Welcome to Jimmy’s Family Steakhouse.
When you walk into the Columbia restaurant, you’re instantly met with familiarity. Walking past the photos on the wall, it’s clear that this is a family establishment with a long legacy.
Jimmy Aslanidis was born in Greece to a family of tobacco farmers. When his family moved to the United States in 1966, they opened G&D Steakhouse, where Jimmy got his start in the family restaurant business at age 16. In 1991, Jimmy and his wife, Tina, opened Jimmy’s Family Steakhouse at 3101 S. Providence Trail on Columbia’s south side.
Now, at 74, Jimmy spends more than a hundred hours a week at the restaurant. He and Tina primarily work in the restaurant, and they are often the only two running the entire operation. The low overhead allows them to serve top ingredients, such as Angus beef.
“It is what I like to do and love to do. But really, I mention work, but I don’t like to use that word,” Jimmy said. “I love what I do, 110 hours a week,” he said.
Following Tina’s recommendations, I ordered an appetizer, side salad, steak, and a baked potato.
The salad had generous portions of freshly cut greens, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and cheese — all of that topped with ranch dressing. (My discerning taste is quick to spot not-so-fresh vegetables, especially tomatoes. These delights were quite fresh.)
The appetizers arrived before the heaping salad was finished. Many of the appetizers were on the platter, which were available to order separately. The dish included a variety of fried mushrooms, dumplings, mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, mini fried tacos, and toasted ravioli. And of course, a side of homemade marinara sauce.
Typically, seeing this many one-off items fried together may raise a red flag. Flavors can sometimes intermingle with one another. However, to my surprise, nothing even shared a tinge of taste between the two. And everything was hot and crispy.
Each appetizer in its own right was delicious, starting with the mushrooms, which were perfectly juicy and tender. The dumplings were perfectly fried, but beware, they can be a little bit spicy. The mozzarella sticks, which rarely impress me at other restaurants, were quite pleasant. They were cheesy without being chewy. They almost melted in my mouth.
The Jalapeno popper was on the creamier side but gave a nice blend of spice along with it. For those who prefer their Jalapeno poppers on the creamier side, I highly suggest these. If you’re a fan of tiny tacos, these would be a good item to order. Perfectly crispy, with a little bit of spice. It takes a second or two for the spice to come through, but don’t worry, it’s not overwhelming once it does.
Lastly, the toasted ravioli was palate pleasing, crispy on the outside, with tender meat on the inside. Paired with the homemade marinara sauce, it was a nearly perfect combination. Each appetizer had unique flavors. The standout for me was the toasted ravioli and the mozzarella sticks paired with the homemade marinara sauce.
Next came the main course, a ribeye with a baked potato and Texas toast. The steak’s freshly grilled aroma was tantalizing, but I gave it a minute to rest and started with the toast. Much of the time, Texas toast is not my favorite menu item because, in many cases, it is usually over-buttered. The Texas toast at Jimmy’s was a just right combination of butter and a nice brown exterior.
The baked potato was satisfying, though it did have American cheese instead of a traditional Colby Jack or cheddar. It’s just something to consider when ordering a baked potato with cheese.
Lastly, there was the 8-ounce blank Angus ribeye, which was a glistening, grilled beauty. The fat rendered perfectly on the edges, and each bite melted away, without being too chewy. Although the ribeye is a fatter cut, if the juices are something you’re wary of, grab the sirloin. I could only imagine it had the same, delicious flavor.
Overall, if you’re looking for a nice, familiar feeling, and a quiet place to eat, Jimmy’s is a great place to stop in for lunch or dinner. It feels like home because for Jimmy and Tina, it has been home for the last thirty-four years.
Summing it up, Jimmy says, “I do what I do, and I do the best I know how, and if it’s not good enough, that’s all that I got.”
