Forrest Gump: Love it or Hate it? (1 Viewer)

[Mr. Blue Sky]

This.

You and I must have been dropped on the same side of our heads because you're just always right.

No matter how great the movie, the restaurant bearing the name is so bad it makes me want to kill.

Frankly, I always assumed that NOLA had a board of some sort that would prevent an insult to cuisine like that from ever opening.

You must not be aware of how long Red Lobster and TGI Fridays exist(ed) in the New Orleans area .. not to mention Houston’s which was inexplicably popular in NOLA despite being a national chain .

 

[Madmarsha]

You must not be aware of how long Red Lobster and TGI Fridays exist(ed) in the New Orleans area .. not to mention Houston’s which was inexplicably popular in NOLA despite being a national chain .

See Also: Planet Hollywood and Fashion Cafe

TIL Houston's was a chain.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

See Also: Planet Hollywood and Fashion Cafe

TIL Houston's was a chain.

I didn’t realize NOLA ever had a Fashion Cafe, but Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Cafe to me are sort of a different animal than most chain restaurants .. they’re more like museums w/cool Hollywood and Rock memorabilia that happen to serve food… Yeah the Houston’s thing always puzzled me; the Metairie location always had a 2 hour wait on weekends b/c “OMG the spinach artichoke dip !!111!!”

 

[Madmarsha]

I didn’t realize NOLA ever had a Fashion Cafe, but Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Cafe to me are sort of a different animal than most chain restaurants .. they’re more like museums w/cool Hollywood and Rock memorabilia that happen to serve food… Yeah the Houston’s thing always puzzled me; the Metairie location always had a 2 hour wait on weekends b/c “OMG the spinach artichoke dip !!111!!”

Hard Rock Cafe. That's the other one I was trying to remember. I wasn't sure if I was confusing PH with HRC. Pretty sure Fashion Cafe was on Decatur perhaps right across the street from when Hard Rock was there? Was always skeptical of a business model based on, well, models who are notorious undereaters.

Man, everybody and his brother's restaurant has spinach artichoke dip; and while it's good, it's all pretty much the same (but, speaking of chains, the copycat recipe I use is TGIF's).

Fashion Cafe NOLA was, I think, the second one (in the US), according to Tom Fitzmorris, and opened in '96. Closed by '98, I think?

New Orleans Menu

nomenu.com

 

[Nisey55]

I didn’t realize NOLA ever had a Fashion Cafe, but Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Cafe to me are sort of a different animal than most chain restaurants .. they’re more like museums w/cool Hollywood and Rock memorabilia that happen to serve food… Yeah the Houston’s thing always puzzled me; the Metairie location always had a 2 hour wait on weekends b/c “OMG the spinach artichoke dip !!111!!”

Not to derail but what the heck, a recipe I came up with.
Get the frozen TGIF spinach artichoke dip and a jar of marinated artichokes.
Thaw the dip, chop artichokes, mix them and some parmesan along with lemon juice and zest, olive oil a small casserole dish. Top with more parm and bake till a little brown.
Everyone loves it and always ask me for the recipe.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Not to derail but what the heck, a recipe I came up with.
Get the frozen TGIF spinach artichoke dip and a jar of marinated artichokes.
Thaw the dip, chop artichokes, mix them and some parmesan along with lemon juice and zest, olive oil a small casserole dish. Top with more parm and bake till a little brown.
Everyone loves it and always ask me for the recipe.

Thanks, but i dont cook.. Nor would i ever want anyone to try and eat anything that i might attempt to cook .. it is for the best .

 

[zatsnzapps]

You must not be aware of how long Red Lobster and TGI Fridays exist(ed) in the New Orleans area .. not to mention Houston’s which was inexplicably popular in NOLA despite being a national chain .

I can understand chains like Friday's (I'm probably a little biased) and Houston's.

I'll never understand Red Lobster.

There's one that I don't think we've discussed. I'll never, ever, neverever understand Subway in New Orleans.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

I can understand chains like Friday's (I'm probably a little biased) and Houston's.

I'll never understand Red Lobster.

There's one that I don't think we've discussed. I'll never, ever, neverever understand Subway in New Orleans.

I get Subway’s popularity.. Subway was not always the nasty experience that it is today.. first time i ever had Subway was in the year 1989 on Siesta Key FL.. at that time i was not a meat eater, and they had a fantastic veggie sub that id get all the time from that location.. Subway stayed pretty good for many years into I would say around 2010 or 2015.. now they are gross, or at least the last time i ventured into one .

