Mastro's Steakhouse

I feel like a traitor saying this, but I have a new favorite steakhouse in Chicago... And it's an import from L.A. It's also a chain. Ugh, that makes me want to throw up a little bit, but it's all true.

The second Ladies Who Love Steak dinner took place at Mastro's and every single thing was amazing. The meal was pricey, but these people take the very Chicago concept of going big or going home to a whole new level. For example, the ladies who love steak also love cocktails, so it made sense to begin our meal with a round. What we didn't realize is that we'd actually be starting the meal with two rounds -- because when our martinis came, they were served with the shaker. And ice aside, that shaker housed another entire martini. Yeah, I needed that extra Classic Mastro's Martini like a hole in the head. But it was delicious.

We decided that we needed some appetizers to soak up our double-sized drinks... STAT. So we ordered the shrimp cocktail and the lump jumbo crab stuffed mushrooms. The shrimp cocktail was served on an elaborate tiered structure, with lots of ice and lemons and random olives -- and something in it was making the top of the tower emit some sort of steam. It was very dramatic and even more delicious. The shrimp were enormous and fresh and perfect.

And then there were the crab-stuffed mushrooms. They were phenomenal. Perfectly cooked, not overly greasy and chocked-full of gigantic pieces of crab. I would eat them every day of my life if I could make them myself. Just awesome.

Moving right along, almost every single person ordered what our waiter cited as the Mastro's specialty: bone-in filet. Most ordered it medium, but Kim -- the mega badass that she is, went ahead and ordered it RARE. Awesome. I have never seen a woman order her steak rare and I am mentally tipping my hat to her as I write this.

However, what I love about Mastro's is that when you say how you'd like your steak done, they confirm that your expectations are in line with their definition of the terms. This is great, because I've definitely ordered my steak medium at places and had it be outright RED in the center or barely pink at others. AND they offer something called "medium-plus," which is slightly better done than medium but not quite medium-well. I mean, I'm a medium girl myself, but that's brilliant.

Multiple people at our table remarked that the steak we ate at Mastro's was the best steak they'd ever eaten. And I'd have to agree. The bone-in filet had more flavor than any filet I've had before -- and it was impeccably seasoned. Simple, flavorful, delicious. Perfectly cooked. I laughed when the waiter asked me if I wanted the 12-ounce or the 18-ounce version and ordered the 12-ounce... But I really honestly believe that this steak was so amazing, that I would have eaten every last bite of the 18-ounce version if I'd ordered it -- and I kind of wished I had. Completely outstanding.

As you can see in the photo above, we also tried a few of the side dishes at Mastro's. We ordered two of their special sides: black truffle macaroni and cheese (unbelievable), their lobster mashed potatoes (completely over-the-top, but awesome) and their classic creamed spinach (pure excellence). The two side specials were crazy rich and impeccably prepared. But the creamed spinach was actually my favorite -- I'm a total sucker for steak with a side of creamed spinach.

But little did we know... the best was yet to come. Dessert at Mastro's is completely unbelievable. We ordered a trio: the Mastro's Signature Warm Butter Cake, the Chocolate Sin Cake and the Crème Brulèe. And to add to the magnificence, the three desserts were served with a large bowl of phenomenal fresh whipped cream.

The crème brulèe was incredible. It was sweet and creamy, with a perfectly caramelized sugary layer on top. Above and beyond, all the way. It seems to be a theme at Mastro's. Predictably, I LOVE it.

The Chocolate Sin cake was rich and decadent, packed to the gills with robust chocolate flavor. It lived up to its name. Anything that tastes that fabulous has to be terrible for you. Who cares? I'd order it again in a heartbeat.

But I am not exaggerating when I say that the Warm Butter Cake is the best dessert I have ever had in my life. It is so wonderful and makes me so happy I hardly know what to do with myself. In fact, it makes me happy just thinking about it.

Mastro's Steakhouse, I'm a firm believer that Chicago has the best restaurant scene in the country. But I have to acknowledge that the presence of this L.A. import has made it infinitely better. I am obsessed. See for yourself at 520 N. Dearborn Street.

Ladies. Love. STEAK.

Per my earlier post, I rounded up ten ladies who love steak for dinner at the acclaimed Chicago institution, Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse on Rush Street. After a couple of cocktails at Lux Bar, we settled into our table in the dining room. Our very animated server welcomed us and aided us in picking out a suitable Cabernet Sauvignon to accompany our steak selections. The ladies who love steak happily toasted our love of steak and set to work on the menu.

We started off with some crab cakes, which I loved. The beauty of the crab cakes at Gibsons is that they're made with high quality jumbo lump meat crab and aren't overwhelmed by mayonnaise or any other sort of creamy grossness. Instead, they taste like crab, which to me indicates that they're perfectly done. However, the cakes are served with a side of something creamy and lemon wedges, should you feel the need to jazz them up in any way.


And then it was time for the steaks. All Gibsons steaks receive a "prime" grade from the USDA, which is pretty impressive considering that currently less than 2% of all beef produced in the U.S. is graded "prime." It's also worth noting that Gibsons beef comes from cattle proven to be of at least 90% Black Angus heritage -- and that all steaks are aged for 35 days before being cooked in 1800-degree infrared broilers to preserve the delicious beefy juices that make steaks great.

