Restaurant Review: Outback Steakhouse

Before last night, I had never been to Outback Steakhouse. I know; How is that possible? Our server actually laughed and didn't believe me at first, but it's true. So, when I was offered a gift card to try it out and give a review, I jumped at the chance. It's OBSH's 20th Anniversary! Twenty years, and I hadn't been there. It was high time I stopped in to check it out.

We went to the Outback Steakhouse here in Bethlehem, Pa and this is how our dining experience rated.
Scaling is 1 for Poor and 5 for Excellent so the total Perfect Score for any restaurant would be 25.

Parking - 5 - Keep in mind it was a Sunday evening, so we basically had our choice of parking spots.

Ambiance - 4 1/2 - The only thing keeping this from a 5 was the lighting - it was a little dark, but that's a good thing when it's just two of you. Everything was clean and shiny and I wasn't bothered by other conversations going on in the restaurant, so the sound aspect was good.

Service - 4 - This would have been an easy 5 if the service had been consistent. We had the nicest waiter - Jarrett H. - but we didn't have him the whole time. We had three other servers drop off various parts of our dinner and they were all super nice so they get a solid 4 for service.

Food - 3 - I really, really wanted this to be a 5, especially after the appetizers. My companion had Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie and I had Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp. Both were excellent, perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned and at just the right temp. The grilled shrimp came with a remoulade sauce that was very good, but my companion said the shrimp were so good as-is that he didn't even need to salt them, and that's saying a lot since he's a real salt-oholic. The Creole-marmalade that came with my shrimp was to-die-for and my companion kept stealing it to put on the bread that was served with our drinks (which was also awesome). I was so wowed, that I expected it to continue on to the entrees.

I ordered Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad and my companion ordered the Bacon Cheese Burger with Swiss Cheese, medium-well. He was going to order medium, but when the server said "a little pink inside", he changed his mind and went for a bit more done.

When my salad came, it looked odd and I couldn't figure out why at first until I realized that there were no croutons- a must for Caesar and also part of the menu description billed as "hand-cut". I did eventually find them all buried in a little pile under one side of the salad. I don't know if the dressing was bottled or not, but there was so much garlic in it that it was very hot. I love lots of garlic, don't get me wrong, but I won't be breathing near anyone for a week, and that much garlic in a Caesar isn't the norm.

My companion didn't do so well on the burger front, either - his burger was too done and dry and he only ate about half of it. I was thoroughly bummed out because they had started so strong with the appetizers.

Pricing - 4 - We ordered cheaper meals, so our total was $57, but if we'd actually ordered a steak from the steakhouse, our total would have been that just for entrees. So, for this cheap Scot, the pricing for value gets a 4.

Total for Outback Steakhouse? 19 1/2 out of a possible 25.

The bottom line? I'd go again, but I'd order a different entree, and go with my own instincts about burger doneness.

OBSH Gift Card provided by Charlie Kondek of MS&L. This is not a paid product endorsement.

Product Review: Senseo Deluxe

I love coffee. I'm addicted to coffee. If I could get coffee in an IV drip, I'd do it; the faster, the better. That's where Senseo comes in. It's fast, it's good, and there's no coffee left behind to burn and be rendered completely unsafe for human consumption. OK, well, unsafe is pushing it, but really, how long can you drink burnt coffee before your stomach lining is gone? See? Senseo is good for your health.

All silliness aside, this thing really works. Add water to the reservoir, pop in a coffee pod, turn it on and there you have it. Fresh coffee and consistent flavor, cup by cup, each and every time. I tried the Dark roast that came with the machine and also bought Sumatran blend - both were great.

It takes up no more room than a regular coffee maker, you can brew two cups at a time, and it looks totally cool.

What other reason do you need to want one? If you'd like to purchase a Senseo for yourself, I have 5 coupons for $20 off a system - but ONLY 5! Email me at irishones7 (@) juno.com with your mailing address and I'll shoot one off to you ASAP! There's also a neat little brochure with each coupon with more details on the Senseo.

Once again, if you click the link above, you can fill out a very short form and see if you can get one for just shipping and handling!

