Texas Roadhouse Grill

I’m always up for a free meal, so when Brian suggested going to Texas Roadhouse for an event, I punched out early from work so we could meet up and go to El Pueblo in Ortigas.

Because we were early, we bummed around in SM Megamall for a bit and discovered a new store called Tutti Frutti (but more on that in our previous post.)

Of course the first thing you notice about the place is the decor. True to form, Texas Roadhouse is designed like a cowboy’s retreat. Pictures of cowboys and rodeos adorn the wall, and the walls and furniture are mostly made from wood, and very rustic in feel. But of course, we didn’t come here to check out the decor, we came here to eat!

Chef whatshisname came out of the kitchen to welcome us bloggers and to explain the concept of the food that we were to have for the night. They didn’t disappoint. First thing that comes to mind, I’m sure, when one says Texas Roadhouse, even with the barest knowledge of the place, is that it will have steaks on the menu, and indeed there were steaks on the menu. But more on that later.

Well, like they always tell me, less talking, more eating so on to the food then: We were first served Corn Soup. Now, I know it sounds so blah, what is so special about corn soup, after all? But mind you, this was no ordinary corn soup, it had strips of tortilla chips in it, which gave it a welcome surprise.

Next came the Jesse James Sampler. I love cheese sticks – or anything cheese, for that matter, and this was no exception. I found everything to be yummy, although the buffalo wings weren’t as spicy as I’d hoped they would be. I guess this is so that people not as fond of spicy food can still enjoy this dish.

Next came the pride of the Texas Roadhouse – the rib eye steak. Chef whatshisname explains the choice of beef they use, which is choice. At first I thought it odd that a reputable steakhouse would choose to serve anything less than prime, but I did understand the choice once he explains. He says that since most Pinoys shy away from meat with too much fat, it would make more sense to serve steaks that are of the choice variety, which would also make their pricing more competitive. I found the steak a bit hard to cut into, but it was flavorful, if a bit salty for my taste.

Next on the menu were Seafood Skewers. This one was my personal favorite, pink salmon and shrimps on a skewer set on a bed of rice, and served with lemon butter dipping sauce. I do love me some seafood, and this was cooked just right.

Of course, what meal would be complete without dessert? I have to admit I was thinking of skipping dessert altogether since I was so stuffed and had earlier gotten myself some yogurt, but who could resist this Mud Pie? Certainly not me, that’s for sure. I’m not a fan of chocolate, but I have to admit that this really hit the spot. We learned that this mud pie was made with Snickers chocolate, which made it a winner in my book, and my favorite part of the pie hands down was the crust, although it was a bit tough to cut into because it was so hard.