BuffaloBill Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 COVID has claimed many victims among them are restaurants that have closed in 2020 and may never reopen again. Which one lost is among your favorites? As a secondary question; once COVID is a memory in the rear view mirror do you anticipate returning to your “normal” frequency of dining out? As for me, one of the lessons I’ve learned in this pandemic is how quick, easy and healthy eating home cooked meals is given a little bit of meal planning and curbside grocery delivery. My wife and I will likely go out more than we are now but significantly less than we did before the pandemic. I will say curbside restaurant service in general sucks. The food doesn’t stay at the right temperatures nor is it appealing to consistently eat out of styrofoam. Not everything can be served in what amounts to a makeshift drive through service. I am also not a fan of the meal delivery services for pretty much the same reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 There was one place left in town with decent wings. One place. Closed permanently due to COVID. Now I have to either drive 30 minutes or resort to (gulp) Tops wings 😒😞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconator Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 The Orbit Room in Toronto. Was co-owned by Alex Lifeson of Rush. Only the best R&B and soul music club in Toronto. Many great memories were had there. Closed permanently in April. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 Duff’s. No, not YOUR Duff’s, but the one in Newnan, GA. I would drive 80 miles round trip to get my fix a couple times a year. It was really pretty good. They closed permanently back in the spring. Not sure how much was Covid related, but I miss them already. An Anchor Bar opened up much closer to me, but like the originals, it’s just not as good as Duffs. In fact, it’s not even as close as the WNY competition. I don’t think they will be around very long despite being near a major university. Interesting side note: When places started re-opening it was often with a limited menu. Several places removed my favorite items. Now that they have printed new “permanent” menus, my favorite stuff still is gone from a few places, but it’s hard to find new places to hit. We've tried take-out from mom and pop places we really want to survive. (Not a fan of franchise places, even higher end.) Unfortunately, it’s clearly not as good and I have my limits in terms of charity. I have, however, become a MUCH better tipper! If anything positive has come from this mess, some places with solid indoor/outdoor seating have seen an increase in popularity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 Locally a friend of ours has a Japanese restaurant which she, her husband, his friend and a relative operate. She was worried they would not be able to pay rent which landlord raised right before COVID. After a short period take out when restaurants could offer take out her sales jumped up so much she needed to hire a dish washer. Another restaurant near us was sold and became another type of restaurant. I find important to know what dishes are good for takeout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 12 minutes ago, Limeaid said: Locally a friend of ours has a Japanese restaurant which she, her husband, his friend and a relative operate. She was worried they would not be able to pay rent which landlord raised right before COVID. After a short period take out when restaurants could offer take out her sales jumped up so much she needed to hire a dish washer. Another restaurant near us was sold and became another type of restaurant. I find important to know what dishes are good for takeout. One really good restaurant here closed, but they started a food truck that serves mainly awesome fried chicken. From what I hear they are making money hand over fist up at the ski resorts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 4 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said: There was one place left in town with decent wings. One place. Closed permanently due to COVID. Now I have to either drive 30 minutes or resort to (gulp) Tops wings 😒😞 what do you mean “tops wings”? As in the grocery store “tops”? That can’t be what you meant. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 5 hours ago, Augie said: Duff’s. No, not YOUR Duff’s, but the one in Newnan, GA. I would drive 80 miles round trip to get my fix a couple times a year. It was really pretty good. They closed permanently back in the spring. Not sure how much was Covid related, but I miss them already. An Anchor Bar opened up much closer to me, but like the originals, it’s just not as good as Duffs. In fact, it’s not even as close as the WNY competition. I don’t think they will be around very long despite being near a major university. Interesting side note: When places started re-opening it was often with a limited menu. Several places removed my favorite items. Now that they have printed new “permanent” menus, my favorite stuff still is gone from a few places, but it’s hard to find new places to hit. We've tried take-out from mom and pop places we really want to survive. (Not a fan of franchise places, even higher end.) Unfortunately, it’s clearly not as good and I have my limits in terms of charity. I have, however, become a MUCH better tipper! If anything positive has come from this mess, some places with solid indoor/outdoor seating have seen an increase in popularity. Anchor Bar didn't make it in Richmond either. Bad location, bad service, not so great wings. Anchor must do OK on franchise fees? