WHEN you are pampered with great cooking at home, finding that ready-to-eat food to satiate your picky taste buds might be such a hassle that sometimes you’ll end up in a fancy dining shop only to be dismayed by the tastes of the food which are just overrated.
But at TGI Fridays food is a diverse experience.
In New York, Fridays to me is more of a bar with food, but here, it is more of food than being a bar. Perhaps, it has to do with our culture, Filipinos love food. In family gatherings, food is always a priority. When we go out with friends, dining places are in the itineraries.
And because Fridays wants its customers to taste new dishes from time to time apart from its already extensive menu, it began serving its “New Jack Daniel’s Triple Barrel Combos” in yesterday’s Valentine’s Day.
The combos are the Chicken, Chop & Shrimp which is roasted chicken with grilled tender pork chop and deep fried battered shrimps; the Ribs, Chop & Shrimp consists of half rack of Cajun, spiced pork ribs, grilled tender pork chop and deep-fried battered shrimps; and the Salmon, Chicken & Chop, the char-grilled Norwegian pink salmon fillet, roasted chicken and grilled tender pork chop glazed with Jack Daniel’s sauce. These combos are served with corn on the cob, seasonal vegetables and of course Fridays signature sauce – the Jack Daniel’s. The combos come with refillable rice.
“The Jack Daniel’s sauce has always been a Fridays signature, we want our Jack Daniel’s favorites in one platter for everyone to share and enjoy,” said Guia Abuel, vice president for Operations.
Adrian Aguirre, Fridays general manager, who just arrived in Cagayan de Oro last month, said it is Fridays tradition to introduce new dishes quarterly.
Most of Fridays’ customers in the city love the grilled dishes, said Kristine Virly, Fridays restaurant manager.
During the triple barrel launch with the media on February 11, Fridays also served its bestseller appetizers the “Fridays Three for All,” a combination of deep fried loaded potato skins, spicy buffalo wings and the mozzarella cheese served with sour cream, bleu cheese sauce and marinara.
And oh, I love salads! So when the Chipotle Yucatan chicken salad was served, I feasted on it.
It has this refreshing combination of romaine lettuce and red cabbage tossed in lime cilantro dressing, mixed cheese, red onions, fresh cilantro and deep fried tortilla strips topped with diced tomatoes and of course the grilled chicken breast seasoned with blackening spice then drizzled with aioli sriracha dressing.
Then, another appetizer appeared on the table, the “calypso calamari” – the crisp golden fried calamari served over mixed fresh greens and tossed with lime cilantro dressing topped with tomatoes, pineapple and toasted nuts.
To fill my thirsts, I ordered Fridays “Honeydew Spa,” a combination of honeydew, pear, and cucumber sweetened with honey. I also ordered for another round of fresh squeeze fruit juice and this time I had the “Carrot Apple” also sweetened with honey. I just felt healthier after those two rounds of fruit juices.
I thought that was it, but I didn’t leave Fridays without trying its “Mocha mud pie,” which is a winner! I love the pie’s rich chocolate almond and coffee ice cream frozen in a chocolate crumb crust topped with hot fudge and toasted almond slices.
I am not really a brownie fan, but Fridays “Brownie Obsession” tempted me. I didn’t want sugar overload that day but can’t resist tasting it and took a few bites. The warm brownie is covered in dark and rich chocolate-fudge, vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and pecans.
I left Fridays with a filled gut and purposely missed dinner.
Think it’s expensive? Not really, since Fridays dishes come in big portions which are good for sharing and buddies can just go there without worries and share the bill later.