Dear TGI Fridays.... (An Open Letter)
Dear TGI,
Thanks for the invite recently. It was really nice as we haven't seen each other since launch night and I got the feeling we didn't part on the best of terms. Don't get me wrong, the welcome was great but the food.... well, we'll get to that.
I wanted to believe you'd changed, matured a little and settled into your new home at St David's, Cardiff. Alas it wasn't to be. Maybe it's the way Ruby Tuesday stares at you across the mall, or how all the guys just love going to Hooters instead of snapping up your wings, but you don't seem happy, and this really shows.
We started off well, our waitress was friendly and genuinely interested in our Bank Holiday plans. So many times servers just fake it, but she was lovely and made us feel at home. We ordered our drinks, two bottomless cokes (£2.09 each) and opted for the Jack Daniel's Tower (£14.99) to share as a starter.
It arrived on one of those little stands normally reserved for cupcakes and afternoon teas. We tucked into the ribs (tender as anything and the meat sliding off the bone with minimal effort) and some beautifully fat "shrimp" (meaty, tail-on prawns with a crisp creole coating) and some disappointing chicken strips (bland chicken with a sugary dip). The ribs and shrimp were great but you let us down with the chicken and your presentation wasn't great - the lettuce was starting to brown and the lemon had seen better days as it looked dried out.
We tried to wipe this from our minds and focus on our mains. My partner had ordered steak, a New York Strip (£14.49) to be cooked rare and served with cheesy potato skins, seasoned veg and maison butter. The steak was cooked medium and a little water logged from defrosting. Why offer a rare steak and not cook it that way? The vegetables didn't liven things up as they were limp and tasteless. The only thing he rated was the potato skins which were very cheesy indeed.
I'd love to tell you my Cheesy Bacon Burger (£10.29) was better. I really would. Sadly I'd be lying to you, TGI, and neither of us want that. The burger was a good loose meat patty so points there, but it wouldn't hurt to season the meat a little. The mince was devoid of flavour and maybe a little salt and pepper would have lifted it. The mozzarella strips on top were great, creamy and oozing when I bit into them, but the plastic cheese was just overkill. Your skin-on fries were just flaccid - cook them for a few minutes until they crisp up, they'll be much better. Once again the presentation left a lot to be desired. You pride yourself on freshly cooked food but why bother if you're just going to throw it at a plate right at the end? There was the same browning lettuce everywhere. I must admit I didn't finish it, a rarity for me.
We thought about desserts but we just wanted to escape a bad meal so paid up £43.95 and made our excuses.
I didn't want it to be like this, TGI, but you leave me no choice. We just can't see each other any more. You keep promising the earth but you never deliver and it's mean to leave a girl so disappointed that she can't eat pudding.
Thanks for the invite recently. It was really nice as we haven't seen each other since launch night and I got the feeling we didn't part on the best of terms. Don't get me wrong, the welcome was great but the food.... well, we'll get to that.
I wanted to believe you'd changed, matured a little and settled into your new home at St David's, Cardiff. Alas it wasn't to be. Maybe it's the way Ruby Tuesday stares at you across the mall, or how all the guys just love going to Hooters instead of snapping up your wings, but you don't seem happy, and this really shows.
We started off well, our waitress was friendly and genuinely interested in our Bank Holiday plans. So many times servers just fake it, but she was lovely and made us feel at home. We ordered our drinks, two bottomless cokes (£2.09 each) and opted for the Jack Daniel's Tower (£14.99) to share as a starter.
It arrived on one of those little stands normally reserved for cupcakes and afternoon teas. We tucked into the ribs (tender as anything and the meat sliding off the bone with minimal effort) and some beautifully fat "shrimp" (meaty, tail-on prawns with a crisp creole coating) and some disappointing chicken strips (bland chicken with a sugary dip). The ribs and shrimp were great but you let us down with the chicken and your presentation wasn't great - the lettuce was starting to brown and the lemon had seen better days as it looked dried out.
We tried to wipe this from our minds and focus on our mains. My partner had ordered steak, a New York Strip (£14.49) to be cooked rare and served with cheesy potato skins, seasoned veg and maison butter. The steak was cooked medium and a little water logged from defrosting. Why offer a rare steak and not cook it that way? The vegetables didn't liven things up as they were limp and tasteless. The only thing he rated was the potato skins which were very cheesy indeed.
I'd love to tell you my Cheesy Bacon Burger (£10.29) was better. I really would. Sadly I'd be lying to you, TGI, and neither of us want that. The burger was a good loose meat patty so points there, but it wouldn't hurt to season the meat a little. The mince was devoid of flavour and maybe a little salt and pepper would have lifted it. The mozzarella strips on top were great, creamy and oozing when I bit into them, but the plastic cheese was just overkill. Your skin-on fries were just flaccid - cook them for a few minutes until they crisp up, they'll be much better. Once again the presentation left a lot to be desired. You pride yourself on freshly cooked food but why bother if you're just going to throw it at a plate right at the end? There was the same browning lettuce everywhere. I must admit I didn't finish it, a rarity for me.
We thought about desserts but we just wanted to escape a bad meal so paid up £43.95 and made our excuses.
I didn't want it to be like this, TGI, but you leave me no choice. We just can't see each other any more. You keep promising the earth but you never deliver and it's mean to leave a girl so disappointed that she can't eat pudding.
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