CombatCritic's TravelValue™: factory

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Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Vancouver, WA: MREs With Marinara

The Old Spaghetti Factory

730 SE 160th Avenue

Vancouver, WA 98684

Phone number: (360) 253-9030

osf.com

Prices: $$$$

It's been decades since I last set foot in The Old Spaghetti Factory, and after this mission, I remember exactly why I went AWOL from the place. But in the Portland/Vancouver AO (Area of Operations), where decent Italian food is rarer than common sense in a staff meeting, our options are limited to chain chow halls like this one or Olive Garden--or we cook our own rations at home.

Veal Parmigiana? Fuggetaboutit. In Portland, the land of "progressive" cuisine and political correctness run amok, serving veal would probably trigger a protest faster than you can say Buon appetito.

I went with the Chicken Parmigiana ($22.99)--a breaded chicken breast buried under melted cheese and tomato sauce, served with Garlic Mizithra spaghetti. I called in two meatball reinforcements ($4.50), seasoned and sauced for backup. The chicken was scrawny and uninspired, but the meatballs were at least decent--nothing to write home about, but not an MRE either.

My wife ordered the Chicken Marsala ($22.99), supposedly "a seasoned breast of tender chicken with mushroom and Marsala wine sauce, served alongside spaghetti with Mizithra cheese and browned butter." Sounds good on paper. Problem was, the Marsala sauce apparently contained tomato--for reasons known only to the kitchen gods--so she had to substitute Alfredo sauce instead. Result: bland, uninspired, and about as exciting as KP duty.

Service was friendly enough, but slower than a Monday morning staff meeting. We were one of only three tables during a lifeless lunch shift, yet it still felt like waiting for a resupply convoy stuck in the desert.

When the dust settled, the damage was $75 plus tip for a couple of unimpressive entrees and a reminder of why I hadn't been here since the Clinton administration. Mediocre food, slow service, and inflated prices--this operation failed to meet mission objectives.

CombatCritic Gives The Old Spaghetti Factory 5 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better - Unless You're On The Receiving End ... HOOAH!

Five Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Continue Mission"

MENU

1.3+ MILLION VISITORS AND COUNTING ... HOOAH!

408,000 VISITORS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS ... OOH-RAH!

Friday, November 3, 2017

Vancouver, WA: EARTH TO JORGE - MENUS HAVE PRICES ON THEM ... GET A CLUE!

Jorge’s Margarita Factory

14415 SE Mill Plain Blvd, Suite 110B

Vancouver, WA 98684

Phone number (360) 882-8262

Website: jorges.com

Prices: $$$$

Wierd vibe. We were ignored at the entrance for over five minutes before I found someone to seat us and the decor looks more like a cheap diner than a Mexican restaurant.

The drink menu has no prices ... hey geniuses, how many times do I have to say this, MENUS ARE DESIGNED TO LET CUSTOMERS KNOW HOW MUCH STUFF COSTS! I am so sick and tired of restaurants that think they can trick people into paying $10 for a "house margarita" by not posting prices. I should not have to ask how much everything costs, so publish the damn prices for f***ks sake!

Speaking of prices, their food prices were quite a bit higher than any Mexican restaurant I have been in lately and looking at the plates of food around us, it did not look worth what they were asking. So with that being said, along with a "priceless" drink menu, we left. I will not eat at restaurants that refuse to put prices on their menu ... non-starter folks!

CombatCritic Gives Jorge's Margarita Factory 1 Bomb Out Of 10 And A Spot On My "WALL OF SHAME" ... More Bombs Are Better!

One Bomb Equates To:

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Read Chris S.'s review of Jorge's Margarita Factory on Yelp

Title: Vancouver, WA: EARTH TO JORGE - MENUS HAVE PRICES ON THEM ... GET A CLUE!

