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Sam Seltzer's: Beef and plenty of it
By KATHY SAUNDERS © St. Petersburg Times, published January 24, 2001 ST. PETERSBURG -- When I phoned the new Sam Seltzer's Steakhouse to order dinner, I was put on hold for nearly 10 minutes. If I hadn't been trying to sample the food for this article, I would have hung up. When we finally ate our dinner, we decided it was worth the wait. We were told that the order would be ready in about 20 minutes, so my husband left right away to get the food. Exactly 20 minutes later, I received a call at home to let me know the dinners were ready. It had taken nearly 10 minutes to find a parking space in the crowded lot and a bit of navigating to reach the designated takeout counter near the bakery. The salads were not ready, but the host said he wanted to wait until we arrived to mix the greens. The salads were delicious. They were large and filled with lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and thinly sliced red onions. The vinaigrette had a tart, garlic flavor. But the best part were the croutons. They came in a separate box, presumably to keep them crunchy. The croutons were buttery, baked with oregano and Italian seasonings and sprinkled with salt and parsley. Sam's gave us so many croutons that I stored them in a plastic bag and served them on another large salad later. I wish I could have saved the dinner rolls, but we ate them right away. The rolls were about the size of oranges, as fresh as they were warm. We got plenty of them and we were grateful for each carbo-filled mouthful. Our first entree was the baby back beef ribs (12.95) with a side of steak fries. Unlike the croutons, the steak fries got soggy on the ride home. I, however, like limp fries so I didn't complain. We had no complaints about the ribs either. They were meaty and smothered in a tangy barbecue sauce in which they had been marinated. The ribs were tasty and tender, the meat falling off the bone. We left a bit of room for the second dinner, a 6-ounce filet mignon. It was cooked just as we ordered, rare with a cool, red center. My biggest frustration about most steakhouses is that they overcook my steak. I didn't have that problem with Sam Seltzer's. In fact, the menu gives diners advice on how to order steaks to their liking, explaining the different levels of doneness. My filet was tender, too. It also was large enough to cut in half. I saved a portion for a steak sandwich the following day. The mashed potatoes were homemade with a hint of yellow color. They had a tinge of garlic flavor that enhanced but didn't overpower. Sam's also offers baked potatoes, seasoned rice or creamed spinach as sides. The filets come in a variety of sizes, as well as skewered with onions, green peppers and marinated mushrooms. The restaurant chain also offers prime rib, ribeye, T-bone and New York strip steaks. For the really ravenous, the menu sells a 20-ounce "Cowboy" steak served on the bone. Other entrees include rack of lamb, chicken, pork chops, salmon, scallops, shrimp and lobster. Probably the thing that impressed us most about our Sam's Seltzer's meal was the price. We have paid a lot more than $25.67 for a lot less food. And, we got our money's worth in taste. It's no wonder the parking lot was so full and the phone lines so busy. PINELLAS TO GOSam Seltzer's Steakhouse 3400 Tyrone Blvd., St. Petersburg Phone: (727) 381-7267 Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 to 11 p.m. Friday; 3:30 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday; 1 to 10 p.m. Sunday Consumers: Two adults What we got: Barbecued baby back beef ribs with steak fries, a petite filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes, two dinner salads with vinaigrette dressing and rolls and butter What it cost: $25.67 Time it took: 20 minutes Pay with: Cash and major credit cards
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
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From the Times Taste section From the features wire |
