Transcription
Ryan: Have you ever seen a restaurant with no reviews? It's weird. It's strange. I don't like it.
Most of these restaurants are food trucks, or perhaps small businesses inside of gas stations or grocery stores, waiting patiently to be reviewed. That's where I come in. I'm going to restaurants in my city that literally have 0 ratings. They could be incredible, they could be horrible... And it's all up to me to decide. And for the absolute best restaurant in my city, I got this plaque made. Basically, it just says: "Ryan's favorite restaurant in Austin, Texas, that previously had no reviews, up until Ryan reviewed it".
Now that you know what's at stake in this video, let's eat! Starting with Krispy Krunchy Chicken. I know what you're thinking: "Ryan! You're at a gas station". I know. Krispy Krunchy Chicken is somewhere in this building behind me. There's absolutely no signage. There's no indication that there's actually a chicken joint inside this building. But apparently there are almost 3000 Krispy Krunchy Chickens in America. Where? Where are they? Yes, this restaurant has 0 reviews, but it has some of the best social media posts I have ever seen. "When you and your bro both go for the last wing". So true. They have many other great posts, but the point is: Inside this gas station could easily be the best chicken I have ever had in my life.
I've got my clipboard. I've got my plaque. Oh! I need to grab a pen if I want them to take me seriously. One second. Okay. What are we waiting for? Let's go write the first review for Krispy Krunchy Chicken!
I walk into Starfield Market, and now I'm just kind of confused. I don't see Krispy Krunchy Chicken anywhere. Is this some sort of joke? The good news is: they have a great selection of snacks and oil for cars. And finally...I don't know how I didn't realize this, but Krispy Krunchy Chicken is actually located at Taco Basket Taqueria. Oh, this place is quaint. I like it here. There's an extensive menu. We're talking tacos and chicken and more. No pizza. Don't even think about it! So I guess the only thing left to do is: Find out if the chicken is really crispy and crunchy here.
KKC worker: Hello, sir! How are you doing?
Ryan: Good. How's it going?
KKC worker: I'm good.
Ryan: Uh...what would you recommend for... from Krispy Krunchy Chicken?
KKC worker: Fried chicken tenders. Very delicious.
Ryan: The chicken tenders?
KKC worker: Yeah.
Ryan: Whatever you would recommend, the chicken...chicken tenders and wedges.
KKC worker: Okay.
Where are you working?
Ryan: Oh, I...I don't have a job yet, but...just... reviewing food and stuff, trying to review different restaurants.
KKC worker: Ah! Good.
Ryan: Yeah.
KKC worker: Good.
Ryan: We have successfully acquired Krispy Krunchy Chicken. Okay. Alright. Thank you! That actually means a lot.
Before we open up the chicken box... My experience inside was pretty awesome. First of all, I just love gas stations. I love going to get fun drinks, snacks. It's a fun way to break up your day. So if this food is top notch, the convenience is off the charts. However, convenience comes with a price tag. There's nowhere to sit, there's no seating area. That's understandable. It's like a "Grab and go" type of service. The employees were so nice. I had all kinds of questions of what kind of meal I should get, and I was treated with nothing but kindness. So that's a star right there, just for service. But at the end of the day, restaurants come down to food. So let's open this box up!
First impressions: Love the branding. I open it up, and what do I see? A golden fried symphony. This meal was $9.19. You get ketchup, their original sauce, potato wedges. I can't control myself, so I took a bite. It's a good potato wedge. Some sort of honey biscuit, and of course, the chicken strips. Without further ado, let's get crunchy! Pretty much exactly what I would want if I went to a place called "Krispy Krunchy Chicken". The chicken's crispy. It's crunchy. It's got flavor. A little bit of spice. Not too much spice, because I can't handle anything beyond ketchup most of the time. Just because of the sheer accuracy of the name of the restaurant, that's a star. That's a star right there. Goosebumps. I have goosebumps all over my body. Surely after taking a bite of a biscuit. Hanging in the Louvre, that's a star. I don't really know what that expression means. I think that's like...where the Mona Lisa is. The ambiance of large 18 wheelers just sort of driving around is awesome. My expectations have been blown away. Okay? Frankly, I feel honored to be writing this first review. Let's do it! Let's...let's write it!
