We rarely ate out as kids. Large family, poor parents, and lived in the middle of nowhere. When we did the 1.5-hour trek to a mall, we went to Ponderosa or Olive Garden afterward. Despite having the privilege to travel and living in a food diverse city (LA), I still hold fond memories of them.

Despite expanding my pallet and having a more mature idea of what makes good food for me. I can't bring myself to turn my nose at these places. Unlimited bread sticks caused pasta leftovers for the next day's meal.

We didn't have sizzilers, but I know angelenos who still have a soft spot for it. Lots of good memories for them. It's funny, now that I'm older, AYCE places lost their value for me, but as a tween or teenager, they were amazing.

I ate at Ponderosa Steak House many a Sunday afternoon with my mom. My brother and I would attack the salad bar and the soft serve ice cream machine. We were usually there during grazing hour. It's where I began to love rice pilaf. Sadly they are all gone in our area now.

I only got to go twice but it was memorable because of the ice cream machine. I had to be pulled away from it.

Have you ever eaten at a Bonanza steak house?

They never existed in the west. We only had Ponderosa. Closest thing now I suppose would be Sizzler steakhouse.

YES my favorite place as a kid, well before they eventually turned it into a Ponderosa (~1980-86ish). I thought eating Chicken fried steak or Monterey chicken off those metal plates was the very definition of classy dining.

I love that you added the rice pilaf detail.

Unrelated but I can’t ever see this phrase without hearing it in his voice: