Looking for a nice place to go to dinner for our anniversary which is next week while we are attending a friend’s wedding out of state, I decided to try out Chianti Grill in Burnsville which is a local chain with an additional location in Falcon Heights as well as two different named restaurants including Porterhouse Steaks and Seafood in Lakeville and Ciattis of Lacrosse in Onalaska, WI.
I made reservations online and the only options this morning at 8 AM were 5:45 or 7:15pm. I chose 7:15 and as I was fumbling with my login to OpenTable, it disappeared leaving us with 7:45 as the next available option. While I realize that OT sucks and only has limited reservation slots, I was not pleased as this was the second time I’ve attempted to go to Burnsville’s Chianti Grill and been stuck with only late reservation slots which is why we have never been here before. Thankfully, because I wanted to get some sushi at Ronin’s grand opening, this worked out for us tonight.
We arrived at 7:25 and were told there would be a seat available at 7:45. We sat down in some over sized leather chairs and observed the restaurant. The inside is much larger than I expected with ceilings that are high, unnecessarily so. The waiting area is small with numerous people milling about and making it more cramped than it needs to be especially with usually no less than five people standing behind the hostess desk chatting for almost the entire time we sat there waiting instead of doing whatever it is that they are paid to do. I don’t like when restaurants make you wait past your reservation time and that’s exactly what happened to us tonight. While 15 minutes may not seem like much, don’t take reservations if you aren’t going to meet them.
The specials, written on a chalk board stuffed in the corner of the foyer, were shrimp and crab risotto and wild mushroom NY strip. Neither had prices attached and when I asked the server what type of mushrooms they were I can’t say I was surprised when she replied with “cremini, portobello, and shiitake.” The only one she didn’t mention, because I stopped her before she could continue with a curt, “so, not wild, ok,” would have been oyster. I then asked if the “fresh” Norwegian salmon was frozen. She didn’t know and went to the kitchen to ask and returned seconds later with, “it never has been frozen, ever.” Against my better judgment I went with the obviously farmed salmon. Kim was torn between the Filet Mignon or the Crab Claws and decided on the later.
The Salmon Taormina is described as grilled fresh Norweigan Salmon topped with sauteed artichoke, fresh tomato, basil and white wine with lemon for $21.99. The Crab Claws are listed as being delicious crab claws served with a side of butter for $26.99. Both come with salad, bread, choice of side with the option to upgrade to Caesar or Balsamic Gorgonzola for $1.49. Tonight’s sides were two pasta choices (spaghetti and marinara or fettucine Alfredo), rosemary potatoes or sauteed vegetables. I went with the potatoes and Kim chose the Alfredo pasta. While I went with their standard salad with bleu cheese, Kim upgraded to their balsamic gorgonzola.
The bread arrived and was nothing to write home about. I eat better stuff from Sara Lee. The salad was nothing special but was a decent size. The bleu cheese dressing had large chunks of something in it but whatever it was, it didn’t taste anything like cheese, let alone bleu cheese and I could have been eating something that tasted like Styrofoam. Kim mentioned her salad needed walnuts or something and when I asked how it was she gave me a 50/50 motion with her hand and said she would probably have been happier with the house salad. I’m sure she would as we eat plenty of boring bagged salad at home just like this seemed to be.
Our meals came out soon after the salad and I apologize but the photos just did not come out. While I have linked to them, they are absolutely terrible with the very low lighting. Honestly, the dishes weren’t anything to look at anyway. Mine was a simple hunk of salmon, nearly cold in the middle, topped with what appeared to be, but probably weren’t, canned diced tomatoes. I couldn’t taste any artichokes or basil but possibly because the basil was finely chopped amongst the pile of tomatoes I may have just missed the artichokes — well, probably not — unless they, like the bleu cheese chunks, had none of their usual distinctive flavor. While eating the luke warm fish with its toppings, I found that it tasted more like cheap Bruschetta than a $20 piece of salmon. The potatoes, which could have saved this mediocre dish, were over seasoned and I don’t know about you but I don’t need a mouthful of herbs when eating chewy new potatoes with my dinner.
