strip house

[side note: so some of you may know that i'm currently on day 3 of the master cleanse. i'm attempting to detox from the lifetime of crap i've put into my body and i want to prove to myself that i'm not completely controlled by food. my recent binges have sent me over the edge (obviously).

but readers, i'm still thinking about you. after 3 days of no food or booze, i'm seriously thinking about a good steak. and so i leave you with this review...]

strip house
1200 mckinney @ san jacinto

what do you get when you cross a boudoir and a great piece of red meat? the strip house! i love the dark, sexy atmosphere. makes me want to go hunt down my fishnets.

i've dined here a dozen times. with the exception of one off-night when i had a bland bone-in prime rib, every other time has been very good. and they put the fois gras torchon back on the menu which means i will probably be back there soon.

okay, where do i start? for starters, the seafood plateau is impressive. chilled shrimp, clams, lobster, king crab, mussels - pretty standard. but theirs comes with an addition of tuna tartare and baby scallop ceviche. if you're willing to splurge, this is a great way to start. fois gras torchon. i call it nature's butter. total diet-dropping stuff. theirs is served with toasted brioche. to opt for something lighter, split the bibb salad - it's large enough. nice chunks of lardons and gorgonzola.

as for steaks, just take your pick. i like them all but i usually choose the strip or filet. it comes to your table nicely charred with a little drawn butter coating the bottom of the hot plate and a half head of roasted garlic. squeeze the soft mellow garlic out and try it with a bit of steak. delish! my steaks are always perfectly cooked to medium rare the way i like it. rack of lamb has also been wonderful.

some sides are better than others. skip the goose fat potatoes no matter how hard you want to try them. yes, they sound extraordinary, but are a huge disappointment. bland. choose mashed potatoes or potatoes romanoff which are both good. truffled creamed spinach is yummy. garlic fries are yummy. mushrooms are yummy! for the true splurge, there is a baked potato with caviar, bacon, sour cream and chives that which will cost you a pretty penny.

the grapevine tells me that the chef is experimenting with new apps. expect a crabcake and a kobe beef app soon along with some others.

also, for a more casual experience, consider dining in the bar or lounge which is usually pretty quiet, roomy, and comfortable. it's a perfect romantic date situation where you can just split a few menu items and get out without throwing out crazy coin.

strip house wins for best steakhouse atmosphere in houston. but vic and anthony's is still my favorite spot for red meat b/c the crabcake and maple glazed quail are so damn good.