beef steak

The Quality Chop House, London, 1/25/24

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exterior – 92-94 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3EA, United Kingdom

The Quality Chop House celebrated 150 years in 2019 and now also have a butcher shop next door.  Long been a ‘meaty’ restaurant they have worked to make the menu contemporary while using the best suppliers in the British Isles they can find.  The room you enter has the famous booths with their straight backs that are reminiscent of church pews and the second room has conventional small tables.  The dark wood and happily talking guests made it feel very pub-like.  An old linoleum floor sits below the high-painted tin ceiling.  Windows to the street add a little to the low lighting as do candles on the tables and mirrors on the walls.  The second floor must be where the private dining room is.  Service was super friendly and the menu changes with availability.   It was a great evening and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants very good food prepared simply and traditionally.  One snafu we had were some scent sticks located directly behind our table but they were happy to move them. Continue reading →

Brass Ram (update), Dallas, 1/13/24

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entrance – 2130 Commerce St 2nd Floor, Dallas, TX 75201

We visited Brass Ram in Dec. 2022 after they’d just opened.  Since then they’ve resolved many of the issues I had with the place.  First and foremost the noise level was much better and the valet parkers knew the way into the building.  Small things, but it sets a tone.  There were several specials off the menu and I appreciate the way the servers tell you the prices after they describe the dish (this is a habit in all the Nick Badovinus restaurants we’ve been to).  Service is first class here – they are attentive but not intrusive and make you feel welcome.  Know that it’s a meat-heavy menu, but they do offer seafood, for those not wanting beef.  We were back to try their prime rib again, as it’s become a quest in our search of supper clubs in northern Wisc.  They serve it every night and offer a Wagyu reserve on Fri and Sat.  It is a place I’ll look forward to going back to. Continue reading →

The Steak House at Circus Circus, Las Vegas, 10/27/23

~ hsnixon ~ 8 Comments
entrance – 2880 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV

Circus Circus was a huge casino not on the main strip and The Steak House was inside.  The feel was of a classic steakhouse – dark wood, lowered lighting, meat aging room on display, mesquite charcoal broiler in the center of the room, Frank Sinatra music in the background, red leather upholstery, low ceiling, and formally dressed staff.  A full bar was available and they made a decent martini.  The place has been there for 40 years this June and was previously a “spa” for VIPs.  The service was excellent but somehow I felt I needed a cigarette holder and a beehive hairdo.  It’s a vibe you need to be ready for.   The steaks are sold as a dinner including breads, vegetable and your choice of black bean soup or house salad.  For an extra $9 you could substitute French onion soup or one of the specialty salads. We both chose that option.  The food was fine and if you find yourself in Las Vegas this is a nice escape from the hectic strip but just try not to touch anything while you walk through Circus Circus casino to get there. Continue reading →

St. Elmo Steak House, Indianapolis, 4/21/23

~ hsnixon ~ 6 Comments
exterior – 127 S Illinois St, Indianapolis, IN 46225

St. Elmo Steak House has been a landmark in Indianapolis since 1902 when it opened.  It is the oldest steakhouse in the city that’s in its original location.  The place is huge, covering several floors with lots of different rooms and private dining options.  It was founded by Joe Stahr and named for the patron saint of sailors, St. Elmo.  Having had several owners over the years it is now run by Stephen Huse and his son Craig. They’ve won awards, have a huge wine cellar, valet parking and professional tuxedoed waitstaff.  The large white cloth-covered tables are surrounded by brick walls and lots of photos with lowered lighting.  The evening we were there, there were a number of large parties in the private rooms as well as on the floor.  It had a very typical steakhouse ambiance that you have to be in the mood for.  It was mixed on food but service was outstanding. Continue reading →

Don Chabe Steak, Dallas, 12/9/22

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building – 3933 Main St., Dallas, TX  75226

Don Chabe opened in August of 2022 in the location that formerly had Mac’s Bar-B-Que.   It’s primarily a Mexican steakhouse but they also have breakfast items and salads.  Fronted by Oscar Rodriguez, the owners also have street taco and sandwich spots and thus some of that is also available.  There are plenty of tables and a dedicated parking lot and the bones of the place still scream Mac’s but they’ve painted the ceiling with fun designs and installed bright tiles around the baseboard.  The lights are bright and music is in the background as well as a large TV screen on one wall that was muted when we were there.  They were not crowded but our server said they have not put out much advertising as they are still working out the menu.  English was not the first language of our server but we were able to get by.  They do now have beer($4) and take credit cards. Continue reading →

Jeff Ruby’s Precinct, Cincinnati, 4/20/22

~ hsnixon ~ 3 Comments
exterior – 311 Delta Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45226

Note 7/19/22 – Just had a call from the customer service person at Jeff Ruby’s Precinct that saw my write-up and was concerned that we were unhappy.  Now that’s some incredible service.  She took the effort to find a phone number to reach me and that is impressive.  That said, so many people raved about this place, don’t be turned off by my experience.  I’d love to hear about your experience if you go.  If I ever get back to Cincinnati I would consider going myself.  They didn’t pay me to say this but honest caring is what can make a great restaurant and they do care.

