An Expensive Disappointment

Ken's Steakhouse
95 Worcester Rd. (Route 9)
Framingham, MA 01701

Visit: March 1^st, 2014 OpenTable reservation 5:30 p.m.

Server: Igor

Cost: 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, 2 cocktails, 2 wines - $104.43

PJ Rating: 2 of 5 – we won’t go back.

Starter: Calamari – The menu says, “Served with marinara sauce” for $9.95. Our server came back to the table and asked if we’d like the “Calamari Special” with feta and something else. We declined – wanting to sample the regular menu-listed item. I should have kept a menu. What we got was a bowl of over-breaded, fried calamari with tomatoes and peppers…and no marinara sauce. I should have asked, but I thought maybe I’d read it wrong. Oh well. It was dry, doughy, and as PajamaGal said, “flavorless”. The menu price is $9.95 – we were charged $9.00?

Salads: Dinner Salad & Caesar Salad – Both of our entrees included salad, PajamaGal chose the house dinner salad with Italian dressing; I chose the Caesar. What I got was a bowl of wilted, chopped romaine tossed with “Ken’s Caesar” dressing and 3 anchovies thrown on top. For a place whose name is synonymous with “Salad” one might think the salads would be at least better than average – they weren’t.

Entrées: P-Gal had the 12 oz. Prime Rib (Menu-$23.00, charged-$25.95) with a baked potato and squash. I had “Center Cut Filet Mignon* (10oz)” – with baked potato and carrots. (Menu price-$28.95, charged-$29.95)

The Prime Rib looked beautiful – but it was very chewy and flavor was just o.k. My 10 oz. filet couldn’t have been more than 8 oz., and had the texture of a sirloin. It was served dry – no herbed butter or steak sauce of any kind. I didn’t ask, and none was offered.

Both the carrots and the squash were overcooked and way over-sugared. The baked potatoes were foil-wrapped and overcooked with soggy skins. Reminded me of leftovers. And they’d been opened by cutting through the foil.

For being THE Ken’s Steakhouse, we expected more. We’ve had better meals at Golden Coral and spent a lot less than $100. I think they are riding on their past reputation and have grown lazy and mediocre. If Longhorn’s is a 10, Ken’s is a 5. (and what’s up with charging prices different from the menu???)

PJ