I started writing my review, and you know what happened? I thought: I'm going to way more restaurants in this video. And my goal is: to find the best of the best in my city, to win my plaque. I mean, this...this plaque means a lot to me. I got it custom made. So I thought to myself: there must be a bigger story here. So I found some locals and interviewed them. Well, the crazy thing is: they don't even have a sign out front. So how would you even know what's in there?
Dad in black hat: That's right. I didn't even know it was in there.
Ryan: I've got enough information here to finish writing my review.
Next up: Momos Gyros And Curries. I'm noticing a theme with the restaurants that don't have reviews. They don't have a sign. In fact, I'm not even certain that it's even here. All I see are: Nails For You, Crafts & More and Fresh Deli. But if it is here, I already love Momos. First of all, the name is Momos. That's awesome. Second of all, their website is perfect. They're clearly using a free e-commerce template for restaurants. How do I know? Because the website says: "Get started with this free e-Commerce template for restaurants". Right off the bat, Momo is an economical business mogul. I love the pictures on the website. I know exactly what I'm getting myself into. Um...okay, now I'm confused. As you scroll down the menu, it slowly goes from Mediterranean food to Indian food, to Chinese food, to Mexican food, and finally to chicken strips. All roads lead back to me eating chicken strips. That's what I've discovered in my life. Anyways, it looks like I'm gonna have an excellent selection of choices here at Momos Gyros And Curries. But the real test is waiting for me inside. Let's do this! I don't know, I felt like I should have had a different final line.
Alright. I'm walking up to yet another gas station, looking for a sign that this place actually exists. And what do I see? A Momos menu, plastered on the outside window. Momos. It's in there, I think. What a menu! Like the other gas station, this one has a great selection of beverages and snacks. And after looking in every corner of this gas station, I decided this is probably Momos. There's a table here. That's crazy.
Hey! Is this Momos?
Momos worker: Yes.
Ryan: Okay. Can I sit?
Momos worker: Okay.
Ryan: Okay. Awesome. Um...is it just me, or is a sit down restaurant inside of a convenience store kind of awesome? That's a star. Alright. Okay. Alright, calm down, guys! Anyways, I looked through the menu, and I know what I want to order. Can I try the chicken momos? Um...chicken masala? And do you have chicken strips? Oh, yeah.
Ryan: Yeah, yeah.
Momos worker: Right here, sir.
Ryan. Yeah. So those 3. Chicken momos, chicken masala, chicken strips. It's actually really weird going to a restaurant with no reviews, because you can't see photos of people's experience. You can't see what people think about the place. So there's a real chance that this is about to be the best food I've ever eaten in my life. Or I could die. I just felt like, I don't know...I just felt like raising the stakes of the segment. I mean, realistically, I'm probably going to be fine. But yeah...hopefully that was cool. I ordered a lot of food, most of which is probably going to be made from scratch. So I started a stopwatch to see how long it's gonna take. And while I was waiting, I saw the owner and asked to interview her about Momos.
Ryan: So this is Kesh.
Kesh: Hi!
Ryan: Do you wanna introduce yourself?
Kesh: My name is Kesh. I'm from Nepal, and we just started like...it's almost one month.
Ryan: So it's brand new.
Kesh: Yeah.
Ryan: What's your first month been like?
Kesh: It's a little bit hard.
Ryan: Yeah, just getting started. It's a little bit slow.
Kesh: Yeah. Very slow.
Ryan: Can you explain what "Momos" is?
Kesh: When I came first here in USA, I miss our food a lot. Tried to make, like, taste...like from Nepal. And I try and try. Finally I got the same taste from Nepal. So... My husband like most momos...my momos. So we think like we can do a business on this too.
Ryan: I came back in with a newfound appreciation for what I'm about to eat. I can only imagine how hard it is to start a restaurant. So I am taking this first review very seriously.
Ryan: Awesome! Thank you so much!
Momos worker: Enjoy! Have a good day!
Ryan: Thank you!
