I have fond memories of TGI
Fridays. The original American diner was one of my favourite childhood haunts.
We’d frequently pop in for a midweek treat, gorging on their delicious burgers
and mouth-watering desserts. I still visit from time to time, but, sadly, these
days, I’m often disappointed. It seems each visit fails to live up to the
previous one. It may be that I’ve done the place to death, but I can’t help but
think it just isn’t what it used to be.
I think just about everybody
has eaten in a TGI Fridays restaurant at some point. It’s one of the UK’s first
American imports and is one of our most recognisable chains, with branches all
over the country. The interiors of the restaurants have a vintage American
diner type feel to them and, if you’ve ever visited the States, you’ll know
that our versions have maintained the vibe of the originals.
When we went for lunch, at my
friend’s suggestion, on Saturday, I didn’t know what I fancied. I normally like
to play it safe, but as I mulled over the menu I felt positively bored with all
my usual favourites. So, to start, I had the Jack Daniels Sesame Mushroom
Strips. Jack Daniels is one of Friday’s favoured brands, and you’ll find it
many of their dishes. The mushrooms were coated in crispy breadcrumbs, fried in
Jack Daniels and topped with chilli flakes and sesame seeds, nestled on a bed
of lettuce, served with a pot of Jack Daniels for dipping. It was delicious,
but had an almighty kick to it. In the past, I’ve had Jack Daniels in a burger
and a chicken sandwich, and I’ve found that it always adds so much flavour to
any dish. It was a generous portion for an starter, or an appetiser as the
Americans call them, which is always a bonus.
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| Jack Daniels Sesame Mushroom Strips |
For main course, I chose
something completely different, something that wouldn’t normally appeal to me
at all: a hot dog. I had the BBQ Smoky Joe, a pork sausage served in a brioche
bun, topped with pulled pork, Colby cheese, pickled red onion and apple slaw.
It was nice enough, but rather dry. A hot dog sausage in a bun can be dry at
the best of times, but I had expected the toppings to add a great deal of
moisture. They didn’t. Although it was tasty, it was unremarkable, and
confirmed why I normally tend to avoid hot dogs.
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| BBQ Smoky Joe Hot Dog |
American diners seem to be
more popular than ever, so I think TGI Friday’s need to up their game. Their
food is completely average, and with independent American diners opening up all
over the place, much of the food at TGIs, sadly, no longer can compete.
One area in which Fridays
always used to excel was its desserts. Their Cookie Dough Cheesecake was one of
my all-time favourites. Two years ago, I fell in love with their Apple Waffle
Crunch entirely by accident. It was Lent and, heading towards the finish line,
desperate for something sweet but hard-pressed for options, the waffle was the
only pudding I could indulge in. It seemed that fate brought us together, as it
was delicious. A warm, sweet waffle topped with apple and cinnamon, crunchy
oatmeal crumble, topped with two dollops with vanilla ice cream and drizzled in
caramel sauce, it was so much more than your standard waffle. Sadly, this time,
it was nothing special. I know, sometimes, I remember my first encounter with a
spectacular dessert through rose-tinted specs, but in this case, the quality
really had declined. The waffle was much more stodgy, there was distinctly less
apple and cinnamon topping, whilst the crumble part was non-existent. It was
rather lacklustre.
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| Apple Waffle Crunch |
Eating at TGI Fridays used to
be such a treat. The food was always top-notch and the atmosphere was electric,
even in the middle of the week. It used to bring back memories of holidays in
Florida; you would really feel like you were in the States, such was the
authenticity. The portions used to be huge and you’d roll home feeling stuffed
to the brim. Nowadays, sadly, it’s nothing special. It’s become somewhat
expensive considering you can get much better food elsewhere and the portions
are no bigger than average. After being completely underwhelmed by last weekend’s
lunch, I it wouldn’t bother me if I never ate there again. Overall, TGI Fridays
just isn’t what it used to be.
View the menu, along with the full range of cocktails at:
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