Outback menu "Improvements".

We stopped visiting the Outback Steak House Restaurants a year or two ago when they trimmed the menu of some of the items we liked. Well, tonight we decided we wanted some of the Coconut Shrimp and at least a salad, so we headed out to run some errands and stop at our local Outback.

It was a pleasant surprise to find that the Rack of Lamb has been reinstated on the menu ($21.99) with one side (sweet potato for us) and a salad (Blue-cheese & pecan bits). We shared three orders of the Coconut Shrimp (6 to an order) and split the Rack of Lamb (2 double rib cuts each). All in all it was a very good dinner.

It looks like they have reshaped the menu to include fewer of the large steaks..The Ribeye is now a 12 oz down from the 14 and 18 oz choices that were avaialble previously. The Porterhouse down from 22 oz to 18oz. There are several pasta/poultry/fish combinations that we hadn't seen before and instead of just the "House Salad" there are several choices in that area also.

While I have no trouble turning down the "Blooming Onion" I can't deny that the Coconut Shrimp and the Marmalade sauce for them carry me way over the edge when ordering!

Total bill with $9.00 tip was just about $70 for the evening with a Tall beer and a bunch of ice tea included. No dessert though. We still have some of the Pecan GOO-GOO Clusters at home from last weeks stop at Stuckey's!

Janet drank a tall beer?!

Mmmmm.... rack of lamb... and lil ole me with a @25.00 gift cert to Outback....

Al,Paul & I love the coconut shrimp...We often order just the coconut shrimp for dinner.

Cocunut shrimp, blooming onion and a salad is perfect for me.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I think Outback is the best chain out there. Great to hear the lambchops are back, my favorite entree.

I order the salad to go and then pick up dinner elsewhere..the salad is usually pretty good. Maybe it's my luck but I've never had a good steak there and the other dishes (chicken, fish, etc) have way to much salt for me. The soups aren't hot enough either. And don't get me started on the ribs.

I bit into a coconut shrimp that was half raw...that was the end of the appetizers.

I don't like the waitstaff either. They crouch down, tell me what the color of my steak will be, and call us "guys" when clearly my wife is not.


I guess I'm not a fan 'cause this sure is a gloomy post.

quote:

and call us "guys"

That's one of the more irritating and annoying Americanisms, right up there with "dude".

Yeah, Outback was one of the leaders in the "Buddy-Buddy School of Waitstaff Training". Luckily some of the older folks working at our local store (Clarksville, IN) have tempered that 'sit-in-your-lap' behavior to a more professional, yet casual order-taking while standing beside the table. Our server did the job right and earned a decent tip.

Larry about the Salt, I have to agree they kitchen-treat many of the menu-items with a lot of salt in the grilling process. We asked that the Lamb Ribs be only table-seasoned, and they did just that. I like the orange marmalade sauce from the shrimp for the Lamb also (with some lemon squeezed into it!). I much prefer that to the heavy (and salty) wine sauce that comes with the Rack of Lamb.

Jack, In our time, we had to come down the hill to Hospitality Lane in San Berdo to get to an Outback. I know there is one in Victorville now, How about Fontucky???

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

Cocunut shrimp, blooming onion and a salad is perfect for me.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

This is exactly what I order. I am crazy about their coconut shrimp. Also, love the brown bread.

Like they'd ever put one in Fontucky...... What're you growing in that garden Al?
Send me some.....

There's one a mere 4.5 miles away from me over there where the 10 and the 15 freeways collide on the south side of Ontario Mills Mall.

quote:

Originally posted by enginecapt

quote:

and call us "guys"

That's one of the more irritating and annoying Americanisms, right up there with "dude".

...and Bud. My wife elbows me every time I summon our waitress with "hey guy" when i need something.