Momos has been delivered. I did have a really big order. I got pretty much 3 entrees, I just couldn't pick. They all looked really good. I will say right off the bat that just having a place to sit is a huge win. The last gas station at Krispy Krunchy Chicken had nothing of the sort. So let's see what's inside! We have a bed of rice, momos chicken dumplings, chicken masala...and these must be the chicken strips. I think we can all agree: I'm gonna have some leftovers. Can we add a laugh track? No? Why not? Okay. Momo, you have outdone yourself. Are you seeing how good these look? These look like the most fresh dumplings I think I've ever seen. I'm very excited to try everything else, but these are calling my name. Let's give it a shot! Cheers! These look really hot. I hope it doesn't burn my mouth. Wow! That is insane. Mhm! The texture is amazing. The flavor just pops. Holy Moly! That dumpling alone is a star. I had the mindset coming in to review these restaurants, that I was gonna be a tough critic. But this food completely made me forget about any of that, because I was just grateful to be eating it.
Next up, we've got the chicken masala. You can literally see with your eyes that it tastes good. The flavor is visible. This is one of Haley's favorite foods, so I eat it a lot. Definitely think I'm gonna have to bring some home. However, I don't wanna speak too soon. Let's actually eat it! I am not exaggerating when I say: I need to ask this man for his name, so I can thank him personally. I'm bringing the rest of the chicken masala home to Haley. That's gonna get me some brownie points. Am I right, boys?
Lastly, we have chicken strips. I got the chicken strips honestly, as a backup. The dumplings and the chicken masala blew me away. So this might just be one of those things, where someone's coming in and they want a quick chicken strip. It's a solid chicken strip. It's not going to add a star to my review, but it's pretty much everything you could ask for.
So... I packed up my leftovers, brought them home to Haley, and this is my review for Momos.
Next up: Kikka Sushi. I'm as confused, as you are. The last restaurant was in a gas station, and this one is in a grocery store. I don't know about you, but I'm starting to see a trend. I took off my suit jacket, because I was sweating profusely. I'm about to eat dinner at Kikka Sushi. Whole Foods gets thousands, maybe millions of customers every day. But do they even know that Kikka Sushi exists? Let's go see if it does!
It's pretty cool. I walked into Whole Foods, and I don't even know where to start looking for Kikka Sushi. So I decided to interview some locals.
Have you heard of Kikka Sushi?
Guy with glasses: No, I haven't.
Ryan: Have you heard of Kikka Sushi?
Girl in purple t-shirt: I have not.
Ryan: Have you guys heard of Kikka Sushi?
Guy in blue t-shirt: No.
Girl in striped shirt: No.
Ryan: No? Okay. Excuse me! Have you heard of Kikka Sushi?
Shop assistant: Kikka Sushi? Yes, actually.
Ryan: Just when I thought all hope was lost, an amazing Whole Foods employee escorted me all the way to Kikka Sushi. So this is Kikka Sushi. They have tons of sushi, which I probably should have expected, but I'm easily impressed. They also have a fun menu with a variety of rice bowls. I think a big reason that people might not know it really exists is: because it doesn't even have the name "Kikka Sushi" anywhere, but it looks delicious. So let's give it a shot!
Ryan: Can I get salmon teriyaki?
Kikka Sushi worker: White rice or brown rice?
Ryan: White rice, please!
Kikka Sushi worker: White rice?
Ryan: Yes.
Kikka Sushi worker: Okay.
Ryan: Thank you!
