A Zagat Dispute

Recently Mr. Broad has commented on my grades I've been giving restaurants. Not that he has completely disagreed but he thinks my grades are inflated. Like giving all restaurants an A and then all of a sudden you come to a restaurant like Momofuku Ssam bar or Masa (one could wish) and then how do you diversify?! Okay. So I am TOO nice. In this post... bring on mean grader.

Grrrr.

Necessary tangent story: I was in Atlanta last week for work and got to visit my friends The Sullivans. And that's where I learned about Guitar Hero. Which is ohso cool but your eyes become forever fixated on the TV that you do. not. blink. Seriously, I could have won many a blinking games last week if you put Guitar Hero behind them. But Ouch.

The point of the story is I have been traveling for work a lot these past weeks. So it was time I caught up on my expenses... and work on a weekend. Ya know, something about getting paid back.
Mr. Broad came with because obvi. Lunch! We both wanted something fast and our fave Ippudo had a 30 min wait so we went walkin'.

Ruben's Empanada's

Various locations

We have both heard of this place from other people. Not anything fancy, but a place with maybe 10-15 different empanadas for you to choose from. Mr. Broad saw a deal where you got 3 empanadas and a soda/water for $10. Splitting that for 2 people = not bad for lunch in NYC.

But that's pretty much the highlight.

We picked out our 3 empanadas to share:

Andouille Sausage, Ground Beef, Spicy Chicken

I think this was the Beef one. Not really worth remembering.

And the result? Eh?? Is it wrong of me to say that they all. kinda. tasted the same? I mean there were distinct differences. But no really, they all kinda tasted similar. And it was cold. GAAH!

Apparently Zagat gave it a review of "25". Out of 28 (I think?). And yes that was in 2005. But really?? I have definitely had better homemade empanadas (not by my Jewish mother but other friends along the necessary ethnicity.)

Review:
Mr. Broad used to live in South America and has traveled throughout the area extensively. So one would say he kinda knows his empanadas. But it doesn't take an empanada connessiur to understand the good vs. bad ones.

I guess the price was right but the food definitely was not. Doing some googling while writing this post, apparently Reuben's used to be where's it's at. But many, many recent posts mentioned how this "institution" took a nosedive. Oh phew. And here I was already to defend and make excuses on their behalf. Because I AM TOO NICE! Definitely wouldn't go here again. Too many other good places to go to. Even if you have to wait.

Grade: D (Take that Mr. Broad!)