BLOOMINGTON - There is a corniness to Outback Steakhouse, what with its incessant wordplay on things Australian - it's Aussie-Tizers and array of food cooked on the barbie.

I decided to get into the spirit of things, being the playful bloke that I am.

"So, are you Australian?" I asked my waitress in a naive tone, as if someone named Chips O'Toole should be serving me in a strip mall in the middle of Bloomington, Illinois.

"No, but I have been to Austria," she responded. Snap. She's from Chicago making a quid while, I assume, here for schooling.

I tried to continue my hilarity later by saying, "For the rest of night, will you talk like you're Australian?" Except, I said, "Austrian." She obliged with a couple German lines.

Ah, you cannot beat the banter of a sheila, especially when she combines it with flawless service - a combination of timing and customer engagement, without over-engaging.

Ah, and the food was nice. G'day. I skipped the appetizers - rather, the Aussie-Tizers - as I knew I wouldn't have room for a full meal and, say, Kookaburra Wings.

I felt drawn to a Victoria's "Crowned" Filet. That's a 7-ounce filet (or the large 9-ouncer) with the "crown" being a crumb topping that's baked onto the filet. I had the horseradish "crown." The other option is blue cheese.

The meat was falling-apart tender, not requiring the strength of the exaggerated steak knife they give you - the kind that reminds you of Crocodile Dundee and probably would get you arrested if carrying it downtown.

The horseradish "crown" was about the density of a cheese topping. The horseradish was tempered, so that it wasn't shooting through my nostrils like a bloody steam train.

The horseradish combined with beef filet was a new, delightful experience for me, as I've never been to Australia. And, to be honest, I haven't the first clue whether they actually crown their beef there. My experience with Australia is pretty much limited to unsuccessfully trying to forget that "Land Down Under" song by Men at Work and holding a secret crush as a young bloke on that wholesome sheila Olivia Newton-John, plus looking up an Australian slang guide on the Web to aid in writing this column.

Regardless, I'd recommend the dish to any visiting Australian, or an Austrian for that matter.

The steak was preceded with fairly straightforward salad. The entree allowed a choice of sides. I picked Aussie chips. That's Freedom Fries to us Americans. But they had pepper on them, which was a nice little twist.

Finishing matters, I tried the Sydney's Sinful Sundae, which is vanilla ice cream coated in toasted coconut and topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and strawberry wedges. It was a delight for this coconut lover.

The bill came to $24.62, which is substantial but reasonable for this Outback-sized meal.

Essentials

• Outback Steakhouse

• 1409 N. Veterans Parkway, Bloomington

• (309) 663-0455

• www.outback.com

• Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 to 11 on Friday; 3 to 11 on Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Food

Entrees of steaks, chicken, lamb and fish cooked in various ways, including on the barbie. Seven options on the kids' menu, so don't hesitate to bring your ankle-biters.

Drinks

In addition to the regular run of soft drinks and iced tea, the restaurant has a full bar. It advertises seven specialty drinks on its meal menu, plus eight domestic beer labels and six imports.

Money

Entrees start at $10 and reach $22; most are in the range of $14 to $18.

Payment options: All major credit cards, plus local checks.

Setting

A casual atmosphere with decor evocative of the Australian Outback. Booths and tables. Seating near the bar is smoking-permitted.

The restaurant is wheelchair accessible, and its strip-center locale may detract from the thought of exotic treat but translates to abundant parking.

No reservations, as in tables being held, but call-ahead seating puts a party on the list and reduces wait time.

History

Outback is part of Tampa-based OSI Restaurant Partners Inc., founded in 1988. From the outset, Outback was interested in playful Australian-themed, not authentic, Australian food, and some of its menu influences come from the New Orleans French Quarter. The Outback restaurant here opened in 1999. As "proprietor," Duane Davies shares ownership with the company - a hybrid of corporate ownership and franchising.

Not staying?

The restaurant offers carryout and what it calls "curbside takeaway." Pull up; employees bring it to your car.