While I was waiting for my order, I looked around the produce area a bit, and found an apple. Oh, awesome. Cheers! Thank you! I'm trying to figure out how to pay for this, but also...how many restaurants are in this grocery store that don't have any reviews? The Eatery, Next Level Burger, Juice Land. I don't think this is considered a restaurant, but still... I went to self-checkout and got my teriyaki bowl for $15.49. Very expensive, but maybe it'll be worth it. Whole Foods has these utensil dispensers. I mean, come on! That was awesome. Okay. Let's eat! Bon appetit! Whole Foods has this nice seating area outside. So...nice to eat at a table. Just barely beats eating on that sidewalk outside of Krispy Krunchy Chicken. This meal looks beautiful. It was pricey, but it looks like really high quality ingredients. It's hard not to feel like I'm reviewing Whole Foods, because I got this apple from the produce section. Am I gonna eat it as part of my Kikka Sushi experience? Honeycrisp is the best apple. What do you...what do you want me to do? Okay, I finished my appetizer. Let's try out this salmon teriyaki bowl from Kikka Sushi! So what we're looking at here is: a teriyaki glazed grilled salmon, topped with sesame seeds, which is super-duper yummy. The bowl also comes with white rice, soaked in teriyaki. Oops, sorry! Yeah, I'm pretty uncoordinated. And it is also really good. Yeah. I don't know what this is. Is it lettuce? I don't eat vegetables. I'm just gonna do it. I'm gonna try. One day I'll grow up. I enjoy the rest of my meal, basking in the sun, dodging vegetables. And honestly, it was a great time. I really enjoyed this.
After I finished my meal, though, I remembered what was at stake here, and I knew I had to get to writing. I have a large variety of weird pens. Here's my review.
Next up: El Gran Agazajo, Mexican & Italian Cuisine. We made it! I love Italian cuisine and I love Mexican cuisine, so we're off to a great start. This restaurant is directly off of a highway, so that's awesome. But what does "El Gran Agazajo" translate into "The Great Royal Welcome"? Oh! That's a big promise. We'll see what kind of welcome I receive upon entry. I don't know how I feel about this suit. I don't mean to change the subject. I'm just getting really worried that I'm making a scene by wearing this everywhere. Right off the bat...One thing I will give this restaurant purely by examining it from the outside: vibes. The vibes are off the charts. I mean, this is the type of place you come on the weekend with your friends, and just grab. Their website domain has unfortunately expired. It's currently up for auction. There's not much information about this place online, but whoever is running their social media accounts, needs a raise, because they're hustling harder than I even am on my own Joyride account. I mean, that's just great content. How do they even do that effect? I'm not familiar with that effect. Anyways... I'm not just standing here to sweat in a suit and listen to ambient traffic noises, that will probably cause hearing damage long term. Let's go, get a meal and a royal welcome!
Oh! It's closed. Coquí Café. I wonder what that means. The suit was fun while it lasted. I know. But instead of this restaurant taking me seriously, I want them to take me for granted. No, that's not what I meant. Honestly, I don't like people thinking that I just got out of court. I just want to enjoy my meal. The restaurant in question is Coquí Café. So naturally I'm like: "Oh! It looks cute". What does "Coquí" mean? I look it up on Google, and apparently "coquí" is: "The sound of males trying to attract females and repel other males during mating season". This whole shopping center is a little confusing. I see 2 and maybe 3 food trucks, including Taste da Island. It's tempting not to go there, but I'm staying focused on Coquí Café. Here's a map view of the whole place. I'm standing right here. This restaurant is really close to Target, which is nice, because I actually had to go to Target really bad. I walked in, ran into my boy, Lewis. We went to college together. I walked into the candy aisle, and what do I see? A bunch of candy sitting right next to Joyride. If you don't know by now, Joyride is my candy brand, and my dream is to make it the top selling candy in Target. Even though we don't use any fake colors or junk ingredients. So far, we've actually ranked in the Top 5 selling candies. But to beat the Final 4, we're gonna need all of you, guys. So if you don't live in America, just follow Joyride on Instagram! That would help so much. But if you do live in America, go to Target, get some Joyride, scan the QR code on the back, upload your receipt! Because over the next 2 months, I'm gonna be picking 5 lucky winners to receive these new rare Joyride candies. And I'm even going to be hand delivering one of the boxes to you, guys. So join the climb, and let's get Joyride to the Number 1 selling candy in Target, so we can change the world of candy.
So now that I've got my dessert, let's go write the first review at Coquí Café!
First impressions. Coquí Café... Kind of a vibe.
Hello! How's it going? I'll do the coffee with milk, and...I'll just have waffles. Is there anything else you recommend?
Coquí Café worker: I mean, there's a breakfast plate.
Ryan: Okay, I'll do that...with the eggs and bacon.
Coquí Café worker: Anything else?
Ryan: That's gonna be it.
