HuHot Mongolian Grill, Appleton, Wisconsin

If you look at all the restaurants on this blog, you'll notice a preference for Asian food. And the HuHot Mongolian grill serves up some of the best in the Fox Valley. My wife and I ate there on Friday, August 25th, 2006. We got there around 6pm, and there was a 10-15 minute wait. Once we were seated, the waitress came around and explained the rules of the buffet. You can go up and fill your bowl with whatever you want, put in a minimum of 5-6 sauces of your choice, then give it to the cooks to grill.

When you first go up, there are a number of meats to choose from: Beef, pork, chicken, crabmeat and (on this night) Mahi-Mahi fish.

Next in the line is a long selection of fresh, scrumptious veggies (brussel sprouts, celery, spinach leaves, pineapple, corn coblets, tomatoes, and more). Then, you choose from a huge variety of sauces (lots of hot and mild sauces, also some lemon juices and ginger and sherry)

Then you come up to this huge Mongolian grill with 4 chefs. Each one ha sa job: One cleans the grill, the other three cook, and somehow, they keep track of whose food belongs to who.

From the time I got in line to the time I sat down with supper, it took about 10-12 minutes. (Right after you get your bowl of food, there are pinenuts and cococut and seeds that you out on top of your entree)

When I got back to my table, I was pleased to see a delightful looking Mandarin salad and a bowl of white rice on the table. I must tell you that the meal was delicious and the salad was excellent as well. You can go back as many times as you like for more food (at $11.25 a person, it's a good deal), but Jeanne and I were satisfied with the one trip plus the salads and soft tortilla wrap they give you.

This is the best Mongolian BBQ joint in the Fox Valley. I recommend getting there early on a Friday night, but most nights, you shouldn't have a problem getting a seat.

Update - October 2006 - We have been back a second time, and they were just as tasty and fresh as before!

Victoria's Restaurant, Downtown Appleton

My family and I ate here on Monday, August 13th. This restaurant is renowned for their huge portions and generally excellent Italian food. This turned out to be the case once again. We ordered the Chicken Parmigiana, the Chicken Teriyaki with rice and veggies (sounds REAL Italian, I know), and a couple of other Italian dishes whose names I cannot pronounce or spell or remember. One of the dishes came with a huge ribeye steak that was absolutely delicious!

The meal starts with rolls and elegantly decorated salads, followed by the overwhelmingly tasty entrees. The menu is so big that you could probably order something different every day for A year and not have the same thing.

Plus, you really get your money's worth, because you can usually get two or three meals out of every entree you order.

The restaurant is tastefully decorated with murals of the old country, including splendid ceiling art and chandeliers.

I have eaten their for lunch, and you get the same huge portions at the midday meal as what you would get at suppertime, with most of the meals coming in at less than $10.

This restaurant is the best Italian place I've been to in Appleton by far. Nothing comes close, not even that chain restaurant over by the Fox River Mall next to Hooter's. It is highly recommended.