Uno Chicago Grill : Another ‘TGIF’?

we tried ‘uno chicago grill’ yesterday, the one at deira city center. my first impression of the place : another one of those ‘tgif’-kinda-place – burgers, pasta, steaks and salad. but we’ve never been here before, so might as well try it out.

 

 

i know it’s a weekday and a school night – so why did we eat out? my old colleague kak marliza was in dubai for her usual business visits here, so we treated her to dinner at this american diner. she’s covering middle east, and has been to dubai many, many times. however, this is the first time that we managed to meet up!

finally!

 

 

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uno chicago grill creates ‘an american warehouse’ feel in its interior decor that i just love, especially the brick walls. black and white photographs depicting the 50’s hang on the wall, and other decor are also very american like the street signs, and vintage posters of american advertisements.

the lighting is so dim at our table – the dimmest i’ve seen in a diner, but perfect for a romantic casual date. hihi. might be uncomfortable for some who wants a clear vision of what they’re eating, but i think it was alright.

sekali sekala makan dalam gelap-malap. hihi.

 

 

like i said, my first impression (especially after looking through the menu) this place is just another TGIF. there are burgers, salads, pasta, steaks and grilled seafood. just like TGIF, forget the fact that it’s been around since 1943! the menu is what you’d expect when you go to TGIF, chillis or fuddruckers – give and take a few signature dishes here and there.

the place is also called ‘pizzeria uno’ so they offer a few yummy-looking pizzas too.

 

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i went for the ‘cheddar and sautéed mushroom’ burger. i was really hungry so it tasted FAIRLY good, also because i am a big fan of cheese burger no matter what. however, i must say that this is a really mediocre plate of burger. i’ve seen juicier and more tantalizing looking mushroom on chilli’s burgers. the beef patty was not smoking hot and they’re so kedekut on the lettuce!

like i said, it’s FAIRLY good, but comparatively, i’ve eaten better burgers elsewhere. i won’t be ordering this again.

 

this is mr. khairul’s – the ‘chi-town tasting plate’, comprising of buffalo wings, crispy cheese dippers, chicken thumbs (like small chicken chop) and onion rings, with fries.

to be fair, the items on this plate is quite delicious. HOWEVER, i took this picture as soon as it arrived on our table. noone has touched the food yet. so my opinion is : totally FAIL on presentation! it doesn’t look inviting at all! put lah some salad on the side. or dips in the middle (the dish does come with 3 types of dips which are put separately on another small plate.)

you wanna see *presentation*, see the one at hard rock cafe. lawa.

 

kak marliza went italian, ordering this ‘blazing pasta’ – fettuccine cooked in spicy marinara sauce. the portion is HUGE and she can barely finish half of this dish! i think 3 people can share this dish. for die-hard pasta fan!

 

for our italian boys, we ordered pepperoni pizza on thin crust for them. when i tasted their pizza, i knew why they’re called ‘pizzeria uno & chicago grill. their pizza is delicious! it’s piping hot fresh from the oven. the dough is dense yet soft. the pepperoni is crispy, and the CHEESE – the cheese is just fantastic. yummy. i would try the 4-cheese pizza next, for sure!

 

 

i’ve concluded – and this is just a personal opinion – that uno chicago grill is essentially american, but it’s got better italian dishes in its menu. try their pizza if you ever think of eating here.

 

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to kak marliza, it was nice seeing you after all these years. i think it’s almost 6-7 years already, right? you look exactly the same! thank you so much for the legos. it was very thoughtful, but you’re spoiling the boys! hihi. next visit, be sure to hang out at my place. i’ll cook!