Restaurant Rant: Big Time Pizza – Keystone, SD

by Adrienne Wilson on

No one likes writing restaurant rants including myself, but when I encounter very bad service it then becomes my obligation to all potential travelers to make such piss poor service known. Sigh. Before I begin with my rant let me set up the scene in Keystone, SD around this time of year.

For starters it’s off-season in Keystone and what may be a bustling little place right outside of Mount Rushmore in summertime it feels quiet and deserted for fall and even more so for winter. Here and there a few businesses have closed up operation already and will reopen later next year and those that have yet to close either offer discounted rates on goods, limited goods or shorten business hours. All of which makes perfect sense if there aren’t any tourists around to generate a buck. Knowing this and that we were traveling in the area at such a point in the season my companion and I planned to eat dinner as early as we possibly could and remained aware and flexible towards business operation in town. However, business operation and hospitality/service are not entirely one of the same. Here’s my spill:

The first evening we found ourselves at Big Time Pizza it was about 8:30 PM. We stepped in to what appeared to be a humble, cozy kind of family-owned spot that claimed to make all other pizzas jealous. Having had pizza two nights before, we were really interested in just munching on a salad or a sub. On the menu you’ll find half a page listing a variety of subs and half with different pizza selections. On the back there were roughly three salads listed. I had decided on the chef salad and my pal was going for the 6 inch veggie sub. Our server was an older woman (also part-owner) who peered over her glasses and smiled as she made everything we requested sound like an inconvenience. When I requested a slice of lemon for my water she made it sound as if I were in luck that they just so happen to have sliced one. Huh? She said no one had ordered salad in weeks and she would have to see if they had everything needed to make the chef salad. She returned and reported that the lettuce they had wasn’t the normal iceberg type or spinach kind, but it was still good and good for me. I asked if they could kindly serve the salad without the green pepper or the onions and she said told me they came on the side and that I could take it off. (I asked assuming their salads were freshly made as they were and not pre-packaged like a McDonald’s salad.) Thankfully she gave me a napkin so when my salad arrived I could pick everything I did not want off and place it on the napkin. When my friend put in his sub order she had little to say other than there was only one chef in the back and that she would have to see if he could make the sub. Um, fair enough I suppose. Anyhow, our food arrived and we gobbled it down. Having realized how delicious his veggie sub was my friend politely ordered a second serving. Our server as nice as can be told us the chef couldn’t without even consulting him. He was only making pizza. While I thought all of what we experienced strange I kept telling myself we were travelers at the mercy of the off-season business blues. We paid our bill and left.

However, my poor service story continues.On the following day we had consumed a large portion of the day exploring Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Needles Highway, and the whole shebang. The area was absolutely beautiful, but we were getting weary and concerned with time. We knew we had to get something to eat early before everything closed up. We returned to Big Time Pizza certainly not because of their great service, but because we didn’t know if anything else along the main drag was open and didn’t want to miss our chance at having dinner. On this second visit just a day after our first we found that Big Time Pizza was nothing other than a Big Time Let Down. We were seated by a cute little girl who had to have been around 8 or so and shortly afterwards greeted by our server from the previous day. Before we could put in our very same orders from the previous day she said there was no more salad and the chef was only making pizza. We left.

As we drove down the road in search of other restaurants we couldn’t help wondering if we had ordered a pizza if they would have had the kind we wanted? The thing that struck me most bizarre is everything on the veggie sub could be found on a pizza and much faster to fix than making pizza. Everything on the chef salad could be found on a pizza and faster to make as well. What was the issue? Even if it is off-season you’d think they’d go they extra-mile to make all the money possible before things really slow down, but obviously good service and making our money was unimportant.

We ended up having fantastic salads at the Ruby House though. If you’re ever in Keystone, SD go there first and don’t even deal with Big Time Pizza a.k.a Big Time Waste of Time. Note: Big Time Pizza is neither owned or operated by the Roosevelt Inn.

