I was invited to attend a dinner with several other local bloggers to learn about new menu items at Longhorn Steakhouse.
We started by sampling several new appetizers.
First we tried the Beer Pub Pretzel Sticks. (Warm pretzel breadsticks served with Sam Adams® beer cheese and bacon honey mustard)
The preztel sticks were delicious and the beer cheese had a mild flavor that wasn’t overbearing.
The Spicy Chicken Bites (Crispy chicken tossed in a spicy sweet chili-ginger sauce) had a great kick to them.
The Wild West Shrimp (crispy, hand-battered shrimp and put the flavor in overdrive with spicy cherry peppers, garlic butter and housemade Ranch dressing) were not to spicy and a had just the right amount of crunch.
The Sweet Corn Fritters (Crispy bites of sweet corn served with red chili ranch) were delicious with a few kernels of sweet corn in each bite.
Next came the education portion of our meal. Longhorn Steaks are always fresh, never frozen.
During our meal, we also learned more about different types of steak from the resturant manager. Pictured below are the Sirloin, Ribeye and the filet.
Next, we tried the Bleu Ridge Wedge Salad (Crisp heart of romaine topped with ripe fall tomatoes, applewood smoked bacon, crumbled bleu cheese, red onions and bleu cheese dressing) that was really flavorful and the perfect segway before we tried our steaks.
Our server prepared the Steak sauce in front of us. There was also a spicier option available who those of us who enjoy a little more heat.
I ordered the Harvest Mushroom Filet (tender center-cut filet topped with a trio of shiitake, oyster and cremini mushrooms in a hearty bordelaise.) To be honest the steak already had a great flavor without the sauce but the sauce smelled so good that I wanted to try it. I added the heat to my filet which resulted in perfection.
For my side item, I opted for the Steakhouse Mac n’ Cheese. It was really hard to narrow down the choice because all of the menu side items sounded great.
Ironically, I don’t like the texture of mushrooms but I loved their flavor. I just slide my mushrooms off the steak and still enjoyed the way the flavor enhanced the steak.
My friend ordered the 18oz. Outlaw Ribeye (Juicy marbling, perfectly seasoned and fire-grilled, the 18 oz. of bone-in flavor.)
I asked her how she enjoyed it and she said PERFECTION and that she really enjoyed the steak sauce. She was also looking forward to leftover Ribeye the following day for her lunch break.
Our meal ended with amazing sweet treats! The Pumpkin Spice Lava Cake was my favorite. (Warm pumpkin spice cake, cream cheese icing, Maker’s Mark® bourbon caramel sauce and candied pecans) Cream Cheese frosting and pumpkin are a beautiful combination. I could seriously eat this everyday!
If you love chocolate, you will really enjoy the Chocolate Stampede. This dessert for two is a combination of 6 types of chocolate layered together and served with vanilla bean ice cream.
I normally always gravitate to the chocolate but during the fall, pumpkin has the tendency to trump chocolate.
We really enjoyed our visit to Longhorn Steakhouse.
It was a great night out with amazing food and friends!
The Cincinnati – Rookwood Pavilion Longhorn Steakhouse is located at 2692 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208
You can find a Longhorn Steakhouse near you here.
Disclosure: I was invited to attend this dinner and provided with a gift card to bring my family back for a return visit, in exchange for sharing information on the new menu items. All opinions are my own.
