Ribs, Grills and Combo @ Chicago Ribs

Chicago Ribs is no stranger to anyone, and definitely not a newbie on my blog either
(Previous posts here and here)

It has indeed been quite a while since my last visit to any of the Chicago Ribs outlet, but recently a return visit brought back good old memories, enticing the taste buds to lead to further cravings.
Maybe it's me, or maybe it's the tempting tastes after such a long time that piqued our appetites in returning again and the tastes may have even improved; but whatever the reason is, it is more than enough to keep me returning to satisfy the cravings for my favorites.

The City of Ribs and Steak is here to serve to fulfill cravings for pork ribs, but yours truly is more interested in their other menu (sorry Chicago Ribs, I am one outlying customer).

Their signature Original BBQ Pork Ribs -Full Rack (MYR54.90) is the to-go-to for pork ribs lovers.



Luscious pork ribs are barbecued to perfection (or almost), and the secret ingredient to stimulating that fiery appetite for more, according to Chicago Ribs, is that light shot of whiskey in their recipe.
Full rack would serve more to gratify that craving, though small eaters could also opt for the half rack.

Choose from two sides to complement and complete that main.





Grilled Norwegian Salmon (MYR43.90) is another good old favorite, and is recommended on the menu too.



I am picky on the way my salmon steak; not too well done yet must maintain that balance between the grill and moist of the fillet. Medium rare would probably say it, but there is just that hint of perfection I always look for in all my servings of salmon and somehow they just nailed it here.
It's annoying, because it makes me crave more for salmon, and a good grilled Norwegian one too!
On the other hand, I say good job for making to my list of favorite salmon steaks :)

Again, feel free to choose from two side servings to accompany that poor lonely main.




For small eaters, half-rack of the pork ribs would be a good option, or if you are unable to decide and you just want the best of both worlds (trust me, you will want to try that salmon!), the following combo would be a considerably good alternative too.

Famous Pork Ribs and Grilled Salmon (MYR49.90)



One can hit two birds with one order; by enjoying both the ribs and the salmon at the same time, not to mention at an attractive package price.
However, portions are slightly smaller, and the salmon fillet is not as premium as the Norwegian salmon ala carte (understandably so) - also comes at a smaller fillet size.
The half rack is definitely, well, half the size, so if you desperately need to have ribs all in your face and tummy, then go for the full version.





This is nice though, for sharing and when one wants to enjoy different flavors or options and simply cannot decide (especially for people like me).
Thank God for the creation of combos!




Besides the ribs and the salmon, or even combo, another of my new found favorite is this
Beer Battered Fried Mushrooms (MYR19.90)



We are non alcohol drinkers; but this beer batter coating the crisp mushrooms just made us drunk and lust for it even more after every bite.
It is simply irresistible and the ranch dressing just made it every bit better.



Start with this before the meal, or save it by the side for more nibbles.
You won't want to finish it too soon! ;-)

Their drinks menu offer a wide variety; from cocktails to mojitos, and even bottomless (refillable) beverages.
Choose from a variety of soft drinks (MYR6.90) or cordial juices of orange, lime, cranberry at MYR8.90 and one can refill with either any of the flavor of juice.
It is indeed a worth for value drink though I won't encourage too much of sweet drinks, for health's sake ;-)

It is crowded on weekends, which goes to show the base of ardent fans of ribs and western food.



The City of Ribs and Steak, definitely does well in both and even in grilling their seafood and mushrooms too~

Chicken, Seafood and Pasta @ Tony Roma's, The Gardens

Ribs, Seafood and Steak sums up the the signature specialties of Tony Roma's, one of the popular casual dining American chain which has found their way into our shores for a few years and have since expanded to outlets around the nation.

Famous for their baby rack ribs in their home country, Tony Roma's here, with adherence and respect to the local culture, is a halal (or known as kosher in other parts of the world) and therefore, it is a pork-free restaurant and the commonly favored pork ribs are substituted with beef ribs instead.
Yet the restaurant remains popular among the food-loving local Malaysians, and they are ready to accept anything new with open arms and mind, though halal food is not uncommon in the country.
It is no doubt Tony Roma's has also gained their place in the hearts of Malaysians, who are after all, ardent fans of food, a fact evidently backed by the endless eateries found in almost corner of the country.

It is definitely not my first visit to this chain restaurant, though I fail to recall the last time I was in any of their outlets for a meal which is definitely a sign of the long gap in time since my last visit.
They may be known for their ribs, but that is not the only specialty they have here as they proudly boast of an extensive selection under the seafood section, a fact which is just right for the seafood loving me.

I must say it is a good place for friends to gather, families to spend quality time together and of course, for celebrations too.

Tropical Smoothie is an eclectic yet enticing mix of orange juice, banana and kiwi blended with ice cream to give it that creamy froth of a taste, leaving behind a light hint of citrusy scent and aftertaste.
The fresh fruits and whipped cream topping polished this drink off nicely, enhancing the zesty taste of the drink.

