Marc’s BBQ Grilled Chicken Take Out

Marc's BBQ Chicken Take-Out

Marc’s Grocery Store in Boardman, Ohio is my usual place to stock up on Coke Zero. Marc’s runs some deep discount deals on pop every so often and that’s when i stock up.

The other day after loading my cart with Coke Zero, I spied in the cold section some packaged grilled chicken breasts with BBQ sauce. The cost was $3.09 for the package. Feeling saucy, I decided to try a pack.

After loading the Coke zero in the basement I fired up the microwave and warmed that chicken BBQ up. I wasn’t expecting much, (It was cheap, in a plastic container, and it was from Marc’s) but I was hungry. The portion was generous with the cost at just over three bucks. I cut a small piece off and tasted it.

WOW! I was impressed. The chicken breast was juicy, tender, with no fat. The BBQ sauce was tangy and flavorful and complimented the chicken perfectly. It tasted really good. Not just plastic wrap take out from a grocery store good, but from a respected BBQ restaurant specializing in BBQ chicken good. Shocking! I rate this BBQ right up there with the Outback, Calhouns, and Texas Roadhouse. Yes, it was that good. And it was cheap.

The Grassy Knoll Institute scores 5 out of 5 shots and recommends Marc’s Grocery Store BBQ Grilled Chicken take out for dinner.
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Crepe Cafe – San Francisco – Pier 39

Crepe Cafe - San Francisco

Patty and I visited San Francisco recently and of course we made our way to Pier 39 to spend the day. Pier 39 has a carnival setting and atmosphere with plenty of shops, side shows, open performance stage, plenty of food vendors, and of course the sea lions sunning themselves on the pier.

Having the inkling to sample the local cuisine, we stopped at the Crepe Cafe for what else, some crepes. For several minutes we watched from outside the big picture window as the chef rolled the dough and thinned it out and placed it on the griddle to cook. It was entertaining and we went in to buy some.

Strawberry Breakfast Crepe

I decided on the breakfast crepe with strawberries for a filing with whipped cream and of course a generous portion of powdered sugar. In just a few minutes my order was up and my crepe was on a paper plate with a fork and handed to me. A bottle of Coke Zero completed the order.

Believe it or not, I have never had a crepe in my life so I did not have a base line to compare. The crepe looked good, and it was fresh, and I like strawberries, and whipped cream, and powdered sugar, so this was going to be a good thing. Right!

Well, it wasn’t bad, and it wasn’t good. It was bland. But maybe that is what crepes are supposed to taste. I was expecting a pancake with strawberries. After all, that is what a crepe is. A French pancake.

The batter didn’t have any taste, it was like I was eating air. The strawberries, cream, and sugar were adequate, but I was a little disappointed. The cost, well, I forget, but I think it was under $5 dollars. Being in San Francisco, in the middle of a tourist trap, $5 dollars was standard fare. I am not going to score against this dish for lack of a base line so I will just barely recommend the Crepe Cafe.

The Grassy Knoll Institute scores 2.5 out of 5 shots and recommends the Crepe Cafe of San Francisco for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
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Gia’s Pizzeria – Youngstown Ohio

Friday night Patty and I on a whim decided to try the new restaurant in town, Gia’s Pizzeria, located at 708 Boardman Canfield Road, Youngstown, OH 44512. Its where the old Pizza Hut used to be. There were a good amount of cars in the lot but it wasn’t crowded. We walked in and were greeted and seated quite quickly.

Maybe Fried Cheese?

Before we sat down our waitress asked us what we wanted to drink. I asked if she had Coke Zero which she said yes and would be right back with them. So far so good.

In a minute or two, our waitress returned with our Cokes and asked what we wanted for dinner. I started with a fried cheese appetizer in marinara sauce. Like the Cokes delivery, the fried cheese was brought out right away.

As you can see, the fried cheese looked good, but upon tasting, it was bland. The sauce tasted store bought and the breading and the cheese had almost no taste. Perhaps the main course would be better.

Horrendous Haddock At Gia's

I ordered the beer batter haddock dinner with macaroni and cheese. Again, the fish looked good but it tasted horrendous. The only way I can describe this plate is, Shit On A Shingle! It was the worst piece of fish I ever had. The previous winner of “Worst Fish” was Galaxy Seafood but Gia’s is the new king. Patty couldn’t believe the fish tasted so bad and took a piece for herself and tasted it. Patty confirmed the Shit On A Shingle comparison. Within a minute, she told me she was going to throw up.

I called for the check and we left promptly. (Never to return again!) Luckily, Patty didn’t spew chunks but for the entire next day she got sick just thinking about the haddock.

The service was good and this critique should not reflect badly on the waitress.

The cost of this nightmare was $9.99 for the Friday special plus $4.99 for the fried cheese plus $2 dollars for the Coke Zero. $17 dollars without tip. If the food were edible, this meal would be a good deal. However…

The Grassy Knoll Institute scores 0 out of 5 shots and DOES NOT recommend Gia’s Pizzeria for dinner.

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Coke Zero Balancing Act Video

This past Summer we visited Geneva On The Lake, a quaint local beach resort spot on shores of Lake Erie, Ohio. Patrick, the lead scientist of the Grassy Knoll Institute continued his research on the dynamics of gravity and carbonated liquid filled cylinders and caffeine. To correlate results from the first experiment, the same location, (Time Square Restaurant, Home of the largest order of french fries,) was chosen. However, this time, a can of Coke Zero was used instead of Classic Coke. The results were the same.

Notice the table was level, and no strings or pulley type devices can be seen. In a matter of seconds, Patrick balanced the Coke on its side and it did not tip over. He ran his hands over and around the can to prove that no strings or other devices were used to hold the can in place.

BTW, Yes, the fries were great as well as the cheeseburgers at Time Square Restaurant located in the heart of Geneva-On-The-Lake strip.

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