Much fancier than the restaurants where I usually dine, so when Abby of Pleasure Palate courtesy of Emily Olsen, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the One Group, invited me to a blogger dinner here, I was curious to check it out.
When I arrived, people had already congregated around lounges so I went over to the bar to grab a drink. As I got my wallet out to pay, one of the public relations people asked if I was here for the blogger dinner and told me the drinks were complimentary. Oh! Is that how it's done?
I started off with a Pearfect Martini with Grey Goose, pear and lemon juice, and St. Germain, $15. Can't go wrong with pear and St. Germain.
Once everyone had arrived, we were moved over to two large booths and given another drink. Mixologist Pablo Moix made us lots of fabulous cocktails that night. I'm not much of a drinker (too expensive) but, if you are, I highly recommend the drinks here.
"Green Intensity," Aviation gin, lime juice, serrano chili slices, and basil leaves, $14. The chilies gave the drink a nice kick and I love basil so this was another winner for me.
The public relations representative said she would just order a bit of everything so we could try it all. While waiting for the food, I glanced around the room at the decor. Steer horns on the wall to remind you it is a steak house after all.
Drinks for everyone.
Rosemary rolls. So buttery and soft.
An off-menu salad with five kinds of tomatoes, including fresh and sun-dried.
Drink #3, La Cienega, Corzo tequila silver, lime juice, cucumber slices, and mint leaves, $15. I liked this drink a lot too. The combination of mint and cucumber was quite refreshing.
Starting in the back, roasted golden beet salad with coriander, micro mint, yogurt, and curry, $12; jumbo lump crab salad with green melon, avocado, mache greens, and kaffir lime, $17; and organic arugula with manchego cheese, seasonal apples, and walnuts, $12.
Lots and lots of crab in the jumbo lump crab salad.
Drink #4 was Capsicum Mojito, Bacardi rum, lime juice, mint leaves, and bell pepper rings, $15.
Lil' big macs, Japanese wagyu, special sauce, and sesame seed bun, $20. I'm not sure how many mini burgers would come in a regular order since these were made for the number of people we had at the table, but they were juicy and delicious.
Tuna tartare, citrus yogurt, jalapeno, and oranges, $17.
Snapper with ponzu and shiitake brown butter, $29.
I can't remember which piece of steak we were served that's featured in the center of the photo, but STK has steaks that start at $19 for a 6-oz skirt steak to filets, New York strip, to a 24-oz porterhouse for $59.
Organic roasted chicken, turmeric, baby carrots, and chives, $25.
Parmesan truffle fries, $9.
Asparagus, $9.
The big one though is the Cowboy Rib-Eye, a 34-oz bone-in, $75, served with foie gras butter, $6.
We had sooo much food! I didn't even get close-ups of the mac and cheese and sweet corn puddings. The plate of little sauces in the back were creamy horseradish, herb bearnaise, red wine, blue butter, STK, bold STK, lemon mustard, and toasted peppercorn, $2 each.
Drink #5, Great Gatsby with Hennessey, Cointreau, lemon and orange juices, $16.
Drink #6 was off-menu, The Delicious, a coffee-flavored tequila. So many drinks! I liked the first three and just sipped the last three.
Dessert was a shortbread cookie and ice cream.
I was overstuffed. Executive chef Todd Miller and chef de cuisine Larry Greenwood present a menu of tried and true favorites with some upscale twists that is sure to please everyone. The food was packed to-go and I have this awful habit of not taking anything when I feel overfull, which I regretted the next morning when I craved those leftovers.
The only downside, and I hate to say it, but it needs to be done, is that half the bloggers left dinner early and didn't bother to leave a tip. I asked our waitress to be sure, and she confirmed that she was not being compensated to cover our tables. So the half who were left managed to cobble something together, but it was deeply upsetting to me that half the group left without even thinking of the waitstaff. Unless the public relations person specifically says not to tip, I always err on the side of caution and leave one. In fact, be a little more generous even since you just got a free meal. So except for that, it was a great dinner, and if I were looking for an upscale steak house, STK definitely comes highly recommended.
Thanks again to Abby and Emily for the invite.
Other steakhouses:
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar - Los Angeles (Downtown)
STK
755 N. La Cienega
Los Angeles, CA 90069
310-659-3535
Sunday and Monday 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tuesday to Thursday 5:30 p.m. to midnight
Friday and Saturday 5:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
*****
1 year ago today, the first pomegranate blossoms on my tree and cataloging garden updates.
2 years ago today, Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen - Orange.
The drinks look good! :)
ReplyDeleteThey all look fabulous, but too fancy for me and beyond my "budget" :(
ReplyDeleteDenysia,
ReplyDeleteThey were, but pricey!
co Toan,
Beyond my budget as well.
Looks fantastic! Lots of tasty choices. I'm not much of a drinker but those looked like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteNikki,
ReplyDeleteMe either, but when they're full of great flavors, drinking is fun.