Jack,

I wonder if Old Henry J Kaiser is rolling over in his 'pre-fab' casket when he hears of what has become of his Steel-Town? Talk about a three-way cultural clash! Latino vs Redneck vs Yuppies I'll bet the city elections are fun to watch! Drive-by shootings are restricted to Lowrider BMW's and CrewCab Pickups with NASCAR decals ! What a great place for an "Outback"!

The amazing Fontana..... home to a huge NASCAR track..... and one hotel.

I watch the Fontana City Council meetings on the city cable channel. The current Mayor bristles with anger at the mention of "Fontucky". I, of course, don't. I'll bet former Fontuckian Janet doesn't either.

BTW, the current FCC is almost 100% white in an almost 80% Latino populated city. The one black member is a woman named.......... are you ready for this? Aquanetta. Is that a hair spray super-heroine?

They all live in the north part of town, north of Foothill, where all the new housing and yuppies are, and the part of town where the residents tell everyone they live in Rancho Cucamonga instead of admitting to living in Fontana.

I live in interesting times and in an interesting place.

When the ClaimJumper opened out there on Foothill and I-15 (and an In n Out too) We thought the place was going Upscale! There certainly were some 'interesting road-stops and motels' in the County area just outside the City Limits on Foothill.

We love to visit your town, Capt. It reminds us of a number of places we have seen around the country!

Believe it or not Al, where the CJ et al are, that's Rancho Cucamonga. Right on the edge of Fontana.

I don't get what's there to change. Most people I know go ther for the Steaks and Fish Sticks

Quartz,
Two things that seemed to affect the choices available...Adding the Rack of Lamb back onto the menu (a good thing for us), and downsizing the weight of the steaks (while not downsizing the price!) on the menu.

I have never been to an outback steak house.

Hmmmm, Logan's Sell better food anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by CajunKing

I have never been to an outback steak house.

Is it because there is not one near you? If there is give it a try. The Outback where I live is very good. Try the coconut shrimp as an appitizer.

Don, The steaks are on a par with the various Roadhouse chains..Texas, Logan's and LongHorn, etc. Now that we can get the Lamb Ribs again, we will probably go back now and then. As others have commented, We like the Coconut Shrimp with the marmalade sauce to dip them in. New price for them is $7.50 @ for an order of six. We got three orders with the One Rack of Lamb to split between Jan and I the other night. Between the Shrimp and four of the eight ribs in the rack, I did quite well ! Janet went for the salad and left me the sweet potato that came with the Lamb.

When I was traveling full time, Outback was my favorite. I have not visited them near as much as I did three years ago. At that time, they were by far my favorite. I sincerely hope they have not diminished in quality since then.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

As you guys are driving around Fontana and that area just remember I laid the steel on the Colton interchange. At the time it was the I-10, I-15 interchange, I think it is now called the 415 & I-10.

As to Outback we go occasionally but since I can get 4 really nice ribeyes and a large box of cocnut shrimp from Costco and feed 4 people for what it costs for 1.5 of us to eat at Outback we don't go very often.

Although since I like lamb and no else does it might be worth the trip some times.

MikeS.

Mike
If you are referring to the interchange that is built over the Santa Ana Riverbed that is the I-10 and I-215. That road was called I-15E for awhile, before the triple digit numbers were installed. Only a few interstates had the E & W versions. I recall I-81 South from Scranton, PA was I-81E for awhile, then became the 381.

Want some Lamb? Get the Rack of Lamb from the Costco Meat Department!!

Anytime the chains come out with a new menu, one of two things has happened, they raised the prices, and / or they have some off-the-wall menu item inserted. They may bring back a favorite, as Al suggests, but usually some marketing genius has attempted to create a "signature" dish. More often than not the prices go up.

Had my coconut fried shrimp fix Sunday at OB. We shared a bloomin onion and I also ordered a side salad. The shrimp was outstanding as always. I did look at the menu and noticed that the prices did go up some, but they had a pretty good deal on lobster tails.

The OB where I live has good iced tea which I always order with a slice of orange.