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted December 31, 2020 Author Share Posted December 31, 2020 5 hours ago, Augie said: Duff’s. No, not YOUR Duff’s, but the one in Newnan, GA. I would drive 80 miles round trip to get my fix a couple times a year. It was really pretty good. They closed permanently back in the spring. Not sure how much was Covid related, but I miss them already. An Anchor Bar opened up much closer to me, but like the originals, it’s just not as good as Duffs. In fact, it’s not even as close as the WNY competition. I don’t think they will be around very long despite being near a major university. Interesting side note: When places started re-opening it was often with a limited menu. Several places removed my favorite items. Now that they have printed new “permanent” menus, my favorite stuff still is gone from a few places, but it’s hard to find new places to hit. We've tried take-out from mom and pop places we really want to survive. (Not a fan of franchise places, even higher end.) Unfortunately, it’s clearly not as good and I have my limits in terms of charity. I have, however, become a MUCH better tipper! If anything positive has come from this mess, some places with solid indoor/outdoor seating have seen an increase in popularity. I used to be in and out of Newnan for work. Twenty years ago. I’m sure it is greatly changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 9 minutes ago, BuffaloBill said: I used to be in and out of Newnan for work. Twenty years ago. I’m sure it is greatly changed. Well, they didn’t have Duff’s THEN, and they don’t have Duff’s NOW. That’s about all I know. GRRRRR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 2 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said: what do you mean “tops wings”? As in the grocery store “tops”? That can’t be what you meant. Yup. It’s the sad truth. Tops grocery wings, brah 😞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 3 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said: Yup. It’s the sad truth. Tops grocery wings, brah 😞 Were they out of Tide Pods??? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 7 minutes ago, Augie said: Were they out of Tide Pods??? I don’t understand this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 1 minute ago, Johnny Hammersticks said: I don’t understand this. If there were just two items on the menu, I’d have to give this one some thought. I’ve had some bad wings lately and have kind of given up on even trying. Why is it so hard? I’ve had GREAT wings at a tail gate. Why is it a professional chef in an actual restaurant can not get this right? Not sure how Tops offers them, but it shouldn’t be so hard! Publix has decent fried chicken, but wings need to be fresh and crispy. I won’t touch their wings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 6 minutes ago, Augie said: If there were just two items on the menu, I’d have to give this one some thought. I’ve had some bad wings lately and have kind of given up on even trying. Why is it so hard? I’ve had GREAT wings at a tail gate. Why is it a professional chef in an actual restaurant can not get this right? Not sure how Tops offers them, but it shouldn’t be so hard! Publix has decent fried chicken, but wings need to be fresh and crispy. I won’t touch their wings. They’re not good. We get them sometimes and then throw them in the oven for a bit to crisp them up. I make my own wings when I want good wings. Problem is, it stinks up the house for days. I need to get an outdoor propane burner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said: Yup. It’s the sad truth. Tops grocery wings, brah 😞 Dang. This could be one of the saddest stories of 2020. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmotionallyUnstable Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 Less take-out. We never used to get take out from traditional sit-down restaurants, only the occasional pizza, or fast casual take out (moes, etc) As previously stated, the take out meals from restaurants often leave something to be desired. I enjoy eating out, but want the food at its best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teef Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 in our immediate suburb, a diner that we went to for breakfast shut down. a popular italian place closed as well. not the best food, but the bar was a good scene. on a positive note, another italian joint we thought closed, just reopened, and was specifically set up for covid. the menus even have instructions as to what's expected of you as a customer and what you should expect from the staff. very well done. my wife and i would go out on a date night once a week before all of this started. we still go out once in a while, but it's always early to avoid crowds and just feels rushed. we do the take out thing to support the places we love, but after 10 months of it, we're kinda done. i definitely plan on going out with our weekly frequency once this bull#### is