Who Likes Steak!

The following post could be completely true.

Well, in response to Matheo’s article: The Best Thing I Ever Ate, I decided to go along but only after I pushed him to allow me to reference regional chain restaurants as well as national chain restaurants. But, to be fair, I’ll start with a national chain that I’m sure everyone is familiar with. Let’s talk about Outback Steakhouse! There are three locations near where I live all about a half-hour to forty-five minute drive. But I do have a particular favorite in Greensboro, near Battleground Ave. And, instead of naming a single dish, I’ll walk through an entire meal that’s typical for me whenever I wind up at Outback.

So, let’s start with the appetizers. I’m sure we’re all familiar with the Outback signature Bloomin’ Onion, supposedly hand-carved by what the menu describes as a “bloomologist” – LOL. But it’s deep-fried and comes with a spicy dipping sauce (tastes kind of like 1000 island dressing with some hot sauce.) But, instead of that, I would recommend the Aussie Cheese Fries. They come with melted Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese…mmmm, lovely. And, to top it off, have some chopped bacon bits for that extra bit of flavor and don’t forget the spicy ranch dip. The regular is a decent size so I would recommend the small if you’re not sure about your abdominal capacity.

For the main course, there are a variety of steaks available. Yes, I said steaks, not chicken. Chicken is available if desired but I see no point to it. I don’t go to KFC to order a bacon cheeseburger, therefore I see no reason to go to a steakhouse and order a meal that isn’t steak! Anyway, the two choices I’m most interested in are the rib eye and the NY strip. Both are 14 oz. and are about the same price. My preference is the NY strip. Now, I know all the steak connoisseurs out there are probably thinking, “But, but, but, the rib eye is better! Every steak-lover knows that!” Yeah, whatever. I like the NY strip over the rib eye because I think it has a better flavor. Also, if the butcher did his/her job properly, the NY strip is a leaner cut of beef than the rib eye. That’s not saying that one should eliminate fat from a steak. Good heavens no! The fat in the cut is an important part of the flavor of a steak. But, back to Outback. I believe that the steaks are flavored with spicy seasoned salt, and I think a bit of garlic, however, I’m not 100% positive on that. I use seasoned salt on my own steaks as well and it’s a personal favorite seasoning I use when I'm cooking. For sides, I like the garlic mashed potatoes and whatever happens to be the seasonal veggie. Ah, buttery mashed potatoes and a thick, hearty steak!

Are your arteries hardening yet?

If you think you can handle the extra food, how about dessert? I’m a big guy and I likes mah food! For dessert, I suggest the cheesecake with either raspberry or chocolate sauce. Yummy!

All of these items are delicious but I have another reason I like Outback, or rather, why I prefer a particular Outback nearby. I’m talking about the bar of course. Because I have a taste for rum, I enjoy Outback’s variety of daiquiris. My favorites are the strawberry or banana daiquiris, depending on my mood. And the reason I have a preference of one restaurant over another restaurant is that my favorite restaurant treats bartending as more of an art form rather than a regimented procedure. Yes, that’s right folks. At this particular restaurant, I can request a daiquiri that’s “heavy on the rum” and actually get it the way I want instead of having to put up with modern devices that strictly regulate a “shot” (peg, jigger, etc.) of liquor. Some places don’t allow “flexible” tastes and therefore, if you order a daiquiri, you’ll get a drink that is precise in all of its parts, and exact, every single time. Boring! I prefer a bartender that doesn’t mind giving me a just a bit extra in my drinks and asks for feedback on how I want that drink the next time. Oh, by the way, if you intend to enjoy the bar as well as the food, be sure to have someone with you to drive you home. :-)





The Chop House Grille

Now, onto the real reason I wanted to write this article. My current, absolute favorite steakhouse, EVAH! That would be the Chop House Grille. Please do not confuse this chain with a similar one called The Chop House. Those restaurants are a different chain and most are in Tennessee or Kentucky. I actually came across the Chop House Grille by mistake. I was taking someone out to dinner at a “fancy” restaurant. This was a different restaurant that I had heard a lot about and I was interested in trying it out. I called ahead of time to find out the restaurant hours and what would be the best time to arrive. I even asked if I would need a reservation for the day in particular and I was told that it wasn’t necessary. Well, it turns out, a reservation was unnecessary because there were no available tables on that day! I show up, at the restaurant, with my dinner guest and was told that the restaurant had already been booked solid and that no table would be available for at least another hour and a half! Good thing someone told me this when I called, huh?! I was furious! Anyways, we left and wandered around Greensboro a bit thinking of our next move and I happen to drive by the Chop House Grille. So, we decided to give it a shot.

