First, the waitress -- I think her name was Jennifer -- was perfectly fine. She was kind and helpful in every way.
Second, the food was NOT perfectly fine. The desk clerk at my hotel recommended Leon's Steakhouse. When I arrived, I noticed it was actually Leon's Steakhouse Saloon. When I walked in and my eyes adjusted to the dark, cavelike lighting, I was a little concerned. Looking at the menu, I instantly ruled out buying a steak. I've eaten in a lot of fine dining establishments and what you're paying for there is, partly, the environment, the ambiance. This was more of a roadhouse vibe at Leon's. But it had the fine dining prices. Soooo. . . steak was out and I decided on the salad route, specifically, a Caesar Salad, and asked for some grilled chicken on top. Kind of a standard menu item most anywhere you go, right? What came out of the kitchen was a plate of romaine lettuce + croutons + Parmesan cheese, and three small tubs of "Caesar" salad dressing. With grilled chicken, sliced, on top.
Someone I once worked for once told me, "Presentation is everything." Truer words were never spoken.
This was not Caesar Salad. It was merely some of the ingredients for a Caesar Salad. And the chicken had been cooked beyond digestion. It was overcooked, dry, and pretty tasteless.
For the cook at Leon's Steakhouse Saloon, allow me to enrich your culinary knowledge base. To wit, here's how you do it.
Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken
Ingredients:
* 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* 1 head of romaine lettuce
* 1/2 cup croutons (make your own from scratch, they're better)
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
* Anchovies (optional, but they offer a more authentic flavor)
Instructions:
1. Start by grilling or pan-searing the chicken breasts until they are cooked through. Season them with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice for extra flavor. Once cooked, let them rest for a few minutes, then slice them into thin strips.
2. While the chicken is resting, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of freshly ground black pepper. If you like, this is where you add the finely chopped anchovies for that classic Caesar flavor.
3. Wash and dry the romaine lettuce leaves. TEAR them into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large salad bowl for mixing. (Slicing is so wrong.)
4. Add the croutons to the bowl with the romaine lettuce.
5. Pour the dressing over the lettuce and croutons, and toss everything together until the leaves are evenly coated.
6. Sprinkle the freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the salad.
7. Finally, top the salad with the sliced chicken breast.
8. Serve your Caesar Salad with Chicken immediately, and if desired, you can add extra Parmesan and croutons on top for garnish.
THAT is a Caesar Salad, my friend. And it takes only slightly longer to prepare grilling or sautéing the chicken breasts (2 of them). Only the anchovies are anything approaching a hard-to-find ingredient. Longview may not be the epicenter of fine dining but, certainly, people here deserve better than what I was offered.
For a well-prepared Caesar Salad, I've paid more than what Leon's charges for your Ribeye Steak (listed as $35, if I remember correctly) and have gladly paid the price for what turned out to be a transcendent experience.
What I was served yesterday wasn't worth the listed price for the salad (without the chicken) -- $8.50 -- by a long shot. Double that for the added dry, overcooked, tough, and bland chicken breast (singular) and you have a meal that can only be called regrettable in the eating.
In retrospect, I would have been better off dining at the Cracker Barrel restaurant that the desk clerk offered as an alternative. At least, I could have counted on their consistency. I've NEVER been disappointed at a Cracker Barrel as I was at Leon's Steakhouse Saloon.
For a good time in Longview. . . don't visit Leon's. read more