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"Secret" menu items?

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  • #31
    Our local Mexicali Rosa's had chicken taquitos on the menu at one time.

    A couple of us from work would go there once a month or so in a pay week for the taquitos and strawberry daiquiris.

    They took the taquitos off the menu.
    It was pretty much the only thing I ate there.

    I was in there one day with some family and I was lamenting the loss of the taquitos.
    The waitress told me they weren't on the menu, but the cook would make them if I wanted them. From then on, any time I went in, that's what I ordered.

    The place changed hands a few months ago, though, and is no longer a "Mexi's".
    It's still Mexican food, but I don't know if they have the taqutos.
    Too tired of living and too tired to end it. What a conundrum.

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    • #32
      Quoth idrinkarum View Post


      I've started to just order one or 2 for my lunch when I want a Taco Bell fix. At least in my neck of the woods (Northern Virginia), it only came out during a certain time of year for 2 months (advertised) and then went away.

      They just recently started with the Cheesy Gordita Crunch being in the $5 box meal.
      Ah, they were always on the menu in Alaska, and when we moved to Nevada I saw them so I figured they were permanent everywhere.

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      • #33
        My local Denny's has a secret salad that they always make for me.

        One night I went in and they were out of their regular salad mix and only had spinach, so I got a salad that consisted of spinach, onions, croutons, and cheese, and that was it. It tasted so much better than the regular salad that now that's "my" salad. To the point that the waitresses always ask if me I'm going to have that specific salad whenever I go. My boyfriend tried it and liked it more than the regular salads also, and now that's what he gets when we go together.
        Drive it like it's a county car.

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        • #34
          Quoth Lvl_9_Gazebo View Post
          One night I went in and they were out of their regular salad mix and only had spinach, so I got a salad that consisted of spinach, onions, croutons, and cheese, and that was it.
          I often use baby spinach as a salad base instead of lettuce. I also get bagged "broccoli slaw" mix (julienned broccoli, cauliflower, and red cabbage). Spinach, broccoli slaw mix, carrots, bell peppers or cucumbers if I have them, some cheddar cheese, and croutons with a little honey French dressing. Yum.
          I don't go in for ancient wisdom
          I don't believe just 'cause ideas are tenacious
          It means that they're worthy - Tim Minchin, "White Wine in the Sun"

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          • #35
            Quoth Kanalah View Post
            Our local chinese place has a "secret" menu.

            They cook the regular "american style" chinese food, but they also have a "secret" menu of traditional chinese dishes.

            And yes it's delicious.
            Our favorite Chinese restaurant (House of Fortune in McLean, VA) also has a second menu that is in Chinese. The owners introduced us to several Chinese dishes that weren't on either menu. It is referred to as ordering "off menu."

            One of our favorites is crispy kung pao chicken, which used to be on the menu but was dropped. Another one is orange chicken, which didn't used to be on the menu, but now is. A third dish is simply called "that Taiwan dish," which is a spicy pork dish. The owners also order a fish head stew that is not on any of the menus. I'm not up for trying that one.
            "I don't have to be petty. The Universe does that for me."

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            • #36
              Well in our city, if you want chinese food, it's mostly the americanized chinese food. Only our fav place and one other has a traditional menu.
              https://purplefish-quilting.square.site/

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              • #37
                friend used to order a zebra frap which was three shots of espresso, mocha frap and creme frap mixed together, but not stirred up well just put in and it made white stripes in the cup and always made enough to go in one venti and one small and she always tipped well for it and paid for all the extra add ins.
                one employee wrote it all down for her as they knew her at the one starbucks in store. but she lost it and after a while after she moved stopped ordering it.
                sad.

                so their zebra mocha is similar to it, only frap version...

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                • #38
                  As I have always lived in NYC I'm used to the "Secret" menu for Chinese places, though I have only had food off of them once or twice (going out to eat for a Chinese friend's birthday). These days most of the places just have one menu any way.

                  The only place I know of the specifically has a secret menu is in and out, and they are why everyone is all hung up over them now. Really the secret menu at In and Out boils down to "We will cook anything you ask for that we have the stuff for". Some of the items are officially in the registers though (Animal style and the X by Ys).

                  The only 2 places where I will regularly order off the menu are Jamba Juice (They will make you anything you want as long as they have the stuff), and a dinner in Manhattan (Big Daddy's) where I learned that they will make old shakes that they took off the menu. Those aren't exactly secret menus, just the standard "Yup, we can do that" that you will get at any restaurant (Cheese fries w/ gravy is my standard order at any dinner).

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                  • #39
                    *checks that site* For DQ, they list the Peanut Buster Parfait? WTF? It's a menu staple at all of the DQ's up here; hell it's on the menu supersized for the promos at the moment.