over. i miss dinner and drinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IslandBillsFan Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 I apologize as I am takIng this a little off topic. Like previous posters, take out food from sit down restaurants have so many drawbacks. The cold food, the crummy styrofoam, the potential for mis made dishes, the crappy to go sauces, the expected exorbitant tipping on to go food, etc etc. I have tried to order frequently from places I historically like to keep giving them business. However, part of a meal out is being out. It’s the atmosphere. It’s the people. Due to all this, I don’t see much to go food ordering in the future. At present, eating out where I live still isn’t that much fun. Although allowed to do so, regulations make it awkward and not as much of a pleasure in my opinion. While I understand the safety precautions, many of them are just frustrating. My personal one I hate (and I haven’t found anyone who likes it) are the stupid QR (barcode type) scanned menus. I have always tried to avoid using my phone at dinner and now I am required to do so. I get worried that some of these present precautions will bleed over into the future of the dinning and bar scene. Now to go completely off topic, my other pet peeve, and this existed before Covid, is digital TV ordering menus These are often used in breweries. They are often hard to read and change every 10 seconds before you have the chance to read through them. I always ask for a paper menu but depending on the place they may not have it. This is also frustrating in fast food joints where the menu flips so often you never get to take it in. What makes this worse is that business will soon this as reducing waste or going green. However, it’s really just a cost savings that angers customers IMO. PS. I don’t know why I’m in such a cranky mood after the Bills walloped the Fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That's No Moon Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 On 12/30/2020 at 11:54 PM, Marv's Neighbor said: Anchor Bar didn't make it in Richmond either. Bad location, bad service, not so great wings. Anchor must do OK on franchise fees? I went to the Anchor in Frederick, MD. I found it to be very meh. I needed a fix so it was tolerable but I've had better wings at BWW so long as you are very specific about how they cook them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US Egg Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 Once the food shortage sets more permanently in, grocery stores will struggle. Restaurants, fast food and take out places will perish. Enjoy them while (if) you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 2 hours ago, IslandBillsFan said: Now to go completely off topic, my other pet peeve, and this existed before Covid, is digital TV ordering menus These are often used in breweries. They are often hard to read and change every 10 seconds before you have the chance to read through them. I always ask for a paper menu but depending on the place they may not have it. This is also frustrating in fast food joints where the menu flips so often you never get to take it in. What makes this worse is that business will soon this as reducing waste or going green. However, it’s really just a cost savings that angers customers IMO. I have never seen digital TV ordering menus you are right restaurants like supermarkets will use It reminds me of supermarkets which they say they are doing it for customers while they are cutting staff. I'd tell them please give me a paper menu cannot see digital one and if they refused I'd tell them it is violation of law for handicapped which includes vison. If they still refused I'd record person(s) names who stated none were available with them watching and tell them I will file complaint under Title III as well as let press and BBB know about it. I have made complaints in past. 2 hours ago, IslandBillsFan said: Now to go completely off topic, my other pet peeve, and this existed before Covid, is digital TV ordering menus These are often used in breweries. They are often hard to read and change every 10 seconds before you have the chance to read through them. I always ask for a paper menu but depending on the place they may not have it. This is also frustrating in fast food joints where the menu flips so often you never get to take it in. What makes this worse is that business will soon this as reducing waste or going green. However, it’s really just a cost savings that angers customers IMO. I have never seen digital TV ordering menus you are right restaurants like supermarkets will use It reminds me of supermarkets which they say they are doing it for customers while they are cutting staff. I'd tell them please give me a paper menu cannot see digital one and if they refused I'd tell them it is violation of law for handicapped which includes vison. If they still refused I'd record person(s) names who stated none were available with them watching and tell them I will file complaint under Title III as well as let press and BBB know about it. I have made complaints in past. 2 hours ago, IslandBillsFan said: Now to go completely off topic, my other pet peeve, and this existed before Covid, is digital TV ordering menus These are often used in breweries. They are often hard