Parmesan Asparagus Parmesan Asparagus

Grilled asparagus spears topped with savory melted Parmesan cheese.

Arroyo Chop House

Arroyo Chop House

536 S Arroyo Pkwy, Pasadena, California, 91105, United States

Steak • Seafood • American • Steakhouse


"My first time here. Celebrating my brother’s retirement. The crabmeat cocktail impressed me the most. The drinks were super. So was the Zin I had with dinner. The service was very good but I would not say exceptional. I ordered the soufflé moments after I sat down as I read online one needs to do if this is the dessert you desire at the end of your meal. When that time came and I mentioned it to the waiter, it appeared he did not make a note of it or write it down and had a pained look on his face. That did not make me a happy camper. However, within 2 3 minutes, a marvelous soufflé was delivered to me. It was fantastic! My steak was done perfectly but it was definitely too salty. My brother also had his steak prepared the same way as mine and it was the same cut – but his was rare to be sure, and not medium rare. He’s more kickback than I am so he did not want to send it back. However, I don’t expect that to happen at a steakhouse of this caliber. Also, I had wanted to order their peppercorn sauce to go along with my steak. I forgot to mention it but I wished our server would’ve asked me if I wanted one of their many sauces to go along with my steak. That would’ve jarred my memory. Too bad he didn’t.The side dishes were fantastic, especially the creamed spinach. I will probably revisit again sometime soon. But there is a lot of competition in Pasadena for fine dining. Also, had to wait 15 minutes for the valet to park the car. That was definitely not a plus. And this was a Thursday night."

Highlands Bar and Grill

Highlands Bar and Grill

2011 11th Ave S Birmingham, AL 35205-2801, United States

Bars • Grill • Vegan • American


"If there is a restaurant that is a Birmingham institution among the wealthier crowd, there is literally only one name that locals would bring up, and it is undoubtedly Highlands. Not that there aren't other nice restaurants, but this spot has proven itself over time and is ran by a chef that most Alabamians are quite proud of. Opened in 1982, Highland's is a place that put Birmingham on the map in a positive way at a time when the post industrial iron period was about to wind down and transform the city. Frank formalized his cooking techniques by working in kitchens of San Francisco and France, creating a medley of American Southern and French cuisine that is difficult to find elsewhere. It was not a time when it was common to see a chef from Alabama going to study cooking in Europe, thus the story was already an anomaly. Frank Stitt was trying to pioneer sustainable agriculture and farming well before anybody in Alabama knew what in the world that actually meant or for that matter, cared. One of the signature items is the baked grits that has been around since the restaurant opened. It's a tasty grits preparation and without a doubt, something to try. The pheasant was spectacular, fairly lean and with a crispy delicious skin, served with grits and green beans. Pastries here are created by Dolester Miles, who has been in the job for well over 30 years. The opera cake is absolutely spectacular, gentle and complexly layered. The basque cake is peachy and moist, with a crispy delicious exterior and Chantilly cream. Not only are these likely the best desserts to discover in Alabama, but may be some of the best to be found in America. The attentiveness got derail was clearly evident. As far as service, generally fine, but not particularly attentive. The waitress did not seem in much of a mood to welcome people to the establishment. Many items on the menu were running out by 8:30pm on a Saturday night. Nobody was particularly impressed with the flounder that got substituted for the grouper. And then there are other questions, why would you run out of grits? They know they are always filled to capacity and ingredients to make grits are not immediately perishable. Highland's has by this point in Birmingham's history become a classic. It's evident that most people here have been around for decades working at their jobs and serving the rich crowds of Mountain Brook. It's a place of great food and shows many combinations of ingredients that are nearly impossible to find elsewhere, let alone be executed this well."

Bobby's Deerfield

Bobby's Deerfield

695 RoadIL 60015, Deerfield, United States

Wine • Pasta • American • Cocktail


"I am writing this review and still in shock and unable to process what happen on last Friday night at our party. Everything was great, food, service, etc. All my friends had a great time until, I assume, it was the restaurant 's manager, came to one of our guests Mark and very rudely demanded that he paid $80 cover charge for drinking alcohol from the water bottle he brought with him. Mark NEVER drinks hard liquor only wine which is what he ordered that night as always. His wife wasn 't feeling well didn 't drink at all! The manager came to them directly, threw an empty water bottle on the table calming he has a video of Mark throwing this bottle in the trash outside of the restaurant!!! This video he showed us had NO image of Mark carrying a bottle in his hands! In any case, the manager 's rudeness, unprofessionalism in the way he handled the situation was outrages. He was yelling and screaming at us, telling us he will call the police. Even if he had a reason which he DID NOT! this situation could have been handled discretely. Instead, he escalated the situation to the point that Mark, his wife and most of our guests were in the verge of tears! All of my friends at the party came to America about 35 years ago, all have successful careers. We all speak Russian, but all immigrated from Ukraine. I don 't know if this person had something against us, but it sure felt like he made personal. We never felt so humiliated and discriminated like we did last night! I was the responsible for any additional charges/issues for the party and they confirmed that with me before the party started. We had multiple birthday parties at Bobby 's before and I was astonished how we were treated for just a pitiful amount of money $80 when we spent way over $1000 that night! Instead of having a great memory of this special evening of my husband 65th birthday all we will remember is the way we were treated and humiliated at the end. It 's a shame! We always enjoy Bobby 's, but after this incident none of us and anyone we know will dine in Bobby 's Deerfield again."