Kim’s dish had about 15 pre-cracked crab claws with a bowl of butter alongside the pasta. While the menu said they’d be easy to eat, I was still concerned for Kim as neither of us are anywhere close to being professionals at eating crustaceans. Kim was quite pleased with the dish but I found the meat tasteless and pretty awful for the price but maybe it was just the single claw I had…
Kim mentioned she wanted to try a flight of wine tonight. They had both a red or white for $10. We went with the white as it would pair best with our meals and they included Martin Codax Albarino, Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, and McWilliams Riesling which range in price from $7 to $10 at the Chianti Girll. We are not wine fanatics or even pretend to know what we’re talking about when it comes to wine drinking but this was the only enjoyable part of the dinner for me. The portions seemed much larger than 3oz and I was impressed for $10.
Kim ordered dessert from the tray of gigantic desserts that they offer. An incomplete selection of cakes and various other treats were laid before us including creme brule, lava cake, carrot cake to feed a small army, and a slice of cheesecake which was offered in two other varieties than was shown to us. Kim went with their “lava cake” (they take 20+ mins to prep so I put it in quotes as this one was out in 5) which she said she enjoyed.
Overall, while Kim liked her meal, I am not at all impressed with the $81 meal we had at Chianti Grill as it’s overpriced, boring, and in my opinion just one step above a place like Olive Garden. I can’t see myself returning here ever again for anything except the cheap flights of wine. Being that we aren’t wine drinkers aside from the occasional dabble into various local winery offerings available at the Rosemount liquor stores, I don’t even know when that will be.
Based on the number of people eating here and the hard to get reservations, some people obviously think this place is worth their hard earned money but I certainly think you’re better off elsewhere — possibly even Olive Garden.
Have you eaten at Chianti Grill? If so, feel free to share your experience below!
Address:
Chianti Grill
14240 Plymouth Ave
Burnsville, MN 55337
Phone:
952-892-7555
See all the pictures from our anniversary dinner on Flickr here.
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August 29th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Funny, I use the same comparison for Italian restaurants – Is it more expensive and not any better then Olive Garden.
If you are looking for a locally-owned Italian place, Vescio’s in St. Louis Park is well worth the drive. The Spinach salad and anything with the handmade noodles are terrific. They also have quite the wine list.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Steve, I have added Vescio’s to my ever lengthening list of Restaurant Suggestions. Thanks!
August 30th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I have not eaten at Chianti Grill, although I’m planning on goign for drinks sometime soon with friends to the Falcon Heights location, for old time’s sake. Why? Becuase I worked there back in college, under the same ownership/management they have now.
So funny you mention Olive Garden becuase these Chianti Grill’s are former Ciatti’s–OG’s local competition in the 80′s-90′s. It was the same Cisco breadsticks and house salad with Italian dressing that came in a jug. Suburbaites ate it like it was going out of style.
So I’ll go for a cocktail and a trip down memory lane…but I knwo they aren’t the Italian experts by any means.
For a quaint Italian dining experience I recommend Ristorante Luci in St. Paul. I used to work there also. While they have pretty much fallen off the radar…trust me, they get it right everytime.
August 30th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
To the writer of this Article. You must be a retard!!! It is not OpenTable’s fault that someone else was able to book a reservation faster that you. OpenTable only provides the vehicle in which you book your reservations. The actual restaurant is responsible for their availability. Before your go blaming OpenTable for the fact that your reservation vanished blame yourself because you were not logged into your OT account prior to starting your search for a time to dine. Come better prepaired next time and maybe you will get the reservation time you requested!!
August 30th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
To the writer of this Article. You must be a retard!!!
Emphasis mine:
Thanks for playing.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Sorry to hear things did not go well. If you are looking for someplace local for your Anniversary dinner, we have always like Jensens Supper Club. I have not been there for the better part of a year, but we have always had great steaks and service there. Redstone in Eden Prairie is another personal favorite, although a bit of a drive.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I’ve always wanted to try Jensen’s Supper Club but just haven’t made it down there. Glad that I have a recommendation for it — maybe we’ll try it soon.