Like most American casual dining, there is always a range of appetizers to select from for one to brush up the palates to be ready for the mains, and Tony Roma's very own trio combination of Red Hot Buffalo Wings, Potato Skins and their signature Onion Loaf (Half) form the Roma's Sampler.
It is probably one of the more popular choices too, where one need not sweat on which appetizer to have as there is a variety of three to save you that time in making the choice.



The accompanying dressing works perfectly well to complement the trio combination respectively; from the Bleu cheese dressing for the buffalo wings, sour cream for the potato skins and the TR's original BBQ sauce which TRfor the Onion Loaf.

(Potato Skins)


(Hot Red Buffalo Wings)


(TR Signature Onion Loaf)


The signature Onion Loaf is indeed a delightful and unique specialty, though slightly oily, but the compensating taste of the thickly sliced onion wrapped with the well-battered flour forming the outer skin, and spiraling like the twist of a bun is more than enough to capture one's interest.
Peel away at the layers, dip it into the bbq sauce and be ready for an interesting taste journey!

A fan of greens will never settle without any form of salad, and while there is a list of salads to choose from, Caesar Salad is definitely a conventional yet comforting one to have to nibble at while waiting for the mains to arrive.



Crunchy Romaine lettuce leaves tossed in with the classic dressing topped with croutons and Asiago cheese. To make it even more appetizing, throw in the addition of salmon.
Well, technically, I was expecting smoked salmon slices but it was grilled salmon steak fillet which appeared to accompany salad, making this salad worth every cent.




Chicken Alfredo Florentine
Grilled chicken breast, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach tossed in a lemon alfredo sauce and served over linguine. Topped with shaved Asiago cheese and fresh chopped parsley.



Shrimp and Salmon Piccata is a lovely combination, mixing both of my favorites; a well grilled portion of salmon steak with juicy shrimps sitting on top of the fillet drizzled with lemon caper sauce, along with sides of rice and fresh broccoli.
It makes it easier for me to have the best of both worlds, for those who simply cannot decide (like yours truly) and be satisfied by the appetizing combo to fulfill that seafood craving.


One definitely cannot go wrong with both salmon or fish, with shrimps, I say, that's for sure.

We are definitely obsessed with salmon, as another plateful of salmon appeared on the table.
For an interesting and flavorful twist to the grilled taste of salmon fillet, the Avocado and Mandarin Orange Salmon is the answer to living it up a little.



The colorful sight and mash of the exciting tastes of mandarin oranges and cut avocados, enhanced with the extra zest of grape juice to dress up the avocados just please the taste buds, besides the visual attraction of the blend. Throw in the freshly cut tomatoes, red onions and cilantro, and I'm sold!

Oh yes, not just salmon, we are also big on shrimps, obvious with this Shrimp Scampi Pasta which tosses fresh juicy shrimps, lightly sauteed with garlic, fresh basil and tomato pesto beforehand.
If you sensed something else in the mix, that is probably that light bit of chipotle in there to add to the  satisfying mass of linguine.
Shaved Asiago cheese (TR is big on this cheese eh?) completes this for the pasta lovers.





A Birthday treat for the celebrant accompanied by the lovely singing of the servers, makes this lava molten cake topped with ice cream a memorable one for my daddy!



The food, service and ambiance in this Tony Roma's outlet in The Gardens makes this a winning combination to court more patrons to their outlet, besides the obvious strategic location along the connecting passageway between Mid Valley mall and The Gardens.

Besides who need more reason to enjoy a good meal to treat oneself, or even to go for the special occasion with family and friends?
Or do we even need the reason of a special occasion to enjoy Tony Roma's?

Everyday is a Friday at TGI Fridays

I Love Fridays, and who doesn't anyway?
Fridays are emblematic of weekends, or the break at the end of the week, which many look forward to after a full week of five working/schooling days.
In short, Fridays are synonymous with the word 'holidays', and for that very reason is sufficient to justify its popularity through the years and among the majority (at the very least).

The person who came up with a restaurant named after the fabulous factor of Fridays must have idolized, or even obsessed with the best day of the week that it was deemed proper to only have a restaurant in its honor and for the purpose of celebration (woohoo!). However, that is not quite the story behind the beginnings of this restaurant.

Alan Stillman, is the founder of this chain restaurant named TGI Fridays; when he started the very first outlet in New York in the year 1965.
Fascinating though, the notion of the restaurant started as a way for him to meet and to get to know the population of the women with whom he shared his neighborhood; comprising mostly of high profile occupations such as air stewardesses, runway models, secretaries, among many other single women in different career streams. During that time, Alan Stillman wanted a place for people to hang out as there were none, and while his original concept was still more inclined towards the male dominant interests in the cocktails and guys-drinking environment, he then proceeded to establish a brand new environment (though he had no experience whatsoever in business) for young people of certain ages (between the early twenties to the mid thirties which he claimed were the neglected target group for the bars and pubs at that time) with a starting capital of $10,000 as he purchased a local pub in the area; The Good Tavern.

