NEW YORK – Fresh alternatives to a big, juicy steak are bringing new tastes to steakhouse menus – and more women to the table. Steakhouses are capitalizing on the trend of diets that incorporate nutritious lean beef, such as the “Drop 10” diet by SELF magazine. Beef is a nutritional powerhouse, helping to fuel the body with 29 lean cuts for a variety of nutritious meals. Trendy Certified Angus Beef ® brand cuts add a burst of flavor to healthful solutions. In honor of National Steakhouse Month, here’s a look at how top steakhouses around the country are catering to women.
Boot Hill Saloon & Grill – Vega, Texas
Boot Hill features a selection of different side dishes to cater to individual dietary needs. “We bring in local seasonal produce to create healthy alternatives to our home-style southern sides,” says Rory Schepisi, executive chef and owner. These include baby broccoli and grilled asparagus, as well as fruit, veggie and herb-based sauces, like Habenero Mango Salsa or Caribbean Creole Sauce made from five peppers.
The 6 oz. flat iron steak salad with grilled vegetables and caramelized red onions is a top choice of Boot Hill’s female clientele. “They get their vegetable and protein needs in one dish without an abundance of calories,” Schepisi says.
She also sees braised meats gaining popularity, especially for Boot Hill’s 6-hour braised Certified Angus Beef ® brand bone-in ribeye. “Most kitchens would not braise this great cut, but the outcome of this tender piece of amazingness can’t be beat.” Paired with a sweet and spicy gravy, hatch green chile mashed potatoes and a biscuit with honey butter, it is the quintessential southern dish. For a taste of the Old West on Route 66, visit http://www.boothillvega.com/ or call 806-267-2904.
Peacock Alley American Grill & Bar – Bismarck, N.D.
While traditional steaks are a mainstay on Peacock Alley’s tables, owner Dale Zimmerman saw a need to serve smaller amounts of high-quality foods with unique flavors. “We realized that women want crunch and small amounts of beef,” he says. Guests enjoy the Certified Angus Beef ® brand Asian nachos and short rib flatbread. Beef appetizer additions are eggrolls and steak bites.
“The teres major is a cut that we offer specifically for women,” Zimmerman adds. Each month the restaurant features a seasonal trio of teres major medallions. The teres major is one of the most tender cuts of beef available.
Peacock Alley also offers a hanger steak for customers preferring no visible fat. It’s served on a bed of roasted tomato cumin coulis with cilantro lime hollandaise. “Prized for its flavor, the hanger steak is a favorite of butchers who would often keep it for themselves,” he says. “There is only one per animal, making it a very special steak.” For information and reservations, visit http://www.peacock-alley.com/ or call 701-255-7917.end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Cabin Club, Delmonico’s and Blue Point Grille – Cleveland
At Cabin Club and Delmonico’s, Chef Shawn Cline counters his Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime center-cut strip steak, or his “big boy option” aimed at male clientele, with a feminine-centric “Cabin Cut” strip steak.
Cline says the “cabin cut” is all-edible, all beef. “It’s perfect because the external fat is completely trimmed prior to cooking,” says Cline. “It allows us to offer a leaner cut, but have all the flavor of a traditional strip steak – without having to trim off the gristle when it gets to your plate.”
The marbling – the flavorful fat within the beef – makes it comparable in tenderness and juiciness to filet mignon, the traditional favorite of female guests. Likewise at his Blue Point Grille, Cline offers a smaller 9-ounce “Manhattan Cut” strip steak that resembles a filet mignon. This is achieved by taking a traditional strip and cutting it lengthwise.
“It’s lighter in portion size but with a desired thickness you’d find with a 16 oz. steak,” Cline says. “It’s all about finding balance throughout the menu while providing the opportunity for our guests to enjoy what they want without overindulging.”
New selections of beef and seafood continue to make modern versions of tacos a burgeoning trend, Cline adds. For information or reservations, visit http://www.hrcleveland.com/ or call Cabin Club at 440-899-7111, Delmonico’s at 216-573-1991 Blue Point Grille at 216-875-7827.
Source: Certified Angus Beef LLC