When I walked into Bob's Steak and Chop House, I thought, "Classic American steakhouse." A look around almost required a bit of squinting in the dim light. While the bar was well lit, the dining areas are relaxed, romantic, and understated. All tables had fresh white tablecloths and a jar of pickles and peppers in the middle. It had the look of quality, and of a place that I knew would be comfortable for the next 3 hours.
After a visit to the bar, we were seated at a table in the roomy main dining area. The tables were a little closer than other upscale steakhouses I've visited but laid out so that it's not a problem. Fresh bread, water, and butter were immediately brought to the table as drink orders were taken. Calamari and a shrimp cocktail were ordered and arrived quickly. The cocktail sauce on the shrimp was spicier than what I usually get but good. The calamari was tender and plentiful enough that a single serving each of calamari and shrimp cocktail satisfied four diners. That was partly because we also had the round loaf of hot wheat bread and the jar of whole dill pickles and pickled bell peppers to add to the appetizers.
I had the Chop House salad. With ingredients that hinted towards a rather standard tossed salad, the salad was very well prepared. The lettuce was cut to bite sizes that made it easy to eat, and the salad dressing was evenly tossed. Everyone was satisfied with the salads, saving room for our main courses.
I ordered the rack of lamb as an entrée. The lamb was tender, cooked medium throughout, and without the "gamey" flavor so often tasted in restaurant lamb. I was served eight ribs in a rack, each probably about 2 ounces, a nice serving of lamb. The chef had sliced into the meat at about a 35-degree angle from the bottom, going into the meat about 3/4’s of an inch. This allowed the lamb to cook fully but without overcooking the outside. It was lightly spiced, with no sauce or jellies. It was so good that any additional treatments were unnecessary.
All entrées were served with a choice of baked, smashed, or fried potatoes and a glazed carrot. Other diners had the rib-eye, petit, and 16-ounce prime filets. The 16-ounce filet looked like a trophy, standing at least 4 inches off the plate. It was almost cylindrical, and when cut into, it proved to be cooked evenly throughout, with 1/8 of an inch of well-done exterior surrounding the soft aged beef inside. The man who conquered this mountain of beef was very pleased and a bit tired when done.
For complete menus and directions, check here on their website.