to read and change every 10 seconds before you have the chance to read through them. I always ask for a paper menu but depending on the place they may not have it. This is also frustrating in fast food joints where the menu flips so often you never get to take it in. What makes this worse is that business will soon this as reducing waste or going green. However, it’s really just a cost savings that angers customers IMO. I have never seen digital TV ordering menus you are right restaurants like supermarkets will use It reminds me of supermarkets which they say they are doing it for customers while they are cutting staff. I'd tell them please give me a paper menu cannot see digital one and if they refused I'd tell them it is violation of law for handicapped which includes vison. If they still refused I'd record person(s) names who stated none were available with them watching and tell them I will file complaint under Title III as well as let press and BBB know about it. I have made complaints in past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jauronimo Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 I was saddened to see that Richmond's and Duff's both closed in Rochester, NY among others. Richmond's was always a stop for me when back home. So far here in Houston my favorite places have weathered the storm ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndirish1978 Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 On 12/31/2020 at 12:46 AM, Johnny Hammersticks said: They’re not good. We get them sometimes and then throw them in the oven for a bit to crisp them up. I make my own wings when I want good wings. Problem is, it stinks up the house for days. I need to get an outdoor propane burner. I air fry mine, not much of a smell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarleyNY Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 On 12/31/2020 at 12:46 AM, Johnny Hammersticks said: They’re not good. We get them sometimes and then throw them in the oven for a bit to crisp them up. I make my own wings when I want good wings. Problem is, it stinks up the house for days. I need to get an outdoor propane burner. You might be better off getting an induction plate. No open flame like propane so no oil flame ups and easy to set and forget. Plus they are reasonably priced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 On 12/30/2020 at 5:12 PM, Johnny Hammersticks said: There was one place left in town with decent wings. One place. Closed permanently due to COVID. Now I have to either drive 30 minutes or resort to (gulp) Tops wings 😒😞 I strongly recommend investing in an air fryer. No one has good wings around me where I live now, so I make my own, and they turn out awesome. Just buy pre-cut chicken wings, air fry them up to be nice and crispy on the outside, and toss them in mixture of Original Franks and butter. Dip in blue cheese and wash down with some Blue. Problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 3 minutes ago, Tommy said: I strongly recommend investing in an air fryer. No one has good wings around me where I live now, so I make my own, and they turn out awesome. Just buy pre-cut chicken wings, air fry them up to be nice and crispy on the outside, and toss them in mixture of Original Franks and butter. Dip in blue cheese and wash down with some Blue. Problem solved. Do you use the bagged frozen wings or fresh ones? I’ve had mixed experiences with air fried foods. My sister made some chicken tenders and friend that came out nice. I’ve had bad air fried wings though. They were probably cooked wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seventeen Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 On 12/31/2020 at 12:38 AM, Augie said: If there were just two items on the menu, I’d have to give this one some thought. I’ve had some bad wings lately and have kind of given up on even trying. Why is it so hard? I’ve had GREAT wings at a tail gate. Why is it a professional chef in an actual restaurant can not get this right? Not sure how Tops offers them, but it shouldn’t be so hard! Publix has decent fried chicken, but wings need to be fresh and crispy. I won’t touch their wings. Find a decent Taco Mac near you and get em double extra crispy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 1 minute ago, Johnny Hammersticks said: Do you use the bagged frozen wings or fresh ones? I’ve had mixed experiences with air fried foods. My sister made some chicken tenders and friend that came out nice. I’ve had bad air fried wings though. They were probably cooked wrong. I've only used fresh wings, not frozen. I'm lucky enough to have a Wegmans nearby and they always have fresh pre-cut wings available. I rinse them all in the sink first and then pat them dry. Then I cook them in the air fryer (necessary times and temps can really vary depending on the model). You have to be careful to not put too many in at once if your air fryer isn't big enough. It's key that you allow for air to circulate all around the wing to get the crispiness, so sometimes I just make two batches back-to-back to ensure that I only have one layer of wings in the fryer basket at once. I also always make sure to flip them halfway through. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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