Outback Steakhouse
This was my first visit to an example of this particular "theme steak house." I went with friends who had been there before and that was a good sign, they wanted to go back. The menu featured items familiar to almost all steakhouses but with a whimsical "G’day, Mate!" twist.
An advantage of going with friends, aside form the recommendation in this case, is you get to see and sample a variety of the restaurant’s offerings. My choice was the Boomerang Shrimp with an added house salad, but I was also able to see grilled shrimp on No Rules Pasta and Ribs On The Barbie. The grilled shrimp were quite spicy as is the rage theses days but the menu doesn’t give a hint. The shrimp were not "flame-hot" but in this case they were spicier than preferred by that friend. The fettuccine was al dente and the Alfredo sauce tasty. The ribs were tender and the meat came off the bone easily. My friend called them good and he said he would order them again.
This was my first visit to an example of this particular "theme steak house." I went with friends who had been there before and that was a good sign, they wanted to go back. The menu featured items familiar to almost all steakhouses but with a whimsical "G’day, Mate!" twist.
An advantage of going with friends, aside form the recommendation in this case, is you get to see and sample a variety of the restaurant’s offerings. My choice was the Boomerang Shrimp with an added house salad, but I was also able to see grilled shrimp on No Rules Pasta and Ribs On The Barbie. The grilled shrimp were quite spicy as is the rage theses days but the menu doesn’t give a hint. The shrimp were not "flame-hot" but in this case they were spicier than preferred by that friend. The fettuccine was al dente and the Alfredo sauce tasty. The ribs were tender and the meat came off the bone easily. My friend called them good and he said he would order them again.
My salad was a treat. It was not a skimpy, unimaginative saucer of wilted leaves as is often the case with a house salad. This was an ample salad with crisp chunks of lettuce, slices of cucumber and many slices of tomato. The dressing was ample. The salad looked good and tasted good and set me in a good mood for the food to follow.
The platter of breaded and fried shrimp was served with french fries, Aussie Chips, and portions of tartar sauce and Aboriginal Fire Sauce. The French fries are whole potato fries and had lots of small, odd shaped pieces, some with peel. Most of the fries are cooked just right but there are, as noted, a lot of hard, slightly overcooked pieces that detracted from the appeal and appearance. The shrimp portion was ample and cooked just right. The coating was slightly spicy but did not overpower the shrimp. The tartar sauce was mild and tasty and a nice compliment to the shrimp. The Aboriginal fire sauce seemed to be a sweet and sour sauce. It was a pleasant tasting sauce but not spicy-hot although I couldn’t really appreciate any sour in the sauce. It my favored of the two sauces.
The dining experience at Outback was a pleasurable one. The food was good and in ample portions. The service staff was prompt, courteous and quick; they added positively to the dining experience. Aside from the fries that I think need a little improving and perhaps a note on the menu about the spice level of the entrees, the Outback experience was favorable. Would I recommend Outback? Lets just say I look forward to going back sometime soon to sample other items on their interesting menu.
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