How I feel when a sealed tub of salad dressing arrives

I recently dined at a place called "Wicked Wheel" in Panama City Beach FL, hoping it would be a down-home kitschy place, and it turned out to be a huge commercial motorcycle-themed place that feels like a Hooter's with more skin coverage.

Both the salad dressing and the cocktail sauce that arrived with the seafood were in little tubs, "Ken's" brand (I declined the tartar, I'm sure it would be the same).

I'm sure there are some folks out there who would see that and say, "Hey, they bought quality! I know this will be pure and uninfected."

I see it and go, "Oh, you can't be arsed to make your own, or even pour from a gallon jug to make it look personal. What, aren't your line cooks' hands clean enough?" Plus there's all the plastic and foil waste. I know this isn't a Michelin star place that would be expected to perfectly season every dish delivered to me so it requires no personal adjustment, but this one thing lowered my opinion of the restaurant about two stars out of five. The catfish and fried shrimp were outstanding, by the way, and they did a very good collard greens. Still wasn't happy, and not the sort of thing you can complain to management about.

I feel the same way about sushi chefs with rubber gloves.

Am I overreacting here (maybe a little bit)? How do you feel having a brand not part of the place you're dining at put in front of you (aside from Heinz ketchup. That's a requirement. Ok, and Kikkoman soy)?

JoelF wrote:I recently dined at a place called "Wicked Wheel" in Panama City Beach FL, hoping it would be a down-home kitschy place, and it turned out to be a huge commercial motorcycle-themed place that feels like a Hooter's with more skin coverage.

Both the salad dressing and the cocktail sauce that arrived with the seafood were in little tubs,
xxx
this one thing lowered my opinion of the restaurant about two stars out of five. The catfish and fried shrimp were outstanding, by the way, and they did a very good collard greens.
xxx
Am I overreacting here (maybe a little bit)? How do you feel having a brand not part of the place you're dining at put in front of you (aside from Heinz ketchup. That's a requirement. Ok, and Kikkoman soy)?

Way overreacting. Apparently it's a catfish/shrimp/collard greens place, not a salad dressing place. Give 'em back 1 1/2 stars.

And, you left out French's mustard, also a requirement in that type of place. (Or Gulden's, if they're trying to attract a foodie clientele .)

it just reeks to me of excessive portion control. I realize that's important but having meager sauce or dressing portions makes the meal far less enjoyable.

Although I do not get the impression that JoelF WANTED more tubs o' Ken's, we do not know for certain that that option was unavailable.

Roger Ramjet wrote:Although I do not get the impression that JoelF WANTED more tubs o' Ken's, we do not know for certain that that option was unavailable.

I had enough, I wanted house-made. Cocktail sauce is stupid easy.

Well ya know, Ken's Cocktail Sauce is inspired by their original steakhouse recipe, blending only the most select ingredients. It's packed with big bold flavors. Maybe some people can't handle that ...

Meh. The OP says that the actual main food items - the catfish and the shrimp - were very well prepared and tasty. I'd rather have great fish and shrimp with commercial saucing (which, honestly, I typically don't use with well prepared fish and shrimp anyway - just some lemon for me, please) than great house-made saucing and less than stellar food. So, since you are asking, I do vote for over reacting.

Very regretful that I didn't think to get torqued out over this before.

My main objection to having salad dressing arrive in a tub or a stainless steel cup is that I have to dress the salad in the bowl, at the table, when I'd much rather have the kitchen do that. I never get complete coverage of dressing over leaf when I have to try to mix it all up in the little bowl, plus the dressing, having been refrigerated or at least kept at cool temps, usually clumps and resists coverage. Let the kitchen do it.

Okay, now I'm worked up, too.

David "Nothing but first world problems over here, boss" Hammond

Hi,

It would contribute to the bottom line to make the sauces themselves. They are inexpensive to make, offer an opportunity to make their restaurant offering unique and could evolve into a product.

I dress salads for our family before they reach the table. I use just enough dressing for our preferences.

Putting dressing on the side is something customers conditioned restaurants to do. My nieces always get dressing on the side. Do they dress their salads, nope! They dip their fork in the dressing, then stab some lettuce. I know they are not alone in this practice.

Olive Garden brings the salad bowl with too much salad dressing added to it. I haven't been to one in ages. I do plan to ask for dressing on the side next time to allow me to dress it. Or plan in advance and bring my own dressing!

