Dining at a steakhouse is a luxurious affair, often reserved for birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations. So it’s important to make the most of the experience. However, it’s easy to feel confused when reading through an unfamiliar menu with fancy descriptions that don’t actually explain the food item. Fortunately, many chefs have come forward with advice, including what kind of steak you should order, and which cut you should always avoid.
Don’t order the filet mignon
It’s a popular cut of steak because of its tenderness but it’s less popular among chefs. This includes Diana Manalang, chef-owner of Little Chef Little Cafe in New York City. “Yes, it is tender and juicy, but because it’s so lean, it has no real flavor,” she explains. That’s why flavoring is crucial, if you opt for it. “Sauces are vital for this cut because its flavor is lacking in comparison to my favorite, the rib-eye. Give me all the fat; even better when it’s bone-in.”
Don’t waste food
Wasting food is a major pet peeve for Andy Knudson, executive chef of Tillie’s in Texas. And it happens so easily at restaurants. “Don’t get me wrong, I love a great steakhouse,” he says to Eat This. “There is a place for them in this world! However, they are an avenue of gluttony. You buy and waste so much food!”
He explains that consumers tend to overestimate how much they’ll eat, and they want to taste more items they could ever finish. So they load the bill with unneeded extras, such as too many appetizers, drinks, and desserts. Much of their meal ends up as leftovers, in a best case scenario. “80% of the time, people are on a company dinner and traveling, so from there, it ends up in the trash — what a waste!”
How to order more and waste less
Therefore, Knudson recommends ordering only what you can eat, sharing appetizers, and splitting a 40-oz. steak with the table. And then — brace yourself — skip dessert. Knudson’s usual order for a table of four includes a round of wet martinis, appetizers like salad and shrimp cocktail, Fernet, dry-aged rib-eye and bone-in filet with three sides — all shared with the table. And one dessert for everyone if you must. “At the end of the day, just be responsible and don’t WASTE FOOD!”
Stick to the speciality
If you’re going to a steakhouse, choose the classics. “Never order fish at a steakhouse,” suggests Jeremy Shigekane, executive chef of 100 Sails & Bar at the Prince Waikiki Hotel in Honolulu. “Just like with sushi, I believe in sticking to what the restaurant does best.”
Josh Mouzakes, executive chef of ARLO at San Diego’s Town and Country Resort, also advises against non-speciality options. “Stay away from any kind of pasta or vegan options they threw on the menu for diversity. Steakhouses are designed to grill, so eat off the grill.” For that reason, his go-to order is: “A big char-broiled dry-aged rib-eye or NY strip with Béarnaise sauce.”
Don’t order well-done steaks
It’s no secret that many chefs loathe cooking well-done steaks. “Cooking a steak to well-done robs it of its natural juices and flavors, leaving you with a tough, dry piece of meat,” says Chef Dennis Littley, classically trained chef and owner of AskChefDennis.com, to Food Republic. Therefore, he recommends getting a medium or medium well-done steak, since that retains some of the natural flavor and tender texture.. It also spares you from getting the side-eye from the chef preparing it.
Never get a well-done Wagyu
For those who insist on well-done steaks, keep in mind that some cuts handle extra cooking better than others. “Never order a Wagyu or American-style Wagyu cut well-done,” says executive chef Eric Mickle of Salt & Fin at Harrah’s Resort Southern California. “The fat content is what makes a Wagyu a Wagyu, and by overcooking that piece of beef, you are just rendering all of that beautiful, flavorful fat out.”
Don’t fall for fads
Food trends are everywhere, especially on social media, but many of them don’t live up to the hype. What may look appetizing in a photo may taste strange in person. Still, the standard tried-and-true steakhouse fare can get tiresome, so don’t avoid new menu items entirely. Just be wary of trends that will disappear soon.
“It would be nice to see more variety and fresh ideas instead of everyone jumping on the same food trends that come and go,” says Chef Troy Guard. “People go to steakhouses to get their favorites and the classics, so it’s a balance. Modern twists can be refreshing.”
Beware of grand claims
This applies to steakhouses and all restaurants in general. Gordon Ramsey recommends caution when it comes to big claims about the food’s quality and popularity. “When they turn around and tell me it is the ‘famous red lasagne,’ who made it famous?” he said to Huffington Post. “They start coming up with these terminologies, saying ‘and the wicked, famous, best in the country profiteroles’. Who said that? Who named that?”
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