My experience at Cattlemen’s Roadhouse? Steer clear

The new Cattlemen’s Roadhouse in Cross Lanes opened in mid-February to wildly mixed reviews, with some folks praising it as the best meal around while others reported long waits, poor service and mediocre food.

Filet mignon with sauteed mushrooms, green beans and mac 'n' cheese from Cattlemen's Roadhouse

Those are pretty common reactions to most new restaurant openings, so I wasn’t surprised to hear such diverse opinions. That’s also while I usually wait at least a month after a place opens before visiting to see how its service and food evolve over time. Are they able to work the kinks out or are there larger problems at play?

With nearly two months under their belt, Cattlemen’s still has work to do. My first visit this past week was marked by a baffling void in service, some food I couldn’t eat and the staff not willing to do anything to make the situation better.

Fresh salad from Cattlemen's Roadhouse

Based on that experience, I’ll definitely steer clear for a while.

When I popped in for dinner on a slow weeknight, I was greeted with a smile and was impressed by a much-larger-than-expected menu offering a selection of steaks, ribs, pork, seafood, chicken, burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads, apps and desserts – more than 75 items in all.

It was going to take a while to look it all over, so I ordered a drink to pass the time. I almost stuck with a beer to be safe (cocktails made with questionable mixers like pickle juice, Bud Light, Pepsi and Dr. Pepper gave me pause) but the muddled Old Fashioned I settled on wasn’t bad.

For dinner, I was tempted to try the meatloaf, fire-grilled salmon or smothered chicken, but I believe a restaurant’s food should be judged based on what they’re most known for. For Cattlemen’s that means steaks with hearty sides, so I ordered a small salad and the filet mignon with sauteed mushrooms on top and mac ‘n’ cheese with green beans on the side.

Yeasty rolls and butter from Cattlemen's

A basket of yeasty rolls with butter and cinnamon butter came out quickly – and looked great when they arrived, so warm, soft and pillowy inside – but they had a really odd, off taste. I couldn’t discern what it was, but it was not pleasant to my palate.

That was unfortunate, because that would be the only food I would have for some time.

Although the restaurant was barely half full and there were plenty of servers standing around, table after table around me were served their apps, entrees and desserts while I was still waiting on … a simple salad. (It finally came after my meal, but it did feature lots of fresh ingredients, which was a plus.)

When my meal finally arrived, the only item I enjoyed was “Momma’s Green Beans,” which were savory, salty, stewed and delicious. The mac ‘n’ cheese was gummy, with a raw flour aftertaste, and my steak was considerably under seasoned and cooked. (I had asked for medium-rare, but it was bright red and cold inside, not warm and pink.)

Muddles Old Fashioned from Cattlemen's

Sadly, when I pointed the raw steak out to my server and told her I couldn’t eat it, the only thing she did was say she’d let the cook know. No offer to refire it, or bring me something else, or deduct it from my bill, she simply asked if I was ready for dessert. So I was out $40 for a steak I didn’t get to enjoy.

Offering to make a problem right is Customer Service 101, folks, and Cattlemen’s failed miserably in this case. For me, that’s a hard mistake to overlook.

I applaud these local business owners for investing in our community and I truly wish them the best. I also know they may lasso a loyal following over time and I certainly hope they do.

But my first visit left a bad taste in my mouth, literally and figuratively, that makes it highly unlikely I’ll go back.

• IF YOU GO: Cattlemen’s Roadhouse at 4 Goff Crossing in Cross Lanes (inside the old TGI Fridays) is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call (304) 220-0235 or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.

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Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.