Syracuse Sandwich: Chili's Steakhouse Sandwich

Who: Chili's What: Steakhouse Sandwich
Where: Route 31, Clay Phone: 652-6799 Website: Chili's
Parking: Shared Lot Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No

     After a frustrating late afternoon yesterday which included going out to Great Northern mall after work, I was in no mood to cook. We took care of our errand at the mall but the food court has been lacking at Great Northern for years so we left in order to find somewhere to eat. We were both hungry so we decided to go somewhere close, Chili’s was right down the street and we hadn’t been there in a while. The parking lot was only half full which was expected on a Tuesday night. We were seated promptly and found that nearly a third of the menu had changed. Some of our favorites had been taken off and a bunch of new items had been added. A few sandwiches were take off the menu including Christine’s favorite, the chicken Caesar pita, but four new sandwiches appeared in their place.

     The steakhouse sandwich was my choice because I love steak and I eat chicken most of the time so it was a change of pace. Slices of grilled sirloin steak came on flat bread with caramelized onions, mushrooms, provolone, arugula, and horseradish cream. Everything but the horseradish cream came in between the flat bread. It’s not often the spread or dressing comes on the side rather than already on the sandwich. It seems Chili’s does this with all of their sandwiches because they did the same for Christine’s Santa Fe chicken wrap. This allows people to use as much or as little as they want which is great, especially with horseradish.

     The flat bread is about a half an inch thick and was heated up in some fashion but not crispy. After a few bites this sandwich reminded me of steak sandwiches that I’ve had in the past. Mushroom, onions, and provolone are pretty standard when it comes to making a steak sandwich. The arugula gave the sandwich some color but did little else to help the sandwich along. There wasn’t much arugula to begin with and what was there became soggy from the juices and grease of the meat and vegetables. The onions and mushrooms were sautéed until soft and they both held up on their own in means of taste. The steak was a little tough, but not too chewy and it had the fire grilled taste that I was looking for. The horseradish cream was the real kicker that made the sandwich, with out it the sandwich would have been like the many others I have had. The horseradish gives the sandwich a creaminess and moisture that combats the dryness of the flatbread. My only complaint about the cream was it was too much cream and not enough horseradish, but then again I like it spicy.

Rating: Tasty - I will get this again but ask for the meat to be a little under cooked if possible.