Guys! I ordered a coffee. They have a coffee bar with all kinds of condiments for their guests, including hot sauce. I immediately got distracted by this infomercial that was playing on literally max volume. But somehow I found a way to finish preparing my coffee. It's actually delicious. Like really, really good. That's a star. And while waiting for my food to come, I walked over to this lounge area. Super cozy.
Ryan: That's a star. I'm here with...
Nayelis: Nayelis.
Ryan: Nayelis. This is my first time here. Is this your family that runs the restaurant?
Nayelis: Yes.
Ryan: No way!
Nayelis: Yes.
Ryan: That's awesome. What's, uh...one goal that you guys have...just as a family and as a restaurant?
Nayelis: I mean, to just make people happy and fill up their stomachs, and make them enjoy the food.
Ryan: I love it.
I've got a nice plate here of tater tots, bacon, eggs and toast. The coffee is actually so good. Also, I'm sorry if there's a lot of background noise! Our options were either sitting right next to the TV that's constantly playing infomercials, or the fan that's on max speed. I decided to sit next to the fan. Tater tot tax. They're really good. I was about to start eating my classic American breakfast, but then I realized my waffles had arrived. I didn't notice my waffles arrive. When did they get there? I didn't even hear her set that down. That's crazy. Guys! I'm so locked in filming these YouTube videos. Smash like and subscribe, please! I don't know. First I tried the bacon. I love bacon, so this was good. Next, I tried the eggs. Pretty standard, but that's just how I like them. Next it was time to get into this bread. It broke apart beautifully, and it tasted amazing. Finally, I poured some syrup onto the waffle, sliced it apart and gave it a bite. Literally after one bite of that waffle, and I'm ready to hang this plaque up right here. No, I'm just kidding. They probably wouldn't be happy about that. I...I mean, it's one of the best waffles I've had in a long time. That's all I'm trying to say. Alright. Well, Coquí Café is actually closing. My meal was delicious. I love Coquí Café. There, I said it. I think not wearing a suit made me a little bit less intimidating. I'm pretty naturally intimidating as it is, just the way that I normally am every day. A lot of people kind of just scared of me the way that I look. Anyways, let's write this review!
Next up is this barbecue place. Alright, here we are. Perez BBQ. I'm in the cutest small town of all time. Look at this downtown street! And look at this light pole donated by Roy Gill! That's the type of thing you see in small towns.
First impressions: I love everything about this barbecue stand. First of all, it's only open on the weekends. News flash: it's the weekend. Yeah, I like to do my research when I film videos. Looks like they've got a smoker, currently smoking meats. Pretty nice. There's also a seating area. Some historic pieces, like this train car. All pretty fun. From what I can tell, Perez BBQ mostly gets the word out via Facebook posts. Like just lots and lots of Facebook posts. That and a slogan: "Staining shirts since the 80's". Good thing I'm not wearing white. I've made a dire mistake. Based on that slogan, they've been in business for 45 years, and they've never gotten a single review. That's either a really good thing, or everyone who's ever eaten here has died. The point is: I'm gonna break a 45 year long drought...if I survive. Let's go grab some food!
Ryan: Hello!
Perez BBQ worker 1: Good day! How's it going?
Perez BBQ worker 2: Hello, sir!
Ryan: Good, good. You guys have everything still?
Perez BBQ worker 1: We have brisket, ribs, chicken, sausage.
Ryan: Awesome. Alright.
Perez BBQ worker 2: It's been in our family for about 40 years now.
Perez BBQ worker 1: Yeah. It started out as that little spot.
Ryan: Wow! Can I just get a quarter pound of chicken, brisket, ribs and sausage? Alright. I am so excited to eat barbecue.
They got out the brisket. It looks amazing. It looks so good. And don't even get me started on those ribs! Barbecue secured. This was $25, but there's so much food in here, so I'm excited to eat this. However, first I found a local to interview.
Ryan: Here we go. Ready?
Anthony: Yes, sir.
Ryan: I'm here with...
Anthony: Anthony Capetillo.
Ryan: Anthony. This is Chip. Chip's, a rescue Chihuahua. I love rescue chihuahuas. I've got one of my own. Okay, Anthony. What can you tell me about Perez BBQ, before I dig in?
