 |
| Me slurping some delicious soup at the Veggie Grill, West Hollywood, CA |
Late yesterday afternoon I took Bill to his favorite restaurant in Milton.
Bill generally doesn't like to go to restaurants but he likes this one in Milton (which shall remain nameless but those who know me know the restaurant I'm talking about). He likes it because it's not noisy and crowded and no screaming kids. It is also not very expensive and he really likes their soup (as do I) which is very good. The restaurant has booths in addition to the ubiquitous tables with the four chairs around said tables. We always get a booth by the window.
The waitresses are always glad to see us, they greet us with a smile on their face. Bill has a favorite, her name is Tanya. A middle aged, stocky, black woman. Bill always teases her about how beautiful she is which she takes in good humor. She may not be Christie Brinkley "beautiful" but she has a beautiful soul and, as I said before, she is always glad to see us. Bill feels comfortable at this restaurant. And I am glad that I can take Bill out to a place where he feels comfortable and can kibitz with a nice person. Bill can't stand to go to the usual beach resort restaurants that are noisy, expensive and uncomfortable. Especially these newer restaurants with the cushioned benched seating against the wall, where you're eating next to strangers (who came up with THAT idea?) of the spindly tables out in the middle of the floor with the equally spindly chairs. We tried one of those restaurants (a new one in Milton directly across the street from where we ate last night) and we didn't like it. Indifferent waitresses, noisy (see a pattern here?) and uncomfortable. Also the choices of food are weird and expensive. Not a pleasant experience.
Oh I know some say I don't know what I'm talking about but excuse me, I do. We're talking about me and Bill here, not you.
My singular requirement for dining out is to be comfortable, eat food that I like at a reasonable price. Also, food cooked on the premises and not this Sysco half cooked food that you see being unloaded every morning in Rehoboth Beach from their long tractor trailer trucks. Food for the masses, food for the touristsas. The reason you pay so much for the food in Rehoboth, which I find almost always to be mediocre at best, is because the restaurant owner/operators have to pay such high rents. Of course you can fool yourself thinking you're eating in a fou fou restaurant, if that works for you fine. Doesn't work for me. You're paying a LOT of money for frozen food that's shipped in and warmed up and squirted with something of undetermined liquid for "presentation." Give me a break. But if that kind of dining works for you, and it does for many, then go for it. Doesn't work for us.
 |
| A typical early morning sight in Rehoboth Beach's restaurants - the ubiquitous Sysco food truck unloading cartons of frozen (yes, FROZEN, and you thought they were cut fresh?) French Fries and other foodstuffs that you pay top beach dollar for - even the sea food is frozen. If you want fresh seafood go to a place like Provincetown, Mass where there are actually fishermen who bring in the fresh catch of the day - Rehoboth Beach doesn't have any fishing trawlers, only beach umbrella and chair rentals. |
Now, what is this too long blog posting leading up to? Ever since I came back from Los Angeles, I haven't had one good meal out, including last night. I go to this restaurant in Milton because Bill likes it but every time I get something there, I come home sick. My stomach is a rumbling, saying to me "What are you doing to me!"
Each time I go into this restaurant I look in vain for a veggie dish. Of course most restaurants around here, "veggie" is a salad of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and (if you're lucky) a fresh red onion. The ubiquitous iceberg lettuce which has absolute zero taste and nutritional value. Every get one of those "Wedge" salads? That's HALF a head of iceberg lettuce. Talk about a make believe meal. All you're eating folks is the salad dressing that's on the worthless lettuce.
So last night I tried something different. I got the Eggplant Parmesan sandwich. Hey, I like eggplant, what could go wrong? Well, I should have known. The soggy, tasteless eggplant came in a huge roll (the roll was actually quite good, the few pieces I tore off) and was smothered in that rubbery mozzarella cheese. Is it me or do you find that a big swab of mozzarella cheese has absolutely no taste, unless you think rubber has a taste. The only taste I ever got from mozzarella was when it is browned on top of lasagna or a casserole. And then the taste is very faint.
I used to get a chicken caesar wrap at this restaurant but the chicken always tastes funky. I suspect there is some old chicken sitting around at room temperature for a long time back in that kitchen. I never order chicken any more at that restaurant.
The one time I did get a vegetarian wrap (special request, it wasn't on the menu) I got some concoction of iceberg lettuce (there's that damn iceberg lettuce again) and tasteless winter tomatoes and red onion with a caesar dressing. All I was crunching on was onions and slop.
The photo above is one Pat took of me at the Veggie Grill in during our stay West Hollywood.
 |
| That's Pat sitting at the table waiting for me at the Veggie Grill in West Hollywood. Note the bright, inviting colors, space and total lack of screaming kids and NO WAITRESSES or attitude - this is relaxed dining folks |
Everything they had on their menu was veggie and . . . . delicious . . . . and tasty. And you know what? Made on the premise. Nary a Sysco trailer food truck was to be seen early in the morning.
 |
| The Veggie Grill at the Hollywood Walk of Fame - what I really liked about the Veggie Grill chain (in addition to the wonderfully healthy food at reasonable prices) is how easy and efficient it was to place an order. Clean, fast and efficient and friendly. What more can you ask? This restaurant is equally friendly to singles, couples and groups. No attitude. |
I'm suffering here folks with the lack of choice of a good veggie option. I can make something myself but I do like to go out. Maybe someday someone will open up a restaurant for us who want fresh, wholesome food, sans grease and old chicken and . . . . . this is a BIG ONE . . . . NON-SEAFOOD (which I know is impossible being as to how we're here at "the beach") restaurant. Food when you eat it your stomach says:
"Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!"
 |
| Just two of the many veggie options Pat and I ate at the Veggie Grill in West Hollywood |
