Saltgrass Steakhouse - 10614 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78759

So I took my single self, dressed in a stunning red dress, to Saltgrass for a hard-earned steak dinner on Valentine's Day.  'Twas hard-earned because having been single since August 2008 is really starting to get on my nerves.  I figured I deserved a break, and my dress deserved a night out.

I found I was overdressed at 6pm, as the other patrons, mainly families, with a few singles sitting in the bar with me, were all wearing jeans.

The bartender, Allen, was nice but reserved.  He appeared to be Jewish.  I kind of have a *thing* for Jewish guys, so I didn't mind having some eye candy as I ate.  I asked Allen if he could recommend a good white wine, but he said he doesn't know wines.  I guess I was expecting a little much for Saltgrass, especially once I got a hold of the wine menu and saw that they only actually serve, like, four white wines.  I suppose they have no need for a sommelier.

I chose the Yellow Tail Chardonnay, which was actually quite good.  I then ordered Maudeen's Center Cut Filet 7-oz, with french fried onions, and a caesar salad.

The bread was a honey wheat loaf that was passable.  It was better with butter, but almost everything is, in my opinion.  Everything but the steak, that is.  They put a huge dollop of butter atop my steak, but it really didn't add anything.  But more on that in a minute.  So I had a very small helping of the loaf, as I'm not a big fan of wheat bread, and I ate my salad like a good little single girl.  Not the best caesar salad I've ever had, but certainly not the worst.

And here comes my steak.  Oooh, I ordered it medium rare, and guess what?  It actually came out that way!  This differs from my experience at most restaurants.  And now for the taste test... A+.  The steak tasted fabulous.  So juicy and delectable.  That filet mignon became my Valentine, until I ate all of it, anyway.  Tip:  Ask them to nix the butter.  I really didn't understand the presence of the butter.  It added nothing positive to the steak's flavor.  I felt like the cooks were just playing a cruel joke against my arteries.  And the french fried onions (onion strings) were excellent.  They blew the onion strings at TxLC out of the water.

That was a nice, filling meal.  Allen asked if I wanted dessert.  Ha!  Funny, Allen.  Real funny.  Just gimme the check now.