mrefjl wrote:Philly cheesesteak pizza from Aldi. Bought it as a joke. Sort of like having some one empty a few cheesesteaks out on a giant ritz cracker with cheese wiz on it.

So, I got roped into one of these joke pizzas as well. Mine was the "BBQ Bratwurst" pizza from Aldi. How this passed QA, I have no idea. Crust, sweet bbq sauce, red/green peppers, cheese, and thin sliced bratwurst. I bought it a few months ago after spotting a "1/2 price" tag on 6 or 7 pizzas in their refrig case. I think I bought 5 of them, and stuck em in the freezer specifically for rainy weekend lunches (exaclty like today,) or quick weeknight dinners. The others were standard pepperoni, or cheese&snausage, no big deal, one was their version of a taco pizza which wasn't horrendous, but this bbq brat one...let's just say I also made smoothies and salad to round out lunch for this one.

Horrific. Just horrific.
The bratwurst was easily the worst I've ever had, and the seasoning was pretty strong, almost as if whoever came up with this thing REALLY wanted you to know that there was bratwurst happening on this pizza. The bbq sauce was more like sugar than anything else. Over the top, candy sweet. The whole thing was just horrific. I gave my son extra credit for the one bite, "This is absolutely disgusting," and not thinking twice about it after that. I choked a few pieces down to make sure it was the worst thing I've eaten lately - ya know - research is hard work. By the third piece, I just scraped everything off, and used the crust as a counterpoint to the salad. I think it cost about 3 dollars. If you ever feel like a pioneer and trying this one, even as a joke, you've been warned. It was not worth ANY amount of money, imo. I mean like, if it was 50 cents for a 16 inch pizza, and I needed to feed 100 13 year old football playing boys, and these things would come pre-cooked, with drinks, salad, setup, takedown, gratuity included, I'd pass.

The son grabbed a banana about 23 seconds after lunch. I'm gonna have to feed him well tonight.

BLT from Pastoral. Rock-hard inedible prosciutto "bacon" and mealy tomato - smothered in half a cup of mayo - destroyed a lovely avocado and perfectly nice bread; imperfect design and execution, accompanied by a $3 shotglass of sour textureless orzo salad. I don't like having to invoke the Kuhdo rule when GNRs are involved but did in this case.

When I saw the brownie-filled chocolate chip cookies on the store shelf, I thought, Nabisco has my number! Glad I bought these for an event, and that one was my first and last. It tasted like drywall. With a brownie inside!

I don't know.

Maybe it was the fried pollack at the local Catholic parish that broke my fork as it had been fried long in advance ... or the volunteer who told our table that it was the highest quality of fish.

Or maybe it was the Filipino-style Del Monte Spaghetti Sauce - 1 kg for $1 at the local dollar store. That stuff was really bad - it was more like a BBQ sauce. Now I know why Filipinos often put hot dogs in their spaghetti sauce - to offset the coying sweetness.

Santander wrote:BLT from Pastoral. Rock-hard inedible prosciutto "bacon" and mealy tomato - smothered in half a cup of mayo - destroyed a lovely avocado and perfectly nice bread; imperfect design and execution, accompanied by a $3 shotglass of sour textureless orzo salad.

Happened in to the French Mkt today. Was looking @ this very sandwich, but opted for riding my bike to Bari instead. Dodged a bullet it appears.

jlawrence01 wrote:I don't know.

Maybe it was the fried pollack at the local Catholic parish that broke my fork as it had been fried long in advance ... or the volunteer who told our table that it was the highest quality of fish.

Or maybe it was the Filipino-style Del Monte Spaghetti Sauce - 1 kg for $1 at the local dollar store. That stuff was really bad - it was more like a BBQ sauce. Now I know why Filipinos often put hot dogs in their spaghetti sauce - to offset the coying sweetness.

I bought this very same sauce yesterday at Continental Sales in Chicago for 99 cents! I will certainly make sure there are cut up hot dogs on hand when we make it.

Regards,

Smokehouse burger at Harry Cary,'s at Nay Pier. My kids wanted to eat there and I knew not to expect anything great but this was just abysmal.

A prefab channa masala meal from Cafe Spice (purchased at Fresh Thyme). Mild? No kidding. The chickpeas were serviceable, but the rice was awful. I see mustard seeds, I see a chile...but I taste nothing but this weird vaguely lemony whatever. I couldn't put my finger on it right away but it's definitely Pledge-y. Really disappointed. And it's pretty healthy too. A shame. I hope the saag paneer is better.

Pie Lady wrote:A prefab channa masala meal from Cafe Spice... I couldn't put my finger on it right away but it's definitely Pledge-y.

