Costa Mesa, CAFew steakhouse chains get me as excited as Mastro's. I have been to enough to learn the do's and don'ts. You could walk away from a visit to Mastro's with a life changing experience or wishing you had gone somewhere else based on your order. At Costa Mesa we got the bread service which is a must. Their bread service is as good as it gets anywhere. I enjoyed the Caesar Salad once again. Somehow I got tricked into the mac and cheese for a side again and regretted every second of it. It is truly the worst steakhouse mac and cheese I have ever had. We ordered a ribeye, a filet and I thought I would splurge and get the Tomahawk Steak. It was massive as you might image. I couldn't finish it. The ribeye was on point and the filet did not disappoint. I probably would not get the tomahawk if I had to do it again. The cut was big but it felt like it was not as choice as the ribeye or filet cuts. The atmosphere is pretty cool if you can get the outdoor patio seating on the second floor. A cool California breeze hits you from off the ocean while you enjoy a modern setting with lights strung everywhere. One awesome find, after missing this on previous visits to Mastro's around the country was the buttercake. You have to order the buttercake.
The ideal night at the Costa Mesa Mastro's would be as follows: 1. Patio Seating 2. Bread Service 3. Maple Glazed Bacon Steak and Sushimi for your appetizer 4. Ceasar Salad 5. A Filet 6. Garlic Mash and One of the vegetables. (Just avoid the mac and cheese at all costs) 7. Buttercake Don't deviate from the game plan above and your night will be unforgettable.
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Phoenix, AzSteak 44 had been a long time recommendation to me from a friend and when I had the opportunity to visit Phoenix, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see what all the noise was about. I came in with fairly high expectations because of the rave reviews I had heard, but it did not disappoint. The setting is beautiful. One of my favorite parts was the glass wall that divided the kitchen from the dining area. There was nowhere for anyone in the back to hide anything. It is all done in plain site. The kitchen is spotless and well organized. The food was cooked to perfection. The selection of family style sides was larger and more diverse than most steakhouses. We tried a lot of them including the chef’s signature potatoes but the corn creme brûlée stole everyone’s heart. The steak was a top of the line melt in your mouth grade A, US prime choice cut filet. They also had some wagyu options on the menu. The service was a little slow. I think we ended up being there for nearly 2.5 hours but it was worth the wait. Somehow we mustered the courage to take a peak at the dessert menu which also had a wide variety of options. The red velvet bread pudding was delicious as was the berries and vanilla whip cream but the best dessert we tried was an off the menu beignet tree that was served warm. Each beignet was covered in cinnamon and sugar and then coated with powdered sugar. After dessert they brought out fresh chocolate chip cookies for the table. It was a truly amazing experience for the entire 2.5 hours we spent there.
San Jose, CALB Steak was quite a treat. The filet cut was about as choice as it gets anywhere. I actually cut myself a piece using only my fork. The fat was marbled perfectly throughout the cut and cooked to perfection using a classic salt and pepper rub. The Rib Eye comes out on a unique slab that makes for a great presentation. The side dishes would be the only thing that would I wouldn't give an absolute A grade on. Don't get me wrong, they were delicious but the house potato cake didn't measure up to some of the classic Au Gratin dishes at other classic steak houses across the country. I also had a Caesar Salad that came embedded with long thin slices of anchovies. For some this would probably be a delicious and unique plating but it was too much fish for me.
Daytona Beach FloridaHyde Park Prime Steakhouse was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting the beauty of this steakhouse to end with the scenic views. I was no more encouraged when I asked my waiter what he suggested and he said.... “You have to try the croutons...” Yes, you read that right. He recommended the croutons. How do you not see what in the world a waiter is talking about when he recommends the croutons at a steakhouse? I ordered a Caesar salad and the wagyu filet. At this point I was thinking well at least the view is nice. When my salad came things started making a bit more sense. He was right! Somehow Hyde Park Steakhouse has created a crouton worth blogging about. They were amazing. The steak was a great compliment to my feature dish of croutons with salad. The steak was prepared perfect and melted in my mouth as I sat with a perfect view of the waves rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean. Hyde Park Steakhouse May be in the conversation for top steaks in America but they are definitely the undisputed king of the crouton.