I have been to Redstone before and enjoyed what we had but I didn’t do an official review because I was lazy :)
August 31st, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I’ve eaten at Chianti Grill a couple of times. Because of food allergies/Celiac Disease I am not able to eat anything with Gluten (wheat/rye/barley/oats). Chianti Grill has a gluten-free menu. Although it isn’t top of the line or gourmet by any stretch of the imagination, it’s a nice option for people with limitations on what they can eat.
They make a number of dishes with rice noodles and sauces without gluten. I believe they even serve gluten free beer.
Not a lot of restaurants are accommodating to those with special dietary needs. It’s a treat to be able to eat out.
August 31st, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Jensen’s is great.
August 31st, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I’ve only been to Chianti Grill twice, both times for lunch. It’s lovely inside, to be sure, but I’ve left both times convinced that the food is mediocre and overpriced. In all honesty, I don’t believe Minnesotans even know good EYE-talian food when they have it, hence their willingness to accept these offerings.
Jensen’s? Save your money. Horrible location, ridiculously overpriced, laughably anachronistic. I wouldn’t deign to eat Italian at that place.
August 31st, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Amy, the Jensens recommendation was not for Italian in any way shape or form. Simply for a cool, out of the ordinary place to go for a special occasion, an annivesary in this case.
I cant argue about the location, although it appears to have been there for the better part of a couple decades, so I dont know if I can hold it against them.
As far as overprices, I guess it depends on what you are comparing it to. For a really good Ribeye, with some of the best hashbrowns on the planet, and great veggie sides, I really dont find it overpriced. I would say its comparable to any steakhouse in town, and I have always enjoyed the steak.
Laughably anachronistic: Well, my first thought is someone has word of the day toilet paper and wanted to show off todays word. But assuming that is not the case, I will just say that I think the old style dark woods, dark leather, lounge singer, simple menu, aged staff, and dark interior are part of the charm. They certainly are not something from the 90′s or the 00′s, but again, to me that is part of the draw.
To each his (her) own. There is no accounting for taste, and for me, I simply fall back on tried and true measurements. Quality food. Friendly service. Reasonable Value.
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:23 am
I like Chianti Grill enough, but at their price point, you can get a far better value in dozens of places around town, even south of the river. Anyone wanting a fine dining Italian meal in Dakota County should get to Osteria I Nonni in Lilydale ASAP. This is truly one of the best restaurants in all of MSP.
On a tangent, the attached Buon Giorno Market is also a lesser-known south-of-the-river treasure for lunches, desserts (also among the best in MSP), Italian groceries and virtually undiscovered brick oven pizzas (only after 5:00 p.m.)
Even further under the radar is Perron’s Sul Lago in Prior Lake. While not as excellent as I Nonni, this is a nice place that deserves far more credit and business that otherwise goes to Chianti Grill. I had a rustic braised lamb special on one of those minus-40 degree wind chill January nights a while back that was in the top handful meals I had that whole year. It’s one of those places like House of Coates that feels like it’s much farther away from central Apple Valley than it is.
On a side note–back to Chianti–I love carrot cake, and that carrot cake to feed any army at Chianti is excellent. THAT’S an item there that’s well worth the cost.
http://www.inonnirestaurant.com
http://www.perronssullago.com
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:09 am
[...] can rely upon creator Bill Roehl for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth: His sometimes blistering reviews of restaurants have earned him both ire and reader loyalty. He views his style of reviewing as [...]
July 11th, 2010 at 9:38 am
[...] prices were appropriate for the portion sizes and quality of food. Porter Creek clearly understands Chianti Grill is their main competition and their menu is priced to beat them–not that I would ever suggest [...]
