This area has been lacking a good steakhouse for a few years ever since its most famous one was shut down a few decades ago, so naturally, when I heard they'd be opening a Longhorn, my family and I had to try to make room for a visit in our schedule. We were not disappointed.
If you've never been to a Longhorn Steakhouse you've no doubt at least seen the commercials that have been running for so many years with their over-the-top cowboy theme. This rather overexaggerates the theme of the restaurant; their waiters aren't dressed up as cowpokes, but there is a lot of cowboy/farm/cattle themed decor along the walls in its low-lit interior, peppered with its classic rock and country themed muzak that I'm certain a lot of us in the South will appreciate. Our waitress was a charming lady who was more than happy to joke and engage in lighthearted conversation with us and quite enthusiastic to get us what we needed, and of course had a quite intimate knowledge of the menu with zero qualms about any substitutions we might have had.
Our salads came with a choice of ranch, vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing. I've always been a blue cheese person myself, so naturally I went with that. It was here that I learned that they make most of their sauces in house. To which I must say this is the one drawback that the place has overall: a bit of an overabundance of salt. Blue cheese should be creamy with only a little salt to enhance the flavor, but the in-house blue cheese tasted as if someone had accidentally spilled a salt shaker into it. This isn't to say it didn't taste alright, but I found myself reaching for my iced tea a bit more than I normally would have. Along with the salads came a small loaf of fresh baked bread and butter. I think most of us agree that it is extremely difficult to resist fresh bread, and this did not disappoint. The crust was flaky and crisp, and the bread had that lightly sweet taste and soft texture to it that makes you want more, but you know you need to save room!
Then came our steaks. We each had the 6 oz. Flo's Filet at differing temperatures; mine was ordered rare, with grilled asparagus. The steak I received was cooked perfectly, juicy, and delicious, with its only flaw being a strip of tough gristle that even the very large steak knife you receive for your meal had trouble cutting through it toward the middle. I don't consider this the restaurant or cooking staff's fault, however. The asparagus was fresh, lightly crispy, and flavorful. I would rate my entree as near perfect, but solely because when I make my own steak I like to marinate it to my tastes and it's impossible to please everyone with a universal marinade and seasoning. I am by no means a grillmaster; a grill-apprentice at best. I just like what I like. Unfortunately, none of us had room for dessert, so I cannot comment on their dessert menu. Which is a shame, as some of their selections did look very tempting. Definitely come hungry if you eat here!
You are also not going to eat cheap here. Especially with the current economy, a good steakhouse is not going to give you a serve for less than maybe $25-30 per person. They might be able to get away with it a little cheaper at Chili's, but given their cooking methods and overall menu, we'd be comparing apples to oranges in this case. Nonetheless, this won't be a place you eat at as frequently as a burger joint given its price range.
Overall, if you like steak and just aren't in the mood to fire up the grill, I would say you can't go wrong with this place. My only concern would be that those sensitive to salt may want to be cautious, but those who love salt should have zero complaints. And I, being a massive hypocrite, also contributed to the sodium on my own steak with a puddle of A1 on the top, but that's because I love a good steak sauce and A1 is my Budweiser. Huge praise for the wait staff and kudos to the cooks for their attentiveness and hospitality.
And my cat loved the gristle. read more
