I'm a chef, and there are some things I always get at steak houses and other dishes I skip.
I like to order a medium-rare filet mignon with fries and fresh oysters if we're near a coast.
Wedge salads aren't good — and you won't ever catch me ordering chicken at a steak house.
Despite the limited-sounding name, steak houses often serve a surprisingly varied and lengthy menu of options that can please most eaters.
Yes, even vegetarians and pescatarians can find multiple diet-friendly options at a typical steak house. But, of course, not everything is worth ordering.
As a trained chef and food writer, here are the six things I would happily get at a steak house and four items I steer clear of.
I go for the filet mignon, served pink.I prefer to have the filet pink in the center.
Ratov Maxim/Shutterstock
If I'm eating steak at a restaurant, I'm going all-in on a buttery, medium-rare filet. A medium-rare finish keeps the tender cut of steak flavorful and juicy.
I rarely make this treat at home, and a good steak house will know how to do it right. Pair the filet with fries or creamed spinach and I'm a happy camper.
Fresh oysters for the table are essential, especially if we're on the coast. I like to start meals with fresh oysters.
David Buzzard/Shutterstock
Briny, shimmering oysters are my ideal way to start any meal, and many steak houses — especially those on the coasts — take pride in their daily mollusk offerings.
If there are multiple varieties, I'd order a medley for the table with all the accouterments. Purists can skip the mignonette, but I'll be dousing my oysters in lemon.
I'll get the Caesar as long as the croutons are house-made.It's worth asking if the croutons are house-made or not.
shamiltural7/Shutterstock
If I'm going for a salad at a steak house, it has to be a classic. A savory Caesar pairs well with both beef and seafood.
If the restaurant is making crispy croutons in the back and using real Parmesan, I'm all in.
Fries are always a good idea.I like to order fries when I'm at a steak house.
Moomusician/Shutterstock
Truffle, Parmesan, or simple salt and pepper — no matter how the steak-house fries are seasoned, I want them on my table.
Fries often pair nicely with steak and can be dipped in some of the meat's juices, too.
I generally trust the crab cakes at steak houses. A lot of steak houses I've been to have impressed me with their crab cakes.
Cavan-Images/Shutterstock
I love crab cakes that are golden and crisp on the edges and fluffy and tender inside.
In my experience, steak houses tend to do a good job on the crab-to-filler ratio — I want crab cakes, not breadcrumb cakes — and they often come with a tasty, tangy tartar sauce for dipping.
I'll usually finish my meal with a chocolate lava cake. Chocolate lava cakes are basic but often tasty.
Moomusician/Shutterstock
Somehow, this intense, dense cake has become a steak-house staple, and I'm here for it.
Though I'm generally not a cake person, I'll make an exception for a warm, lava-centered chocolate number topped with fast-melting vanilla ice cream.
Of course, we need enough spoons so everyone at the table can have a bite.
On the other hand, I'm skipping the clam chowder unless I'm in New England. Clam chowder is a pretty heavy appetizer choice.
MARK D GIROUARD/Shutterstock
Clam chowder is usually served as an appetizer at a steak house, but it's so dense and heavy that I'm not likely to have room for the main event if I get it.
And, as a Boston native, I can't bring myself to sip on a milky chowder that's not been vetted by my fellow Massholes.
Seared tuna can be pretty dry at a steak house. I'll order tuna when I'm at a sushi spot, not a steak house.
Ryzhkov Photography/Shutterstock
Unless I'm at a sushi restaurant, I often find the tuna I order to be dry and severely lacking flavor, especially when pan-seared.
Even when served raw, tuna can be disappointing if it's not super fresh and well-dressed. I think you're better off sticking to the other kind of steak in a steak house.
The wedge salad is not my cup of tea.Wedge salads are annoying to eat.
RFondren Photography/Shutterstock
I know that the more classic steak-house salad is a bacon-topped wedge, but I've never gotten on board with a salad that requires — seriously, requires — knife work to get through.
The iceberg lettuce never has the proper amount of dressing, and if I'm already eating steak for my entrée, I don't need more meat in my salad (sorry, bacon lovers!)
Chicken breast is never my first choice anywhere.I wouldn't even order the chicken if I wasn't getting steak.
Getty Images
I wouldn't order chicken breast from any restaurant, steak house or otherwise. For starters, I want the flavor and richness of dark meat.
Also, why would I risk a dried-out piece of poultry when I'm dining at (and paying higher prices for) a restaurant that specializes in perfectly cooked red meat?
Заместитель управляющего Отделением Фонда пенсионного и социального страхования Российской Федерации по г. Москве и Московской области Алексей Путин: «Клиентоцентричность - наш приоритет»
Свыше 6,5 тысячи жителей Москвы и Московской области получили справки о статусе предпенсионера в клиентских службах регионального Отделения СФР и МФЦ
Труп обнаружили после тушения пожара на западе Москвы
На фиолетовой линии метро Москвы увеличены интервалы из-за человека на путях