Anthony: Well, I have to sneak off every Saturday and come and get some from work or from my house. It's literally the best barbecue I know.
Ryan: So you grew up around here? Can you give me any backstory about Perez?
Anthony: They've been around since I was a baby. Kind of went away for a little bit there, and the town was in a deep depression. But once they came back, literally everybody always comes. Every Saturday.
Ryan: Anthony's a Cowboys fan. I'm a Texans fan, but we can sit at the same table...and pet Chip together.
Anthony: Yes, sir. Absolutely.
Ryan: Chip! Do you have anything to say about barbecue? This is the best dog I've ever seen. Alright, we gotta...we gotta take a bite together.
Ryan: Bottoms up!
Anthony: Would a toast be awkward?
Ryan: No. That's cool.
Anthony: Just like I remembered...from a week ago.
Ryan: That is so good. That's crazy. What would you rate this place?
Anthony: Thousand out of 5.
Ryan: Alright. Anthony, so nice to meet you.
Anthony: Thank you so much!
Anthony: Thank you all, guys!
Ryan: That's the most chill Chihuahua I think I've seen in a long time. I know he can't read, but can we all just spam: "We love you, Chip" in the comments? It's gotta mean something to him.
Finally, it's time to eat. The sausage was unbelievable. That 100% earned a star right there. Chip might have just bumped the rating up even higher as well. The meal doesn't come with utensils, because most people just pick it up and go home. But they did give me a spooky plate with free bread...to make a sandwich. And that is service. Okay, I'm gonna eat this now. As I'm taking these bites of barbecue and desperately trying to avoid getting stains on my white clothing, I'm having this realization that I never try new restaurants. I pretty much only eat at Chipotle and McDonald's. Meanwhile, there are restaurants in my area, serving some of the best food I've ever had in my life. And I don't even know about it. Not to be dramatic, but I think this video is changing my life. Anyways, here's my review.
It has been 2 weeks, since I last recorded for this video. I have been going back and forth in my mind of who deserves this plaque as the best restaurant with no reviews. I ate so much good food throughout this video. I met so many awesome people. It's not an easy decision. But I have come to the conclusion that there is one restaurant that is simply untouchable. It is the best. It deserves the world. The food is incredible, the people are amazing. I believe in it. I want it to succeed, and this plaque represents that. So not only am I gonna go in there and surprise them with this plaque, but they said that their biggest struggle is getting new customers, because they just opened, and it's hard to get word out. So I brought a bunch of friends, and at the end of this video, I'm gonna put their address. So without further ado, let's go, Surprise...Momos!
I asked a bunch of my friends to come to a gas station 25 minutes outside of the city, but I promised them that when they try the food, it's going to be so worth it. So Kesh! I have been going through all of Austin, trying to find the best restaurant with no reviews. And Momos, by far and away is absolutely the best restaurant in Austin. So we got you this cake, because I'm leaving a 5-Star review.
Kesh: Thank you so much!
Ryan: Yes! Make a wish! How about we eat some food?
Ryan's firends: Yeah!
Ryan: Yeah!
We ordered so much food. We got chicken momos, chicken masala and the combination gyros. All of the food was amazing. Everyone was shocked that this restaurant previously had no reviews. I asked everyone to describe the food in one word.
Ryan: Listen to this!
Isaac: It's incredible.
Ryan's dad: Fantastic.
Guy with curly hair: Bussin.
Blonde guy: Yummy!
Friend 1: Drippy.
Preston: Immaculate.
Friend 2: Gas!
Girl in glasses: Slay!
Haley: Delectable.
Zach: Yummy!
Friend 3: Just delicious.
Ryan: Now that we're all stuffed, and everyone agrees that Momos is amazing...I just had one last thing to do. Guys, if you live in the Austin area, please go, try Momos! Take a photo with the plaque and tag me! Also, thank you to everyone who's been going to Target and getting Joyride! Let's keep the climb going! And finally...YouTube thinks you'll love this video on the screen right now, so just give it a click! Give it a watch! Thank you so much for watching! You guys are the best. Mwah!