Chain Gang #3

Because of what some have started to call "Stormageddon" here in the northeastern US this February, I have found myself stuck at the Hampton Inn next to the Philadelphia airport for two days to end out this week. The hotel has no restaurant, of course, and the only thing within walking distance is the Ruby Tuesday next door.

Now, I haven't been to a Ruby Tuesday restaurant in a while and may have just missed the memo about their improved menu, but I'm guessing, instead, the cooks at this location must have just been on-the-ball today. There wasn't a shift change between my lunch and dinner visits, so I couldn't tell if that was a factor. For lunch, I had a turkey and avocado sandwich on a delicious pretzel bun. The chunk of turkey they gave me was grilled to perfection with some amazingly scrumptious seasoning. The warm avocado topped it off for a very surprising experience.

Image courtesy RubyTuesday.com

Dinner started out with a Sam Adams seasonal ale, which just so happened to go very well with the Chicken Fresco entree.

Chicken Fresco
A fresh, all-natural grilled chicken breast topped with vine-ripened tomatoes, lemon-butter sauce, and a splash of balsamic vinaigrette. With steamed broccoli and white cheddar mashed potatoes.

The chicken was grilled right on the outside and incredibly moist on the inside, the balsamic vinaigrette had that certain sharp taste that seemed to mix perfectly with the beer, the steamed broccoli couldn't have been cooked better, and the mashed potatoes...what I would give to have some more of those mashed potatoes!! Absolutely brilliant, all around.

If you find yourself in the area, especially if you're snowed in with nowhere better to go, I hope you get a chance to experience this food at its best.

P.S. Skip dessert; my Blondie for 1 came with partially-melted ice cream and a slice of brownie cake that was burnt on the inside from whatever microwave they used to heat it with.