Of fine dining and chain restaurants

We had a very nice Valentine's yesterday. My daughter was thrilled with all her cards and candy from school (two cupcakes even! gold for a 2nd-grader) and loved the Barbie my husband bought her. My husband loved the popcorn I got him- I even decorated the red tin myself, using paint pens. He got me some amazing chocolates and a giant winnie-the-pooh card, which for anyone who knows me, is absolutely perfect for me.

Then he took me out for Indian food. The sign on the door said, "No menu or buffet tonight," so we're thinking, "what on earth will we eat then? the napkins?"

It turned out they had a special fixed price 6-course dinner. We spent $63 including tax, tip, bottle of wine, salad, appetizer, the most delicious tomato soup I've ever had in my life, entree (I had chicken tikka masala- hot! very very very hot), Naan, and chocolate cake for dessert.

Ok, the chocolate cake was really stretching it, it's not like I've ever seen that on the menu at an Indian restaurant before. But it was a really beautiful evening, the restaurant was draped in shades of red, from the neon lights at the front window. The tables had tablecloths (not their usual attire!), candles, and flowers, and there were even little valentine's balloons floating around the room.

I commented that I actually felt like I was in New York City, it felt like the kind of restaurant you find there. I also found it interesting to watch customer's faces as they, too, realized the buffet was closed. The regular customers had never seen such a thing! No buffet?! What to eat, then? But for those who stayed, I bet they were pleasantly surprised such as we were.

We were laughing about how hard it was to get a parking space. It's in the same complex as a Red Lobster, and their line was right out the door. We didn't have a reservation nor did we have to wait for a table, and I bet our dinner was much nicer than the one at Red Lobster. I also think we probably ate that huge meal and left before most people were even able to get a table at RL.

All in all, we have become very tired of chain restaurants. I miss the eclectic nature of restaurants in Chicago, the mom and pop restaurants. The food tastes so much better at the local stores, and even a local chain is better than most US chains. I have found Italian food so delicious I don't ever feel like setting a foot inside an Olive Garden again. I've also found the chains aren't even a discount anymore. Some of the best discounts can be found at my local mom and pop stores.

What about you? Are you a foodie or are you happy with the Olive Gardens and Red Lobsters of the world?

I'm just hoping more foodie oriented restaurants are coming our way.