Monday, April 21, 2008

Let's go Outback tonight....

Tomorrow night NAH and I are taking the non-allergic inlaws to dinner at their favorite restaurant, Outback Steakhouse. I was just reading their menu, and grew a little concerned at the amount of seasoned items on their menu. Then I read:

When the worries of the day are too much, Australians say it's time to let go and 'Go Outback.' A place to stop, unwind, and share time with family and friends. So kick back, relax, you're Outback. No Worries!

I thought I'd put this to the test. I remembered reading somewhere that Outback, if you told them upfront about your allergies, would be more than accommodating. I decided to test that theory, and was more than upfront, I called 24 hours ahead of time.

The conversation went like this:
Me: I will be eating dinner at your restaurant tomorrow night with my family, and I'm a little concerned about my food allergies and the amount of seasoned items on your menu. Do you know if it's possible to get something without all the seasonings, or if those spices and marinades are placed on the meat ahead of time?

Outback representative: Certainly! You can get anything on our menu without seasoning except for the Tuscan Ribeye, because that marinates for a long time before we grill it. Everything else can be made to order, as we season each food before we cook and serve it.
(Wonderful! But wait...there's more!) Also, as long as you inform your waiter, we'll have our line chefs switch their gloves and we'll clean the spot on the grill right before putting your food on it to make sure there's no cross-contamination (I almost swooned!). If you're concerned about simply telling your waiter, tell the manager when you come in and if you're specific about your allergies, he will oversee the whole process to make sure it's safe.

Me: That sounds wonderful, THANK YOU!

And then I did a little dance...well, not really, but those of you who have food allergies know how good it feels to know you don't have to worry (as much) about the food you're going out to eat.
Check out the Outback menu, and happy ordering! I'll check back Wednesday with a dinner review. I'm off to review the menu to figure out what I'd like to eat, allergy-free.

Thanks,
Allergic Diner

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