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elfsThe American western restaurant is about two simple things: good meat (mostly beef), and lots of it. The Claim Jumper has always attempted to be the epitome of such a restaurant, at least as a chain with an originally American Western theme: huge servings, often enough for two or three meals, and one dish called the "Ore Cart" which is nothing more than about three pounds of meat cooked four or five different ways.
The Claim Jumper has never been Omaha's and my favorite restaurant, but for some reason tonight we were inspired to go. Unfortunately, our experience was not great, and this is the second time in a row the Claim Jumper has fallen far below expectations.
Omaha ordered the ribs-and-chicken meal. The ribs were undercooked and tough, the chicken unremarkable. She likes sweet things and she complained that the barbecue sauce had too much sugar. I ordered the prime rib, which started at a pound and, at a pound, was four dollars more expensive than the same cut of meat at that other steakhouse, the Keg.
Unfortunately, the meat was of a significantly lesser quality than what I've had elsewhere. Prime rib, however, is usually accompanied by horseradish (or as the kids put it, "pain") as a condiment. They gave me a horseradish and mayonnaise sauce. I asked for straight-up horseradish. The waitress gave it to me. It was stale, with absolutely no bite whatsoever, with nothing to recommend it at all. It had the faint aroma of horseradish, but it didn't reach up and yank of my sinuses the way it should.
The last straw came when Omaha ordered the "deep dish apple pie." Instead, what she got was apple slices in a bowl of sweet syrup with a vaguely pie-like topping. It was terrible. We left it on the table, and Omaha complained and had it struck from the bill.
Which doesn't make up for the general impression that the Claim Jumper has started its long slow slide into failure. It follows a long line of similar chains, most recently Tony Roma's, which started to skimp on the quality of its fare to extract one extra dollar per person from its patrons. Omaha and I will probably not be going back there anytime soon.
The Claim Jumper has never been Omaha's and my favorite restaurant, but for some reason tonight we were inspired to go. Unfortunately, our experience was not great, and this is the second time in a row the Claim Jumper has fallen far below expectations.
Omaha ordered the ribs-and-chicken meal. The ribs were undercooked and tough, the chicken unremarkable. She likes sweet things and she complained that the barbecue sauce had too much sugar. I ordered the prime rib, which started at a pound and, at a pound, was four dollars more expensive than the same cut of meat at that other steakhouse, the Keg.
Unfortunately, the meat was of a significantly lesser quality than what I've had elsewhere. Prime rib, however, is usually accompanied by horseradish (or as the kids put it, "pain") as a condiment. They gave me a horseradish and mayonnaise sauce. I asked for straight-up horseradish. The waitress gave it to me. It was stale, with absolutely no bite whatsoever, with nothing to recommend it at all. It had the faint aroma of horseradish, but it didn't reach up and yank of my sinuses the way it should.
The last straw came when Omaha ordered the "deep dish apple pie." Instead, what she got was apple slices in a bowl of sweet syrup with a vaguely pie-like topping. It was terrible. We left it on the table, and Omaha complained and had it struck from the bill.
Which doesn't make up for the general impression that the Claim Jumper has started its long slow slide into failure. It follows a long line of similar chains, most recently Tony Roma's, which started to skimp on the quality of its fare to extract one extra dollar per person from its patrons. Omaha and I will probably not be going back there anytime soon.
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no subject
Date: 2007-07-22 06:26 am (UTC)We just recently got a CJ in our neck of the woods, and were planning to try it out, but between Dan's assessment and yours, I think we'll give it a pass.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-22 04:38 pm (UTC)They used to have a chicken and brie croissant sandwich which my wife always ordered, but they dropped it off the menu about a year ago. Still is fun to take 6 or more friends out for coffee & an I-declair, though.
Still, the rule is that in Seattle if you want good BBQ then it has to come from a building which is currently or formerly a gas station. Dixie's, the Steel Pig, and that place in the 76 station right by the Seattle Center on Denny Way (whose name escapes me, apparently.)
no subject
Date: 2007-07-22 06:30 am (UTC)I remember with TGI Fridays was good. But then they started slipping, and suddenly fell hard and fast, basically trashing their receipe file, and flash deep frying *everything*.
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Date: 2007-07-22 10:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-22 08:22 am (UTC)In general, when I go into that sort of restaurant I expect mediocrity. They usually underperform even that.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-22 07:45 pm (UTC)However, PF Chang is, so far, the only major food chain that serves authentic southern Asian cooking.