Restaurant Revenge

Every now and again, when I have to stay late at work, I end up putting my name down on the "dinner order" list. It's a service the company provides when you stay past the normal 8 hours, so you can keep working without leaving your desk in search of food. Unfortunately, more often than not, the food we end up ordering ends up being disagreeable in one way or another.

I've been known by some to be a picky-eater. On the other hand, I've eaten stuff that might make a lot of other people puke at the mere thought of: I'm talking about bowls of guts served up hot and steamy from street vendors in Bangkok at 3 in the morning. I can and will put all manner of stuff down the hatch in the name of "experience," but when it comes to defining what kind of meal "hits the spot," or at least, "fills the void," I get a lot more discerning.

Most of the time, I turn my nose up at the "dinner order" list merely because I cannot stomach eating from the same place yet again. The pick-up is handled by our in-house driver/delivery team and the dispatch lady who works the night-shift does not like to have her drivers travel further than about 3 blocks. That puts severe limitations on dinner.

Anyway, since I've tried slipping other suggestions in, to no avail, the best revenge I could come up with, finally, to vent some of the ill-will that comes with being hungry and forced to settle for something dissatisfying (when more satisfying stuff beckons from home, less than 10 miles away), is to write a restaurant review and post it online!

This one is for Zeke's BBQ, and it's online at citysearch.com

To be fair, I contacted Zeke's management first, to complain about the burnt and oily food, but never received a response of any kind. I figured if they could torch my veggies, I could torch their rep. Honestly though, I can't imagine anyone being swayed for or against a place like Zeke's by a restaurant review.


BURNT VEGGIES TASTE LIKE CHARCOAL
03/06/2008 Posted by flyingdutchman

Another place that is conveniently located near my work. Unfortunately, like most of the other eateries around the Highland-Santa Monica-La Brea intersections, the food is not so hot. The one thing I can wholeheartedly recommend is the root beer. It's delicious. But then, Zeke's doesn't make it, they just sell it. The BBQ is so-so. I would go with a pulled pork, or brisket. I'm not a huge ribs guy. Food's not bad. But never eat their "grilled" veggies. Those BBQ'ers in the back like to torch the life out of the food, until it all tastes like ash. Is this some kind of macho revenge against vegetables? Does it make the BBQ more "authentic" if you incinerate the food? I've complained about it before and gotten no response. I give up. If I am forced to go there these days, because of work, I just eat the brisket, down a root beer and get on with life. Functional, but not enjoyable.

Pros: Great Root Beer in a big bottle

Cons: Most menu items are cremated