Looks like celebrity chef Tyler Florence is working his magic again at Applebee's. On the heels of Ty-Flo's Huge Flavor menu, which kicked off his partnership with the fast-casual eatery, comes Holiday Flavor.As some of you may recall, I enjoyed myself immensely when I wrote about the Huge Flavor menu. The first-person narrative was, and remains, hilarious to me. But despite my cheap shots at the menu copy, my takeaway was that the new items were a step in the right direction for Applebee's. Not that I've had anything to eat at my local Applebee's lately. That is unless you count the occasional Bloody Mary as a meal.
Fast-forward to the present. I'm not sure if I'm going to try them or not, but the four items listed on the Holiday Flavor menu look halfway decent to me. Without even tasting them, I can tell that they're an even further step in the right direction.
Sure, the mixed seafood grill doesn't make me want to jump up and down. Neither do the sirloin and grilled shrimp skewers. What really grabs me is the seared rib-eye with garlic-chili shrimp. Ty-Flo's care is evident. Just listen to how he personally garnishes his creation just for you, "I finish it all with toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro." When's the last time you saw cilantro in a chain restaurant?
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