This past week I was on vacation, and ate out a lot more than usual.

One big surprise--a perfect ribeye at Outback Steakhouse. It was an inch
thick, aged to the perfect texture, trimmed so that it was round, if that
makes sense--in other words, none of the fatty stuff you get when you buy a
ribeye at the grocery. (But a good little border of grill-crispy fat on the
edges.) Also, I noticed no garlic salt flavor but what may have been a fresh
garlic rub. The baked potato was perfect, very hot and velvety, and the
broccoli was steamed to a fresh green color but tender, not half raw. The
hot ceramic plates they served the food on kept it hot--it was a pleasant
surprise to find the potato still hot ten minutes into the meal. The hot
wheat bread with whipped butter was nice, and the requisite "blooming onion"
appetizer was greasy and deep-fried delicious as always. Service was great,
too.

This was a surprise because the first (and last!) time I had eaten at
Outback before, the food was nothing remarkable. Entrees are the standard
$15-$24, and portions are huge so it is a great value. I brought home half
of everything to eat tonight.