Restaurant reviews: The Outback Steakhouse

‘Let’s go Outback Tonight’ is the catchy phrase on The Outback Steakhouse commercials. The allure of the catchy phrase makes you immediately think about the restaurant and you find yourself heading to the Aussie themed steakhouse.

Established in 1988, Outback Steakhouse has rapidly taken over the United States as well as 21 other countries including Guam, Dominican Republic, Canada, Australia, Brazil and China, amongst many others.

With their bold flavor and wide variety of appetizers and entree’s, Outback Steakhouse caters to a wide variety of customers. Enclosed in their 60,000 square foot dining room and bar, each restaurant seats approximately 200 guests and serves them with the ‘laid back’ feel of the Australian ‘no worries’ attitude.

Complete with USDA Choice Beef, Outback Steakhouse provides a zest and flair to their dishes as well as creating signature items such as the bloomin onion, one of their most popular appetizers.

Outback Steakhouse is moderately priced and has a friendly and casual atmosphere. Whether relaxing after work, or having a dinner party, Outback Steakhouse is a neighborhood restaurant with an international flair.

Even you don’t feel like going out to eat, just order ahead and pick it up at the curb. Each Outback Steakhouse has curbside parking for easy pick up so you can enjoy the taste of Australia at home.

Travel destinations: The Caribbean

Trinidad and Tobago, A Joy For The Eco-Tourist

Visitors to the tiny Caribbean island of Tobago enjoy the gentle kind of tourism that exists there. While some visitors are happy to market the island for the pleasures they have enjoyed there, I have heard some say that they plan to keep Tobago as their own special little secret.

It is true that Tobago is still unknown to many. It is also true that in some countries it is known more than its bigger sister Trinidad. Both islands lie just north-east of the South American continent. Trinidad lies at an opening next to Venezuela, and looks like a piece to be fitted into a jigsaw puzzle, as the land most obviously moved away with erosion during the course of time. Both islands became the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in 1976, after gaining independence in 1962.

I had the uncanny experience of being in France some years ago and wanting to send a telegram home to Trinidad. Try as I might in every post office or telegram office, no-one knew of Trinidad and Tobago; I was astounded; until a light bulb blinked in my head, and I thought “I wonder if it’s listed as Tobago and Trinidad”; and so it was indeed. Why? because Tobago is the island that has been marketed more as a tourist destination. Trinidad is the industrial counterpart, famous for its Carnival. When you think of Carnival in that part of the world, you immediately think of Trinidad, and Rio in Brazil.

Tobago is the quiet, laid back, serene island with the beautiful blue water of its white sandy beaches; and the best of water sports like scuba diving, water skiing and windsurfing. The Germans have been the major tourists to enjoy these pleasures, and many of them have made Tobago their home.

For many years in the past, Europeans have fought over this island which has been described in promotional brochures as clean, green and serene.’ Today, there is no more bloodshed, but Europeans, mainly Germans and visitors from the UK continue to flock to Tobago to enjoy its unspoiled beauty. American visitors are few. Eco-tourism is among the major attractions. Seasonal diving is another. This laid back sleepy island is home to one of the oldest rain protected forests in the region

Rare whale sharks and mantas, mainly in the north western area of the island, continue to delight many a diver. Some say they have been diving for over twenty years in diving resorts in other countries, and have never encountered a whale shark or come so close to a manta.