if you say "Hy's" I will just have to smack you over the internet
July 16, 2010 12:41 AM   Subscribe

My girlfriend wants to celebrate a recent work success by taking us out to dinner. She's letting me pick the restaurant. Ideally, I'd like a really good steak, since I don't eat really good steak that often. However, she doesn't really care for steak. What restaurant in Toronto serves both A) a variety of really great steaks and B) has a good selection of quality non-steak entrees on the menu? (She also wants to wear her brand new little black dress and be all pretty, so higher-end would be preferred.)
posted by mightygodking to Food & Drink (16 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
I haven't eaten a steak in roughly one million years, but when I want to wear a new dress and have steak-eaters admire me in it, I take them to Ruth's Chris.

They serve imported US beef, for some reason. Other than causing me some puzzling over that, this restaurant is a fine place, and has several non-steak things on the menu.
posted by Sallyfur at 1:36 AM on July 16, 2010


Ruth Chris's is over priced, and American. Jacobs is v. v. pricey, but unbeliveably good. they have a small but excellent non steak section, including lobster thermidor!
posted by PinkMoose at 3:30 AM on July 16, 2010


La Palette in Kensington is delicious and romantic.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 5:24 AM on July 16, 2010


Barberian's is a classic 1950s style steak house on Elm St. Awesome atmosphere, many, many different steaks, great wine cellar, and some options for those who don't like steaks. Menu is here, so it's not cheap, but it is an experience. Why not Mad Men it up with a vengeance?
posted by maudlin at 5:31 AM on July 16, 2010


Best answer: Can I just gently suggest that if it is to celebrate her success you choose a fine dining place rather than a steakhouse given her preference for non-steak. You'll still get a great piece of meat, albeit not in primal steakhouse form, and she'll have a much better selection of entrees. I eat out a lot and I've been to lots of steakhouses and lots of fine dining places and I've had great beef at many many high-end places but I've never had anything better then good when it comes to non-steak entrees at a steak house.

TLDR- You can get a great steak at a non-steakhouse you can't get great non-steak at a steakhouse.
posted by JPD at 6:52 AM on July 16, 2010 [3 favorites]


Also she can get as dressy as she wants at a drue fine dining place.
posted by JPD at 6:57 AM on July 16, 2010


It's not clear from the question whose success is being celebrated.

Ruth's Chris is expensive. Whether it is "overpriced" might be a judgment call, and subjective. But it is successful because it is consistently good, and its prices are in line with its competition (Capital Grille, Fleming's, etc.). I think it's a good suggestion.
posted by cribcage at 7:18 AM on July 16, 2010


Most steakhouses have other options that are really good too!
posted by xammerboy at 7:52 AM on July 16, 2010


Best answer: Most steakhouses have other options that are really good too!

might I humbly suggest your definition of good is different then mine. Steakhouse people think steakhouses are great for everything- often because they feel uncomfortable in fine dining places. Fine dining people rarely have an issue with steakhouses when it comes to steak. If you are uncomfortable in a fine dining place then by all means go to a steakhouse instead but don't pretend the non steak stuff is "really good".

If I want a really good steak I go to a steakhouse. If I'm taking my wife out for a special occasion we don't go to a steakhouse.

My foodie Toronto friends suggest Canoe for fine dining, but for fine dining with great steaks Nota Bene.
posted by JPD at 8:02 AM on July 16, 2010


Pretty much any high end restaurant is going to have a steak on the menu.

What about Scaramouche?
posted by hazyspring at 8:58 AM on July 16, 2010


Whenever I go to Toronto I try and get a steak at Harbour 60. (Warning, website has music.) It is definitely one of the best steaks I've ever eaten (including great steaks at fine dining restaurants And some great steaks in Argentina). Yum.

They have a very good-looking non-steak selection but I've never bothered eating any of it. It's not cheap.
posted by HopStopDon'tShop at 8:59 AM on July 16, 2010


Cowbell always has a steak entree, and a good deal of other, rather meat-centric, selections. I had some very nice elk there last week. They also have fantastic charcuterie (all house-made) and a decent wine list.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 9:06 AM on July 16, 2010


Best answer: For starters, don't go to Ruth's Chris.

Most fine dining restaurants will also make a good steak. Off the top of my head, I would think Bymark would be your best bet. You can actually look in and see the room they age their steaks in. And they are sourced from some fancy ass farm, if I remember correctly. It's also got a good selection of other foods. And it's fancy enough you can dress up for the dinner.
posted by chunking express at 9:10 AM on July 16, 2010


I actually think all of Mark McEwan's restaurants would probably work well: One and North 44 both have a good steak selection and other foods.

La Pallette mentioned above is a nice place as well. It's not too pricey, the ambiance is really nice, and you can get horse if you want. For serious.
posted by chunking express at 9:12 AM on July 16, 2010


I don't know anything about Toronto specifically, but virtually any French restaurant will have a couple of really delicious steaks on a menu full of non-steak options. Steakhouses will not be nearly as likely to have delicious non-steak options.

Also, I like your blog, mightygodking.
posted by Clambone at 11:16 AM on July 16, 2010


The Fifth Grill (warning: cheesy music on site) is, in my opinion, a largely overlooked source for great steak, even if they have reduced their selection of cuts in recent years. Due to their history (it was a full-on French restaurant under previous chefs) it also has much more character than most steak houses...the great patio, the wooden freight elevator, etc.

If I'm making the decision solely on quality of the steak, however, I always recommend Jacobs & Co. It's simply a step up from Ruth's Chris, Morton's, Harbour Sixty, etc., all of which just seem the same to me.
posted by ltdan at 6:24 AM on July 17, 2010


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