July 25th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
Having had about 1,200 meals at Chianti Grill over the past 10 years, I keep going back. Ive taken 100′s of business clients their who all rave about their steaks and pasta. In fact, having visited many of the nation’s top steak houses around the country, I would place their “Butcher’s Secret” sirloin – $19.95 as my #1 steak of all time. The low turn-over of staff is un-heard of in this industry and is due to the top notch management and ownership team who know how to put people first. Its this leadership that causes outstanding service on the floor. On the flip side, their dessert and appetizer menu could use some additional creativity..although they serve the best Bruchetta app in the twin cities. Although not at a gourmet/boutique level, sauces are made from scatch by well trained chef’s (some of whom are LeCordon Blue grads), and their exec chef maintains his accreditation/certification in culinary arts. With so many choices, I continue to frequent Chianti Grill for the above reasons… If they wernt up to my standards, I would hvae come and gone long ago….Im sure Ill pass the 2,000 mark someday.
July 25th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Thanks for making my night. That was hilarious.
August 9th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Bill,
Not sure what to make of your comments from Bob since e-mail is one-sided. I will comment that it does come off juvenile and disrespectful, cheapening your credibility of someone in judgement of others.
I would like to offer a couple of thoughts to you and in defense of your rather scathing & emotionally charged e-mail:
1) Most credible critics will visit a restaurant 2-3 times to render an informed opinon instead of basing solely on what little information one can retrive from one visit. Judging from your own comments, we tend to have good traffic so others must be feeling good about their experience when they are signing their credit card slip.
2) Your tab of $81 seems high and misleading since it was only $71 + your 15% gratuity. The restaurnat does not make money on your tip.
3) I would invite you to be my guest on a tour of our kitchen. I will show you the care and consideration we take of each product that comes through our door, and of our facilities. For operations running for almost 4 years, with our volume, I challenge you to find a more clean & sanitary restaurant with such high standards & procedures of handling food & beverages.
I am not sure if at some point we did something to offend you but we would love the opportunity to make things right. I would not expect you to try Opentable again, but if you were to plan a few days in advance, you should not have any trouble getting the time slot that works for you and your wife (who seemed to enjoy her food and may want to come again anyways).
I am at your service and look forward to hearing from you should you choose to have an informed opinion.
Responsibly,
Court
August 10th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Thanks for making my day. That was hilarious.
August 10th, 2010 at 10:09 am
At risk of cheapening my credibility, coming across as juvenile and disrespectful, or scathing and emotionally charged….I also had a good laugh at Bob Perkins’ post.
Come on!
No self-respecting, half-knowledgeable restaurant owner — no matter how proud of your own restaurant you are — could possibly read Bob’s post and think it has a shred of credibility. If you’re not chuckling at that nonsense in your immaculate kitchen a little bit, even if he is your best customer, you are taking yourself way too seriously.
Beyond that, I would urge you to re-read Bill’s post (and hopefully others) on here without the rose-tinted, defensive lenses. With about 2,000 restaurants in the Twin Cities, about 200 of which are in your price point and general concept range, *you’d better start respecting the credibility and informed nature of first-time diners a little more*. I’ll tell you this, coming off first visits to places like Haute Dish, The Kitchen (Stillwater), Bar La Grassa, and others with somewhat similar prices and menus, a first visit to Chianti is going to be measured by the same ruler.
On a side note, at The Kitchen recently, I asked the guy REFILLING MY WATER GLASS if he could ask the server or one of the cooks what was in the pesto on my flatbread appetizer as it had a subtle but noticeable aroma and sting that differed from the standard basil. There just wasn’t enough for me to figure it out. He immediately responded with “it’s arugula…I really like it in there as well”. The bartender also talked about how he remembered my wife from two weeks earlier because she ordered a mojito and he had to go out to their deck garden in a torrential downpour to PICK THE MINT for it. (He was absolutely dead on…that was her and she had no idea she was dispatching him out into the rain).
Contrast that to a FEATURED $20 piece of salmon where everyone from the chef to the Cintas guy replacing the bathroom roll towel should know about the sourcing and basic characteristics and you can see where someone might form divergent impressions.
Now, I have nothing against your restaurant Court. I live within walking distance (roughly) and recommend it to friends for what it is but personally, it doesn’t really fill a niche in my dining budget (carrot cake excepted). For $71 or $81 or whatever Bill paid, I’m generally going to a smaller chef-driven place and am willing to drive a bit further afield.
