't know the ins and outs of Chicago's restaurant scene.
But I agree with Chet, if you're in a steakhouse and order anything other than a steak cooked the way they specialize in cooking it, you shouldn't expect to be blown away.
I recall reading an article on Gibson's in Chicago Magazine quite a while back, and it basically described it as a place where the moves and shakers ( and those who wanted to move and shake), with a cast of well-known regulars, and single women looking for well-heeled men. There seemed to be an emphasis upon how longed the waitstaff worked there ( many had worked for over a decade), and how to snag a good table and get to know the staff ( go on less-busy nights, and leave a good tip). Interesting article, but it made the atmosphere sound a little like a singles bar with steak, and full of blowhards...
...
But I agree with Chet, if you're in a steakhouse and order anything other than a steak cooked the way they specialize in cooking it, you shouldn't expect to be blown away.
Just gonna say this:
This is kind of an example of Midwestern cultural conservatism. The attitude of "we'll take your money and agree to give you something, but it ain't our specialty and if you don't like it then it's your fault for even asking so don't ask us to actually take any responsibility for providing a quality product." It goes hand-in-hand with a bunch of other patriarchal attitudes that you don't see nearly as often on the West Coast.
I'm so glad that (most of) Chicago is past that now - when I first moved to the Midwest it was much more pronounced and, at times, very grating. The change in attitude is a large part of what has driven Chicago's emergence as a global food player in the past 15 years. I'm not at all saying a place has to be good at everything, only that they need to be good at anything they agree to take money for. The customer isn't always right, but if you tell the customer you accept their proposal, you can't then blame them if you can't deliver.
Come now.
The OP was quite clear that he ordered "a very simple preparation" which was NOT on the menu. When it was delivered and not to his liking the wait staff made every effort to have something more acceptable prepared. The OP's complaints about the chicken may also be inferred to be related to his concerns over the charring, something he questioned on the filet a tablemate ordered. In Chicago a "steakhouse" is often synonymous with "char house":
Should Gibson's have pictures on their menu of what they consider a properly cooked entree?
Do you suspect that the OP would go to Moto or Alinea and request that no liquid nitrogren or hydrocolliods be used in preparing their meal?
This is kind of an example of Midwestern cultural conservatism. The attitude of "we'll take your money and agree to give you something, but it ain't our specialty and if you don't like it then it's your fault for even asking so don't ask us to actually take any responsibility for providing a quality product." It goes hand-in-hand with a bunch of other patriarchal attitudes that you don't see nearly as often on the West Coast.
Yeah. Coming from the West Coast, some of the things that you may not even notice really stuck out. This was more true 20 years ago, but it's not entirely gone even today.
I have to admit, though, that the OP was a rather difficult person to please, though. Sometimes, the foodies come across as self-important indulgent types who have never enjoyed even one fast food meal, or would never take a brown-bag lunch to work...
Yeah. Coming from the West Coast, some of the things that you may not even notice really stuck out. This was more true 20 years ago, but it's not entirely gone even today.
Well, we are definitely a little more thick-skinned here than say, the Bay Area or SoCal, and others are also expected to be thick-skinned. However, the person spending a lot of money on a meal that's not prepared properly in their eyes is also exhibiting a somewhat aggressive posture, and I think that's perfectly normal in Chicago as well. It just doesn't surprise me that Gibson's wasn't up to the task, being an old-school steakhouse that's not much in to innovation or new techniques. And very few steakhouses do seafood well, even though many offer it on their menus.
I think the term "patriarchal" is thrown around far too often by left-wingers who aren't comfortable with men and masculinity. To me, it's the same as distaste for the "bourgeoisie" or "middle America", or whatever other part of the establishment they want to bring down. I don't see any merit in that type of criticism.
You can see this thread converging upon a familiar theme: that the coasts ( Boston, NYC, DC, Seattle, SF, LA, etc) are the multi-cultured, worldy metropoli, while the Clevelands, the St. Louis', and yes, the Chicagoes, represent a more simple, basic America. Some forget, though, that Manhattan is just one part of New York, and the "bridge and tunnell" people are far more numerous..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
