Food   Service   Atmosphere   By Dean Johnson Sun Correspondent

There seems to have been a sudden invasion of steakhouse chains in Greater Lowell. The new rooms tend to have a southern or Texas flair or encourage patrons to toss peanut shells on the floor.

So many have popped up so quickly that it's easy to overlook the local version of that kind of eatery. T-Bones has operations in Hudson, Salem and Bedford, N.H., as well as a sister operation in Manchester.

You won't find stuffed "jackalopes" at the Hudson locale we recently visited. The wait staff doesn't dance or wear unusual outfits. There are no tall tales included on the menu.

Nevertheless, something must be going right there was a 20-minute wait for a table on a Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.

The Hudson operation features a lounge/bar area to the left and a dining area to the right that includes soft colors, light woods, brass and hanging greenery, the sort of atmosphere that has a certain appeal to most generations.

T-Bones bills itself as a Great American Eatery. Read that as a family restaurant that offers about as varied a mainstream menu as you're likely to encounter.

There's country fried chicken ($8.99) and roast turkey ($9.49), grilled Montreal salmon ($11.99) and chicken fajitas ($10.99), London broil ($13.99) and lobster and seafood fresco ($15.99).

So though the place obviously takes pride in its beef dishes, there are plenty of other options that range from pasta and seafood to sandwiches and daily specials.

Our waiter was friendly and helpful, but he also blipped out on occasion. He never brought us one of our salads, which was strange since he'd gone into excruciating detail naming all the possible (and homemade) dressings for it.

Then, near the end of our meal, we overheard a waitress at another table say, "Would you like some rolls and butter while you're waiting?" We were never given that option, never got any kind of bread basket.

A cup of the daily special beef and tomato soup with potatoes ($2.99) was a rich, wintertime treat, nearly thick enough to pass off as a pasta sauce in a cup with plenty of petite beef bits and potato slices.

The stuffed portabellinis ($7.99) was a big order, several beefy caps filled with an herbed stuffing. Though not exceptional, it's a nice order for a table full of hungry patrons while they wait for the real meal.

The BBQ tip basket ($12.99) included three skewers of tender beef tips done as requested in a smart barbecue sauce. The homemade cole slaw was above average, and the order also include country fries and an oddly amusing T-Bone signature item one incredibly big onion ring. Just one. But very big.

It just wouldn't be right to dine at a place called T-Bones and not order a T-bone steak ($18.99). The included salad was larger than average and consisted mostly of fresh iceberg lettuce along with cuke slices, plum tomatoes, carrot wedges, big croutons, etc. There was also a big baked potato and another onion ring.

The T-bone was tender enough and tasty. But the medium-rare steak we ordered was more medium, with just a hint of pink in the middle when cut. That was a little disappointing. It is, after all, the namesake dish, so you'd expect to get it just right.

A raspberry cheesecake ($3.99) was an appealing end to the meal. The bottom line: T-Bones can hold its own as a casual, family-style steak house.
Section: Restaurant Review