new feature, it's the steak report...

with steak connoisseur and loyal reader earl d. babst. new york magazine claims in it's annual best of issue that jean georges' perry has the best steak in new york. here's what earl has to say about that:



I have not been. However, that will not prevent me from bashing it without cause.

"But the beef tenderloin sure tastes good. It's expertly grilled and presented in pinkish, finger-thick slices."

I find it hard to respect the opinion of anyone who judges a steak house based upon its tenderloin. The biggest variance in the quality of a steak, or where the really good places stand out, is in how they handle fattier, marbled cuts such as the Strip and Ribeye (remember: porterhouse is strip + tenderloin). Furthermore, I am not a fan of the sliced steak phenomenon except at Peter Luger's (or its imitators) where I chalk it up to being "part of the experience." Lastly, while Jean George is an excellent restaurateur, at this point he is more of an artistic director than a force in the kitchen of any of his places. I trust the decor is pleasing and the setting would be nice.

That said, I am always game to try it out.