Outback

[bartfull]

So I went to Rapid City yesterday and ate at Outback. I guess this is my "restaurant review".

 

First off, I did NOT get sick. I explained to the waiter that I also have a corn "allergy" It's actually an intolerance, but I figured he's take it more seriosly if I called it an allergy. I told him my choice of gluten-free was not due to the new trend, but was a medical necessity. He assured me he would speak to the chef about both the gluten and the corn.

 

I ordered decaf because just about every non-alcoholic beverage has some form of corn in it. He came back and told me the pot of decaf he started "blew up" - grounds all over the place, and that he had to start a new pot so it would be a few minutes. He brought me ice water in the meantime. I asked him if it came out of "the gun" they use to dispense soda, and he said no, it came from a tap. (I didn't drink it anyway because I don't like city water.)

 

The gluten-free menu had plenty of interesting choices but no prices! I compared the equivalent meals to the ones with prices in my friend's regular menu. Turns out the prices were the same. They also didn't mention (in either menu), the sizes of the steaks, nor the number of shrimp. (I already knew I wanted steak and shrimp but I wasn't sure which steak or which order of shrimp i wanted.)

 

Eventually both my friend and I chose the "petit filet with grilled barbie shrimp". The steak was 5 1/2 oz. and there were four shrimp. It came with a stuffed baked potato but he let me substitute with garlic mashed potatoes. The shrimp came on a bed of halved cherry tomatoes. Each dinner cost $14.99

 

Well, the garlic mashed potatoes were WONDERFUL. The steak was tender enough but I wish I had told him to just cook it plain. I am not sure but I suspect that the reason so many restaurants use seasonings on their steaks is to cover up what might otherwise be a not so tasty cut of meat. And the shrimp were WAY overspiced. Even the cherry tomatoes had some sort of coarse seasoning on them.

 

All in all, the dinner was OK. Not great, but not bad either. I was hoping, since this was my first restaurant experience in years, that it would be wonderful. But what WAS wonderful was being able to sit in a restaurant, be waited on, and not get sick.

 

Next time I'm going to go for the pizza at Lintz Brothers, but I'm not sorry we went to Outback this time.

 

Had a good time in Rapid. Bought a bunch of new "toys" for my shop and stocked up on make-up. I can't get the kind I like here and it turned out they had a buy one get one for half price sale. I also found out there are other restaurants with gluten-free menus in Rapid. I'll have to find out how trustworthy they are and I'll let you know.

 

 

[luvs2eat]

I had an amazing experience recently at Outback. I ordered the Alice Springs Chicken and steamed broccoli from the gluten-free menu. During my delicious meal, a guy came by and asked if I was enjoying it. I told him that I so appreciated being able to eat out as a celiac. Turns out he was the proprietor and told me that when they receive a gluten-free menu check in the kitchen, they go to a separate place to cook and take it all very seriously. I came home from that meal and sent off an email to Outback to express my thanks!

[GlutenStinks15]

I have had nothing but good experiences at Outback. Their flourless brownie is awesome. I've never (knock on wood) had a reaction.

 

I think they don't have the prices on the gluten free menu so that when the regular menu prices change, they don't have to reprint those menus also.

 

At my location they take Celiac very seriously. Even the server comes out, one plate at a time, and says, this is the gluten free steak. All of this makes me feel as safe as one can feel when dining out.

 

Glad you had a good trip!

[cap6]

I have always had nothing but wonderful experiences at Outback and Alice Springs is my fav.  Tons of calories and yummy fat grams.  !!  And of course restaurants spice and butter everything up - that's what makes it soo good. 

[DavidHarp]

I've had generally good experiences at Outback since they started offering a gluten-free menu.   However, at my local franchise, I find that I get many variations of the same dish, most of which are gluten free, but occasionally with some ingredients the menu specifies to avoid (e.g., blue cheese dressing on the wedge salad).   I never eat at a restaurant that doesn't have a cuisine that largely avoids gluten nor one in which the staff doesn't speak English well, but even so, I find there are two parts to any gluten free meal - placing the order, and then, frequently, questioning the server again after the item is brought out, especially if it looks suspicious.   Fish has sometimes come back with some breading added even with a specific and clear order to prepare gluten-free.   

[luvs2eat]

I've had generally good experiences at Outback since they started offering a gluten-free menu.   However, at my local franchise, I find that I get many variations of the same dish, most of which are gluten free, but occasionally with some ingredients the menu specifies to avoid (e.g., blue cheese dressing on the wedge salad).   I never eat at a restaurant that doesn't have a cuisine that largely avoids gluten nor one in which the staff doesn't speak English well, but even so, I find there are two parts to any gluten free meal - placing the order, and then, frequently, questioning the server again after the item is brought out, especially if it looks suspicious.   Fish has sometimes come back with some breading added even with a specific and clear order to prepare gluten-free.   

 

That is exactly why we never eat out. I've had too many experiences where I've talked to the server and the manager. Then the "ticket" goes into the kitchen and all bets are off. I've gone thru the whole she-bang and received a salad with tons of flour tortilla strips in it... even when the tortilla strips weren't even listed in my menu item! I had such a great experience at Outback and another time at Red Robin... but both of those places made a point of explaining to me that they've been trained and exactly what their procedures are when a gluten free "ticket" comes into the kitchen. I hope more restaurants jump on that awesome bandwagon!