But I’ve gotten to know Bill and have observed his accuracy and recollection of events and it is uncanny. He and I have some similar likes, and some very different ideas of value and preferences. I appreciate that he tells things like he sees them and how he sees them is how they happen. I think it would well-serve you to work WITH people like Bill rather than tow the same “it takes 2-3 visits to establish an informed opinion” line.
Best of luck.
August 10th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
MSPD writes very well, and I back up your comment. Eating out at prices points above $8 or 9 per entree nowadays is actually considered an experience. Regardless of whether you are in the 34% tax bracket or the 16% bracket. Little things matter and the experience noted at the Kitchen in Stillwater (never been there, i dont get around much anymore) showed the diner that he really mattered.
I have probably eaten at the Chianti over 15 times. It is adequate, as even the owner noted, it isnt a boutique experience, but generally it delivers what you expect. I have found the service actually impersonal… its genial and courteous, but no matter how many times i have gone i have often got the impression that the server was trying to “turn ” the table quickly at the end of our dinner.
I will likely go back, but they should also take a look at the outdoor seating at Porter Creek… they did alot to make the traffic on Cty Road 42 seem obliviious… music, waterfall table, and landscaping all combine to significantly offset the actual setting of the restaurant. Contrast that to the nice patio at Chianti, which unfortunately is open to the traffic on 42… that could be improved.
August 11th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
“I will comment that it does come off juvenile and disrespectful, cheapening your credibility of someone in judgement of others.”
You might want to pick up a copy of How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
August 17th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Hey Bill,
From this moment on, I am going to refer to you as “Chip”. You’ve earned the name, Darling. Your review exposes the chip you seem to have on your shoulder about this establishment, from your “ceilings that are high, unnecessarily so” comment (perhaps you are more comfortable in a room with an 8 foot ceiling?), to your quick dismissal of anything positive (your wife enjoyed her meal, her dessert, her wine, and yet you complain about them). And when anyone says anything positive about the joint, you comment about the hilarity of their opinion.
I think YOU’RE hilarious!
Edit by Bill to remove the advertisements at the end of this comment.
August 17th, 2010 at 11:12 am
IH,
1. If I had a chip on my shoulder, as you say I do, I wouldn’t have posted my wife’s comments.
2. Please do note that this is *MY* website and not her’s or anyone else’s. I get to publish *MY* opinion and include the opinions of others as I see fit to allow. It’s the joy of having your own website.
3. As for the ceilings–it’s a comment about the interior. The space is cavernous. What more do you want me to say?
4. As for other people’s opinions and my dismissal of them. Let’s just take a step back and provide the apparently unobvious (to you) reasons why the comments from Bob Perkins was hilarious:
If that doesn’t reek of bullshit to you, well, then you certainly live up to your namesake.
August 17th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Wow. You deleted half of my post. It wasn’t advertising, it was a statement of something that Chianti offers that is wonderful and gives to the community. But I guess, Chip, that you can’t ever let good words be uttered about this place. You post Chianti’s other offerings and prices of stuff, but when I invite you to try something else they are offering, you delete it.
I’m not even going to argue with you on your silly points. I just wonder why you want to slam a business that is run by a couple of fantastic, local guys, especially in such an economy. Do you know how many people they employ? Do you know how much they give back to the community? Giving you a free wine education is just one tiny, fun thing… What you are doing here is shameful and irresponsible. You try to come off as an elite food snob, but your inexperience and lack of knowledge shine through.
Happy blogging.
August 17th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Now *that* is hilarious.
August 17th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Do you know how many people McDonald’s employs? Do you know how much they give back to the community? So I guess you’ll be running down to your local McD’s ASAP for a Big Mac, huh?
Nice people can still make crappy food.
August 17th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Last time I checked, it wasn’t a local business run by local guys. You’re not comparing apples with apples here, Joseph.
August 17th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
It’s obvious you haven’t eaten there, Joey. The food is far from crappy. Ask Kim.
August 17th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
My name isn’t Joseph, but I’ll assume you were referring to me. Not sure why you feel the need to call us by names you make up. Some of us actually use our real names when we’re posting.
