Audio By Carbonatix
Steak steak steak steak steak steak steak.
The Dallas Morning News published a Pavlovian steakhouse slideshow the other day, with pictures and a link to a story published two summers ago that ranked Dallas’ best steakhouses. There are some sexy shots in that slideshow, but they invoked deja vu: D Magazine published a steakhouse roundup the following spring.
I won’t persecute anyone for making lists, but I’m curious. Who the fuck is eating all this steak?
Steak is pretty heavy: While I love to indulge salty charred beef on occasion, I’m absolutely toast when I’m done eating. It’s also expensive: You can blow $70 on some cuts in this city. And that’s just for the meat. You could get 25 brisket tacos at Rusty’s for the same amount.
When news happens, Dallas Observer is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If the Dallas Observer matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
The sides often disappoint. I’ve only eaten at a handful of steakhouses since coming to Dallas, but so far the mac and cheese, roast mushrooms and creamed spinach I’ve had have been a let down.
Every time I eat at a steak house, I walk in, am seduced by the tone and feel of the place, eat way too much, freak out when I see the bill, and leave thinking I’ve just wasted both money and injured my insides.
Papas Bros. Steak House is mentioned in both lists. I thought the steak I had there was over-buttered and over-rated, but the service was damn good.
Nick and Sam’s grilled me up a fine enough number, but I wish they’d figure out how to get a stronger sear on the outside of the cut. And their mac and cheese was terrible. Though, weird as it sounds, that steak sauce was memorable.
Oddly, one of the best steaks I’ve had recently was at Del Frisco’s Grille. The place is so casual, and it’s obviously not shooting for a fine-dining experience, yet it’s serving one of Dallas’ best cuts.
While working on that review, I saw a couple split a New York Strip at the bar with a couple of sides and red wine. I think they’re onto something. Fourteen ounces of strip steak provides more than triple the USDA suggestion for a single serving of ground beef. Why are we getting off on spending a ton of loot on a hunk of cow most people can barely finish anyway?
Both D and DMN lamented the death of Nana when they reported on the Hilton Anatole’s plans to turn one of Dallas’ better Italian restaurants into another meat den. Leslie and Nancy agree on practically nothing, but they both seem to agree that we probably have enough steakhouses.
I agree. In fact, I’m declaring a steak moratorium on City of Ate for a duration to be determined by my renewed craving for steak. Starting tomorrow. No, next week; tomorrow’s the weekend. Or maybe the week after. Steak sounds kind of good right now.
