Gulf Gourmand

Dine out the American way

June 28 - July 5, 2006
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Gulf Weekly Dine out the American way

Applebee’s
Seef District, Bahrain
Tel: +973 17 555834

This is a restaurant that believes in straightforward, generous cooking with no pretensions, no fancy frills and above all, no calorie counting! Every item on the menu is indulgent, and some of the portions are big enough for two, it’s an empty stomach’s dream. Since America is an amalgamation of cultures, the menu incorporates Italian, Mexican and Cajun cooking, besides serving up the obligatory burgers and steaks.
For starters we shared an Applebee’s combo tower; a selection of nachos, potato skins, chicken fingers and fried mozzarella sticks served with two dipping sauces, be warned: don’t try and eat this alone, it is perfect for sharing. Other starters include ultra-thin veggie pizza topped with mushrooms, creamy spinach, artichoke hearts and the perfect blend of Italian cheeses and herbs, lightly breaded beef ravioli served with sauce and a dusting of parmesan cheese, classic or hot buffalo chicken wings served with celery sticks and bleu cheese or ranch dressing is another alternative appetiser.
After we had recovered from the starter, choosing a main course was not too easy as they all looked great on the menu. Our choices were a hearty portion of beef rack ribs basted in barbecue sauce, char-broiled marinated chicken breast smothered in Mexi-ranch sauce, sizzlin’ steaks, fajitas, grilled Teriyaki, shrimp fettucine, Philly cheese steak sandwich, a selection of burgers, and so the endless list continued. In the end we opted for Chicken Cordon Bleu grilled and seasoned with honey mustard sauce, roast turkey ham and melted Swiss cheese served with garlic cheddar mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables and hot garlic toast. Our other choice was fire roasted shrimp skillet, the tender shrimps were topped with fire-roasted salsa dashed with seasoning and finished with a creamy cilantro-ranch drizzle, they were served on a bed of Spanish rice and accompanied by grilled vegetables and hot garlic toast.
The desserts are as all-American as they come: sizzling apple pie topped with nuts and drenched in a rich caramel butter sauce with a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice-cream. The delicious Blue Ribbon Brownies are warm and velvety, speckled with crunchy nuts, topped with hot fudge sauce and served with scoops of vanilla ice-cream, or you can dare to indulge in the Maple Walnut Blondie served warm with rich sizzling maple butter sauce.
You can quench your thirst with an Applebee’s signature drink, we went for the beautifully sweet luscious Bahama Mama, a smooth mix of banana, pineapple, coconut syrup, orange juice and a touch of grenadine topped with fresh fruit. Of course, we also had to try a traditional American milk shake and were not disappointed with the mellow smooth vanilla served with a dollop of fresh cream, it was so yummy we had to have two. Pepsi, Mirinda and 7UP flow freely after the first glass as does the hot, fresh filtered coffee.
Open from 11am to midnight weekdays and 11am till 1am Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, there’s something for everyone at Applebee’s whether you visit for brunch, lunch or dinner. Eat with friends, eat with family, relax and enjoy your quintessential American dining experience. The restaurant is located to the right of the entrance to Bahrain Mall and there is ample parking for patrons.







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