And not that it matters, but yes, it is a local business run by local guys. It’s called a franchise. A crappy franchise, perhaps, but still a locally owned franchise that employs a whole lot more local people than Chianti.
When you have to move away from debating the quality of the food to talking about a place’s community service, you know you have a problem.
August 17th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
IH, might want to do some light reading before making accusatory statements: http://www.lazylightning.org/porter-creek-hardwood-grill-burnsville-mn#comment-56946
August 17th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
“When you have to move away from debating the quality of the food to talking about a place’s community service, you know you have a problem.”
I don’t have a problem. There’s no need for me to debate food quality here…the food at Chianti is outstanding. I’m just pointing out the fact that we have a terrific establishment south of the river, and it goes way beyond food.
Y’all sure are serious on here. Life’s too short…maybe you should back away from your computer for a bit and enjoy the gorgeous summer day!
I shan’t be posting on here or responding any further. Your negativity bores me.
August 17th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
IH,
Your friendship with members of the Chianti Grill management team and their wives bores us.
August 17th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
IH, it’s funny — you come in here and your first post is a personal shot at Bill for not blindly loving YOUR FRIENDS’ RESTAURANT (my guess), and WE are the ones that should “back away from our computer” and not be so serious?
You’ve essentially walked into his home, insulted him and his friends, and are now running off because we didn’t just give you a big ol’ hug, smile, and blow positivity up your ass.
You are the one that jumped in with the snarky attitude. If you’d spend any time on LazyLightning at all before firing off your shots, you’d see that Bill doesn’t claim to be an elite food reviewer and you’d also see a whole lot of really productive dialogue in the comments section on many of the restaurants etc. that you likely support (including vehement disagreements with Bill without cheap pot shots at him and his labor of love).
I’ll put my post above (#19) out there as an example. Bill has given all of us an outlet to share our passions about things like this and he approves dissenting comments as long as they are from legitimate email addresses and have disclosed if they have a stake in the business. He is incredibly fair.
By the way, why not disclose that you’re friends with Court and the owners, or have some other personal or financial interest in the place? At least Bill gives us absolute full disclosure when he puts his opinion out there.
What are you hiding?
August 17th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Idiots like IH simply dont understand that they are costing the place they are defending money.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
To be fair I also like Olive Garden.
August 17th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
No fair. I want to pick out a nickname for Bill.
August 17th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
In response to you, MSPD, you say I “walked in his home, insulted him and his friends”… You’re right! It doesn’t feel so good or seem right when a person makes a quick, harsh judgment about something that you think is fabulous, does it?
I mean, honestly, Bill…did you really give the place a fair shake? Did you alert your server that you felt the salmon was cold? Did you give them a chance to rectify the situation and make it to your liking?
I have nothing to hide. I just love this place and go there often, and in doing so have gotten to know most of the staff and management, as they are always on the floor, trying to attend to everyone’s (very differing) tastes and expectations. They treat me like family there, and to hear you be so negative does upset me. I don’t mind so much that perhaps you didn’t like something, I just feel that it was unfair to not give them a chance to make it right. Because if you just did that, you would have discovered that their first objective is to make you happy and comfortable, and give you what you want. Sorry for the “snarky” attitude…I just love my peeps over at CG!! (And I thought people could express their honest opinions here. Maybe not?)
August 17th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Spare us, please.
August 17th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
I smell a troll.
August 17th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
I have to admit that this is a pretty hilarious thread to read.
My wife and I have been to Chianti a couple of times, and while I’m not sure it’s the greatest value in town, the service was solidly professional. And like one of the people commenting above, the fact that we had a number of gluten-free options was a huge plus.
I wish there were more places in the south suburbs that offered gluten-free menu items. There aren’t a lot of options right now, which is why I’ve wlling to pay a bit more at Chianti. Not just because they do have those options, but because I want to support any restaurant that goes the extra mile for its gluten-free customers
August 18th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Chianti grill is just an upscale version of Olive Garden, much like Maggiano’s or Biaggi’s. Just another chain in just another suburb.