Big Time Pizza is located in the Roosevelt Inn on Highway 16A in Keystone and is open all year. Ph. 605.666.4443

Dining in Dushanbe: Delhi Darbar

by Adrienne Wilson on

I’ve saved one of the best for last my foodie friends. After dining at Delhi Darbar about six times during my stay in Tajikistan I discovered one absolutely fantastic thing about the place and that one thing is this: there isn’t a single bad dish on the menu. Anything you order is guaranteed to be savory, scrumptious and gratifying. While I enjoyed sampling the local flavor and having a Tajik dinner or two, the traditional foods were just filled with too much oil. On the flipside the Indian fare felt healthier and can we say just about zero grease is used in preparation. Astonishing!

My favorite item of all was the vegetarian thali (right). Included in the meal is a spicy cauliflower, lentils, rice, a cole slaw with dill, yoghurt, and a sugary doughy dessert in syrup. Other good selections include the chicken tikka, lemon rice with garlic naan. If you’re looking for something sweet to sip try the pineapple lassi. Seriously, everything is good.

Outside the gateway to Indo-Fusion doesn’t look like much, but indoors it’s well lit with India inspired wall murals and Bollywood and Uzbek humming from the television above the buffet. The staff is all nice and always seem to wear very welcoming smiles.

Located at Rudaki 88 in Dushanbe, the chain also has locations in Khujand as well as Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan.

Dining in Dushanbe: Kand

by Adrienne Wilson on

Kand wouldn’t be the first place I’d recommend if you’re hoping to dine the way most Tajiks do. While the quiet open outdoor dining is fabulous for couples looking to be left alone however, groups seeking cultural experiences will be disappointed. We ate at Kand on two occasions and both times it felt as if we were the only party eating at their establishment. Also regarding the restaurant environment there appeared be some renovations to the stage where I’m told performances (ballet and such) normally take place. We weren’t lucky enough to see any ballet, but there was a man on a keyboard accompanied by a singer one night.

Now the food is great IMO. I had trout the first time and a beef kebab the second and both were seasoned and flavored for perfection. Service was okay. I actually can’t recall what the wait staff was like. There was little personality, but considering how appetizing the meals were I can let lack of personality slide. Great place to go to eat and get out, but don’t look for an overly live atmosphere.

Prices range from 5TJS-35TJS.

Dining in Dushanbe: Eurasia

by Adrienne Wilson on

While the trout I ordered doesn’t exactly look like the most mouth-watering of dishes, the food at Eurasia is some of the tastiest in all of Dushanbe. Serving a mixture of Tajik foods, European foods, Russian yummies and breakfast anytime of the day, Eurasia hit it off well with me and my companions. If you’ve been hit by the stomach bug most travels tend to get in Central Asia, order the crepes with jam as a lighter selection sure to cheer up the most upset tummies.

If you’re up for a real meal I might suggest the trout so long as you can bare its very ugly and Muddy-Mud Skipper like appearance. Afterwards if you’ve got plenty of room for dessert (and I do mean plenty of room) go for the stuffed spiced apples. One is enough, but they serve two. The Russian waitresses are all quite pleasant and with their being an English menu as well their jobs are made that much easier. However, not all things translate well so knowing a little Russian or Tajik might be helpful if you’ve got additional questions on the way meals are prepared.

In the morning it’s fairly quiet, but dinner hours are much the opposite. If you’ve got a large group head over early so dinner is served in a timely manner. Plates run from 2TJS-15TJS.

Eurasia is located at Rudaki 81. Telephone: 2233994.

Dining in Dushanbe: Rohat

by Adrienne Wilson on

Here’s another one you’ll find in the Central Asia LP guide under the teeny section devoted to all things Tajikistan. Rohat is a large Persian-style chaikhana (teahouse) perfect for passing the time away watching locals and an expat or two parade by on Rudaki. The somewhat open-air atmosphere with high decorative ceilings makes it a cool spot to be during lunch or dinner hours.

On the menu you’ll find traditional Tajik fare and Russian dishes as well. Overall there were mixed reviews on the food. I went with Lagman, a soup dish which was a bit bland for my tastes, but offered heat as the night became a little chilly. Service was decent, menu prices good and LP basically nailed this one on the head as well. Order some tea, have a snack and chatter the evening away.

Rohat is located at Rudaki 84.