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Texas Steakhouse & Saloon Date published: 9/1/2005
By NANCY DEARING ROSSBACHER For THE FREE LANCE-STAR She: A friend recently remarked that I hadn't dished out enough criticism in our recent reviews. After all, the job of a restaurant reviewer is to be brutally honest about service and cuisine. He: Which we are. We just happened to luck out with some creditable restaurants of late. She: But I don't want to be the milquetoast of food reviewers, so I thought: If there was ever a place I could review with cutting acerbity and knife-sharp snideness, it would be a chain steakhouse. You know, the kind that is self-consciously casual in a barn-boardish way and mooing with cow-motif decor. Texas Steakhouse & Saloon, one of 30 franchises operating in Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina, debuted a year ago in Central Park, and it looked to be a promising candidate for carping. I rubbed my hands with evil glee as we pulled up at the entrance of Texas Steakhouse & Saloon on a recent weekday evening. Look out, cranky critic comin' through. He: The expected decor did not disappoint. In evidence were Texas flags, Texas license plates, and even an armadillo--plastic or stuffed, I know not. I was mildly surprised that the hostess didn't greet us with a "Howdy!" Instead, she cheerfully and efficiently led us to one of the scores of wooden tables between the padded wall-hugging booths and the stool-surrounded bar. She: A smiling jeans-clad server arrived within moments and took our drink order, and in the time it takes to say "Yee-haw!" we had a frosty mug of Blue & Gray draft ($2.99) and a crisp Tanqueray gin and tonic ($5.75). As I played with a clever cardboard dial-a-drink game on the table, I realized I was having a good time. This wasn't going at all as planned. He: I started out with a crock of French onion soup ($3.59), which, while rich with spoon-clinging cheese, was unremarkable. She: Then my house salad arrived. It was plentiful, colorful and garden-fresh, and a splendid barbecue-tinged ranch dressing was served alongside.
Date published: 9/1/2005
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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