The Texas Roadhouse Secret Menu Item That Upgrades The Cactus Blossom
At Texas Roadhouse, a steakhouse chain known for being relatively cheap, the spécialité de la maison is steak, of course. As only the most dedicated of paleo dieters might attempt to make a meal of steak alone, the restaurant also offers a range of appetizers, including the Cactus Blossom, which is similar to competitor Outback's famous Bloomin' Onion. While this oniony app only landed in the middle of our Texas Roadhouse appetizer ranking, menu hack devotees who don't mind spending a little extra money can turn it into a secret menu appetizer dubbed the pulled pork Cactus Blossom.
The reason for this name is fairly obvious: You order the onion with a side of pulled pork. (If you're really hungry, you could get the latter in the form of a pulled pork sandwich or even a dinner.) Ask for your main to be delivered along with your appetizer, then transfer some of the meat to the onion.
To obtain pork with no bun or sides, though, you'll need to ask the server for an off-menu upgrade. As of 2023, it may be possible to add a side of pulled pork, with or without sauce, to any dish for an upcharge of about $8, although the price and availability of this unlisted item can't be confirmed by checking the website. The information comes from a TikTok video made by a Texas Roadhouse server, but some commenters say that off-menu upgrades aren't offered at all of the restaurant's locations.
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Other options for upgrading your onion
If your Texas Roadhouse doesn't offer unlisted extras or you simply don't have the chutzpah to ask your server for something special, you can still customize your Cactus Blossom without venturing off-menu. Texas Roadhouse, like many other steakhouses, is fond of selling you upgrades for your steaks.
When you order this entree, you have the option to add shredded pepper jack, blue cheese crumbles, sauteed mushrooms and onions, or grilled shrimp at prices ranging from under a buck for the cheeses to about $4 for the shrimp. All of these steak toppers are listed on the menu and should be available even without a steak, but if you'd rather not ask, you can order one of the restaurant's side dishes to employ as an onion embellishment.
A fried onion smothered in steamed broccoli sounds ... contradictory, but who knows? It might work. However, both the mushroom and shrimp sides would definitely make tasty onion partners, while a fried onion topped with a cup of Texas Roadhouse chili could be even better than one with pulled pork. If you want an extra-aromatic app, you can even try topping your Cactus Blossom with sauteed onions. (Bring your own breath mints.)