Bobs Steakhouse vs. Frozen TV dinner Salisbury Steak

texasmarine's Avatar
My SO and I were visiting one of her married girlfriends and her husband the other day. Discussion got around to vacations, my SO mentioned that we are going to Rome for a couple of weeks and her friend says "I wish we could go on vacation" Now I'm talking to the husband, but when I heard that comment I stopped listening to him and paid attention to what response my SO was going to give. Luckily she didn't say anything that was going to put me in an awkward position. But you better believe I knew something was coming.

And it did...

On the way home, my SO asks if we can take her friend and husband with us. "I've got a better idea" I say. "How about I leave all 3 of you here, you can rent a margarita machine and hang out by the pool while I'm gone."
I didn't say this out loud..."And I'll find an Eccie/P411 lady to take with me"
After some discussion, I finally told her "I'm not fucking taking them with us" She asked me if we could do something for them since their anniversary was coming up, I said "Sure"

My SO wanted to send them to a nice upscale restaurant since they don't really have the means to do so on their own. I told her to pick a place and we'll get them a gift card. She picks Bobs Steak and Chop House.

I purchased a gift card for $300, I wanted them to get whatever they wanted to eat plus a bottle of wine if they wanted.

Fast forward 2 weeks...

The husband calls me and asks if i know how to change a radiator and if I do can I help him change his. I tell him I know how and I'll be glad to help. I stop to pick up something for lunch on the way over and eat in the car. I get there and he asks if I'm hungry, I say "No" He says he is and do I mind if he eats something real quick. I tell him to go ahead. He throws a frozen salisbury steak tv dinner in the microwave. As it's cooking, I ask if he's been to Bobs yet. He has.

Me: How was it?
Him: Ok
Me: Was anything wrong?
Him: No
Me: Did ya'll like it?
Him: It was ok
Me: How was the food?
Him: It was alright

I dropped it. I figured either he sold the gift card or he was uncomfortable in a place like that. Which I understand. I don't care for the places that have 6 forks, 9 spoons, 3 knives in front of you and you're supposed to know what each of them is for. But throw me a bone man, tell me it was at least good.

His frozen dinner is ready. He takes off the plastic cover, grabs a fork and digs in. Now I like tv dinners also, hell I've got some of the El Charrito mexican tv dinners in my freezer right now.

He takes his first bite, closes his eyes, leans back in his chair and starts making yummy sounds. We're both at the table and I'm sitting right in front of him. The guy has the biggest grin on his face, he looks at me and says "That's the best piece of meat I've ever had, damn it's good" I start laughing because I think he's messin with me. He says "It is man, I love these things" I lean forward to get a better look at this hunk of meat. I ask "The best ever?" He takes another bite, makes more yummy sounds and just nods his head. I think I watched him have an orgasm while eating his lunch. When he's done I ask if he needs a cigarette because he just had the most amazing sex ever.

I didn't ask how his wife liked Bobs and I didn't tell my SO about his response either. I thought it was funny, but she might get mad. What's that acronym everyone uses? WALDT (We all like different things) I hope that's what it stands for, because it's certainly true here. My $300 got me a weird anecdote, I should have used it to get laid.

TM
Lanny's Avatar
  • Lanny
  • 07-13-2012, 09:34 PM
Was out to eat a couple of years ago..I think it was OutBack...the wife of the couple we were with proceeds to ask for ketchup...I was interested to see what see was going to do with it, as she had ordered steak tips and mixed vegetables...Now I fully understand that OutBack is really just a middle of the road steak joint...BUT I was still pretty effin AMAZED when she poured some ketchup on her plate and proceeded to dip her steak tips in it....
BTW...lady in question had both Masters and Doctorate degree...so cant write this off as a redneck type deal.....
74comet's Avatar
TexasMarine, Did he even have the common courtesy to thank you for the dinner at Bob's or did he just slobber over his TV dinner. In retrospect you must be pretty damn glad you did not have to take him on vacation with you, as I seriously doubt there is a Denny's at the Vatican!
daty/o's Avatar
Thanks for not taking them to Rome. We already fucked up Paris; I would like to think that there are still parts of Europe that have any respect, at all, for Americans.
pyramider's Avatar
Hey, you still might be able to get pope-on-the-rope soap at the Vatican.

The tv dinner steaks might be nothing more than a comfort food to the ungrateful lout. Being a comfort food can make just about anything edible.
Juan Pablo de Marco's Avatar
did the tv dinner have mashed taters and gravy, or macaroni and cheese for a side?
Shep3.0's Avatar
hey Texasmarine...

