Outback Steakhouse All You Can Eat Event

Every year on the Thursday before the Fourth Of July, the Outback Steakhouse hosts a charity event for the Boomer Esiason Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis. It is a tailgate party for a high school all stars football game held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. This is not a pull a grill out of the car trunk and cook some burgers before the game tailgate party. This is a full blown, Outback Steakhouse buffet! Seating is under a tent and the Outback sets up two buffet lines - they serve you from the line, but you get whatever you want. The cost is a donation to the Foundation - about $150 per ticket. (We get free tickets because our living history group is part of the entertainment at the football game.) The website used to talk about the dinner and the price - this is missing from the current website. It is possible that this is now by invitation only. This special dinner runs for two hours from 4pm to 6pm - just before the game.

If you love eating at the Outback this is your dream come true. Many of the specialties on the Outback menu are there - all for the taking and as much as you wish. The serving line starts off with honey wheat rolls. There is Caesar Salad. The hot trays start next. The salt-encrusted baked potatoes are there with sides of butter and sour cream. There is shrimp off the "barby" and the famous - and scrumptious - fried coconut shrimp. There are hot wings. There is grilled chicken breast. There is steak! There is rack of lamb. Special sauces for the shrimp are on hand. At the end of the line are the "Bloomin' Onions". Take one back to share with your table - or take one all for yourself! It is served with a spicy Russian dressing. The entire buffet line is repeated so there is very little wait.

For dessert, the Outback girls come around to all of the tables with slices of cheesecake - with and without raspberry sauce. Cans of soda - cocacola products - and bottled water are unlimited, as is beer.

The food is the same as it is at the Outback Restaurants - everything is spiced. It is good, but it has a distinct spice and a slight heat. It is cooked on large flame grills behind the buffet table and keeps coming out to fill the serving trays.

I do not think that this is repeated anywhere else. There are other sponsored charity events for this organization with Outback involvement all over the US. It is an experience. The money goes to a worthwhile charity. You can reach the Boomer Esiason Foundation at www.esiason.org.