Having lived in Texas for the first half of my life, I felt that the Texas Roadhouse that opened up on South Meadow Street this May seemed a promising place to relive old tastes from the South. Unfortunately, some quick research showed that the chain restaurant had nothing to do with Texas and was originally founded in Indiana. Disappointing, yes, but I was hopeful that the food would still be enjoyable. Along with my good friend Daniel Xu ’17, I went one early afternoon, hoping to take advantage of the “early dinner” deal for a small discount.
The place was crowded when we first arrived, but within minutes we were ushered along to a table by a friendly, if hurried, waitress. The atmosphere was loud and cheerful; country music blared constantly above the general hubbub, working in conjunction with a simple, woody interior designed to give off a rustic feel. About once an hour or so, all the servers in the restaurant participated in some line dancing to a particular tune, much to the amusement/cringes of onlooking diners.
Upon taking our seats, fresh rolls and peanuts were provided as complimentary appetizers as we glanced through the menus. The peanuts were as exciting as you’d expect, but the rolls were very well-made, still warm, with a light, buttery texture. They came with a spread, the taste of which I couldn’t quite place; it was very much like butter but just a tad sweeter. I managed to eat three before Xu advised me to save some space for the actual meal.
In addition to our free appetizers, we ordered a plate of cheese fries and a bowl of chili. Although they were delicious, in retrospect, the decision to order them was a poor one. The quantity of cheese fries provided was, for two people, alarming; a monstrous pile of thick fries slathered with rich cheese and bacon bits. We could only eat about a third before our stomachs began to feel heavy, and a significant portion was brought home in a take-out box at the end. Thankfully, the chili was of moderate size and was, if not amazing, at least satisfactory. Price-wise, the appetizers weren’t too bad, coming to about $9 altogether. Heed my advice, though: come here only with a minimum of three people.
Finally, the main entrees arrived, each of us having ordered a 6 oz. sirloin steak with two sides. The major disappointment came when I made my first cut through the meat. Despite having ordered a medium-rare steak, the color and texture inside indicated that it was rare at best. Not having a very picky palate, I could manage this, but the worst came when I began to chew on my meal. The steak was rubbery and slimy, giving in slightly like a wet sponge before my teeth could find any purchase. The taste, too, was greasy and artificial, and I couldn’t help but wonder if my entree hadn’t just been nuked in a microwave prior to serving. I couldn’t eat more than half, and instead focused my attention on the mashed potatoes and corn that came with it. Those I found much more to my liking, but unfortunately my stressed stomach could handle only a few more bites.
Meanwhile, Xu found his medium-cooked steak, which he’d ordered with another bowl of chili and green beans, surprisingly appetizing. He continued to enjoy the chili, but the green beans were, I’m sorry to say, abysmal. They really were awful, and I say that as someone who’s eaten a lot of green beans in my time. In fact, when you drown them in excess oil and overcook them to the consistency of warm paste, I really don’t think you can qualify them as veggies any more. Truth be told, after finishing what we could, we were in no mood for dessert and soon left. The overall price of around $30 (each entree was $10), while average, was certainly not worth the mediocre dinner.
Overall, Texas Roadhouse is sadly no different than the Chili’s or Applebee’s of Ithaca: higher-priced dining for low-quality food. With so many other restaurants scattered throughout Ithaca, many of which are locally-owned and much tastier, you should think twice before deciding to grab a meal here with your friends or family.