Key Words: Jorge's Margarita Factory, Jorge's, Jorge, margarita, factory, Mexican, restaurant, menu, Vancouver, WA, Portland, Yelp, YouTube, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, Wall of Shame

Translation for Civilians: FUBAR = "Fucked Up Beyond All Repair"

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Sunday, August 7, 2016

Eureka, CA: If You Are Hungry And Want Italian, Marcelli's Is The Place For You

Marcelli’s Ravioli & Sausage Factory

1323 5th Street
Eureka, CA 95501
Phone: (707) 442-1213
Prices: $$$$

If you are hungry, you will not be when you leave Marcelli's. The prices looked a bit high at first glance, but once the food started arriving, I understood why. My $15.95 Ravioli included not one, but FIVE courses: antipasto, soup, salad, entree with garlic bread, and dessert.

They have been in the same building for over 80 years, handed down from generation to generation. The interior has a classic 1950's diner look with a cheesy Italian flare. The place must have had a lunch counter originally because, although still there, it now serves as their bar.

My young server was very friendly and attentive, happily answering questions and ensuring my next course came out as soon as I was done with the last. As I mentioned, I had the Ravioli dinner with an equal mixture of beef, cheese, and spinach ravioli, 12 in all and handmade on-site.

But first, I was brought a small antipasto with two fried beef ravioli, two slices of salami, a Tuscan pepper, a baby carrot, and a slice of celery. It seemed rather sparse, but I still was not aware that there were four more courses to come, so that was probably a good thing. It seemed odd that a basket of bread did not accompany the appetizer, so I asked if I could get some bread. After a surprised look, as if nobody had ever asked for bread before, she asked if I wanted it toasted or not and went in the back. What she brought me was a slice of thick, white bread, the kind they make Texas toast with. All righty then!

Next came the soup, then the salad. The bowl of soup was actually quite big and tasty, not needing extra seasoning as is the case at most places. The salad came out of a bag (see recommendations below), but was fresh and the bleu cheese dressing was very good, homemade I was told, by one of the owners.

The ravioli were good, but on the small side with much more pasta than filling. The Bolognese sauce looked more like a meat gravy (it looked browner than it does in the photo above), but it was tasty nonetheless. The accompanying garlic bread came out of the same bag as my untoasted Texas toast, but it was also well done considering. The serving size would have been disappointing had I not had an appetizer, bowl of soup and a salad beforehand, but at $6.99 for the ala carte version, it would appear a little lean.

I was stuffed! Then my server asked me what kind of ice cream I wanted. Ice cream too? Yes, chocolate, vanilla, and spumoni as a matter of fact. I decided to go all in and ordered the spumoni, which was actually quite good, not tasting like it came out of a gallon container, which it likely did.

In all, I was somewhat hesitant at first after perusing the menu and seeing the prices as well as the noticeable lack of clientele, but I am glad I stuck around. Far from the best (or worst) Italian food I have had, my meal was pretty damn good and a good value.

Recommendations:

Serve a decent baguette-style bread, in a basket, with meals
A very small serving of marinara sauce or dressing should accompany the appetizer as the fried ravioli were a bit dry
Put a door on the kitchen so guests cannot hear your conversations and see you taking the salad out of a bag
Make the ravioli a little bigger, roll the dough a little thinner and increase the fillings a tad, even if you need to charge a little more
Let people know on the menu that dinners also come with dessert and stress the fact that they will be getting a FIVE-COURSE meal
Join the 21st Century and get a website, even a simple one, and a Facebook page at the very least. People these days want to see your menu, hours, and some photos before committing to a meal. And for God's sake, DO NOT use a Facebook page as your website like a lot of businesses do. It does not convey a professional image.

CombatCritic Gives Marcelli’s Ravioli & Sausage Factory 7 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Seven Bombs Equates To:

Menu

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Title: Eureka, CA: If You Are Hungry And Want Italian, Marcelli's Is The Place For You

Key Words: Marcelli’s Ravioli & Sausage Factory, Marcelli's, Marcelli, ravioli, sausage, factory, Eureka, CA< California, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato, Tabelog

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