9:10pm Wednesday 8th July 2009
By Sophie Edwards
AT first glance, this family restaurant might seem pretty uninspiring. Sitting off the A127, opposite Pipps Hill retail park, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a wannabe which didn’t make it on to the nearby Festival Leisure Park in Basildon.
But you’d be wrong, as the Outback is a cut above any other steakhouse of its kind I have been to.
My dining partner and I visited the steakhouse on a Sunday night and found it humming with families, couples and the odd birthday party.
We were quickly shown to a comfortable table, and although not the most original or romantic of settings, the atmosphere was fun.
A look at the menu showed the steakhouse was true to its name, offering an impressive selection of five different kinds of steak, large or small.
But there was also plenty for the less carnivorous, including salads, fish, shrimp and chicken.
Not wanting to spoil our appetites, neither of us went for starters and went straight to the main event, for me a sirloin steak.
Legend has it, one day England’s colossal Tudor monarch, Henry VIII, was enjoying his steak so much he decided it deserved a knighthood and became Sir Loin.
It’s probably not true, but nevertheless, I think the great King Harry would have enjoyed this particular sirloin, which was cooked to perfection and served with a jacket potato, loaded with sour cream, cheese and bits of bacon, as well as a generous house salad.
My fellow gastronomer chose equally well with his Outback classic, a 283g monster of a rump steak.
It came just as he ordered it, charred and tasty on the outside, nice and rare in the middle.
To accompany, he opted for delicious handcut chips smothered in cheese and bacon.
In a small effort to offset the serious cheese and meat overload, we also ordered some steamed broccoli which arrived tasting fresh.
Somehow, after chomping our way through the generous portions, we found room for pudding and shared a pecan pie with ice cream, about which we had no complaints.
Throughout our meal, the staff were extremely friendly and very efficient, you couldn’t have asked for more.
Although it isn’t exactly cheap, Outback is worth paying that bit extra. They use quality ingredients and know how to cook their food.
It’s not pretentious, it’s not fancy, it’s straight-up tasty and satisfying food.
What we ate Ayers Rock sirloin steak, 227g, with house salad, loaded jacket potato and cabernet dijon sauce £17.99; Outback classic rump steak, 283g, with cheesy chips £16.99; Side order of broccoli £1.49; Pecan pie £5.50.
Our verdict (out of five) Atmosphere 3; Food 3; Decor 3; Value 5; Service 5; Disabled access Yes.
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