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Raising The Bar For Chain Dining

Tribune photo by SCOTT ISKOWITZ

Clockwise from top left, Rattlesnake Pasta, Grilled Chicken Salad and Filet Migon with Bearnaise at J. Alexander's.

By JOHN W. ALLMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 12, 2009

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TAMPA - The tagline for J. Alexander's is "straightforward American food."

It's simple, direct and to the point -- much like this remarkable chain restaurant, which offers guests fresh interpretations of traditional comfort dishes.

Nestled along busy Dale Mabry Highway, it's an oasis of quality and value amid a veritable Who's Who of other -- mostly lesser -- national chains.

Stepping inside the lushly lit, wood-paneled dining room, you feel as if you're in a top-dollar, four-star restaurant.

Fortunately, executive chef Miguel Hernandez and general manager Brian Grossman have put as much attention to detail in the menu as they have in the restaurant's comfortable environment.

J. Alexander's offers a wide array of steak, seafood and chicken dishes, plus some standout sandwiches. But further exploration turns up the really creative touches.

Starters are limited to only a few items, but the Huevos Rolls (southwestern spices, chicken and Monterey Jack cheese) are impressive. They're lightly fried and served with a mild homemade salsa and sour cream.

Salads are large enough to be a full meal, and several of them remain among my favorite choices at this, or any, restaurant.

The Cypress Salad recently changed, and I'm not sure whether I fully approve. Instead of the familiar homemade honey mustard, the chopped chicken fingers, lettuce, tomatoes and bacon are now tossed in homemade ranch with pecans, fresh avocado and cornbread croutons.

The avocado is a bit much, and the ranch doesn't bring the flavor out of the chicken as much as the honey mustard did.

An even better choice might be the Thai Kai salad, which we immediately fell in love with. It's simple: grilled or fried chicken, mixed greens and peanuts tossed in a cilantro vinaigrette and Thai peanut sauce. The tangy vinaigrette, combined with the thick peanut sauce, wowed our taste buds.

Side dishes also receive a nice twist, including the signature Not Your Ordinary Mac & Cheese. This may be the best macaroni and cheese we've ever had. It's creamy, delicious and topped with homemade crouton crumbles.

The orzo and wild rice is another standout: a cold smattering of Italian barley, wild rice, nuts and fruit that bursts with flavor.

For dinner, we tried the stellar Steak 'N' Fries, a 10-ounce strip covered in maitre d' butter and garlic. The steak melted in our mouths, perfectly cooked. It's served with J. Alexander's signature skinny fries, which can be substituted with another side.

The bacon-Swiss burger, likewise, was phenomenal -- ground fresh, ideally cooked and presented on a large gourmet bun.

The rotisserie chicken is another Southern staple done right, roasted in a special herb blend and served with smashed potatoes.

If there's any quibble with the menu it's that pasta dishes are limited to just one choice. But that's less a complaint than an observation.

J. Alexander's is a great place to bring family or out-of-town friends when you want to impress without breaking the bank. A party of four can realistically dine well for around $100, depending on what they choose.

In an unstable economy, it's good to know that a restaurant like J. Alexander's has maintained its quality without passing along an increased cost to a struggling public.