Thanks! seetheworld..or can I just call you see ?

Oh golly -- with so many responses here, i just couldn't read through to the end! But i was amazed at what I did read - after seeing the thread and thinking...."oh yeah, right! Like who cares..! And what could be out there, worthwhile, for a discussion?"

Well, surprise! We've never tried a P.F. Changs - not even sure we've run across one, but will keep an eye out, fersure, now.

A few weeks ago, I posted a request for an Oakbrook IL-area restaurant = specifying "not a chain." Before I could check back to Fodors, we had to take off...and ended up at a Lettuce Entertain You (chain) restaurant - Mon Ami Gabi...which very favorably impressed, with the ambience, the range of price and quality on the menu, etc. There went prejudice #1 about chains.

Next time out in Chicago, we ended up at a McCormick & Schmick's, right on Rush St. in Chicago...which again favorably impressed...with service, price and ambience. (Not that Price=thrifty, but did very much represented value received; something that often doesn't happen in our home area).

It's true, of course, that as the chains multiply across the country, the opportunites/odds for indy chefs to make their mark are negatively affected....but who stops Wal Mart..or how to stop the Wal Mart approach to restaurants? And if something like Lettuce takes a responsible, quality-minded approach to it....is it, after all, such a bad thing??

My favorite chain restaurant here in
Sonoma County, CA ??? Hmmmmm...
Well, it begins with my co-op farm subscription heirloom tomatoes and a the chain of contributions to the meal- Bellweather farms cheese and McEvoy Ranch olive oil, a plank of in-season fresh salmon, additional veggies & herbs harvested from the various neighbors yard-2 grills cookin' side by side (yet in different locations week to week-there's a "chain"!) and the "chain" of folks bringing a vino to share (no corkage here).
That's my kinda "chain" eatery.
R5

Yah! R5! Way to go!

What will we do without our neighbors' vegetables? -

I've got one neighbor who keeps me happy most of the summer with basil and tomatoes. Another one has peas and squash.

Have a bottle of McEvoy Oil sitting in my pantry right now. Saving it for dipping bread along with a nice bottle of wine someday!

Happy dining, everyone, chain or nieghbor's bounty!

Well, that was a minor hornet's nest I stepped in!

Thanks you, rjw_ for your support. I intended to be "blunt" (takes less time to type that way), and might even cop to "condescending" and "snooty" (only about food), but I never was "rude".

People certainly are touchy if you mention weight, aren't they? I suppose I AM implying that most people could stand to drop a few pounds, and I'm not excluding myself. A quick look around proves that point...a huge % of Americans are obese, and almost all of us would need to drop a pound or two before the six-pack starts to show

Black Brandywines? never seen them, but I've had a few nice Cherokee Purples this year and I really miss the tomatoes now that their gone. Could ramble on this subject more, but I have to run down to the new Carribbean Place for lunch where the guy makes the greatest jerk chicken, QUICK before Sticky Fingers and Atlanta Bread Co. put him out of business!

Lite_speedChick, a person who is condescending and snooty IS rude.

My favorite chains are Chili's, Cheesecake Factory and Cracker Barrel, for breakfast.

I live in the Hartford, Connecticut area. We have the expensive chains (as opposed to upscale) Morton's and Ruth's Chris and some bad ones - Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill etc. but
no Maggianos
no PF Changs
no Cheesecake Factory
no Roy's
no Il Fornaios
Lots of opportunities here.

Litespeed_Chick: Amen to that!

Your tomato season is over?! The vendor at our farmer's market (the world-famous Santa Monica FM, Wednesdays and Saturdays) told me they would have them till November. You can imagine my thrill...!

Black Brandywines are a dark-fleshed heirloom variety with a complex, savory-sweet flavor. I made a simple Sicilian-style tomato salad with these and a couple of other heirloom varieties (Pineapple and Coronation, as I recall) plus some organic basil and organic red onion. The sweet tomatoes and onion and the anise of the basil combined beautifully-- perfect to complement grilled sirloin and a nice bottle of Frei Brothers Cabernet on a VERY hot summer day. Kinda like r5's "chain" meal....

Come on, lunchtime!!

Here's a few more that I like:

Mo's- a chain on the Oregon Coast. We like the one in Cannon Beach, right on the ocean with views of Haystack Rock. Their peppered salmon is very good, tho the sides leave a lot to be desired. This place is great for a large group. They serve the clam chowder family-style in a huge pot!