The name TGI Fridays was conceived by Stillman himself, following his years in the university; after the popularized expression of 'Thank God It's Friday!'. The first restaurant was opened; conceptualized on serving good old American and bar food, along with a variety of cocktails and beverages suited for chilling out.
What started out as a simple idea of a hangout place for the specific age range, probably would have stunned the founder, Alan Stillman himself as the restaurant boomed into a fast-growing American bar-restaurant chain which came out as one of the top and most popular in America and also around the world today.

TGI Fridays is definitely popular and easily recognized by its iconic red and white stripes, wooden floors and tables, and the jovial 90s-style interior design centering on the famous icons from America clearly depicted in the overall concept of the restaurant.



The chain restaurant stands out unmistakably with these striking elements forming its identity; and is everyone's favorite restaurant to enjoy a good meal and celebration.
(* TGI Fridays is also known for their extraordinary and exceptionally lively way of celebrating birthdays where the birthday celebrant would be made to stand on the table while the servers gather; and sometimes along with the restaurant crowd to sing the Birthday song while presenting the cake to the celebrant.*)

The restaurant took the local Malaysians by storm when it first landed here, and today the growing numbers of its branch outlets around the country attests to its popularity here as well.
It has been a while since I have been to TGI Fridays, though I have had in on my mind for some time and finally, I visited for some good Fridays' dosage of happiness.

While most of the restaurant's decor are centered on the iconic red and white stripes and the wooden furnishings along with the bar rails, what differs is perhaps the touch of the 90s' interior where each of their outlet personalized with their very own favorite icons to establish their very own character and identity.

Strawberry Surprise (MYR8.90) is a refreshing and juicy combination of strawberries, pineapple and apple juices mixed together giving that light pleasantly sweet fruity scent over the slush of ice.
A delightful drink for those who favor fruity flavors over carbonated drinks and with a very light note of sweetness in the taste.

Buffalo Wings (MYR17.90)
(New York-style chicken wings marinated in our own spicy sauce, then deep-fried. Served with crisp celery sticks and tangy Bleu cheese dressing).
This is one of their recommended starter; and also a rather popular one.



I was craving for salmon again lately, and it was a good thing that one of the new items on their menu is this Salmon with Tomato Basil Salsa (MYR44.90), which is a sense-invigorating toss of tropical tastes enhanced with a light squeeze of that lemon juice over the tender flesh of the pan grilled salmon.



The crisp outer of the salmon was a stark contrast with the juicy flesh of the fish on the inner part was a perfect match to satiate that salmon-invoking craving, and the lively mix of freshly chopped broccoli, cherry tomatoes, onions drenched with the exciting sourish basil salsa sauce is a sublime companion to the omega-rich fish. The fresh French beans and broccoli as the sides added to the pleasure of the health-conscious.



If you are in the mood for dessert, well, TGI Fridays do offer a modest selection of indulgent treats which are pretty impressive for a chain restaurant.
Take for instance the Molten Chocolate Cake (MYR18.90); which is a heavenly thrill for the chocolate lovers.



Albeit a little pricey, the portion was much to speak for to justify the price tag and one can have the choice to have it served with freshly whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream; of which we chose the latter.



The name Molten chocolate is derived from the nature of the cake which was designed in a mound style holding its contents of rich, dark chocolate sauce oozing in a lava-like style when one presses the fork to the center. Chocolate lovers would know to enjoy this decadent creation; and would be taken on a thrilling sensation with each taste of the creamy luxe of the thick chocolate secretion melting  with a slight bitter end in their mouth; a true testament of the natural characteristics of dark chocolate.
(I have learnt to make this Molten Chocolate Cake before, and though I am not a chocolate fan, I have tried one of the best of this from a luxury resort chef).
This version is yet the best we have tried, but definitely a very impressive and close effort from a chain restaurant to rival that of a renowned designer chef.





We have enjoyed a hearty meal at TGI Fridays along with the attentive service from their friendly servers.
The menu is still good, offering many others we have yet to try and also the brand new items which were added since the last time I was here, so it is definitely not going to be my last visit here and it is good news that Penang is now home to two TGI Fridays outlets; Queensbay Mall and Gurney Paragon.

Looking at the growing popularity and increasing number of outlets, I am sure Alan Stillman would be proud today~

At TGI Fridays, every day is indeed a Friday! :-D


TGI Fridays Gurney Paragon 

*This is not a sponsored post, and is based on my personal visit and experiences. Opinions may differ according to individuals. *