                    A DQ item that used to be a secret item but is now completely gone as far as I know, is the Smore Galore parfait. I mentioned it in the "missed food" but it was a parfait with chocolate, graham crumbs and marshmellow syrup. Sweet as hell and delicious.

                    They don't have a Wendy's section, but one of the things I regularly order that isn't on the menu that I can find is a Chili Baked Potato. They used to have it on the menu ages ago, and have no problem ringing it up, but it isn't listed in the Baked Potato options on the menu.

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                    • #40
                      Quoth Jetfire View Post
                      *checks that site* For DQ, they list the Peanut Buster Parfait? WTF? It's a menu staple at all of the DQ's up here; hell it's on the menu supersized for the promos at the moment.
                      agreed, most of the dq's I know of had peanut buster parfait on the menu. but i guess per some stores it didn't sell enough or limited menu space and it went off the menu but still available? some of the secret menu items were things they did for a monthly special blizzard and were so popular that they still have it. sadly the only dq's here are about an hour away either way (IE go left or right once you hit the main street)

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                      • #41
                        I know for Jamba Juice a lot of their secret menu items are secret because their names violate trademarks so they can't put them on the menu, not because they're customer made.

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                        • #42
                          Quoth Ironclad Alibi View Post
                          Our favorite Chinese restaurant (House of Fortune in McLean, VA) also has a second menu that is in Chinese. The owners introduced us to several Chinese dishes that weren't on either menu. It is referred to as ordering "off menu."

                          One of our favorites is crispy kung pao chicken, which used to be on the menu but was dropped. Another one is orange chicken, which didn't used to be on the menu, but now is. A third dish is simply called "that Taiwan dish," which is a spicy pork dish. The owners also order a fish head stew that is not on any of the menus. I'm not up for trying that one.
                          I get general tso tofu at the chinese place that moved into canterbury a couple years ago. They add slivered garlic and ginger to it. It also has about double the normal amount of broccoli, and comes with brown rice instead of white or fried rice.

                          It really confuses people when I dig into a blood rare steak ... many people think I am vegetarian because I order so many tofu dishes when out to eat. I just also happen to like tofu =)
                          EVE Online: 99% of the time you sit around waiting for something to happen, but that 1% of action is what hooks people like crack, you don't get interviewed by the BBC for a WoW raid.

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                          • #43
                            I don't really adhere to what is set on the menu for any restaurant. If I want something made differently or sub an ingredient for another (providing there is not a 'no substitutions' stated), I will custom-order anything if I have been to the place enough.

                            Such as the Tex-Mex place that is next to my cigar shop. I have eaten there so many times, and since we all know each other, I just have the owner or cooks chef me a custom version and they just charge me for the closest thing to it on the menu. I love their Southwest salad, but usually it is only a chicken breast on top and a choice of avocado ranch or chipotle ranch dressing. Good most of the time, but it tastes absolutely phenomenal with seasoned & sauteed shrimp and honey BBQ sauce straight up for the dressing. I actually think the owner changed the menu to offer the shrimp now.

                            My husband orders the meat-lovers burrito, but instead of beef & chicken, he gets ALL carne asada steak.

                            We get charged accordingly, but we know it and don't care. Plus I like knowing I can basically get anything I want on the menu and change it up as I see fit.

                            When we go to fast food places, being a veteran fast food worker, I rarely order the standard faire. Such as at Culvers, I order their fried chicken sandwich, but only have swiss cheese and mushrooms on it. Or McDonalds, I order the steak and mushroom wrap, but ask to sub grilled chicken for steak.

                            If anyone here makes it up to MN, there's a restaurant that I used to work at called Chianti Grill (I worked the one in Roseville, and there is another location in Burnsville). Every fall they have butternut squash ravioli, but will only serve it by request only. Meaning you have to know about it and ask for it. The servers won't offer and it is not advertised. Why? It's that good and they'd sell out too fast because there is only a small quantity made weekly. Other places sell a similar offering but Chianti Grill's is undoubtedly the best.
                            "We go through our careers and things happen to us. Those experiences made me what I am."-Thomas Keller

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                            • #44
                              Quoth Akasa View Post
                              I know for Jamba Juice a lot of their secret menu items are secret because their names violate trademarks so they can't put them on the menu, not because they're customer made.
                              Most Jamba "underground smoothies" are employee creations or just older smoothies that are discontinued (ex: the Pacific Passion) but there are a few that have been customer creations that gained popularity (like the PB and J)

                              Betcha can't guess where I worked forever.. We actually made a Capri Sun (Pacific Cooler) version that had a following during my tenure there. That and the Endless Lime are still my favs.

                              And of course In and Out. I lived on Animal style grilled cheeses and Animal style fries all through my pregnancy....mmmm....animal style fries.....I never knew that you could get them well done. I'll have to try that next time!
                              Now, if you smell the roses but it doesn't lift your spirits, you're either allergic to rose pollen or you need medical intervention. ~ Seshat

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