It’s sort of like Jimmy John’s to me; people in NOLA are always like “it’s not as good as a poboy!”.. well, no shirt.. it’s not supposed to be a poboy.. but Jimmy John’s and Jersey Mikes are less expensive, ironically than most ‘poor boy’ sandwiches, they are convenient and fast.. they are not trying to be ‘authentic’ or unique, they just are what they are .

 

[zatsnzapps]

I get Subway’s popularity.. Subway was not always the nasty experience that it is today.. first time i ever had Subway was in the year 1989 on Siesta Key FL.. at that time i was not a meat eater, and they had a fantastic veggie sub that id get all the time from that location.. Subway stayed pretty good for many years into I would say around 2010 or 2015.. now they are gross, or at least the last time i ventured into one .

It’s sort of like Jimmy John’s to me; people in NOLA are always like “it’s not as good as a poboy!”.. well, no shirt.. it’s not supposed to be a poboy.. but Jimmy John’s and Jersey Mikes are less expensive, ironically than most ‘poor boy’ sandwiches, they are convenient and fast.. they are not trying to be ‘authentic’ or unique, they just are what they are .

The second part of your first sentence is exactly my point. Subway is nasty. I agree that it wasn't always that way, but it has been for several years. If I lived there and I wanted a turkey or ham sandwich, I'd just get a poboy on french bread rather than whatever processed ish that Subway is serving up (and don't even get me started on their bread).

To me, Subway and Red Lobster are two peas in a pod. We beat up Red Lobster quite a bit (and deservedly so), but Subway needs to be thrown in the same category.

 

[BigOdin504]

I get Subway’s popularity.. Subway was not always the nasty experience that it is today.. first time i ever had Subway was in the year 1989 on Siesta Key FL.. at that time i was not a meat eater, and they had a fantastic veggie sub that id get all the time from that location.. Subway stayed pretty good for many years into I would say around 2010 or 2015.. now they are gross, or at least the last time i ventured into one .

It’s sort of like Jimmy John’s to me; people in NOLA are always like “it’s not as good as a poboy!”.. well, no shirt.. it’s not supposed to be a poboy.. but Jimmy John’s and Jersey Mikes are less expensive, ironically than most ‘poor boy’ sandwiches, they are convenient and fast.. they are not trying to be ‘authentic’ or unique, they just are what they are .

You can find plenty cheap, delicious poboys at corner stores all over and around New Orleans. And you get the added bonus of always colorful characters and conversations while waiting for your lunch.

 

[DaveXA]

Not to derail but what the heck, a recipe I came up with.
Get the frozen TGIF spinach artichoke dip and a jar of marinated artichokes.
Thaw the dip, chop artichokes, mix them and some parmesan along with lemon juice and zest, olive oil a small casserole dish. Top with more parm and bake till a little brown.
Everyone loves it and always ask me for the recipe.

Damn, that sounds yummy. Lol. I gotta try that!

 

[sfidc3]

You must not be aware of how long Red Lobster and TGI Fridays exist(ed) in the New Orleans area .. not to mention Houston’s which was inexplicably popular in NOLA despite being a national chain .

The Houstons on Vets was very, very good.....The burgers were top notch along with the mango steak salad and pretty much anything I ever got .....my sister continued to go there until they closed....maybe a chain, but the food was way better than the average chain IMO......

 

[Nisey55]

Damn, that sounds yummy. Lol. I gotta try that!

I forgot, drain the artichokes really well. I've used the canned ones also, just as good.

 

[St. Widge]

The Houstons on Vets was very, very good.....The burgers were top notch along with the mango steak salad and pretty much anything I ever got .....my sister continued to go there until they closed....maybe a chain, but the food was way better than the average chain IMO......

Houston's had solid food. And I think calling it a chain is a bit off, since it's not like there were Chili's, Applebee's, or even TGI Friday. I think they had 3 or 4 restaurants when the Vets location was open and I think they currently have a bit less than 10 locations. Not amazing food, but solid and consistent.

 

[SaintRob]

I get Subway’s popularity.. Subway was not always the nasty experience that it is today.. first time i ever had Subway was in the year 1989 on Siesta Key FL.. at that time i was not a meat eater, and they had a fantastic veggie sub that id get all the time from that location.. Subway stayed pretty good for many years into I would say around 2010 or 2015.. now they are gross, or at least the last time i ventured into one .

It’s sort of like Jimmy John’s to me; people in NOLA are always like “it’s not as good as a poboy!”.. well, no shirt.. it’s not supposed to be a poboy.. but Jimmy John’s and Jersey Mikes are less expensive, ironically than most ‘poor boy’ sandwiches, they are convenient and fast.. they are not trying to be ‘authentic’ or unique, they just are what they are .

Jersey Mike's is pretty expensive. I don't need to ever go back unless it's the shortest line at an airport and I'm hungry and don't have a lot of time.