SURE, Outback Steakhouse has got the name, the Fosters and the potties for "blokes" and "sheilas" to herald its Down Under lineage. For a good hunk
of steak, go OutbackNever mind that when you talk to anyone from Australia, they're likely to deny that "Fosters is the name for beer." Instead, among the top pisses (beers) are Victoria Bitter, Swan or Emu, which aren't on the menu.
Isn't it clever though? The steakhouse idea was until recently rather stale, but re-package it as a hip, trendy Aussie invention and sell it back to us. Ta-Dah! Instant success, to the count of more than 400 Outbacks nationwide.
Outback's Florida family tree includes Steak & Ale, Bennigan's and Chili's. The principals responsible for bringing Outback here are Ed Wary, who recently introduced Dixie Grill, and Roy's restaurants' Roy Yamaguchi.
Don't expect a Roy's type of menu. He'd probably have us picking at crocodile meat, yabbies (crayfish), and who knows what else ... maybe witchetty grubs, caterpillars said to taste like peanut butter. Contemporary Australian tucker (food) also bears Mediterranean and Singapore influences, which would fit right in with the chef's style. But at the heart of Australian cooking is good old meat and potatoes, and there's plenty of it here.
Outback is outfitted like a Bennigan's or Chili's, with uniform wooden cubicles and irritating lamps right at eye level, the better to speed the dining process and keep those tables turning. And they do turn. Especially with every Japanese tourist using the place as a rest stop on walkabouts into Waikiki from Ala Moana Center. Those Tiffany and Prada bags do get heavy.
The fare is a mix of greatest bar hits with a bonanza of beef.
START your tea (evening meal) with the Bloomin' Onion ($6.49), a 1-pound onion cut to resemble a chrysanthemum, dipped in a spicy Cajun batter and deep-fried. It's a meal in itself.Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp ($7.49) are dipped in beer batter and deep-fried to a crunchy sweetness that can do without the accompanying marmalade.
There is really nothing on the menu for dieters. Even the pastas, such as the Walhalla Pasta ($10.99) with veggies, is tossed with a creamy Alfredo sauce.
But chances are, you didn't arrive at the steakhouse by accident. Choose from the 14-ounce New York strip dubbed the Michael J. "Crocodile" Dundee ($18.99), the 20-ounce porterhouse, The Melbourne ($21.99), or the 9-ounce tenderloin, Victoria's Filet ($17.49). If you can't afford to get to Ayers Rock, then at least you can order the sirloin ($16.49) that bears its name. However, it's topped with a teriyaki glaze that detracts from the essence of steak, which is best when topped with just the right blend of salt and pepper.
The Rack of Lamb ($19.99) weighs in at a generous 14 ounces and is served with a light cabernet sauce. Ribs on the Barbie ($15.79) are smoky babyback pork ribs served with Aussie chips (fries) and a helping of cinnamon-baked apples. Just don't get the ribs and chicken combo ($15.99); the latter is pretty dry.
It's worth saving room for the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under ($4.99), a fudgy pecan brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, homemade chocolate sauce and chocolate shavings. Yum! Or should I say, bonzer!
Outback Steakhouse
Where: 1765 Ala Moana Blvd. (next to Red Lobster). Validated parking $3.Hours: 3:30 to 11 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; to 10 p.m. Sunday
Prices: About $43 to $50 for two without drinks
Call: 951-6274, no reservations
Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
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