August 18th, 2010 at 9:37 am
There is an important distinction that you seem to be missing — Bill is doing this for nothing aside from a creative outlet and a way to build a personal community by sharing things he’s interested in. Chianti Grill is a business, linked to a corporation with an extensive management team, and charging people a premium for their product to make a profit (and maybe do some good things in the community, although generally that kind of thing is more about marketing rather than actual altruism).
Nobody here insulted the personalities of the chefs, owners, management team, servers, etc.
By contrast, you insulted Bill personally. You called him silly, shameful, irresponsible, lacking in knowledge, and claiming to be an elite food snob. All in one comment.
You would have probably received the warm reception you seem to be seeking if you had started with the last paragraph in your post 37 above.
Instead of a useful defense of Chianti Grill, you resorted to cheap personal insults.
If you have the guts, I would encourage you to stay here, join in the conversation/community, and defend the places you like. I can’t speak for Bill, but I for one would welcome it. I can handle an insult too.
You might find that Bill and the “regulars” here are simply baring their thoughts in an honest way. You wonder if people could express honest opinions on here? Check out the thread on The Strip Club here where Bill and I had opposing views on a very fundamental aspect of dining (and where my brother set a record for the most offensively long post on this blog ever). Better yet, check out the thread on the railroad cars in Lakeville. There’s some good, healthy, honest passion for you.
Welcome to LazyLightning.
August 18th, 2010 at 9:49 am
I’m Hilarious, did you post once upon a time to Urbanspoon under pos-billroehl?
August 18th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by garciasn, Erin. Erin said: Hilarious! RT @garciasn Comments like this http://bit.ly/aqh7fC (and those that follow) make wasting my free time on a website worthwhile. [...]
September 23rd, 2010 at 7:35 am
[...] replacing the Dakota County Steakhouse? Does it sound like it will be able to compete with Chianti Grill, Roasted Pear, Champps and Porter Creek Hardwood Grill who are all trying to attract a similar [...]
November 12th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
I was searching for Chianti’s website and stumbled upon this thread. When I defend CG, I am sure I will be accused of having an ownership stake; being a relative of someone who is; or perhaps just good buddies with the owners. The fact is that I have simply been a long-term patron who enjoys the atmosphere, the food, and most importantly truly enjoys the people who work there. Unlike so many places, CG’s staff remains mostly unchanged and the pride in their work is always evident. Is the food on par in creativity and quality to Heartland, Alma, La Chaya Bistro, Vincent, etc? No, it is not. But neither is the price. In my humble opinion, for the price, CG rocks south of the river and we are lucky to have them there. The food has always been excellent, the atmosphere fun and lively, and the staff amazingly accommodating and genuine. Everyone is welcome to their opinions and I respect that some may not enjoy CG as much as I do. However, the tone of Bill’s post was so over the top negative and condescending – sounding less like a critique than it did a personal vendetta (in my opinion).
MSPD – Not sure if I understand the point about: “Chianti Grill is a business, linked to a corporation with an extensive management team, and charging people a premium for their product to make a profit”. Is that just a statement of the obvious to refute someone else’s point or are you saying this is a bad thing somehow?
Just made my reservation for tomorrow night on OT – love that site too.
November 12th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
While normally no one’s opinion is wrong, in this case it is. Personal vendetta. LOL. That’s seriously fucking hilarious.
November 12th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
I am glad that places like this Sysco driven food factory get a lot of people to go there so that I can go to good restaurants and not have to fight for reservations.
With that said, how bad could our economy be when the only times I can get to go to Manny’s tonight are 4:30 and before and 9:30 or later? I call the recession bullshit.
November 12th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
I don’t doubt there is actually no personal vendetta, but the tone did not remotely resemble a professionally done critique(IMHO) and your response here simply confirms that. Good eating to you.
November 12th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
It’s not meant to. This is a blog, not the fucking New York Times.
November 12th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
gopher, I appreciate your opinion and I’m glad you like the place. Thank you for disclosing that you don’t have a personal relationship/stake with the owners, etc.
