Mario's Pizza and Italian Restaurant: 9/3/13

Typically when I go to Mario's Pizza and Italian Restaurant (called Mario's for short) I get a sub of some kind because they are huge and very tasty, but for this visit I decided to try the chicken tenders and write a review. Madison and I decided to go to Mario's because he wanted a sub and I wanted some garlic knots (they are delicious and you have to have at least one basket). So here is my opinion on the chicken tenders at Mario's.

The logo for Mario's Pizza and Italian Restaurant is very simple.

Batter and crispiness: A
-The batter on these tenders was very thick, which is usually a negative but in this case I thoroughly enjoyed it. The batter was seasoned wonderfully and the tenders were quite crispy.

Tenderness and juiciness of chicken: B
-The chicken in these tenders was surprisingly tender and juicy considering that Mario's is known for its Italian food. However, when compared to other restaurants that serve chicken tenders, these tenders were not impressive in this category.

Portion size/presentation: C-
-As the description says, with this meal you get 3 chicken tenders and about four handfuls of fries. While this was a filling meal, I think there should have been an extra tender and less fries. 

Reheating: N/A
-I could not reheat this meal because it was on the small side and I ate it all at Mario's.

Side: C
-The fries at Mario's were just average. While they were crispy (a plus) and obviously hand-cut (another plus), they did not have much flavor.

Description:
-Fingers and fries combo (3 fingers and fries)......$7.50

 

Here is my chicken tender dinner from Mario's.

Overall I would give the chicken tenders at Mario's Pizza and Italian Restaurant a C+. The portion size was slightly below average, the side was average, and the batter and tenderness of the chicken were above average. There was nothing special about this meal, but I would get it again, just not very often because Mario's Pizza and Italian Restaurant does so many other dishes so well. 

LB

Char Bar 7: 8/28/13

Hello blogging world,

Sorry for the long delay, but my world has been pretty crazy in the last few months. I recently started a new job and just got done with 4 different trips. The good news is that since my last posts I have been enjoying some chicken tenders, so I hope you enjoy reading these posts.

The first restaurant I will review is Char Bar 7. Char Bar 7 is known for its delicious burgers (I am a huge fan of its Leap Year Burger, which has an over medium egg on it), but there are other dishes as well. So one day for dinner Madison and I went there and I decided to give the chicken tenders a try because I had never had them before.

Here's Char Bar 7's logo.

Batter and crispiness: C-

-The batter on these chicken tenders as very light and crispy, which I liked, but I was not a big fan of the seasoning. The tenders are coated with a beer batter, but unlike most beer batters, these tenders tasted bitter. Originally I was going to give this category a B-, but the more I ate the tenders, the less I liked them.

Tenderness and juiciness of chicken: A+
-These tenders definitely rank pretty high on the list for the most tender and juicy chicken tenders in Charlotte. I had no complaints when it came to this category. The chicken tenders were very tender and moist.

Portion size/presentation: B
-I thought the portion size was slightly above average because you got 5 pretty big chicken tenders and 2 big handfuls of fries.

Reheating: B
-I gave this category a B because the fries were still crispy and the slight bitter taste was still present, but not as strong as it originally was. Additionally, the tenders were still juicy, but not as crispy...which is to be expected.

Side: B
-When it comes to the french fries at Char Bar 7, I gave them a B because they were crispy and a good size, but they just did not have enough seasoning on them and were kind of bland as a result.

Description:
-Chicken tender basket - $9.75 - Hand battered & served with your choice of bbq or honey mustard and one side.

 

 

My chicken tender dinner at Char Bar 7. Btw, that brownish sauce by the ranch is their homemade sauce. I was not a fan, but you should try it.

Overall I would give the chicken tenders at Char Bar 7 a B-. Originally I wanted to give these tenders a higher score (because I love the restaurant so much), but ultimately I decided this was a fair grade. While there were some aspects that were great (the tenderness and juiciness of the chicken), there were other aspects that were disappointing (the batter specifically). In conclusion, I will definitely go back to Char Bar 7, but it will probably be a while before getting the chicken tenders again. It is not that I regret getting them, but it is so hard for me to not get the Leap Year Burger because it is absolutely fantastic! You should definitely check this place out, if not for the chicken tenders than definitely for the burgers.

LB