Portland, OregonAs a huge basketball fan I couldn’t have been more excited to get a picture in front of this steakhouse. My two great passions collided into what I thought was going to be absolute personal nirvana. I loved the interior design that had images of His Airness from floor to ceiling. My first reality check came when I asked the waitress what Mike orders when he comes in... (Don’t ask questions that you don’t want answers to.) She responded very confidently with, “He’s never been here. His son came in once though.” My fragile bliss took a first round blow to the body. It was a slow painful disappointment from that point on. The service was slow. I ordered a drink three times before it came and they tried way too hard with the steak. Just about every cut had some sort of glaze or sauce served on top that disguised the flavor of the lower quality beef. I may have gone in expecting the greatest basketball player to produce the greatest steak, that couldn’t be further from what I got.
Minneapolis MNMurray's is a one of a kind steakhouse. In down town Minneapolis you will find nestled in one of the oldest buildings in the state, an unassuming looking old town steakhouse. Don't be fooled though. From the moment you walk in you are swept away in the nostalgia of it all. From the table side display of cuts, which includes a live lobster staring daggers at you, to the extra large appetizer portions, the beauty of Murray's is in the details. The steak itself demonstrates massive flavor and tenderness that can compete with any steak in the country. Check this place out for sure if you ever find yourself in Minneapolis Minnesota.
Austin, TXIf you have been to Steiner Ranch it will be near the top of your list. I would recommend going just before sunset and requesting indoor/outdoor seating with a view of the lake. The place is astonishing. From the moment you pull up to the large cabin you are transported out of the city and neighborhoods to a tranquil and special experience. The lighting on the exterior of the building creates a feeling of elegance that matches the rustic decor inside. The waiting room is fashioned like an old time cigar room with leather and mahogany throughout.
There may be something to sitting under the Texas sky on a cool summer night staring over beautiful lake Travis, listening to live music that makes the food taste better. To me everything about the experience was magical. This carnivore’s Disneyland will leave any meat lover in a trance that makes you want to come back over and over again. The beef is fresh and local, the cuts are prime and the setting cannot be matched by any steakhouse I have ever visited. I would make this a bucket list item for anyone looking for a high end Texas beef experience. Salt Lake City, UT\I know, I know. Ruth’s Chris is a massive franchise chained with locations all over the country. As far as I’m concerned it doesn’t make it any less delicious. I have been to locations throughout the country but non better than the location in Salt Lake. You may think every location is using the same recipes, so how could it be any better in Salt Lake City.
first and foremost the service is unmatched. This location has been known to keep there staff late to accommodate post Utah Jazz game dinners at one or two in the morning. I have rarely visited the location when they didn’t send me home with some extra leftovers or a dessert for later. My favorite Ruth’s Chris dessert is the berries and cream. Unfortunately they took it off the menu, nut the location in SLC still whips up a batch for me when I ask. But the SLC location goes beyond service, executive chef, Brett Bartholoma, keeps the food on point at every visit. The cuts of meat used by Ruth’s Chris come from farms in the Midwest. There is a noticeable difference in a steak shipped from a Midwest farm somewhere in the Midwest vs a location like New York, Sacramento, or Hawaii. Mark Robbin’s is the owner operator in Salt Lake and whatever he has figured out with his staff is an amazing model for any steakhouse to follow. Dallas, TXPapa Bro’s is part of a southern group of restaurants know for it’s quality food and reliability. Other restaurants within the chain include Papadeaux seafood, Pappasito’s Cantina, and more. Pappa Bro’s being the most exclusive, offers steaks that are actually dry aged in house and you can taste the difference. They have a cut for everyone including a 40 oz Porterhouse for 2 that is cut table side. Depending on when you go they usually have select Wagyu cuts available as well. The steaks are cooked similar to other high end steakhouses with very high heat and a nice salt and pepper rub. The service is top of the line and the beef flavor shines through each cut. It is clear that they aren’t kidding when they tell you they only accept the top 5% of beef cuts in the country. They also pride themselves in a 28 day aging process that makes it even better.
Washington DCMastro’s is one of the newer steakhouse chains on the scene and they have a lot figured out already. They have strong bread selection including a unique pretzel baguette. The steak cuts include a large selection including 2 bone in filets and 2 other non bone in filets, New York cuts, and ribeye’s and even 3 or 4 wagyu cuts. You can tell they take the meat selection seriously and you can taste it with each dish. The steak is definitely the star of the show at Mastro’s with the side dishes leaving something to be desired. In terms of there steaks however, they knock it out of the park.
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AuthorBrandon Adams is an Entrepreneur who travels around the country visiting with clients at the finest steakhouses this country has to offer. He has no background in the culinary arts. He is just a good ole' red blooded meat loving American man. Archives
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