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Tittl review: Sauces worth the visit to Roadhouse Grill
| Wednesday, Oct 24 2007 3:02 PM
Last Updated: Wednesday, Oct 24 2007 3:02 PM
There are some folks who think chain restaurants have everything down to a science. How many feet you prefer between the front door and the smiling hostess who greets you. How far away you want to sit from the table or booth next to you, or how much you’ll pay for a chicken and ribs combo plate. How many pieces of “flair” your waiter or waitress ought to have on their shirt (see the movie “Office Space” for a more detailed explanation).
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But because we’re dealing with human beings, you can’t always break the hospitality industry down to a science. And I was always intrigued that the Original Roadhouse Grill (on Rosedale Highway) went to all the trouble of serving homemade ice cream. Who does that outside of Cold Stone and Dewar’s? So I did a double take when I saw it wasn’t on the menu board during a recent visit.
“Nobody ordered it,” said our waitress, with an explanation so logical you’d think she was running the place. “People didn’t want to pay for it.”
Well, I did but I was out of luck, so instead we tried the sweet potato pecan pie ($3.99), which she was unable to warm up “because our microwave exploded tonight.” Hot or cold, that thing needed more whole pecans on top for some nuttiness to cut the sweetness.
But what kind of a review is this if I start out with dessert and work backward? Roadhouse, after all, is known for more than that. It’s known for the peanut shells on the floor, the beers and drinks in Mason jars and steaks that, like Outback, are priced low and best ordered with marinades to make up for the leaner marbling. Oh, and the baked sweet potatoes with butter and brown sugar that make you wonder why more places don’t serve those.
But there I am getting back to the sweets. OK, I ordered the Robby Gordon #7 ribeye ($23.99), because it was marinated in pineapple juice, brown sugar and Jim Beam and served with crispy onion strings, called spicy lassos. My companion selected the bourbon tri-tip and grilled chicken ($17.99), which features the restaurant’s roasted tri-tip with a bourbon glaze. Now I know I continue to mention things that have some sugar, but the sauces are what makes this restaurant worth visiting, especially at these prices. The meals include fresh hot rolls with honey butter, soup or salad and a choice of various starches (the sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, ordinary fries or creamy garlic mashed potatoes that need no butter). I would like some vegetables and potatoes with this, but that’s not an option. It’s either starch, steamed broccoli or grilled vegetables. As it was, the beef was the real star, though my companion expressed a fondness for the smoky barbecue sauce on that skinless, boneless chicken breast. It made it real interesting.
I can say nasty things about her house salad, which was distinctive mostly for three perfect purple onion rings on the top that were arranged like the Olympic rings. Too much dressing — just drowning in it — and dull iceberg lettuce to boot.
Service was mixed. No one seemed available to clear away plates after we were finished with them, though I saw bus boys all around, and we went through long bouts of inattention until the check suddenly appeared (before we were even asked about dessert).
Original Roadhouse Grill
8490 Rosedale Highway
587-8039
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Prices: Lunch $6.99-$10.99. Appetizers $5.99-$12.99, salads $4.79-$10.99, sandwiches and hamburgers $7.99-$10.99, entrees $12.49-23.99, combo entrees $13.99-$21.99. Child’s plate available.
Payment: MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover accepted. Does not accept personal checks or The Californian’s Press Pass.
Dress: Casual.
Amenities: Wheelchair accessible; full bar service; few vegetarian options.
Web site: http://www.originalroadhousegrill.com/
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 1⁄2 stars
Service: 3 stars
Next week: Caesar’s Deli (Rosedale)