Follow up on American Grill, Randolph

[chefb]

I took Lreda up on trying his place again. This time I took my father another randolph resident and culinarian.

Let me start by saying The American Grill has a great decor, nice rugs and paintings. Good music too. The waiter brought us a delicious taster of veggie ribbons with evo, vinegar and parm cheese on the side. Although the bread was cold, it was crusty and soft in the middle.

We started our meal by splitting the Firecracker Calamari; fried calamari with tomatoes, vinegar,evo,capers and olives. Good dish. Spicey. Cool plates also. Nice change from the marinara served these days.

Entrees were baked chicken with goat cheese and seared tuna with mushrooms. My father had the chicken. He enjoyed the sauce and felt the cheese was a great addition. He did feel that the plate lacked contrast of colors. Red sauce, white cheese and tan rice. Veg of the day was diced onions and squash. Something green would have been nice.

I had the seared tuna with shitake mush demi. Can't complain about the large portions but it wasn't very appealing to see two large chunks of tuna atop one another. One peace sliced would have been better. Sauce composed of mostly button mush and was over salted. The tuna also lacked a good sear to the outside. Same veg and rice pilaf sides. We split an apple strudel for dessert. It had good flavor, texture and accompanied by vanilla ice cream, but could have been served warm. There was no wait to sit and the service was good. I liked the wines of the day but I would have liked to see a glass of sparkling offered as well, for matching with the different courses.

[Courtzzz]

I have been waiting all week for someone to respond to this review, and the fact that nobody has really makes me question the motivation of the posts on this forum. The regulars on this forum all appear to be chummy with the owner of this place, so I guess nobody would dare reply or agree that the food is mediocre at best. It seems to me that people rave about places when the portions are big and their ass is being kissed by the owner/ chef/ staff.

Any negative comments are not well received and the owner or someone close to the place jumps in to defend any negative feedback. I realize that it is probably difficult to see your place get blasted by a customer, but I thought this was a forum for opinions. Maybe I am incorrect.

[tommy]

It seems to me that people rave about places when the portions are big and their ass is being kissed by the owner/ chef/ staff. 

that's just absurd.

i read the post. as i'm sure many did. and i had nothing to say. what would you have me do?

[201]

I have been waiting all week for someone to respond to this review, and the fact that nobody has really makes me question the motivation of the posts on this forum.

I've never been there so I can't comment one way or the other. No conspiracy... just nothing to contribute.

Any negative comments are not well received and the owner or someone close to the place jumps in to defend any negative feedback.  I realize that it is probably difficult to see your place get blasted by a customer, but I thought this was a forum for opinions. Maybe I am incorrect.

Um... so where are the defensive posts here? Even if there were any, I don't see why a difference of opinion is considered to be bad. We all have different tastes and I've disagreed with a number of opinions on this board before (both in and out of favor with various restaurants). Would you rather see every member unanimously praise or scorn every given restaurant? There's about as much chance of that happening as there is of everyone loving and hating the exact same novels, plays, paintings, music, etc...

[ngatti]

I have been waiting all week for someone to respond to this review, and the fact that nobody has really makes me question the motivation of the posts on this forum.  The regulars on this forum all appear to be chummy with the owner of this place, so I guess nobody would dare reply or agree that the food is mediocre at best.  It seems to me that people rave about places when the portions are big and their ass is being kissed by the owner/ chef/ staff. 

Any negative comments are not well received and the owner or someone close to the place jumps in to defend any negative feedback.  I realize that it is probably difficult to see your place get blasted by a customer, but I thought this was a forum for opinions.  Maybe I am incorrect.

Never been.

Nick

[Rachel Perlow]

We were there once about 2 years ago and had a good experience - didn't know anything about the chef/owner then. I had nothing to contribute, positive or negative, to the original post of this thread. You say that everyone is kissing up to the chef/owner, but the original post sounded rather neutral, and there were no "you're crazy - the place is great (or horrible)" follow-ups. So, what are you complaining about?