Likely there's lemongrass, then. Lemongrass is used as the source of Lemon Pledge's fragrance. The primary aromatic is that of citronella (also the most prevalent aromatic in kaffir lime leaf, but it's the supplementals that matter).

Pie Lady wrote:I taste nothing but this weird vaguely lemony whatever. I couldn't put my finger on it right away but it's definitely Pledge-y.

Maybe sumac? That wouldn't be uncommon in that part of the world.

nr706 wrote:Maybe sumac? That wouldn't be uncommon in that part of the world.

JoelF wrote:Likely there's lemongrass, then.

Nope, nary a bit of sumac (which I like) or lemongrass (which I think I like). Just good ol' lemon juice, but it didn't taste like lemons. Then, Ah! Pledge! And that marked the end of lunch.

BBQ pulled pork sandwich at Goose Island. Dry tasteless stringy pork with barely any sauce. Bun was the highlight. Just awful.

Lobster roll at Hugo's Frog Bar - slightly stale roll, tasteless lobster that was also badly overcooked (thus tough and chewy), too much mayonnaise . . . and lettuce and tomato too! Just awful - worst I've ever had, and not even close (and I've had one at McDonald's).

shakes wrote:Was subjected to Real Urban BBQ carryout last night. If there's a worse BBQ place in the Chicago area I would be shocked. Its insulting to even call this place BBQ. Had the brisket, dry with no fat anywhere. No smoke flavor. Tasted more like grandma's passover brisket than a BBQ brisket.

Mac n Cheese was worse than Kraft dinner. Actually it may have been Kraft dinner. Beans were horrible. Sweet style sauce was way too sweet. Wife had the peach cobbler which was inedible, tasted like they forgot to add sugar and looked like it had been sitting out for days.

I'm also a victim of the H.P. location. The chicken was absolutely bland and tasteless, no smoke flavor whatsoever. I swear the whole chickens from Jewel, Heinens, Costco are far superior. Never going back.

Ugh, an Italian beef from Bari. Tough, dry, and spent flavorless beef. Good roll and that giard could not save this abysmal sandwich. Not a big fan of posting in this thread, but feel responsible after piquing some interest after declaring it my new favorite a few years ago. This was so bad, that despite a fairly high success rate in the past, I doubt I will eat one of these again and would definitely not recommend it.

Mussels at Cafe Touche in Edison Park. They were everything that Anthony Bourdain described in Kitchen Confidential where he explained why he never orders them in a restaurant. Just awful. About 1/3 of them didn't open, another 1/3 were shriveled and stringy and the rest were not exactly a ringing endorsement for the species, either.

Jefe wrote:Ugh, an Italian beef from Bari. Tough, dry, and spent flavorless beef. Good roll and that giard could not save this abysmal sandwich. Not a big fan of posting in this thread, but feel responsible after piquing some interest after declaring it my new favorite a few years ago. This was so bad, that despite a fairly high success rate in the past, I doubt I will eat one of these again and would definitely not recommend it.

You can now probably understand my criticism . . . quality control appears to be an issue.

My wife had the crab cake eggs benedict at Kanela Breakfast Club on Wells, an inedible mess. The crab cake, if you can call it that, was nothing but breading and a hint of crab flavor. Looked like something you would find at Old Country Buffet. Hollandaise sauce broke and the english muffin was stale. At least they poached the egg correctly.

Let's not insult Old Country Buffet by comparing it to Kanela.

jlawrence01 wrote:Or maybe it was the Filipino-style Del Monte Spaghetti Sauce - 1 kg for $1 at the local dollar store. That stuff was really bad - it was more like a BBQ sauce.

Adding insult to injury, you significantly overpaid!



Maybe we should simply be happy to have a chance to try it. Much of the world isn't so lucky.

Rene G wrote:Adding insult to injury, you significantly overpaid!



Maybe we should simply be happy to have a chance to try it. Much of the world isn't so lucky.

I think that i have found a solution to getting rid of the 2nd package. Take it to Manila next summer and let them devour it.

ReneG and jlawrence01 - you guys seem to have missed the point. My guess is that the deeply discounted item has already made a round-the-world trip and that the label simply reflects the self-protective wish of certain countries not to have it return!

I recall being scandalized years ago when I learned that years later, discontinued items such as Bugles were to be found in Africa. Talk about a legacy of colonialism! Not to mention the tobacco companies now targeting sub-Saharan Africa as an emerging market. Shameful.

However, regarding the Delmonte Filipino spaghetti sauce, to be fair, I have never tasted the stuff. And I am aware that Swedes prefer their spaghetti anointed with ketchup. So a BBQ sauce profile may not be far off for many.