To clarify my comments re: the corporate nature of CG, it was in response to “I’m Hilarious” who, as it turns out, is friends with the manager(s)/owner(s) though she wouldn’t disclose it. Besides that, she was another in a long string of people who portray CG as a little ol’ independent joint run by a couple guys who give the proceeds to local charities and whatnot, and who are somehow martyrs for employing local folks. I was calling BS on that.
I have nothing against Chianti Grill and, like you, am happy they’re around. If you re-read my post #19, I think that’s an honest assessment (skip to the last 2 paragraphs if you’re short on time). The places I named are exactly in the price point, and similar in primary ingredients, to CG. They ARE competing in the same space as several of the most popular restaurants in MSP (by my standards and by the recent Zagat dealie).
As for this, you’ve got to be kidding me. Bill is a guy with a blog. Since when are blogs held to a standard of “professionally done critique”?
p.s. — Go Gopher Hockey!
November 12th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
MSPD – no expectation of holding to the standard of a professional food critic and not trying to start a flamefest. Bill seems to be a guy who would like to at least be taken somewhat seriously in these posts. Maybe that is off base and these posts are just a joke. My intent was to say that these posts do not “remotely resemble” the standard required to be taken seriously. This is just my opinon.
FYI – I also love La Grassa’s food.
Go Gophers
November 12th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
From my interview with City Pages two months after I wrote the above review: http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2008/10/five_questions_2.php
Hope that clears up your apparent confusion.
November 12th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
I guess my only confusion now is why I didn’t get my personal thank you. Suffice to say different strokes for different folks. If your readers enjoy your tone, I am glad you fill a void for them that I am apparently lacking. Best of luck with your blog.
November 12th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
I think it’s time for you to read some more recent posts on this site instead of concentrating solely on a post which was written over two years ago.
November 12th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
There are 2 primary voids that Bill fills.
1. He reviews restaurants in the south metro. There aren’t many resources doing that and Bill is often the first person to have a review up. That doesn’t mean his reviews are always in line with what everyone else thinks. There are a few places I occasionally visit that Bill doesn’t like and I think that’s true for all of us. Believe it or not, we think for our own. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a Billbot here.
2. Bill covers local politics in the south metro, again, a void that isn’t filled very well by anyone else. If you read through the comments on just about any post of his, you’ll find spirited discussion with varying points of views.
A lot of us disagree with Bill. A lot of us agree with Bill. That’s life, and if you prefer life with everyone on the same page about everything, you probably won’t enjoy life at Lazy Lightning.
November 12th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Billbots roll out!
November 12th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
We’re not trying to beat you up gopher.
I do enjoy Bill’s “tone”. I get sick of people being afraid to really just open up and say what’s on their mind. The political correctness crowd that bristles when someone says “you know, I hated my meal at X-place” as if it’s going to singlehandedly ruin a business, or it’s going to hurt some person’s feelings, is killing honest discourse.
I appreciate that Bill does that. As I said earlier, as he has become a friend via this blog and I’ve had a couple meals with him in person, I am struck by his absolute uncanny ability to recall minute details in his blog posts. I also appreciate that because it speaks to his accuracy — while I may disagree with his opinion, I know he’s generally not exaggerating facts to his advantage or making shit up.
You’ll find there are all sorts of people here in Bill’s comment string. Stick around and speak your mind. That’s how I got started and I’m now at 1,000+ comments, have a few new friends, and people to go out to eat with.
November 12th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Is a “billbot” the same as a “groopie”? Inquiring minds want to know.
November 12th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
This one time Bill was mean to someone about something. It was several years ago. He shared his honest opinion on his blog. That was very uncalled for.
November 15th, 2010 at 10:08 am
We should really get back to the matter at hand.
Chianti Grill sucks.
February 15th, 2011 at 8:35 pm
Loved seeing this real review for my least favorite restaurant in the South Metro on Urbanspoon: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/29/330770/restaurant/Twin-Cities/Chianti-Grill-Burnsville
Wonder how long it will take for 10 people with 1 review each to suddenly dine at Chianti Grill and “feel the need” to share their fake experiences to wipe it off the page ;-)
February 16th, 2011 at 8:56 am
And one guy named “Bob Perkins” who’s gotta be up to 3,600 meals at Chianti by now.