 |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
RESTAURANT RANTS & RAVES
Heading Back to the Outback By Suzy Schurr NFCA Volunteer We’ve all been to Outback Steakhouse a dozen or so times before and know that they have a terrific gluten-free menu. But have you been to Outback lately? It has been more than a year since my family had partaken in a little “Aussi” fare, largely because of the long lines of people waiting for a table, but we decided it was time to dine again “down under”- and boy were we glad we did. Their regular menu items have doubled, in addition to adding more superb gluten-free options. We arrived at Outback for our Sunday dinner around 5:00 thinking we wouldn’t have to wait too long, but the line had already formed outside. We were told a 45-minute wait was ahead of us. However, we were pleasantly surprised and delighted when we were called 20 minutes into our wait. Our waitress was friendly, knowledgeable and extremely gracious even after she had to return to the hostess desk to get me a gluten-free menu. It was as if I had asked for a glass of water with lemon. It was no big deal. It truly is getting easier for people with celiac to get a healthy and safe meal out of the house. After only a few short minutes after putting in our appetizer orders, the waitress returned with my Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie without garlic toast and a small order of Junior Ribs off the Joey menu – (that’s the kids menu for those not familiar with the Outback jargon) minus the cinnamon apples which are not gluten-free. My six medium shrimp were coated with a nicely fragrant spice rub before being grilled crispy. They were a bit dry, however the flavor of the paprika and other seasonings pleased the palette just the same. The shrimp was served with a little cup of creamy remoulade sauce for dipping. The cool mayonnaise base was a nice contrast to the smoky flavor of the shrimp and offered a hint of intrigue by the added bits of relish. A lemon wedge rounded out this very yummy dish. My husband ordered his entire meal off the gluten-free menu so I could sample everything on my plate as well as his. What a guy!!! His Junior Ribs arrived – without the cinnamon apples – but did include five of the meatiest ribs we’ve eaten in quite awhile. The tangy barbecue sauce stayed on the ribs rather than our faces and was a perfect blend of sweet and savory. The sauce had a little zing, but was mild enough for a kid’s taste buds. Though this dish would typically come with a side of either baked potato, baked sweet potato, potato jacket, or steamed veggies, we decided to 86 all of the above because this was just our appetizer. We still had a lot more food ordered. For our salads we both ordered the Signature side salad, which came “crouton-less” and loaded with cucumbers, tomatoes, grated Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese on a bed of chopped iceberg and romaine. All dressings are gluten-free except the Blue Cheese and Mustard Vinaigrette. For my entrée, I had an expertly prepared 14 oz. rib eye steak, which needed no modifications to be gluten-free. It was delivered perfectly charred on the outside, piping hot and had a warm, pink center just as I had ordered. The flavor was incredible. The steamed veggies without seasoning, which makes them gluten-free, were a bit too crunchy for me, but I managed to take a bite of a broccoli floret, a slice of summer squash, and a sliver of carrot basically for the vitamin C. My husband’s entrée, the Hearts of Gold Chicken was a full boneless breast grilled and topped with chopped artichoke hearts and slivers of sun-dried tomatoes. It was so moist and juicy we didn’t even miss the lemon Alfredo sauce which he nixed in order to make it gluten-free. We both loved this dish and decided we would order it again when we come back. He added a baked sweet potato as his side dish with a generous portion of melted butter. We definitely did not need dessert, but as I always say, “it’s for research.” Since the last time we were here, Outback added two new gluten-free desserts. We ordered the Sidney’s Sinful Sundae. The sundae arrived looking much like a snowman, yet snow never tasted this good. The largest ball as the base was a hefty scoop of vanilla ice cream rolled in crispy toasted coconut. The middle section of our snowman was a fluffy ball of airy whipped cream, and the top was a large ripe strawberry all wrapped in a blanket of warm, gooey chocolate sauce - sinful, maybe – heavenly. Needless to say we could have used a mommy kangaroo to carry us out in her pouch. Though our bellies were filled a bit too full this time, we are already talking about the next time we visit Outback Steakhouse. Whether or not you follow a gluten-free lifestyle, the team at Outback is extremely friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating to both kids and adults. Search www.outbacksteakhouse.com for a restaurant near you. |
|
|
||||||
 |
|
Copyright © 2008 National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. All rights reserved. Created by NetReach ®
The information found on this website is not intended to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment or for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical condition. We urge you to always seek the advice of your physician. There is no replacement for personal medical treatment and advice from your personal physician. This site was last updated on September 3, 2008. If you have questions, please contact webmaster@celiaccentral.org | View Site Map Privacy Policy: NFCA does not share or otherwise disclose any personal information, including your name, address, or email addresses with other organizations. Only NFCA staff has access to personally identifiable information provided by visitors to our site. NFCA will never share information with third parties. |