Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 19, 1993 TAG: 9303190081
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOLORES KOSTELNI SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
GOOD FOOD, PLAIN AND SIMPLE
Amid a gaggle of Texas roadhouse he-man bric-a-brac, Longhorn Steaks pleases the crowds with its food, friendliness and hospitality.It's an amazing place for a couple of good reasons. Even though it's situated in the narrow strip next to Kroger at Tanglewood - where a garden center used to be - it's not cramped. There's plenty of room in between and at the old-looking wooden tables and booths. The place has a lively, fun atmosphere.
What is most appealing to me is the food. It's simple, plain and straightforward, expertly cooked, of excellent quality and served in substantial portions. Pleasant, efficient service, a genial hostess at the front, plus reasonable prices make Longhorn Steaks a well-managed, bright light on the local restaurant scene.
In my three visits I've enjoyed really good meals. Liver and onions ($3.99 all you can eat) surprised me because of the meat's tenderness, delicious flavor, juiciness, freshness and perfect medium-doneness. The accompanying grilled onions were crisp, sauteed chunks, not the usual oily, thin crescent slices.
A steak sandwich ($6.95) received straight A's for its superb beef flavor and generous size. It more than blanketed a large, kaiser-type roll that absorbed its luscious, freely oozing juices.
Accompanying slices of winter tomato proved to be remarkable in color and taste.
Manager Tony Anders explained that these tomatoes are not the usual gassed variety shipped from afar. Longhorn Steaks obtains them from a local supplier whose produce is untainted by chemicals.
With the exception of the frozen shrimp, everything else arrived fresh and was prepared in-house and from scratch on a daily basis. This includes soups ($1.75/cup, $2.25/bowl); the thick, well-seasoned chilis ($1.95/cup, $2.95/bowl) with a mantle of gooey, melted cheddar; desserts ($2.95); and Canadian baby back ribs ($7.95).
Uncooked ribs from Canada are slowly oven-roasted, refrigerated in portions, then sauced and browned on a flat-top grill as they are ordered. Although these are lovely ribs, with sweet meat falling off the bones, they're not my favorite because the sauce contains too heavy a smoked flavor for my taste.
The flat-top grill makes all the difference in the cooking. This is especially evident with the burgers. They're excellent, and in a class of their own. Start with the basic burger-burger ($4.20), a nicely thick half-pound of ground sirloin cooked to perfection and served on a kaiser-type roll with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle.
As your horizons broaden, so do the burgers. From the extraordinary cheese version ($4.45) to mushroom and sour cream ($4.95) to my favorite with cheddar and bacon ($4.95). For those who can't make up their minds, there's the dripping-all-over-itself Texas Burger, a combination of everything ($5.70). These burgers rival anything I've had before.
For dinner, I especially liked beginning the meal with a crunchy green salad, and then attacking the steak and salmon ($16.95). This plate featured a 7-ounce filet and a 7-ounce salmon separated by a baked sweet potato. Neither the beef nor the fish let me down. They both were marvelous. The only drawback was I just couldn't finish it all.
A brief, friendly wine list features old reliable standards from Mondavi and Sterling, both offered by the glass and bottle at fair prices. Beer is kept just above freezing in an ice and water bath.
If you have room to even think about desserts, there are two: a brownie deluxe and a homemade fruit cobbler (each $2.95) served with vanilla ice cream. Gigantic, splendidly sweet and rich are appropriate descriptions for them.
Culinary trends come and go, but unfussy solid food has always been here to stay. These plain, perfectly cooked meals at Longhorn Steaks are reminiscent of the great, quickly cooked hash-house specialties from days gone by. It blends the unbeatable combination of real food with old-fashioned satisfaction.
LONGHORN STEAKS\ Tanglewood Mall 4490 Electric Road, Roanoke 776-3011\ \ HOURS: Open seven days a week, lunch 11:15 a.m. -4 p.m.; dinner Monday-Thursday, 4-10:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 4-11 p.m.; Sunday, 4-10 p.m.
\ BEVERAGES: Full range of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.\ \ PRICE RANGE: Lunch, $3.95-$6.95; diner, $5.95-$16.95.\ \ CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED: All major credit cards.\ \ RESERVATIONS REQUIRED:?: Only for groups of eight or more.\ \ NO SMOKING SECTION?: Yes.
Dolores Kostelni has been a restaurant consultant, manager and chef.