Outback Steakhouse

Critic's Review

They finally got around to remodeling this location; I got a 20% off coupon last week and I also noticed that they're now open for lunch. I never feel like trekking down this way for dinner, so an opportunity was born.

Nobody knows that they're open for lunch yet, so the place was dead empty at 2:30. They've done a nice job remodeling; more like an upscale steakhouse now; and of course its nice during the day when there aren't families hanging around everywhere waiting for tables, as it is as dinner time.

The hostess only gave me a lunch menu, but I called her back and asked for a dinner menu. The lunch menu isn't a good deal; on the dinner menu you get a second side for like $1 more; you don't come to the Outback for a small meal.

I looked over the menu but I knew what I was having: 24oz Porterhouse, Medium Rare; Caesar salad, dressing on the side and a sweet potato, butter only.

Bread is complimentary, but they do ask you if you want it. The bread I got today was done poorly; When I tried to cut the loaf it folded up like a cheap suit. I didn't really want bread anyway.

They play decent music: Tom Petty, Rascal Flats "Breakaway" and Fun's "Sight of the Sun". The Salad came out shortly.

A pretty weak looking salad; the I got at the Outback on SE 10th was better than this. Less cheese and the dressing seemed a bit different; not as garlicky. I hope that they didn't change the recipe and that this was just an odd batch. Mediocre at best.

Just as I was finishing the salad, the steak came out.

A good sized steak; I sliced off a bit of the strip to see that this was clearly medium. At places like Ruth's Chris they deliver it Rare and you have to wait for it to keep cooking on the place to get to medium rare. It was more rare as I got closer to the bone, so it wasn't something I was going to send back. A far cry from the I'd gotten on SE 10th.

The sweet potatoes are always perfect; I always enjoy a porterhouse, particular when I'm getting it for just $20. with a side and a salad. When I have one at home I usually lop off 1/2 the strip for a snack and to cut the calories, but there was no calorie cutting today.

No refill on my iced tea, which is becoming a trend. Less cheese, no refills. Not sure if it's a bean-counter manager or a corporate trend; hopefully it's just this location.

After the 20% discount, just $23 for all of this, which is the same as I paid at Suan for a plate of junk. Sometimes it's worth the cost of the gas to go off the grid.