Steaks come with a choice of soup or house salad at Gibsons. Everyone at the table opted for the salad, which we discovered is a pretty hefty portion in and of itself, and which was quite tasty. However, I was almost full by the time my steak arrived. Gibsons definitely abides by the Chicago tradition of going big or going home. (A rule by which I tend to live my life... for better or worse.)

The ladies ordered a variety of cuts of steak (all of which appeared raw tableside during the waiter's spirited menu spiel), but the majority of us stuck to a classic -- and my own personal favorite: filet mignon served with Bernaise sauce on the side. The quality of the filet was impeccable and it was cooked to a perfect medium as well. If there's one negative to note, my filet was a tad over-salted for my taste. It was nothing unbearable and I certainly enjoyed my steak; I just could have done with a little less salt. (I also have to say that the picture below doesn't really do the steaks justice, but it's really hard to photograph food well on a phone!)


The sides we ordered were also very tasty. Spinach sauteed with garlic and olive oil, creamed spinach (my personal favorite accompaniment to a steak dinner), sauteed baby button mushrooms, mashed potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, a loaded baked potato with bacon and lots of melted cheese (a former menu favorite requested by Gibsons regular Ms. Katie O'Keefe)... All of them were delicious. My personal favorites were the sauteed mushrooms and the creamed spinach.


Much to our waiter's glee as he was clearly a major fan, former Senate hopeful Alexi Giannoulias sat down to dine with some of his buddies just a few tables away from us. Alexi was kind enough to stop by our table to say hello and buy dessert for the table. He enjoyed that we were just ten ladies who happen to love steak and we enjoyed the fact that he was buying us dessert. All in all, he couldn't have been nicer. However, his presence is notable in that it's a reminder that Gibsons is still very much a place for Chicagoans to see and be seen while doing what we're known to do best: eating beef in large quantities. (We did not feel the need to invite Alexi to post-dinner cocktails at Lux Bar or to the planned dance party at the Hange Uppe. Just didn't seem right. But Katie did snap this shot of him and our adoring waiter.)

Dessert was a gigantic slice of rich chocolately mousse cake. You can't really see the completely enormous and over-the-top decadence that is dessert at Gibsons in the picture below, but you can see that it's large (and sturdy enough) for a large steak knife to be sticking out of it. Mostly, I included the photo below because it's a cute picture of Brenna. But trust me, the cake was delicious. Unfortunately, at that point, we were all so full that we could barely enjoy it.


All in all, Gibsons is a lot of food. A lot of good food. Come hungry and expect something of a spectacle. I recommend that everyone visit Gibsons at least once in his or her life for a great steak, a lively meal and a true (and truly stereotypical) Chicago experience.

Tango Sur: One More For The BYO Hall Of Fame

24 years ago today, Kelly Dolan (my cousin, neighbor and BFF all rolled into one) was born. As you might imagine, this calls for multiple celebrations -- the first of which was dinner tonight at one of my all-time favorite BYOB restaurants in our hood, Tango Sur.

Tango Sur is an Argentinian steakhouse that has become extremely popular for the following reasons: 1) its amazing food 2) its byob policy 3) its Southport corridor location, which also offers a great al fresco dining option.

We decided to wander over nice and early to ensure we'd get a table. This was wise as the place was completely packed by 7 p.m. on a Wednesday... and with good reason. If you like steakhouses, this place is the best value in the city.

I hadn't been in a while, so I'd forgotten exactly how much bang you get for your buck at this place. When I ordered the $24 chef's special "el filet," a cut of filet mignon with a red onion and wine reduction and a side of spinach mashed potatoes, I was expecting an 8 oz. petite filet -- which would have been totally reasonable. Instead I got two massive 12 oz filets, which were outstanding in quality. (And this means I'll be enjoying filet mignon for lunch at the office tomorrow. Totally normal.) The sauce was well-executed and the mashed potatoes were nothing short of phenomenal. My only possible critique would be that my steak came out much closer to medium-rare than medium. Fortunately, it was still incredible.

Kelly got the same chef's special I did (though I should note that her requested medium-well came out exactly as she'd asked). Our characteristically less adventurous madres ordered the "el lomo," another chef's special featuring a plainer filet mignon served with chimichurri sauce on the side and garlic steak fries. Kath's came out seasoned a little differently than my aunt Patty's, which is kind of random since they ordered the exact same thing, but both were tasty.

We also sampled the provaleta and tortilla appetizers respectively. As someone who has eaten a lot of tortilla espanola in her day, I am happy to report that this one delivers on every level. Quality ingredients yield a great tortilla, but the lemon wedges they serve alongside it are what really put the dish over the edge. I have never had tortilla seasoned with fresh lemon before and was thrilled to discover that it adds a completely new dimension to this old favorite.

If you love cheese, you'll love the provaleta, which is served melted and boiling hot with olive oil and roasted red peppers. Delicious. Nothing shocking or unexpected there, but an absolutely solid appetizer accompanied by some truly well-crafted dinner rolls.

If you haven't been to Tango Sur yet and especially if you just looove a good meat fest at a great value, check out the original Southport location. You can buy a great bottle of wine at Que Syrah, a cute independent wine shop just across the street. The staff are well accustomed to helping diners from Tango Sur pick out the perfect bottle to accompany their meal.

BTW: Tango Sur also recently opened a Wicker Park outpost, but I haven't been over to check it out yet. If you have, let me know if it lives up to the original!