{"id":1501,"date":"2011-04-23T15:34:26","date_gmt":"2011-04-23T19:34:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/justrw.net\/blog\/?p=1501"},"modified":"2011-04-23T15:34:26","modified_gmt":"2011-04-23T19:34:26","slug":"scores-ottawa-trainyards-just-a-swiss-chalet-look-alike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/justrw.net\/blog\/2011\/04\/23\/scores-ottawa-trainyards-just-a-swiss-chalet-look-alike\/","title":{"rendered":"Scores, Ottawa Trainyards: Just a Swiss Chalet look-alike?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Scores<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Scores, not true to its name actually misses the mark!<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
For some time now, we’ve hankered after chicken at Scores
\nOn Fridays, it’s all but impossible to get inside their doors
\nSo we went on a Wednesday to give them a shot
\nbut our fries, they were cold and the chicken not so hot
\nPerhaps we would do better at another of their stores?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Although\u00a0we primarily dine out on a Friday evening, every now and again, we break down and treat ourselves mid-week,\u00a0especially if we have been running errands and supper-time\u00a0sneaks up on us. In such cases, we will often use the opportunity to\u00a0frequent a locale where we would not usually take the three girls\u00a0either because wait times are too long or the restaurant is not kid-friendly for one reason or another. \u00a0
\n[ad#CJSmrtZnBnnr468x60]
\nWhere we went<\/span><\/span><\/strong>: So here we were on a Wednesday evening in the area of Ottawa Trainyards. Although the Scores location just off Industrial Avenue has been open now for almost six months, I had not yet managed to get further than the front entrance due to its apparent popularity. Twice we had checked out the wait times on a Friday evening and found them unacceptably long. We figured we should be safe on a Wednesday. The fact that we were able to find a parking space right in front of the entrance was certainly an encouraging sign.<\/p>\n

\"Fruit<\/a>What we ordered<\/span><\/span><\/strong>: Whether or not you are a fan of the Swiss Chalet restaurant chain, it is hard not to\u00a0use this as a yardstick when evaluating Scores. The\u00a0fruit and salad bar that is front and centre as you are shown to\u00a0your table is a cogent reminder that you are at the latter rather than the\u00a0former. Score 1 for Scores. \u00a0\ud83d\ude09\u00a0 However, in our experience at least, the comparison went downhill from there. The\u00a0menu covers an almost identical array of\u00a0items as Swiss Chalet. If you stick with the signature quarter chicken where the soup\u00a0 and\/or\u00a0fruit and salad bar is included, Scores might appear to come out on top.\u00a0On the other hand, any\u00a0other selection will cost you more even before the soup and\/or salad is added. On this\u00a0occasion, we stuck with the quarter chicken. One surprise\u00a0is that there was no up-charge for white meat.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Lentil<\/a>\"Salad<\/a>\"Quarter<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

What we got<\/span><\/span><\/strong>: One advantage to the soup and salad bar is that you can take the edge off your hunger and make the wait for your main course more pleasant. Typically, at Swiss Chalet, this is not a problem because their service is pretty quick as a rule. Nevertheless, the soup and salad bar was probably the highpoint of the meal for us. Of the\u00a0three of us, only one received fries that were more than lukewarm. In a move that is unusual for me, I actually returned mine to the kitchen while Dorothy toughed it out preferring not to wait. The fresh fries were an improvement but still not to the standard of Swiss Chalet. Similarly, neither the chicken itself or the bun and sauce measured up. It seems that Swiss Chalet is not in danger of losing our business.<\/p>\n

Worthy of note<\/span><\/span><\/strong>: The soup, salad and fruit bar is only included with the quarter chicken meal. For all others it is extra.<\/p>\n

Summary<\/span><\/p>\n