"Fine" Dining

On the Border's "Guacamole Live" Is a National Treasure

🌮🔥🥑 On the Border Review: Guacamole Glory, Taco Chips, and The Chili's Test 🥑🔥🌮 We're back with Part 2 of On the Border, and this time Trent Tucker (@TheGOTSPod) and I actually sit down to eat at the former Brinker sibling to Chili's. There are highs. There are lows. There is guacamole made tableside that absolutely slaps. We also encounter a manager radiating peak "Karen energy," raid a Little Free Library mid-meal, and hear "Cable Car" by The Fray so many times it becomes psychological warfare. 🥑 Guacamole Live Is a Legitimate Triumph 🌮 Flautas That Do NOT Live Up to the Ornelas Family Name 🧂 Chips and Salsa Are Decent, But Why Are the Chips Half a Taco Shell? 🎶 "Cable Car" by The Fray Plays an Unreasonable Number of Times 📚 Little Free Library Raid Yields a Parody Songbook and an Education on Spiders 😬 A Manager Check-In That Screams "I'd Like to Speak to…" 🎙️ Trent Shares His Best Meal Ever: Ramen in Japan 🌴 His Worst Meal Ever: A Burger from Rainforest Cafe 📊 On the Border Faces The Chili's Test 💬 COMMENT BELOW: Is tableside guac enough to overcome weird taco chips? 📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw 🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎤 Guest: Trent Tucker | IG: @TheGOTSPod Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, Jewell Hermann, Renae Michael 👉 NEXT WEEK: I take Emma, my second cousin once removed to Long John Silver's, and you KNOW we're gonna talk LJS history!

On the Border: Mark Wahlberg, Bankruptcy, and the "Worst Mexican Chain in America"

🌮🔥🍹 On the Border: Bankruptcy, Bottomless Calories, and Marky Marg Madness 🍹🔥🌮 This week, Trent Tucker (@thegotspod) from the Geek Off the Street podcast joins me to break down the chaotic history of On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, a chain that once lived under the Chili's corporate umbrella at Brinker International before getting unceremoniously left behind. On the Border has had a rollercoaster run. We unpack the Mark Wahlberg-backed Marky Marg (where he didn't even show up for the toast), and celebrate the undeniable appeal of Guacamole Live prepared tableside. Plus, Trent pitches a zero-gravity ramen restaurant, and we read Yelp reviews in the style of a late-night local TV lawyer commercial. 🌯 Formerly a Brinker International Sibling to Chili's 📉 "Worst Mexican Chain" According to Men's Health 💸 Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and 40 Sudden Closures 🍹 The Marky Marg Featuring Flecha Azul Tequila 📺 "Why? Because You Can" is the Most American Slogan Ever 🥑 Guacamole Live Steals the Spotlight 🚀 Trent's Zero-Gravity Ramen Restaurant Pitch ⚖️ A Yelper Who Sounds Like a Personal Injury Attorney 💬 COMMENT BELOW: Is tableside guac enough to save a struggling chain? 📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw 🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎤 Guest: Trent Tucker | IG: @thegotspod Patreon Producers:Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van Patreon Subscribers:David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, Jewell Hermann, Renae Michael 👉 NEXT WEEK: We actually eat at On the Border and put it through the Chili's Test to see if it can hang with its former corporate sibling.

Is Papa Murphy's Worth a 4 Hour Drive?

🍕🔥🏠 Papa Murphy's Pizza Review: When Take 'N' Bake Fights Back 🏠🔥🍕 We're back with Part 2 of Papa Murphy's, and this time Peter Murphy (@peter_murphy) and I actually put the take 'n' bake concept to the test after a four-hour round-trip to experience it properly. What followed was a very kind cashier, a slightly alarming health department confession, and instructions that nearly burned my apartment down. From my first time trying olives to a variety of Crush products, it's all on the table as we see whether Papa Murphy's can survive the Chili's Test. 🍕 Reviewing the Murphy's Combo 🍕 Ultimate Pepperoni? More Like Dull-timate Pepper-NO-ni! (idk...) 🧄 Garlic Knots Try to Steal the Spotlight 🍪 Cookie Dough vs. Fully Baked Cookies 🔥 Faulty Instructions Lead to a Flaming Paper Tray 🚨 Smoke Alarms, Panic, and the Consequences of Trust 🧑‍🍳 A Cashier So Nice She Accidentally Shares Health Department Lore 🎙️ Peter's Worst Restaurant Experience Involves a Chicken Bone Where It Should Never Be 🥩 His Best Experience Includes His Grandfather's Favorite Steak Joint Actually Delivering 📊 Papa Murphy's Faces the Chili's Test 💬 COMMENT BELOW: Is take 'n' bake pizza a smart idea or a less good take on pizza? 📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw 🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎤 Guest: Peter Murphy | IG: @peter_murphy Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, Jewell Hermann, Renae Michael 👉 NEXT WEEK: We dive into the history of On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina with Trent Tucker from the Geek Off the Street podcast, as another restaurant steps up to the Chili's Test.

