Outback Steakhouse, North Strathfield

Grilled Prawns $13.95
Six prawns grilled on the barbie and
served with the Outback’s own Remoulade sauce

There are no blooming onions and I'm not happy at all.

The blooming onion is literally the name of the Outback Steakhouse's signature dish. It takes pride of place on the front cover of their menu and yet when we check with our server he regretfully tells us that they haven't been able to get onions large enough for this deep-fried delicacy that opens up like a flower. Hmph.

Our server is all congenial-like, full of American-style hospitality in this Australian-themed restaurant that was started up in, you-guessed-it, the U S of A. I was a little stunned when the doors magically opened when we had first arrived, each door held open by a smiling female waitress. Directly in front of stood a lectern manned by three more beaming staff, each dazzling us with bright-eyed toothy smiles.


Bushies $9.45
Button mushrooms, seasoned and deep fried
served with spicy ranch dressing

Since there are no blooming onions to be found, Miss Behave and I instead share the grilled prawns and a plate of bushies. Our drinks arrive promptly and the food arrives toted along with a fold-up canvas table. There's a dramatic flap as the side table is propped open, the dishes placed ceremoniously on top, then humbly transferred across to our settings.

Six grilled prawns arrive artfully arranged on a honey wheat loaf base, the baguette-like offering drenched with herb butter, the bread sweet and chewy much like the buns you get at le Golden Arches. The prawns are surprisingly spicy, char-grilled in a sticky sweet marinade.

Deep-fried button mushrooms are a generous serve, almost enough for one person to eat solely as a main. They're steaming hot inside, fresh from the fryer.


Drover's Platter $24.95
Generous portion of ribs and chicken breast off the barbie
with chips and cinnamon apples

We both order the drover's platter: a portion that is more filling than it looks with its half rack of ribs, chicken breast and handful of crunchy fried chips (super crunchy, just the way I like 'em). The ribs and chicken seem to have the same spicy barbecue marinade. The ribs are sweet and sticky, reasonably meaty without being too fatty. There's a pot of barbecue sauce and another of cinnamon apples, unfortunately cold especially as it looks and tastes just apple pie filling.



After the excess of our entrees, I'm defeated by the size of my main. Around me it's mainly young families or young couples, all happy to dig into Caesar salads the size of Texas, huge mountains of pasta and piles of chips happily drowning in cheese sauce and bacon.

And if you can't be bothered eating in, you can order takeaway and they'll carry your order out to your car. They call it "curbside takeaway". I wonder if that comes with a fold-up table too.


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Outback Steakhouse - North Strathfield
Level 1, 3 George Street, North Strathfield, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 8756 5741

Monday to Thursday 5pm-10pm
Friday 5pm-11pm
Saturday 4pm-11pm
Sunday 12noon-10pm
Free undercover parking next door

Also at Parklea
Lot 4, 1190 Old Windsor Road, Parklea, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 8824 5012
Free undercover parking next door

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