We?d wanted ?UpStairs at The Flying Dutchman?, but that?s now ?Red Sushi?.\r
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In the 80?s, in Melbourne Florida, ?The Chart House? was an example of Fine Dining. The Kemah eatery of the same name isn?t.\r
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I?m a 50-something old-timer who thinks that when you spend $150 for your wife?s birthday dinner, you ought to come away feeling satisfied.\r
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Calamari $11, ?Lightly fried with sweet and sour peppers.? There was nothing ?lightly fried? about it. The breading was thick and heavy, with way too much of Tony Chachere's creole seasoning dumped in. The peppers were mashed and overcooked. For this appetizer, go to Perry?s Italian Kitchen!\r
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Chart House Chopped Salad $6, and the Caesar $7 ? Flavor was o.k., but the lettuce in both was a bit wilted ? like it was prepped a couple of days earlier.\r
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Shrimp Scampi $26 ? Eight medium (26-30) shrimp and pasta. The garlic was too ?raw? and bright, the shrimp were overcooked.\r
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Filet Mignon $29. On the plate were the 8-oz. fillet and an ice-cream-scoop of ?garlic-mashed? potatoes. The adornment of some carrot strings atop the perfect potato dome and sprig of parsley completed the presentation. I asked for a bit of Bearnaise ? way too heavy. But the steak was perfect. Forty bucks at Ruth?s Chris doesn?t buy a better-tasting or textured piece of red meat. As I sampled the potatoes, I imagined they?d been ?extended? with something out of a box. They were bland.\r
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Chart House Cosmo $10 only filled the martini glass 2/3?s full; for ten bucks, fill the glass! \r
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Hot Chocolate Lava Cake $9 It was o.k., but I think you can get the same thing at Dairy Queen for $3.99.\r
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Kemah?s Chart House - it?s a Joe?s Crab Shack, but there are tablecloths, the wait staff wear ties, and the prices are trebled. Like Jimmy Walker?s, ?Upstairs at the Dutchman? is gone. For the Clearlake area, #1 is still Tommy?s, with either of Chris Perry?s places a very close second.\r
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PJ
Pros: Service was good.
Cons: Way Over-priced
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