You can buy me a $300 gift card @ Bob's anytime! I ll take a lady and give you a full report afterwards!!! LOL

...I ll have the Bone In KC strip w sauteed spinach and mushrooms...ohh throw in some creme brulee afterwards!
Roothead's Avatar
Live learn and don't do it again.... Agree he prob sold the gift card and stocked up on hungry man dinners at Walmart
If you did take them to Rome, you would have all kinds of great memories and even more importantly, wonderful stories to share with us! "We sure are lookin forward to havin us sum genuine Eyetalian Chef Boyardee and some of that wine in the wicker bottle --- the good stuff! Let's see if the Pope wants to join us!" Then, you can all go for a dip in the Trevi Fountains!
texasmarine's Avatar
Was out to eat a couple of years ago..I think it was OutBack...the wife of the couple we were with proceeds to ask for ketchup...I was interested to see what see was going to do with it, as she had ordered steak tips and mixed vegetables...Now I fully understand that OutBack is really just a middle of the road steak joint...BUT I was still pretty effin AMAZED when she poured some ketchup on her plate and proceeded to dip her steak tips in it....
BTW...lady in question had both Masters and Doctorate degree...so cant write this off as a redneck type deal..... Originally Posted by Lanny
I just watched a movie where a guy asked for ketchup to put on his steak and it did remind me of this guy. LOL

TexasMarine, Did he even have the common courtesy to thank you for the dinner at Bob's or did he just slobber over his TV dinner. In retrospect you must be pretty damn glad you did not have to take him on vacation with you, as I seriously doubt there is a Denny's at the Vatican! Originally Posted by 74comet
Now that you mention it, he never did thank me. He might have kissed me if I brought him a tv dinner though.

Thanks for not taking them to Rome. We already fucked up Paris; I would like to think that there are still parts of Europe that have any respect, at all, for Americans. Originally Posted by daty/o
You got that right!

Hey, you still might be able to get pope-on-the-rope soap at the Vatican.

The tv dinner steaks might be nothing more than a comfort food to the ungrateful lout. Being a comfort food can make just about anything edible. Originally Posted by pyramider
pope-on-the-rope, I'm gonna try to find that just for you.

did the tv dinner have mashed taters and gravy, or macaroni and cheese for a side? Originally Posted by Juan Pablo de Marco
mashed tater, corn and that brownie thing. He didn't touch the brownie, but he sure went after the steak

hey Texasmarine...

You can buy me a $300 gift card @ Bob's anytime! I ll take a lady and give you a full report afterwards!!! LOL

...I ll have the Bone In KC strip w sauteed spinach and mushrooms...ohh throw in some creme brulee afterwards! Originally Posted by Shep3.0
Throw in some pics and it's a deal.

Live learn and don't do it again.... Agree he prob sold the gift card and stocked up on hungry man dinners at Walmart Originally Posted by Roothead
I honestly think he sold it also, he was too vague about being there.

If you did take them to Rome, you would have all kinds of great memories and even more importantly, wonderful stories to share with us! "We sure are lookin forward to havin us sum genuine Eyetalian Chef Boyardee and some of that wine in the wicker bottle --- the good stuff! Let's see if the Pope wants to join us!" Then, you can all go for a dip in the Trevi Fountains! Originally Posted by bolivarcorona
I'll take em to Maggianos and tell the chef to put chef boyardee on a plate and serve him to see what his response is.
TheWanderer's Avatar
Funny story. I guess everybody has or knows a cousin Eddie....

" I don't know why they call this stuff hamburger helper. It does just fine by itself, huh Clark?"
LazurusLong's Avatar
I commend your wife for wanting to help the couple but if something like this ever comes up again, you may need to help open her eyes to the issue that not everyone enjoys the same things.

The steak and ketchup/A1 sauce thing has been discussed before and many people grew up using something on their beef and they are so accustomed to that flavor it doesn't matter the cut or quaility, the "topping" is what they like.

But there is most likely a reason why his wife complained about wanting to take a vacation. And that is a bigger issue than a gift card can solve. I've known people earning what many would consider barely anything at all who live well under their income, save, and vacation every year. Others making in the mid 6 figures who are living barely paycheck to paycheck!

If this is the type of friend that could be casually and carefully approached about helping them get their finances in better shape so his wife could get the vacation she wants, maybe the next time you're around him, bring that up and ask him where his wife wants to vacation and let that lead into asking whether he is saving up for it which can lead to checking on how he manages his income.

As the old saying goes, give a man a fish and he'll be hungry the next day but teach him.....

Apparently you have learned more than just the basics of managing your income and even if you can't do it yourself, getting him into the mindset where he might want to learn how to do that so he could take his own wife on vacation might be 1000 times better than the gift card.

Bottom line to me is you did a kindness for them and for that, even if he didn't like or enjoy or even go to that steakhouse, you tried and that is not that common in today's world.
blue3122's Avatar
hey Texasmarine...

You can buy me a $300 gift card @ Bob's anytime! I ll take a lady and give you a full report afterwards!!! LOL

...I ll have the Bone In KC strip w sauteed spinach and mushrooms...ohh throw in some creme brulee afterwards! Originally Posted by Shep3.0
+1 AND I will take a hot provider of your choice and take pics of her afteward and send them to you. Because I am a nice guy like that.

My opinion of the husband is low-class douchebag. But seriously if you want to send me that $300 gift card, PM me and I will fast forward you my address.
He probably traded it for ten TV dinners, a big bag of Doritos and a case of Old Milwaukee! Oh, and a bottle of white Zinfandel for the Mrs.
He probably traded it for ten TV dinners, a big bag of Doritos and a case of Old Milwaukee! Oh, and a box of Franzia for the Mrs. Originally Posted by bolivarcorona
Fixed that for ya...a box of wine is more bang for his buck

The guy you gave the card to sounds fairly classless, but this was a hilarious story!

By the way, El Charrito dinners are kind of awesome. Saltillo, please! .