I still can't get out of my head how really bad Redamak's was, for all the hype I'd heard about it(in New Buffalo, MI). AVOID any thought about going there(grrr to those countless I-94 billboards and hype I hear from some) and skip it, and eat anywhere else in New Buffalo except there! Including Casey's, Stray Dog, and David's Deli to name examples. There MUST be better burgers than this place somewhere in New Buffalo, maybe at Casey's or Stray Dog? Sigh, for me to think with everything I'd read about it, that Redamak's couldn't screw up a patty melt. But to me, it was sadly just as blah as the burgers my parents got.

Maybe it is good riddance that their Chicago location closed down, if the quality of their New Buffalo location is any indicator what the former Chicago location on Lincoln Ave was like? Either that, or maybe Redamak's had higher standards for their burgers years ago? If it's the latter, wish they hadn't had lowered their standards so darn much.

PopcornMegaphone wrote:Cheese pizza at Taqueria El Ranchito.

I used to naively believe "even when pizza is bad, it's still pretty good" was true.

Yes, I ordered a cheese pizza at a 24 hour Mexican joint. Why do I do this to myself? The crust tasted like cardboard. The sauce was was weak and runny. The cheese was like rubber. I had two bites and threw out my entire order.

I am a fool.


Taqueria El Ranchito
4651 N Clark St
(between Wilson Ave & Leland Ave)
Chicago, IL 60640
Neighborhood: Uptown
(773) 334-6441

Have skipped El Ranchito for years, since my past experiences were not great. Hard to believe they serve pizza, seriously? I liked El Taco Loco on Lawrence west of Ashland for taquerias near there, but it closed a few years ago. There was a sign that they'd be reopening in a space a little east of where they used to be, but I still don't think they've opened there. Anyway if you're looking for a good taqueria near Lawrence/Clark that does NOT suck(that includes Don Quiote at Lawrence/Clark), check out Carmela's between the closed Uptown Theater, and both the Green Mill Lounge and the corner fast food place(always forget the name of it) at Lawrence/Broadway. Carmela's would make a killing in drunk food business if it was open later than like 10pm or midnight, whenever it closes. Too bad it isn't open that late.

dumpstermcnuggets wrote:I liked El Taco Loco on Lawrence west of Ashland for taquerias near there, but it closed a few years ago. There was a sign that they'd be reopening in a space a little east of where they used to be, but I still don't think they've opened there.

Nuevo Taco Loco DID finally open in the nuevo location, and it's really good! Definitely recommended.

Dumpstermcnuggets, I totally back you up on Redamak's; as a person who has recently started visiting Harbor Country a lot, I went there once with high expectations and everyone in our group was pretty disappointed. They also weirdly would not allow substitutions on sides (a friend wanted sweet potato fries instead of regular fries and was willing to pay an upcharge) because, at least according to our server, "the chef had designed the sides to go with the sandwich." It was bizarre.

I think that if you grew up going there, Redamak's holds a special place in your heart and that probably clouds judgment on the food. If you didn't, the food is exposed for being pretty mediocre.

Since it is a subject that makes me laugh, here goes. Years ago two friends and I went to Detroit and then to Toronto to watch NHL hockey and to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. On our way back, we were getting very hungry (we are big eaters) and impatient as our one friend kept saying we had to wait to go to Redemak's for their burgers and fresh cut fries. Usually he has a good nose. We got there and the burgers flat out sucked, plus we had to add the cheese from a can (nacho style). Then the fries were frozen crinkle cut type that also sucked. He still hears about it today. Would never go back. BK would be better than the junk they gave us.

+1 on the Redamak's contempt. Though it wasn't lately, the lousiness of their food sure made a lasting impression on me. I honestly thought the burgers tasted like they'd been boiled. That's how lifeless and flavorless they were. Years later, thinking maybe that first time was a fluke, I tried it again. The second experience was every bit as bad as the first.

=R=

Vinny wrote:A "Malbec Beef" empanada from the 5411 truck yesterday. The filling tasted like a dried pot roast without much seasoning.

The bacon, date, and goat cheese, however, was quite good.

weird. I've had that and it was good. I like most of their stuff. Maybe it was a bad day.

I've never had a good meal at the New Buffalo Redamak's, but I do have fond memories of the Lincoln Ave. location back in the 70's and 80's. It's quite possible that the quality has gone downhill over the years, or my tastes have changed. I kind of doubt the latter when it comes to burgers, though.

Continuing the Redamak's pile on, a group of friends and I are headed to SW Michigan for a friend's birthday party and the subject of getting lunch was brought to the group.
Near immediately, one of the people suggested Redamak's, as we are already planning on stopping at Local down the road.

My immediate responses:
Culver's >>> Redamak's
Schoop's >> Redamak's

All of this occurred before I saw this thread today. Great minds think alike.