OUTBACK'S STEAK HOUSE -

The server also had asked us if we had been there before and we said no and she suggested before we season any of our food to taste it because most of the food is well seasoned. The steaks all came the way we ordered them, and they all arrived nice and hot. The baked potatoes were also very good.

Outbacks also has some kids stuff special for them on the menu, and they had a highchair for my grand daughter. My grandson had some kind of cook shrimp and he really liked that. So all in all we will go back.

Yes it was a little higher than some places, but not that high. And don't forget you pay for what you get, (most of the time) that is. I give it a ten.

   Date: 5 Feb 2000 06:08:28 GMT
   From: du577@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Annette Goldenberg)

I haven't eaten in the one you mention, but have eaten at the South Keys location.

The honey-mustard dressing for the salad (extra) is good, even if the salad contents are very basic. As for the food, don't expect too much complication, but if you want a big hunk of grilled meat, this is the place!

No vegetables, unless you order a side plate, lots of cheese etc. Overall, I'm not sure we'll go back, we're much more fond of the sister restauraunt, Montana's.

   Date: 14 Feb 2000 04:18:16 GMT
   From: da732@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Andrea Ferguson)

ROSE BOWL STEAKHOUSE - 1717 CARLING - 729-4000

Those of you who remember the Rose Bowl as that place with the claustrophobic ceiling hanging down in clumps can be assured that this new and improved Rose Bowl is nothing like that.Clean snowy-white tablecloths, touches of red velvet (shades of the 50's but it works), "mature" waitresses who know how to wait tables professionally, all added to the pleasure of excellent food, well prepared and most reasonably priced ($130.00 for 4 included coctails, several courses and a bottle of wine).

A la carte and specials are both available. Both the steak selections and the roast beef were top notch. Along with the specials came the best (and biggest) shrimp cocktails in the city. A decent selection of wine, not overly priced and a complimentary flaming liquor delivered to the birthday person, makes me want to recommend this as an excellent place to have a steak and/or roast beef in a relaxed atmosphere.

   Date: Tue Mar  5 15:09:05 1996
   From: ad350@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Elaine Fortune)

STERLING STEAKHOUSE - GATINEAU, QC

Sterling is a charming "auberge style" house by the river that is quite huge with many dining rooms. The restaurant is owned by the same people who own Toscano's Italian restaurant, La Cage Aux Sports (sports bar_restaurant), and Gatineau Pizza; all on the Quebec side of the river. Sterling was modeled after "La Queue de Cheval" in Montreal. The restaurant has a small butcher shop within where cuts of meat are prepared on site as ordered. It is an interesting concept.

The Valentine's Day "Table d' hôte" at Sterling, was not cheap at $55.00 but we had been told that the food was excellent. Unfortunately, we never got to the point of being served our main meal because after spending 4 hours and 12 minutes in the restaurant we left before being served the main course.

We arrived at 7:30 pm for drinks and although it was Valentine's Day, we did not get our table until 20:35 hours (our reservation was for 8:00 pm). Waiting 30 minutes for a table on a busy night is no big deal. However, we then waited another 25 minutes before a waiter brought the menus to our table. By the way, the table with a view of the river? Forget it. We were seated immediately next to a gas fireplace with our view of the other diners almost completely obliterated by the huge chimney. The ambient temperature near our table was estimated by our party to be in the high 20 degrees Celsius (80s Fahrenheit). We also waited an additional 20 minutes before the waiter came back to take our orders. All members of our party elected to try the "Table d'hôte," and the waiter also refused to "tone down" the gas fireplace for us, but they did keep the water glasses well filled. Thereafter, we waited another 45 minutes before the appetizers (they were delicious) were served. These included "duck pâté en croute,"skewer of escargots, and goat cheese in a "mille feuille" pastry. The presentation was artistic, served in interestingly shaped dishware, and generally quite nice . About 25 minutes later, the soup (a creamy green pea soup) was served. We were provided with teaspoons with which to eat our soup. The waiter was non-apologetic for the choice of cutlery, pointing out that it was a full house. The soup was warm and its taste better than expected but the consensus at our table was that it was not a suitable choice for this "Table d'hôte."

Another 45 minutes passed before we were served the next course; a frozen "champagne slush," presumably their version of a "trou Normand" (typically an inter-dish alcoholic drink intended to refresh one's appetite in preparation for the next course). The dish was interesting, tasty, and refreshing, especially in light of the heat radiating from the fireplace. We then waited, and waited, and waited until the restaurant was more than 3/4 empty. We had gone through two bottles of wine and more warm bread than a baker's helper, when our waiter presented at 11:00 pm to apologize and to tell us that it should not be much longer, maybe ten to fifteen minutes before our main meal would be served. After 35 more minutes of waiting, I asked for our check. My request was declined and I was told that the main course would be served within five minutes. I then waited another 5 minutes but no one brought the check or the meal. As I gathered my coat to leave, I could see that the fire-pit grill's chef still had not started cooking the meal (steaks) we had ordered hours previously. As we were leaving, we could see waiters were still bringing the main course to other tables. We were not alone in having been made to wait unreasonably for our meal. Who asks for their main meal at 11:30 pm on Valentine's day? As I was walking out the restaurant at 23:38 hours, I could hear the couple ahead of us grumbling that this place was rotten and that they would never come back. I did not ask them what their complaint was about. I do know that Sterling's reputation has been irretrievably tarnished in the eyes of the six people at our table; we dine out regularly. It was unfortunate that we never got to the main course because the first three dishes were excellent. In fairness to our waiter, he offered to pay for our wine out of his own pocket when told we were leaving. We declined his offer. In our eyes, the unreasonable delays in getting our main course was systemic (a team effort) and not entirely his responsibility.

If your readers plan on patronizing Sterling Steak House in Gatineau, Quebec on special days (Mother's day, St. Valentine's day, New Year's days, etc.) I would encourage them to bring a good book and to be patient.

   Date: Thu Feb 15 2004
   From: ffas@Sympatico.ca