Multiple Review

Ok, so I'm having serious blog discipline issues.

I'm going to multi-post at this point, since I've eaten at a lot of places since my last post, and I've been an utter failure at updating.


1. Pasion Rotisserie פסיון רוטיסרי

The ORDER: Roasted Lunch Deal - Quarter of Chicken served with a Starter, Two Side Dishes, and Four Dips of Choice
עסקית צלויים - רבע עוף עם מנת פתיחה, שתי תוספות, וארבע מתבלי בית
The PRICE: 38 NIS

My CHOICE: I asked for chicken breast, but apparently that is a different dish, and more expensive, so I got a chicken thigh + leg, liver pate with crostini, green vegetables, roasted potatoes, pickles, olive tapenade, pickled lemon, chili jam.



The DELIVERABLE: I'm already a big fan of their chicken sandwich (a regular order of mine - which although it comes a bit soggy sometimes - is huge + they put this beet spread thing in it which is uber-good), and I've even actually eaten at the place (yes, actually sitting inside the establishment!), so I decided to try something new.

While this is not exactly a cheap lunch deal, the whole package is definitely worthwhile. They deserve major props for their big portions, and very generous meal. The green vegetables came with brussel sprouts (which I love surprisingly enough) and are a rare menu item in Israel, peas (which I like less), and carrots (which I have no feelings at all about), and are flavored with this rosemary/thyme rub which is just lovable. The potatoes were two whole potatoes - a whole lotta potato going on. The chicken - well, how can you go wrong with rotisserie chicken? Spot on.

My friend (who has a healthy appetite) ordered the half a chicken meal, and was equally happy and full (which doesn't happen often). So good job Pasion!

The VERDICT: A great meal, came while it was still warm - a definite plus. Heftt portions.



2. Burgus Burger Bar בורגוס

The ORDER: Lunch Deal - Starter, Main Course, Side Dish, and Drink
עסקית צהריים - מנת פתיחה, מנה עיקרית, תוספת, ומשקה
The PRICE: 43 NIS

The CHOICE: Cauliflower Soup, Teriyaki Chicken Wings, Potato Wedges, Mint Lemonade







The DELIVERABLE: Cauliflower soup was good - a little lukewarm. They gave a nice amount of wings - wings is always a tough call because you might still be hungry and messy to boot - but I even managed to leave three on the plate (another rarity). The only thing is, I ordered the teriyaki wings because the sweet chili wings had dairy in them (and not to mention because I'm actually more partial to teriyaki chicken wings - well, I'm actually most partial to bbq chicken wings - which they didn't have - hence the bbq sauce on the side). I can honestly say if there was a drop of teriyaki in these wings, it was completely overshadowed by the SWEET CHILI SAUCE. Hello?! I feel like the two dishes are the exact same - just one uses butter and the other margarine or something. Definitely a bit disconcerting. I actually thought I was eating the dairy ones - and may have been quite vocal about this. On a good note though, they didn't only give the crappy half of the chicken wing - the part with the two bones - they also provided a substantial amount of miniature drumsticks (which easily are the superior part of the wing).

Other than that - the meal was good, and we even got the dessert free (sherbert - ordered for a friends birthday) - since as I mentioned I was rather vocal about the teriyaki-less wings.

The VERDICT: Recommended. Great service, nice portions, good flavor (even if it's not exactly the intended flavor). A for AFFORT.


3. La Lasagna לה לזניה



A quick review of this much-loved neighborhood lasagna place.

While this wasn't a Ten Bis order, I would like to mention that I love this place's lasagna. It's potentially the best kosher lasagna I've had yet. I like how you know they're making it on the spot with fresh pasta. My only gripe is that this place used to be a nice cheap place to eat - at 29 NIS, this was a steal for a nice piece of lasagna. The price now stands at 39 NIS for the classic lasagna - and five to seven shekels or so higher for the more fancy kinds. This isn't expensive per se for the Italian food experience, it just isn't so much cheap anymore. It's now about average, which for me, is like a 50% drop in their market value. Oh well.