Ask for your salad dressed in the kitchen, then report back how it looks compared to others at the table. I have a sense salads are prepared and composed in advance. While your salad will be terrific to eat, it will probably look messy.

My preference in salads is all lettuce. No cheese, croutons, tomatoes, onions, beans or other bits of contrasting color vegetables. Just lettuce and a good dressing.

Regards,

I admit to being an honorary niece of Cathy.
The practice of dipping and stabbing allows me to enjoy the taste of dressing with each bite of salad, while using a minimum of the high fat condiment, since I am theoretically eating the salad as a lower-calorie option.
Also many places that do dress them, don't toss them, but just pour HUGE ladles of fat-laden dressing over them.

But I love love home-made dressings-
I will continue to dream of the green garlic salad dressing that Tonellis of Northbrook used to make. It was my favorite. I could eat that in reverse- dip the salad into a tub of dressing. LOL

irisarbor wrote:Also many places that do dress them, don't toss them, but just pour HUGE ladles of fat-laden dressing over them.

Alas, true.

David Hammond wrote:

irisarbor wrote:Also many places that do dress them, don't toss them, but just pour HUGE ladles of fat-laden dressing over them.

Alas, true.

This is my issue. If you eat at my home, I dress the salad. Out, if I am the least bit uncertain that the kitchen cannot do "easy" on the dressing I ask them to bring it on the side and dip my fork.

I hate wet salad!

#gratefulfor1stworldproblems

I want my dressing served "on the side". I am tired of having salads served to me drowning in salad dressing.

As for using Ken's salad dressing, it doesn't bother me as so many "in house" dressings are poorly made.

I also ask for dressing on the side unless it's a high-end place, because it's always drowning and that's all I can taste. I've been given the Ken's tubs before too, and my heart sinks just a little. I wonder what else in this meal came out of a tub. The bread? The salad itself? I'm lazy, but it takes 5 minutes to slap together a dressing to last all day.

jlawrence01 wrote:I want my dressing served "on the side". I am tired of having salads served to me drowning in salad dressing.

As for using Ken's salad dressing, it doesn't bother me as so many "in house" dressings are poorly made.

i'd agree with the above

Next time, go with the soup.

http://www.celebratecommunion.com/prefi ... f-500.html
*twitch*

Germ free? In holy wine (er, grape juice), I would expect that if you have faith you're not worried about that. And if it transubstantiates, why would you need a gluten free version?

I'd be the idiot who pours that in my coffee. "No hazelnut flavor? Pfft. Fine."

JoelF wrote:http://www.celebratecommunion.com/prefilled-communion-cups-with-wafers-box-of-500.html
*twitch*

Germ free? In holy wine (er, grape juice), I would expect that if you have faith you're not worried about that. And if it transubstantiates, why would you need a gluten free version?

That vendor is geared toward Protestant churches. Most Protestant congregations reject transubstantiation. I guess that means that they have to worry about gluten.

Hi,

I have a friend who brings communion to home bound parishners. One of her clients was gluten-intolerant, which created some complications.

My friend could not arrive to mass late. The non-glutton wafer was stored separately and not available unless specifically requested. This meant arriving early, collecting the non-gluten wafer and leaving it at the alter placed on a napkin.

Miss this opportunity, she then had to attend another mass. Now that is an incentive not to be late.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:The non-glutton wafer was stored separately ...

Sorry, I just had to laugh out loud at that. Someone should tell those lining up for the glutton wafers that they ought to go to confession first.

It depends on the restaurant. If its a fast food or street food type place I expect I'll get a plastic tub. If its any better than that I will hope to get something I can ask for separately that comes in a little cup so I can put as much salad dressing on my salad as I prefer. Most places either drench it or its not enough. Or the dressing does not taste good and you can ask for another kind easily without ruining the whole salad.

JoelF wrote:Both the salad dressing and the cocktail sauce that arrived with the seafood were in little tubs, "Ken's" brand (I declined the tartar, I'm sure it would be the same).

Sartre is said to have composed L'être et le néant in an exasperated reaction to a similar provocation.

Choey: LIKE

(I'm still chortling; what's funny is I got off a Derrida about 30 seconds ago in the McDonald's thread--but I think you topped me with this!)

Geo