Please understand, the Chop House Grille is expensive. I think they spelled Grille with an “e” to indicate “Extra.” Meaning, you’re going to pay extra money when you eat here. But, trust me, the food is unbelievable. And I have no problems paying extra for damned good food. So, I’ll just walk through what is my typical meal at a place like Chop House Grille.

The appetizers are quite varied. There’s chicken, crab, shrimp, even calamari. But, being the steak-lover that I am, I had to try out the tenderloin beef medallions. You get three, small (I think they’re 3 oz.) grilled beef tenderloins with their Grand Marnier Orange Sauce. Now, I’ve heard of several versions of this recipe. Some call for egg yolks, some may include heavy cream, but all of them included that particular brand of orange liqueur. These medallions were just amazing! And that tangy orange sauce was definitely a first for me. Now, I know you’re probably thinking, “Three ounces? That’s hardly enough for a couple of bites!” Well, actually for me it was just one bite each. One, tender, juicy, tangy bite of steak-lover goodness on a plate.

The Chop House Grille is a high-end restaurant, so I’m not sure why they would create a menu that would include sandwiches and burgers. Nevertheless, if you’re not into steaks (sacrilege!) there are several high-end sandwiches you can choose from. Of course, after that wonderful appetizer, I wasn’t about to turn down a chance to sample their best cuts of beef.

For the main course, I chose a NY strip (12 oz.) cooked medium rare, at least according to the restaurant’s description. Yes, I like my meat a bit bloody. They offer Bearnaise, bleu cheese, or more orange sauce, but I was asked if I wanted something different. I requested chopped onions and mushrooms grilled on the side with a bit of melted butter thrown in. Much to my surprise, they agreed. I’ve done similar sauces like that on my own steaks, using the remaining grease and drippings from the steak I just cooked. Often, I’ll add a small amount of chopped garlic in with my onions and mushrooms to give it a bit more kick. No more need for steak sauce! Believe it or not, I actually hate the taste of raw, or undercooked onions. It makes me sick to my stomach. But, oddly enough, I love the taste cooked onions bring to a dish. Go figure.

For the side (yes, one side) I chose Au gratin cheddar potatoes. What they brought back to my table is best described as heavenly. The steak was just as tender and juicy as the medallions were in the appetizer. In fact, the steak was so tender, I literally did not need a steak knife to cut it. A simple dinner knife pressed down onto the meat, stabbing my fork into a portion, and lightly pulling the two away from each other was all that I needed to pull a bite off of my steak. And, just as I requested, the steak had grilled chopped onions and mushrooms with a buttery taste to them added as a garnish. The Au gratin cheddar potatoes had just enough actual melted cheese in them to be “stringy” to pull a bite away from the plate. Exquisite!

(Drool)
(Drool)
(Drool)

Now, if you think your esophagus can handle it, and I’m not ashamed to point out that mine can, I strongly suggest that you try one of their luscious desserts. There are three, yes – three, absolutely scrumptious desserts for us chocolate lovers out there. Oh, did I say chocolate? I meant CHOCOLATE! Of course the restaurant has other desserts like the typical key lime pie (meh) or the vanilla ice cream sundae (yawn), but might I recommend the quite-aptly named: Five layer chocolate mousse cake (for two.) Yes, even I couldn’t handle eating this thing all by myself. It’s made of devil’s food chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and they even add some heated chocolate sauce with some sprinkles of shaved white chocolate.

(Dies)

I hate to disappoint anyone that is not capable of traveling, but this restaurant is currently only available in North Carolina. I haven’t seen it anywhere outside of NC, and believe me, I look every time I travel outside of the state. I think their website is currently undergoing some updating because it doesn’t list all of their locations. I know of at least two restaurant locations that are missing. Also, I did say that it was expensive. But, for a special occasion, or a once in awhile event, it is definitely worth every penny. No other restaurant I’ve been to (ever) has food that good. And, I honestly don’t think that I’m doing the food at Chop House Grille justice with my article.