The Snob took a cruise down Loudon Road recently, looking for a restaurant at which we had never eaten. When we saw the Windmill Family Restaurant, bells went off in our head.
“We've never eaten here,” we thought. “Don't tilt at windmills” somehow came to mind, a remnant of our scholarly days (when we were 9 years old reading Cervantes). “Don't go chasing waterfalls,” as TLC once cautioned America, also floated by in our brain. That was when we realized that we better get some food in our belly; the Snob gets delusional (and cranky) when too long passes between meals. After some confusion as to how doors work, we went in and sat down.
The menu certainly fit the “family” description: nothing too exotic, a lot of burgers, fries and dinner platters – comfort food, and plenty of it. We had a brief moment of excitement when we saw they had a “kangaroo sandwich,” but unfortunately, that just meant it was served in a pita “pouch.” Our dining companion pushed the envelope a bit and went with fish and chips (hey, technically, England is exotic, right?). The Snob decided to get into the act as well, so we ordered the Hawaiian steak tips (also borderline exotic).
While waiting for our order, we marveled at the fact that there seemed to be a television in every corner – all playing different channels! If you want to catch up on CNN, Judge Judy, NASCAR and fishing at the same time, we cannot recommend this restaurant enough.
After a few minutes, our food arrived. The Hawaiian steak tips ($9.50) came with squash and mashed potatoes, a hearty and substantial platter. A few of the tips, we must admit, were a bit charred on the outside. Once we got past that and really dug into them, we did enjoy the flavor the sweet Hawaiian marinade infused into the meat. The mashed potatoes and squash were an excellent pairing with the tips; between the sticky-sweet marinade and the creamy mashed vegetables, a rich, smooth flavor and texture was created, without the aid of butter or gravy. We dug it.
The fish and chips ($9.50) was not as exciting. While there was something to be said for how light and airy the fish cakes were, we almost found ourselves pining for the taste of greasier fat-fried fish – if only to be able to taste something? A blander fish cake has never passed these lips. The fries were good enough (what fries aren't?), but the fish just didn't cut it.
We left full but unfulfilled. Maybe it was just an off day at the Windmill.
The Windmill Family Restaurant is located at 172 Loudon Road.
