“When is a steak MORE than just another steak?”

At Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House, their steaks and the entire dining experience are different. Part of the enjoyment is the look of the steak, and of course, the taste, the moment you take a bite, you will know the difference. Oh, so juicy and so very tender, the steak creates an unforgettable dining interlude to savor.

Corporate Executive Chef Thomas Dritsas explains, “We purchase USDA Prime meat, season the steak generously, and give it ample time to rest. Most restaurants take the steak immediately from the broiler to the plate without letting the steak rest before it is finished off. Resting adds to the tenderness of the steak. There is a nice crispiness, called a blister, which adds a complexity to the steak. The surface is slightly caramelized with a touch of New Orleans seasoning to bring out a more aggressive flavor.”

Their steaks are really big with a choice of an 8 or 12 oz. filet Mignon, 16 oz. prime ribeye, 22 ounce bone-in ribeye, 16 oz. prime strip, 26 oz. bone-in double eagle strip, and 24 oz. prime porterhouse. Chef Thomas advises, “If these steaks are not big enough for you, just tell the waiter how many ounces you want. Many people choose the romance of sharing an extra large MEGA-steak with a 20 ounce piece divided into 10 ounces each or even a larger cut. Our 26 ounce steak, with bone imparted, has a great flavor profile and packs a “wallop”. We believe in driving the value to the guests and making sure they have appropriate size cuts. The chef hand cuts the steak in the kitchen when the guest places the order whatever size they choose even if it is not on the menu.” The steaks are carved tableside to provide a front row seat tempting the guests before they are served.”

Rare really means rare at Del Frisco’s Steakhouse! He compares, “Some people say our medium rare steaks are like other restaurants rare. Steaks should be served rare, undercooked slightly for more juiciness.”

Of course, Mike and I ordered steak. The General Manager, Jacque Viloria, suggested an appetizer tasting platter of three shrimp each, crab cake with Cajun lobster sauce, and the 20 ounce bone- in steak with a 18 ounce lobster to share.

The shrimp platter had a slight twist to the classics. One sauce was filled with Creole mustard and garlic remoulade, the next featured Del Frisco’s special version of their cocktail sauce, and the third, marinated shrimp, were first placed in a crab boil with New Orleans seasoning and garlic for a flavor boost. The wild Gulf jumbo shrimp (U10-12) were flown to Las Vegas from Mexico. We especially loved the three home- made sauces; each of them sparkled with its own perfect flavor mix. For a lighter dinner, just an order of five or more shrimp with their different sauces would have been a great entrée by themselves!

I appreciated that the jumbo lump crab cake was baked, not fried, and really had a lot of big chunks of crab without any fillers. Chef Thomas said, “I let the crab speak for itself with masking it.”

But tonight was meant to feast; the enormous steak and lobster arrived at the table. One of the wait staff carved the steak while the other prepared the lobster. Grilling the lobster gave it an attractive finish and more flavorful taste. Their restaurants use Australian lobster tails exclusively because they are the sweetest and most succulent lobster tails in the market. The lobster tails are covered with butter and broiled to a finish that caramelized on top. What a wonderful taste!

Chef Thomas believes in diversifying the menu. “If we represent seafood, Del Frisco’s does it right. Our fish is flown in from one of the most reputable seafood houses in Boston, the oldest in the country. Our seafood is the same quality or superior quality to our steaks. When anyone wants to order other entrees besides steaks, the guests are going to feel they have the same value and quality.

When you visit Del Friscos, do not miss seeing the most amazing $1.2 million dollar James Bond table. Looking like a normal table at first, Jacque touched her remote control pad and the table suddenly opened to present the James Bond OO7 Films Wine Collection. Eighteen magnums of Cabernet wine from Napa Valley wineries each represent different Bond films. These one- of- a- kind bottles are each laser-edged.

For information or reservations, call 796-0063. Del Frisco’s Steak House, at 3925 Paradise Road, near Flamingo Road, is open for dinner. Open: Monday-Saturday, 5-10:30 pm, and Sunday, 5-10 pm.

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House began in New Orleans, in the 80’s, and now has eight locations in the United States- Denver, Charlotte, Dallas, Las Vegas, Orlando, Philadelphia, New York, and Fort Worth- with another opening soon in Miami.

By Sandy Zimmerman

sandyzimm2003@yahoo.com