Senseo was provided by Charlie Kondek of Hass MS&L. This is not a paid product endorsement.

Coffee for One and Eating Better - FREE!

Right now at ShareSenseo.com sign up for a chance to win a FREE Senseo® Single Serve Coffee Pod System. Fill out a short survey, and if you're selected (you'll be notified by e-mail within 2-6 weeks), you'll get a Senseo machine for $15 shipping and handling. That's a GREAT deal considering the Senseo retails for $70.

On a healthier eating note, EatBetterAmerica.com is giving away free samples of Fiber One cereal. It's easy; sign up for the Eat Better America newsletter and your sample will be on it's way! Sign up HERE.

The newsletter is sent out once a month and offers recipes and tips for anyone seeking a healthier lifestyle.

*Fiber One provides 57% of the average adults daily fiber
requirement, has 0 grams of sugar and 60 calories per serving.*

Information provided by Charlie Kondek of Hass MS&L. This is not a paid product endorsement.

Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters

My latest acquisition (haha) from Hass MS&L was a box of Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters. I have to say this, raisin bran is my favorite cereal, so there was no way I was going to turn down the chance to do this review. I'm not sorry in the least, either. This is just good cereal. It has a nice balance of crunchy flakes, light sweetness and isn't overloaded with raisins. Just right. The extra fiber doesn't hurt, either.

Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters was provided by Charlie Kondek of Hass MS&L. This is not a paid product endorsement.

Fruity Cheerios...yummmm

A couple of my kids were home today when the Fed-Ex guy brought me a package from Hass MSL. Like the kids they are, they crowded around to see what my next great review was for.

They weren't disappointed at all when I pulled out a box of Fruity Cheerios. The brightly colored box and trademark word printed across the front told them all they needed to know; it's something yummy.

My oldest son's first words after crunching a handful of the cereal were, "Wow. This is awesome...way better than (the other guys)." I do NOT like fruity flavored cereal. Apple is fine, lightly flavored banana is good, but that (other stuff) --ew. I have to agree with him on this one, though; this stuff is awesome. Little man said, "It's alicious!" while downing handful after handful.

This cereal is not anything like (the other guys), they still taste like the Cheerios you know and love, but with a terrific fruity flavor that is anything but overly sweet. I really enjoyed the lighter sweetness factor without losing the great fruit flavor.

Right now Modern Mom is hosting a contest for Fruity Cheerios lovers. The Modern Mom Fruity Cheerios Family Fun Contest is running from now until May 18Th. If you can show how Fruity Cheerios adds to your family fun with either a photo or video, then hop on over and submit your entry. The Grand Prize winner will receive a case of Fruity Cheerios and $500 cash.

These Cheerios are as good as any other Cheerios we've ever bought and I've always trusted their brand. I'm positive this will be a new and permanent addition to our shopping list, and shopping day is tomorrow! Hey, half a box isn't going to last once the other kids get home from school.


*Note: This is NOT a paid product endorsement. Fruity Cheerios was provided by Charlie Kondek of Hass MS&L.

Nature Valley Granola Cereal

I recently had the chance to check out the new Nature Valley Oats 'N Honey 100 Percent Natural Cereal. This is some seriously good cereal. It's crunchy beyond belief and the flavor is just plain yummy. I love the little pieces of granola bar tucked in with the two types of flakes they have going on; in fact, it was really hard not to dig them out just to munch on. One type of flake is full of rice crunchies and the other tastes corn based. The box states rice, wheat, corn and oat, but I couldn't tell beyond the rice and corn what was what.

At any rate, it is definitely 100 percent natural which is a plus, but there's quite a bit of sugar in there too. The cost isn't economical, but I would buy it again for special mornings or to pack with us for a trip since it's such a sturdy cereal. You can pour milk on this baby, forget about it for 15 minutes, and still have crunchy cereal. It's definitely anti-mush.

Check it out if you get the chance to!

NOTE: Nature Valley Oats ‘N Honey Cereal provided by Charlie Kondek of Hass MS&L .
This is NOT a paid product endorsement.