Jeff Ruby’s Precinct started in 1981, in the former Cincinnati Police Patrol House Number 6 – a turn of the century Romanesque style structure – that holds the ‘longest, continuously running white tablecloth restaurant in the city.’  It has been recognized by a number of publications and is well known in the city.  They pride themselves on the excellent service, quality of food and overall dining experience. Some street parking is available nearby but they also offer valet service.  Inside the lights are lowered and there is lots of red upholstry to go with the brick walls.  Some stained glass windows are in the downstairs dining rooms and chandeliers.  Most notable are the large cut-outs of groups of policemen on the walls.   It feels clubby.  In the entry there are numerous awards and press along with photos of famous diners.  Although this place gets lots of praise our experience was not the best.  Our steaks were both overcooked and tasteless while the potatoes were undercooked.  In their defense they offered to cook others but I didn’t think they could do better.  They ended up comping the steaks which was more than gracious so I think the place has promise but I will never go back. Continue reading →

Charlie’s Steak House, New Orleans, 3/23/22

~ hsnixon ~ 4 Comments
building – 4510 Dryades St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Charlie’s Steak House was started by Charlie Petrossi in 1952.  It’s one of New Orleans oldest steakhouses and prides itself on its unique service model.  There is no menu passed out, if you ask for one you are laughed at as a first-timer.  You simply tell your waiter which steak you want, how you want it cooked and the server will suggest your sides.  They were closed for 3 years after Hurricane Katrina and only opened after the family sold it to Matthew Dwyer who had lived nearby and helped with bartending duties.  He purchased Charlie’s in 2007 and re-opened in 2008 but tragically died at age 49 in the summer of 2020 as Covid was taking over. Several couples joined forces to have the historic restaurant start up again in January 2021.  They do have a menu on their website <charliessteakhousenola.com>, so look it over before you go.  The food is good not great but it’s fun to go to such a retro place. Continue reading →

Le Bon Georges (update), Paris, 12/6/19

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IMG_5737
Frankie shared the restaurant information

It’s only been a year since we were at Le Bon Georges but this time we went for dinner and sat in a different room, but it was still the most fun place with absolutely fantastically friendly staff.  I can’t stress how welcoming and gracious the staff are.  Helpful, fun and efficient,  they really make you want to come back and eat again.  This visit we sat in the lower room, that doesn’t have the bar.  It has a higher ceiling, a tile floor but like the other room has windows to the street, small bare wood tables closely spaced and set with large paper napkins and a chalkboard menu to order from.  After a fancy vegetable heavy lunch we wanted simple meat and potatoes. They sell Polmard beef by the gram and this night they had strip steaks ranging from 700 to 1000 grams.  This special beef is aged, which is rare in France, with a cold air system.  We added some of their fabulous fries to go with it.   Continue reading →

Don Julio, Buenos Aires, 5/22/19

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building
building

Don Julio is a good sized place with additonal seating on a second level and outdoor tables also available.  The small tables are fairly close but nicely covered with white clothes with brown runners and white napkins.  Small service tables help with overflow on the smaller tables.  Wine bottles consumed from their cellar of over 14,000 bottles are signed by their drinkers and displayed on the walls.  The ceiling is made of bricks and old tile decorates the floor.  The open grill area is filled with grilling meats as several cooks man the fire and grill.  Windows to the street and patio area are on two sides as the building sits on a street corner. The place was packed with people but noise did not seems to be a problem at lunch.  It is a very well known place so reservations are a must but for those who have to wait for a table they offer champagne and empanadas to make the wait easier.  They offer a large menu but this place is about beef.  The cozy feel of the place is helped by the excellent, welcoming staff.  When they found we were “foodies” they offered us a tour of the kitchen and wine cellars.  This is significant in that the kitchen is down the street and the manager walked down with us to meet the chef and see some of the preparations of the kitchen that makes everything served – from charcuterie to bread to vinegars and they age their own meat.  The wine cellar was impressive with its huge collection of bottles and also had a table for special parties there.  Plates are filled with generous portions and sharing is fine. Continue reading →