Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

Earlier this year, I went on my virgin trip to the United States of America, Los Angeles to be more precise and I had a blast with the roadtrip and endless exploration of what there was to offer. Of course, on the “to-do” list were also visits to establishments American TV has introduced into popular culture, such as the Cheesecake Factory, IHOP etc. Naturally, after having the time of my life, I would come back to face reality and suffer from “withdrawal symptoms” of living the carefree life and all the food I devoured without a thought about exceeding my calorie intake for the day.

So, where should one go to, to relive the American experience? Why, Applebee’s of course!

Not only does Applebee’s give you a taste of America but it being one of the more popular diners in the United States, has already allowed you to tick off that box of places to visit upon learning from TV. Plus, the décor shouts all of that out at you as well and puts you in a fantastic holiday mood (should you need one!)

I arrived at Applebee’s on a Friday evening, around 8pm after being stuck in a jam for over an hour, and was expecting a long wait for a table but my friend and I were seated immediately. Unfortunately for my friend, the long ride over did nothing for her appetite and sent her stomach on a rollercoaster ride. Thus, it was soup for her. I, on the otherhand, was starving due to a light lunch and went straight for the mains. I got the Italian Bistro Chicken ($22.80). The Cream of Mushroom Soup ($3.80) my friend got arrived within minutes of our order with what seem to be chili pepper spice sprinkled on it and a long piece of toasted bread. The soup was AMAZING! The mushrooms which sliced and there was loads of it in there, the cream was evenly distributed, thus creating a creamy texture but not too creamy to put you off. AND THE BREAD. Wow. Ok, from the looks of the bread, one would imagine it to crumble upon breaking, creating a mess on the table but noooo…the bread PEELED apart without much force and was perfectly toasted! We were swooning over the entire combination when my main dish arrived.

Now, my dish comprised of mash potatoes with cheddar in it, grilled chicken with mozzarella, topped with brown sauce with mushrooms and onions, and a side of grilled vegetables (broccolis, zucchinis, baby carrots). Now, all that for $22.80 is not at all scary! I dove right into the mash and the texture blew me away! It was creamy, just the way I like my mash. On to the chicken – cooked perfectly! The chicken was tender and peeled off without much force of cutting, the sauce was not at all overpowering and the cheese was subtle enough not to kill the dish. It was a bonus for the veggies to be grilled on the side without any dressing because I found myself reaching over to munch on these every now and then.

What’s a meal on a Friday night without dessert? We looked to the menu and although there wasn’t much to choose from, we decided on the Strawberry Cheesecake and called the wait staff over to take our order. The lady who served us was knowledgeable and informed us quickly that our choice was a shooter, meaning it came in a small glass and was not appropriate for sharing. We then asked for a recommendation and she quickly pointed out the White Blondie Brownie which is a White Chocolate Brownie served with Vanilla Ice-cream, similar to the Blondie you can find in Swenson’s. We were skeptical at first & the jovial staff joked with us by saying that if we didn’t like it, she would pay for it but if we did, we’d have to pay double. For some reason, that made our decision and went with it. When it arrived, the white sauce (assuming chocolate) was poured over the brownie which was on a hotplate, creating a sizzling effect. The first bite brought me to heaven. I would say that I had a little taste of heaven just eating that brownie! Of coz, I personally have a sweet tooth so I couldn’t fault it for being too sweet but if you didn’t have a sweet tooth, I’d recommend having water on standby.

I had a Raspberry Lemonade $7.50to wash it down, along with water, because the Lemonade was refillable which was a pretty good deal but I’ll probably not go for that again because unless you intend to sit for hours to discuss work, chances are, you won’t need a refill.

Great service, knowledgeable & friendly staff & to top it all, great food! Applebee’s would be my go-to place should I need to relive the American experience again. Or to use my voucher & redeem my dessert shooter from the guest survey.Or if I just wanted a good brownie. Or if I wanted some pasta. Or for a drink at the bar. Ah heck! I’ll probably be going back to Applebee’s just cause I can!