[tommy]

but I thought this was a forum for opinions. Maybe I am incorrect.

rachel, it's just the typical nonsense bitching and moaning session with the same unwarranted and immature verbiage. i've seen it on every internet board that i've ever been on for the past 16 yrs.

[ngatti]

rachel, it's just the typical nonsense bitching and moaning session with the same unwarranted and immature verbiage.  i've seen it on every internet board that i've ever been on for the past 16 yrs.

Yeah, yeah! What he said. Let's get back to bitchin' and moanin' over...er...Never mind.

Nick

[Rachel Perlow]

Nick:

[Lreda]

I have been waiting all week for someone to respond to this review, and the fact that nobody has really makes me question the motivation of the posts on this forum.  

You dined at my place over 5 months ago and I offered to make up to you for what was in your word a less that medicore at best dinner. You waited all week for someone to jump on the bandwagon even though Chefb had a better meal the 2nd time around than the 1st time. ( I was at a wedding the 2nd time so I couldn't even plate each dish the night he was there to make sure everything went well).

I do however take offense to your comment on kissing ass. I have a business that does demand that I cater to customers. I come to this forum once again trying to add something positive in regard to dining in the Garden State and with your limited posts leads me to this you have a agenda with my place.

I don't enjoy seeing my place being downgraded by posters on this forum but it comes with the territory of being a public figure.

At this point I am frustrated of trying to defend myself to occasional faceless posters while I have a name and face to go along with my posts. I will not post in N.J. any longer. It's a shame, because I think this is a imformative place for foddies to come and find out about the ins and outs behind the scenes of restaurants and I hope I added a little insight.

[tommy]

lou, don't be silly. anyone who has a clue knows better. i'm one of those "chummy" people i suppose, and i've never so much as set foot in your place. ignore them. no one cares what they say. they have no idea what they're talking about as far as their conspiracy theories go, and by extension, they simply have nothing to say that interests anyone who's serious about trying your place. simple as that.

[ngatti]

Lou said:

. It's a shame, because I think this is a imformative place for foddies to come and find out about the ins and outs behind the scenes of restaurants and I hope I added a little insight.

Hey bud, you've been around long enough to realize that no good deed goes unpunished.

Nick

[Rail Paul]

I'm with Tommy on this one.

I've dined at AG, I've liked it, and I've spoken its defense when I thought the criticisms were over-reaching. A nice, well rounded, well priced restaurant. Arguably a destination reatuarant in Morris County. I've never introduced myself to Chef Lou,and I've never been comped, and I don't have any grudges or interests here, other than fairness to a good restaurant.

The law of averages says a few people will have orgasmic meals, a few will have dreck, and most will be fully satisfied over time. I concede some people have bad meals anywhere (Daniel, Ducasse, Rutt's, etc) and others can have transcendant experiences in the same place, on the same night.

And, for the record, neither chef Lou nor any of his employees have offered to kiss any of my body parts (though I could be tempted, we all have our prices...)

(edited for political correctness)

[1ToughCustomer]

I have been waiting all week for someone to respond to this review, and the fact that nobody has really makes me question the motivation of the posts on this forum.  

I would have to agree with LREDA, it seems fairly obvious that Courtzzz has an agenda to trash American Grill. Just the fact that Courtzzz laid back for a week waiting for someone to fuel his/her fire indicates that. Coupled with the fact that Courtzzz's last series of post were a diatribe against AG.

I've been to AG several times and as LREDA himself concedes AG is not perfect, as other posters have pointed out, no restaurant is. However I've not seen any other owner as ready willing and able to fix a problem or offer amends to a less than satisfied customer. Courtzzzz as far as I and I'm sure many other folks here are concerned you have very little credibilty. You don't care for the restaurant, don't go there but give up on the trash talk.

Lreda, you deserve a great deal of credit for being a regular on this forum and standing up with the happy customers and standing up to the critics. I look forward to your posts.