We have eaten out maybe a half dozen times since phase-whatever kicked in and restaurants were opened. Most have been good and welcomed experiences and I appreciate the extra effort these eateries have gone to keep things safe and to make dining experiences enjoyable. But we hit a pothole last week. Texas Roadhouse, which had become one of our go-to places, genuinely failed to deliver.
We found a couple stools at the bar, normally where we enjoy eating because the service there is usually first-rate. We noticed that the bartender, one of our servers, was really slammed. There were some thirsty customers at the Roadhouse that night. The assistant bartender waited on us, and was very friendly, but I think he was brand new. I asked him what the house bourbon was and he said Aristocrat, which is an inexpensive vodka, so I ordered Makers Mark to be sure.
I was starving and ordered the Combo Appetizer which includes boneless wings, Rattlesnake Bites (fried jalapenos) and potato skins. I also ordered a hamburger, medium, and I looked forward to a nice thick, pink burger. I had ordered a burger here before and it was perfect. Nancy went for the ribs.
The drinks came fairly quickly, but we waited and waited and were finally served our dinner and the appetizer at the same time. That’s a big no-no. The bartender said she’d speak to the manager about that faux-pas, but she either didn’t or the manager didn’t care.
The hamburger wasn’t medium – which Texas Roadhouse promises as a pink center. It was well done and cold by the time I had eaten some of the appetizer, which was fair at best. Nancy said here ribs were just okay, but she would never order them again.
The only caveat was that our waiters were friendly and personable, but the Texas Roadhouse has gone quickly from being one of my favorites to one that I likely won’t visit for a while.
Anybody should be able to cook a pink burger when you order it that way and nobody brings the appetizer with the entrée. Two thumbs down.