Blatant False Advertising

So I'm flipping through this weekend's paper, and I happen upon the advertisement below.

Like every other consumer drawn in by colorful advertising, I was sold on this deal.

I head to the local Super-Pharm as soon as the holy Sabbath goes out, and scour the shelves for one 700 ML Herbal Essences Shampoo and/or Conditioner, with no luck. There are tens or hundreds of the smaller 300 or 400 ML Herbal Essences, but not a one 700 ML.

This is how the ensuing discourse went:

Me: Hi, you advertised this sale today in the newspaper, and you don't seem to have any on the shelves, can you please get me one from your stockroom?

Super-Pharm: We don't have any.

Me: But today is the first day of a two-week sale, surely you must have one.

SP: It says at the bottom "While Supplies Last".

Me: Yes, that is true. But it also says that this is a two week sale, and you don't even have stock for the very first day.

SP: Sorry.

Me: I'd be happy to take two of the smaller size instead.

SP: We can't do that.

Me: But it's virtually the same amount.

SP: Sorry, no can do. (This is paraphrased).

Me: You don't have to be snooty.

SP: Snooty?

Me: Snotty.

SP: Snotty?* (This too may be paraphrased or borrowed from a popular John Hughes film).

What gives?! I've had it with these places advertising an item on sale and then not having even one item on the first day of the sale. That has to be illegal. There has to be some kind of reasonable timeframe within which these companies can't invoke the disclaimer. If they're advertising a two week sale, it should be considered within reason that they should be required to have supplies for the first say three days or so according to an expected increase in purchases, no?

This happened to me at the supermarket chain Machsaney Kima'at Chinam - where they advertised a two-day sale on the meat section, I came on the first day and they didn't have anything from what they advertised.

This is also a common ploy at that furniture chain, India, but I think it's commonly known that they're big fat booger shnots. (This being the professional term, of course).

Stupid Game Show Answers

I just discovered this user on YouTube called Stupid Game Show Answers - and I became addicted to their videos.

I bring you two of the funniest clips I've seen in a long time. I couldn't breathe from laughing so hard.

The first clip in each of the videos is the one to watch for. (The rest are pretty lame).

Plicysisterines or otherwise spelled "P-l-e-i-o-c-e-t-e-n-e-s-o-u-s"

Talk about a bunch of monkeys. The first chick actually sounds mentally deficient when she speaks.

Lucas with the Lid Off

I was really craving a burger when Yom Kippur got out (but couldn't satisfy the urge that evening - so it had to hold off for the next day). My office mates have a tendency to think that Burger Ranch = burger, but I needed a real burger.

So I did the responsible thing, I ordered Lucas.

Lucas should actually be commended - a while back they lowered their lunch deal prices by 22% - and now their 250 gr burger deal is actually quite a bit cheaper than Burger Ranch!

The ORDER: 250 Gram Burger Lunch Deal עסקית בורגר 250 גרם with one side dish (Fries, Israeli Salad, Rice, Mashed Potatoes) - I ordered with Fries

The PRICE: 29 NIS

Special Requests: My friend asked for only lettuce, and they came through. You also had the choice of selecting the degree of cooking - I chose Medium (since I thought Medium Rare wouldn't go over so well in a delivery).

The DELIVERABLE: A nice big burger packaged separately from the fries, and clearly marked with degree of cooking, and special requests. Since it comes from Tel Aviv, and a good couple of hours later - the one perk about ordering Burger Ranch, where it comes hot from the grill - it came cold. This burger definitely blows any burger chain burger out of the water - that is a tasty burger. I also liked that you get a nice little baggie with condiments - with a nice amount to pull you through the meal without having to search the kitchen drawers for extras - and they were Heinz (none of this Osem madness). They probably could have been more generous about the fries, but seeing as I didn't even manage to finish my burger (I know, pathetic), I shouldn't be greedy.

The VERDICT: Probably would have been a better sit in meal, but definitely value for the money, and a good burger in general. Good stuff.