Longhorn Steakhouse

Americans love Western-style steakhouse restaurants. Catering to this popularity are several national restaurant chains. There are Ponderosas, Outbacks (OK, Aussie Western-style), Texas Roadhouses and Longhorns. The latter has an outlet in the Horsham-Warrington area.

Every Western cliché is present inside this Longhorn Steakhouse’s familiar free-standing building: the huge longhorn steer head in the bar, the cowboy roughrider statue, the tack, the bleached cow skull, and the 10-gallon cowboy hats and cowboy boots. It is all very kitschy, yet I find it all very well done, very pleasantly lit and decorated, and kind of fun.

The Longhorn offers no less than 13 different offerings of its “legendary” grilled steaks, plus a ground steakburger.  If you are not a “meat and potatoes man,” you can find something on the menu from the choices of seafood: shrimp, salmon, trout, lobster tail—but, of course, Longhorn serves beef for steak lovers best.

Four of us went on a Friday evening last month.  Though it was busy, we were seated promptly in a comfortable booth, of which there are many, and found the noise level quite low for easy conversation.

I was pleased that the bar carries my current favorite beer, Stella Artois, though I missed it not being served in the classic Stella beer glass.  My Lovely Dining Companion (LDC) decided a light beer was right for her and ordered a Coors Light.

The starters menu covers a full page. We shared grilled cheddar-stuffed mushrooms ($7), chosen by our tablemates. I was not enthused by the description: “stuffed with cheddar and served over a creamy blend of four melted cheeses.” Today's chefs think that no amount of cheese is too much for today's taste. But the mushrooms were delicious, and, happily, the five cheeses did not overwhelm their flavor.

I ordered a classic shrimp cocktail, newly added to the menu at a reasonable $8.  The eight or so “jumbo shrimp” were succulent, if not jumbo, with a decent cocktail sauce, but were like those you buy frozen from the supermarket and thaw at room temperature.

For our main course, we went with what the Longhorn does best.  A 7-ounce filet mignon at $19 ($21 for a 9 ounce), the most expensive item on the menu except for the huge 22-ounce porterhouse steak ($26), did not disappoint, nor did the half-rack of baby back ribs.  These were served with a choice of side, salad and honey wheat bread. No less than 10 different salad dressings can be chosen.

Two of us were in the mood for a burger, and were totally happy with the juicy, grilled half-pound “steakhouse” burgers ($10 each), which came with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles on a toasted brioche bun with seasoned fries. Lots of burger add-ons, such as mushrooms or fried onions, can be had for a nominal extra charge. Add cheese at no extra charge. [Note: As the menu informs, the kitchen cooks its burgers “to medium (155 degrees).”  In the U.S., it is increasingly rare to be able to get a hamburger that is served even pink inside, much less rare.]

Desserts like the Chocolate Stampede, the Caramel Apple Goldrush and Golden Nugget Fried Cheesecake keep up the unrelenting Western beat, and along with Key Lime Pie and the Ultimate Brownie Sundae, are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

To contact Mitch Davis, email him at MdavisMainCourse@aol.com.

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Overall rating: mmm 3/4 (out of 5 m’s)

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The Main Course at Longhorn Steakhouse

Location:  240 Easton Road (Route 611), Warrington

Phone:  215-918-2500

Website:  www.longhornsteakhouse.com

Cuisine: American steakhouse chain

Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Prices: Appetizers, soups and salads, $5 to $14; burgers and sandwiches, $10; large plates, $14 to $27

Ambiance: Kitschy western décor, but pleasant overall

Reservations: No

Credit cards: Major accepted

Alcoholic beverages: Full-service bar