Papa Murphy's Pizza: A Spiteful Dough Recipe, Food Stamps, and DIY

🍕🔥🏠 Papa Murphy's Pizza: Take 'N' Bake, No Ovens, No Mercy 🏠🔥🍕 This week, comedian Peter Murphy (@peter_murphy) joins me to break down the strange, fascinating history of Papa Murphy's, the pizza chain that refuses to cook your food for you. We dig into how take 'n' bake became the brand's entire identity, why you literally cannot buy a hot pizza there, and how that decision shaped everything from employee working conditions to who can even buy the product. We also check in with the internet, because of course someone on Yelp is furious about flip-flops. 🍕 The Origins of Take 'N' Bake and the Merger That Created Papa Murphy's 🔥 Inventing a Dough That Works in a 425-Degree Home Oven 📈 Explosive Growth Into One of America's Biggest Pizza Chains 🧊 No Ovens, No Cooking Licenses, and a Safer, Cooler Workplace 🧾 Why Papa Murphy's Pizzas Count as Groceries (and What That Means) 🍕 Stuffed Pizzas, "Larger Than Large" Pies, and Other Menu Swings 🎃 Heart-Shaped and Jack-O'-Lantern Pizzas as Annual Traditions 📉 The Mid-2010s Slump and the Challenge of Staying Relevant 📱 Apps, Online Ordering, and the Modern Take 'N' Bake Pivot 🧇 The "Hub of Hacks" Includes Waffle Irons, Football Pepperonis, and Dough Experiments ⭐ Yelp From Strangers Includes a Reviewer Outraged by an Employee Wearing Flip-Flops 💬 COMMENT BELOW: Does take 'n' bake pizza feel convenient or like homework? 📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw 🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎤 Guest: Peter Murphy | IG: @peter_murphy WATCH PETER'S SPECIAL "OUT OF NOWHERE" HERE  Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, Jewell Hermann, Renae Michael 👉 NEXT WEEK: We actually review Papa Murphy's and put take 'n' bake pizza through the Chili's Test to see how it stacks up against the ultimate casual-dining benchmark.

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse: Amazing Wings, Polarizing Pizza, and a Bunch of Pizookies

🍕🍪 BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse Review: Extreme Pizza, Elite Wings, and Too Much Chocolate 🍪🍕 We're back with Part 2 of BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, and this time PJ McCormick (@peejmccormick) and I actually sit down to eat. The service feels a little detached, the vibes are exactly what you'd expect from a brewery, and PJ remains baffled that this place ever started as a pizza joint. 🍕 Pepperoni Extreme Pizza Surprisingly Lives Up to the "Extreme" (What is this, 2002??) 🍪 A Trio of Pizookies: Salted Caramel, Strawberry Shortcake, and WAY Too Much Chocolate 🍤 New Orleans Jambalaya Didn't Matter At ALL 🥨 Big Twist Pretzel Hanged for Pickpocketing 🍗 BJ's Original Wings Steal the Whole Meal 🎙️ PJ Shares His Best and Worst Restaurant Experiences 🚫 Domino's Earns PJ's 0 out of 10 (and I Protest) 🏆 A 10.00 Goes to Vegan Italian Pasta 💬 COMMENT BELOW: Is BJ's as good as we scored it? 📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw 🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎤 Guest: PJ McCormick | IG: @peejmccormick Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, & Jewell Hermann 👉 NEXT WEEK: I head to Papa Murphy's Take 'n Bake Pizza with stand-up comedian Peter Murphy. Yes, we drove 4 hours just to pick up a pizza that we had to cook at home...