I love how each person on the Blue Team kept messing around with the oil, only to have Kevin (who correctly identified the fish) come in and quickly go “yeah, I’m not gonna poach this.”
I liked that quickfire too. I hope they do it again in future seasons. It’s an interesting experiment.
Am I the only one who is not a fan of Restaurant Wars?
OK, I gotta be the one to say it.
Revolt? Really?
No.
Yep, not a fan. Although, my mind jumped first to “Really, naming it after the brothers?! There are two other team members!” before it went to “Revolting.”
(Insert obligatory snarky comment here about how the VBros don’t need anyone else.)
Technically, it was named after all the team members:
R(obin)
E(li)
Volt(aggio Bros.)
But it still sucks.
It was supposed to be R for Robin and E for Eli.
Yeah, but the “Volt” sticks out like a sore thumb. It - perhaps properly, but still, teamwork effort time - relegates the other two to lesser positions. Plus, it sucks.
I don’t disagree, but “REVV” wouldn’t have sucked less, and “REMB” or “REBM” are just silly. 
Everyone said it. They said it on the team, they said it on the show, and it was said in living rooms across America.
(Volt)aggio + (Ro)bin + Eli Kirshtei(n) = Voltron!
Well, no. 
Just saying there are layers of suckitude to their choice.
I’m also annoyed because the other team really had some awesome potential going in, and the wheels just came off the bus all around. Mike I. did OK but thinks he cannot fail on seasoning, Jen screws up on the complicated seafood (slow as heck, and making one dish all right but with a broken sauce), and Kevin does good on his stuff but severely undercooks the lamb. Laurine fails at front-of-house duties, hides when Jen is swamped (I understand the feeling but the communication was bad and you need to just suck it up sometimes in situations like that), and doesn’t stand behind her dish and demand better cooking when it comes out way rare.
Disclaimer: I’m just catching up on the show and haven’t followed these threads, so I hope this doesn’t break some sort of protocol.
I frequently eat at Kevin’s restaurant in Atlanta. Odd location - a bullding that could use some work surrounded by nudie bars, massage parlors and sex clubs on a semi-industrial road that “bridges” two nicer parts of town - but man is the food good. Kevin runs the grill, which is in full view, and I’m guessing he cooks all the entrees. I’m certainly pullling for him.
The Volts can be pricks, each of 'em.
Not to be too creepy, we could use more shots of Jen in a swimsuit - rowwrr.
At Judges’ Table, Colicchio praised her for keeping it classic, and he asked her if she’d been pressured to update it instead. She indicated that she had had to resist that pressure. Michael then tried to take credit for the dish anyway.
In between commercials late in the show, they ran a short segment that repeated Michael snapping that he doesn’t like to hear cursing in the kitchen, followed by several shots of him cursing in the kitchen. They then cut to him saying, “people think I’m arrogant, but I’m really a nice guy,” followed by shots of him being patronizing to other chefs. It was very funny.
They could have gone with R.E. Volt, but that sounds like a casual dining chain restaurant.
My impression (possibly incorrect) was that Robin did indeed take Michael’s advice on the recipe, and what they were arguing about during service was portion size.
Depending on how he does on the show, maybe they’ll have enough money and publicity to spruce the place up or find a more desirable location. Times being what they are I bet there are some unoccupied restaurants in Atlanta. Then again you usually have to borrow money to do that…
Robin’s (assisted) dessert did look delicious, I’ll say that. Most of the food they make on the show is not for me, so I mostly end up judging the desserts.
I think Mike was the only one who really had a problem with it. When Bryan refused the $2,500 at the end, I thought it was his response to how Mike handled things with Robin as the spat between the brothers.
I don’t think Robin will make it to the end, but I think she’s gone further than she should have. I think she’s got a case of the Lisas, the contestant two seasons ago who didn’t seem all that good but managed to be just not the worst each week.
I do think Jennifer’s past work might have saved her, but Laurine legitimately deserved to go home. I didn’t realize she was responsible for the lamb. So even though Kevin cooked it, she really did have the responsibility to say “No, please cook it more,” if it wasn’t as cooked as she liked it to be, as she said.
She was so awkward and uncomfortable out front too. When they asked her when the food was coming and she said “Just a minute, I promise,” I thought that was the kiss of death. Never promise something you can’t deliver.
I knew she was going home though because I accidentally turned in to the second viewing while the first was ending and saw her being grilled before I changed the channel.
I thought Jennifer’s plan of picking Kevin for her team in hopes that the brothers would fight too much was brilliant.
I thought that the finals were 4, but they are three. The final 4 are pretty clear if Jennifer isn’t rattled, but the final three is hard to predict.
Usually it’s four go to the finale at a different location, one goes home, and then the final three battle it out.
It was clever, but it didn’t work. No matter how that broke down, some good chefs were going to be on both teams, but I was surprised the Revolt group turned it around so well in the main challenge. They were bickering during the quickfire, and they didn’t let it get in the way during the restaurant war even though they still argued.
I think Jennifer looks like the fourth best chef there, but the last two or three episodes she has been badly stressed out and lacking confidence. She’ll lose earlier than she should if she doesn’t toughen up a bit.
I am not sure why everyone thinks that Robin is occupying an unearned spot. I find it hard to believe that Ash or Ashley or Ron deserve this spot more than her. Its not like she’s in the final four and its not like she will be so I don’t really see the big deal.
The brothers amuse me because that is how competitive siblings who love each other act in a competition. Working with your brother can be tough because its easy for you to get on each others nerves. I really like the scene in the stock room where the brothers were arguing over the money and Eli and Robin were smart enough to just keep their heads down.
Despite the lamb snafu, Kevin is still my favorite. He just seems like an all around good guy and a great chef. When it comes down to it though, I would not be upset if any of the obvious 4 took it. If Mike I. can take himself out of cruise control, I can see him making a strong push for the finish. Eli would have to be more consistent and mistake free to make a final push and I am not sure if that is going to happen. Robin is likely gone soon. I must admit that she does have an impressive knack for serving up food that lets her float just above someone who puts up a disastrous dish. Still, if you’re second to last you don’t deserve to go home.