Having a casual Father-Daughter dinner at TGI Fridays was not the original plan. My dad and I headed for the dining quarters of Town Square (the bustling heart of Sugar Land, TX) to find a lightly crowded and fairly quiet restaurant for a good meal and good conversation. Well, it was Thursday and it was dinner time. All of the nice and quiet restaurants that we knew of were packed with 20-something year olds and Happy hour lingerers. Just when we were headed for a buffet in defeat, we saw a contemporary looking, dimly lit building with candy striped flannels and a reasonably filled parking lot. We had never been to TGI Fridays before, we were really hungry, and we felt we had run out of options. With shrugs, we went in.
The hostess who seated us was very friendly. We were seated by the windows with a view of an extensive bar and lounge area surrounded by eight mounted flat screens each showing a variety of sports on one side and a well lit patio with brightly colored furniture and an outdoor fireplace. The interior was fun. The walls were covered with vintage photos, autographs, and tons of 3D art; there was half of bike sticking out from the wall and a surfboard hanging from the ceiling. TGI Fridays brought the fun to us. The music, loud enough to enjoy and soft enough to engage in conversation, consisted of a variety of genres from modern alternative to Elvis' classics appealing to an array of customers.
The waiter was even friendlier. The menu sported everything from Specialized Jack Daniel's Whiskry infused meals to fire-grilled Turkey burgers; to be honest everything sounded tasty. Past the point of appetizers, my dad settled on Jack Daniel's Ribs & Shrimp while I settled on the Grilled Norwegian Salmon with Langostino Lobster; two "popular" entrees recommended by the waiter. Within minutes we were settled with drinks, my dad a simple caesar salad and the waiter checked in frequently.
"Topped with sauteed langostino lobster and cremini mushrooms in a Roasted Alfredo sauce. Served with Jasmine Rice Pilaf and Fresh mushroom spinach"
"Full rack of baby back pork ribs are slow-cooked until they're fall-off-the-bone tender then generously basted in jack daniels sauce and, paired with our crispy cajun-spiced shrimp, seasoned fries and ginger lime slaw"
The smell of the food was mouthwatering. My salmon was fluffed to perfection and my lobster very tender. The alfredo sauce was well seasoned while the spinach was creamy yet still managed to retain some crunch. The sweet & spicy flavor complimented the very tender ribs and my dad loved the Jack Daniel's whiskey sauce so much he asked for a cup of sauce to go. The chef obliged; thanks chef. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals, were full and had good conversation. The fun and casual atmosphere allowed us to linger a bit longer and with a quick scan, I realized it had done the same for many other patrons.
The bill did cause me to raise an eyebrow, but I did not hesitate to tip graciously. On our way out of the restaurant we noticed a bell that read "Ring if you enjoyed your visit." Needless to say, we gave two good rings. I wouldn't mind paying TGI Fridays a visit everyday.
I had no idea that TGI Fridays served seafood, and it sounds like it has a warm, welcoming atmosphere! How were the fried shrimp that came with the ribs? Was the breading on the shrimp too thick/thin? Could you describe the seasonings in the alfredo sauce more? It sounds really tasty!
ReplyDeleteThe atmosphere sounds great and I love it when a restaurant is able to draw people in and make them want to stay because of how warm and welcoming it is. I have never been here but it sounds like you had a really great time! I love ribs and you did an amazing job describing them.Do they give you extra sauce with plate or do you only get whats already on them? That was pretty neat that the chef obligated in giving your dad more of the sauce.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know TGI Fridays served seafood either. I haven't been to one in a long time since there is not one near my hometown anymore. Would you say it was comparable to the seafood you would get in a place that specializes in that type of food?
ReplyDeleteI think you did a good job of telling your story and describing the atmosphere of the restaurant! A small suggestion on word choice is that you might want to use a different word than "settled" in your third paragraph since you use it three times. Because of the many different choices on the menu was it difficult to decide on your order? I enjoyed your post!
ReplyDeleteYour post was surprising and makes me want to try Fridays again. Your photo descriptions were an excellent idea and give great descriptions. Can you describe more about the bill possibly? What made you raise an eyebrow?
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