Sandy's Saucy Soup
This week's feature: Ponderosa
Sandy Sternitzky
Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: Features
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My parents, several of my sorority sisters, and I decided to go to Ponderosa after watching the Lakeland football team beat Rockford College. This restaurant has seafood and a buffet as well as steak.
We didn't have to worry about not having anywhere to sit because this restaurant has a lot of sitting room, probably about 150 seats or so. It was also before the dinner rush.
Besides having the buffet, I ordered grilled shrimp that came with a baked potato. This shrimp was at my table before I could eat my first plate of food consisting of a nice sized salad. Talk about fast service!
The 14 shrimp came out on two wooden skewers and the potato on one end of the plate. There was a sliced lemon and a condiment cup filled with melted butter that I assumed was for the shrimp. The shrimp was burnt in so many places that it didn't taste the way it should. I had to dip them in the melted butter to make it palatable.
The potato was, regrettably, tasteless. I added sour cream, butter, and cheese to it, and it was still bland. It was also very dry because it probably was cooked too long.
Luckily, the salad made up for it somewhat. Consisting of lettuce, ham, peas, cheese, egg, carrots, cucumbers, and ranch dressing, enjoying the subtle taste of the salad was highly anticipated, yet it did not happen. The lettuce itself was a bit soggy and the ranch dressing was a bit off kilter.
Hoping the salad was just a fluke, a plate of mashed potatoes with beef gravy, chicken nuggets, and pizza would put the salad in the back of my mind. Once again, this did not happen.
The gravy was put on the potatoes to add flavor. Unfortunately, it was too much flavor. It's not because there was a lot of gravy; it was because it was salty, and it suppressed the beef flavor of the gravy and even the natural taste of the potatoes.
As much as I like chicken, I was let down with the nuggets. There was no happy-medium with the spices used in the pre-made (and probably frozen) "crispy" chicken nuggets. Some had too much spice; some didn't have enough spice at all. It created a fight among the taste buds on my tongue.
Thinking the pizza would be another disappointment, I prepared my taste buds for a tiny piece that wouldn't satisfy one's appetite, even on an almost full stomach. I was a little stunned that it was pretty decent. The crust wasn't thin, crispy, and a tad burnt like many places that serve quick and easy pizzas. It was actually chewy, and the simple taste of the cheese, sauce, and the pepperoni was good. If only the pizza was eaten when the meal first started, I would have been saved from an unsatisfying meal.
To save myself from unsatisfying desserts, I decided to skip the treat bar at the buffet. I've had bad experiences with the desserts in the past. The ice cream has no flavor, the cakes are usually dry, and the pudding doesn't really taste like pudding.
Even though the food was rather frustrating, the waitress' prompt and accurate service was delivered with a smile. Everyone took advantage of the free refills, keeping the waitress busy and not once did she falter.
Although Ponderosa is a famous franchise, I do not wish to return to the Sheboygan location for a meal anytime in the near future. Hopefully, my next food foray will not disappoint my taste buds.
Editor's note: As of 10/10/08, the Sheboygan location is closed due to bankruptcy issues.
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