Red Robin-I think these are only on the West Coast. I love their strawberry lemonade here (free refills) the fries are large and yummy (free refills) and the California Burger is very good with lots of pickles and avocados, bacon, jack cheese! My kids love the Rookie Magics!

Tahoe Joe's Steakhouse- decor is very rustic with Tahoe stuff all around. It's pretty pricey for a chain, but they have really good BBQ food and the sides and salads aren't bad for a chain place.

Bennigan's-used to serve the best ribs I've ever had until the Bigfoot Pub & Grub in Seaside, Oregon. Both of these places recently closed, it was our hang out before all the HS football games. Would love to see this chain come back. Are they anywhere else?

Tony Roma's--great BBQ chicken and steak, really good beans and salads are comprable to Tahoe Joe's. A big hangout before the Fresno State Football games! We're headed there on Sat. night to watch the Bulldogs cream Portland State! LOL

In n Out burgers pulled through for dinner after the water polo game yesterday. We're 5-0 now undefeated! Smeared the other them 16-0 with our second string. DD got rested last game for a big tourney this weekend!

Those burgers (eight of them) all looked so pretty in that box, my DD took pictures of them!! Ha ha!!

There's a new Grill that opened by us a year or so ago. We've been once and I had a really good Mexican plate there. Fish tacos, burritos, very good sides of black beans and rice. Fresh, food, fun atmosphere and great service! Sweetwater Grill is the name of the place. ***kim***

Ruths Chris. We have one near us built into a plantation home. The food and service in this RC is always excellent.

Kim, we just got Mo's (but don't know if it's the same one.... this one is Southwestern food) and Red Robin in the Triangle/Raleigh recently. My friend has tried both, and says they're okay........ she loves the soft tacos at Mo's. I haven't tried them. We do have Bennigan's here. For some reason, we don't have Tony Roma's, which I love. (Could be because we have so many excellent local BBQ places, though.)

rjw: You are indeed lucky to have tomatoes until November. I'm in SC, you would think our warm weather would give us that length of growing season, but alas, the tomatoes in my garden seem to tire by mid-August, and the farmer's market bounty is also starting to dwindle here in Sept. The figs are gone, too, *sob*.

This year's favorite tomato creation was: make dough for buttermilk biscuits, spread about 1/2 inch thick into a fluted tart pan, bake. Spread w/ farmer's cheese and a little mayo. Top w/ concentric circles of two or three different heirlooms, dot w/ basil, drizzle w/ orange infused olive oil, sprinkle salt.

Voila, tomato tart. Of course, what it really is, is a tarted-up (pun) tomato sandwich. But with a much nicer presentation and I find that Yankees (my husband) who turn up their noses at tomato sandwiches like it quite well.

Hope you had a nice lunch!

bonniebroad,
You're confusing Mo's with Moe's; Mo's is a seafood place and isn't outside Oregon. IMO, the only reason to go there is for a beer and some garlic cheese bread. My wife does like their oyster stew, though.

Patrick, Fleming's is part of the Outback Steakhouse chain along with Roy's, Carrabba's, Bonefish Grill, Lee Roy Selmon's, and Cheeseburger in Paradise.

The guy who started PF Chang's has teamed up with Outback to start another concept but I forget the name.

If anyone cares why I know this, we get Restaurant News and all those other food industry publications by the stackfull weekly.

beachbum, I realized that I had confused "Moe's and Mo's", after I posted. There's an "e" on the one here........ Thanks for your reply!

Bonnie, I love Moe's (Homewrecker, no rice) but hate the way they yell "Welcome to Moe's!!" at everyone.

GoTravel, haven't tried Moe's yet but my friend really likes a couple of things. (She didn't mention them yelling at you! ) What's the Homewrecker?

Kimamom . . . there's a Red Robin in the chocolate capital of the US - Hershey, PA! You're right, great burgers!

Beachbum is right, Mo's is only on the Oregon Coast. They have six locations. www.moschowder.com I did have a pretty decent crab melt there once, also.

Also, on the Oregon Coast is Pig N' Pancake. They have great breakfasts here and I love their little piggies in a blanket! (Sausage and pancakes) best with boysenberry syrup!

Dooger's is another seafood chain on the OC, but nothing to write home about, IMO. ***kim***

Go Travel, now I'm confused. Are you saying that PF Chang's is owned by the Outback, etc. people? A good friend is working for the new Fleming's in town, and he insists it is owned by the PF Chang's people.