Featured Blog
Dinner at El Ranchito
The food there is great!!! Of course, he has spent most all of his time here texting as shown below. 
Dad went fishing this Father's day
That's not hubby holding that monster catfish and I'm not real sure which of the guys caught it. I can tell you we had fried catfish for dinner with french fries, coleslaw, and Vidalia onions. It was damn good!
Restaurant Review - Mellow Mushroom
The list of beer on draft was AMAZING!!! So many kinds it will make your head spin and your taste buds cry for the sampler!
Great food, cold beer, and a fun atmosphere - what more could you want?
Has the economy had an effect on the percentage of gratuity you leave a server when dining out?
We went out to dinner a couple nights ago at Cypress Grill. When I got the bill, I found myself wondering should I leave 15% or 20%...
It was never a question in my mind until here lately and the downturn in the economy, higher priced groceries, and my miserably producing 401k. Everybody is hanging on to their dollars a little tighter in this economy. For the first time in over 15 years I pondered on what percent I should leave the server. Her service was excellent as always. She was just as friendly and courteous as she has ever been to us but, I thought of my checking account before i thought of whether or not my server had earned a difference in the gratuity i would leave her that night.
Our tab came to $24 and some change for dinner and a few beers. Usually, I round up and leave 20%, paying gratuity on the tax as well as the meal. I have friends who will just double the tax; which, here in Georgia, means they consistently leave 14% of the food and beverage only. (I never leave less than 15% unless my service was so horrible that I have to ask to speak to a manager. That has never happened at Cypress and only one other time at a well known chain restaurant whose name I will not reveal. I complained, they made the situation right, no hard feelings and I've been back many times with excellent service.)
I didn't spend hours debating the gratuity I would leave, but I have to say it crossed my mind to leave 15%, especially since it is still a socially acceptable amount (that topic deserves it's own blog post). I did signed the check, leaving a $5 tip for my server.
The kicker is, I find myself leaving 15% at other establishments where i am not familiar with the staff. My thoughts continually go to my check book balance and whether the service i received was "really" worth an extra 5%. Recently, at a Chinese buffet, I only left $2 on a tab that was $19.xx with the mindset that all the server did was pour us tea one time.
I'm not sure I feel good about this change in my habits and it made me want to ask you - "Have you changed the percentage of gratuity you leave your server/waitress due to the current economy?"
Spring is finally here! Sunday afternoon at Cypress Grill
Sunday afternoon, after work, we stopped in at Cypress Grill for a cold beer before heading home. The weather here is beautiful right now! It was bright and sunny out - those are my new Tifosi sunglasses
Perfect, No Fail, Spaghetti Sauce - without the Jar!
This recipe is simple and delicious! Cooks perfectly every time.
1 package Sweet Italian Sausage, sliced into 1/2" slices
2 lbs ground sirloin
2 large onions, diced
2 packages sliced mushrooms (12 oz each)
10 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped
14 oz can crushed tomatoes
14 oz can tomato puree
14 oz can diced tomatoes
3 small cans tomato paste
basil
italian seasoning
garlic salt
Brown italian sausage in a large pot. When cooked through and browned, slide to one side and add ground sirloin and cook until done. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook until onions are tender. pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, diced tomatoes and all three cans tomato paste. Add 3 tablespoons dried basil, 2 teaspoons italian seasoning, and garlic salt to taste. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. Pour over cooked spaghetti noodles and ENJOY!!!
No more sauce out of a jar, ever! It tastes so good your family will think you slaved over the stove all day long!!!
Can you guess whats inside this masterpiece?
Crabby Mike's Restaurant in Myrtle Beach, SC
Each and every time I went back to the buffet there were plenty of crab legs and the other five people with me had no complaints either! The restaurant is just plain fun to walk into! Check out the pics below.
http://www.crabbymikes.com/
