[review] The glitzy over the top steakhouse act is not the ‘trend’ of today…modern, farm-to-table kitchens with wide open spaces and things like margarita foam and sous vide quail eggs are all you see on instagram and foodie networks these days. Kitchens let you peer in as they perfectly plate each bite of their overworked overpraised intellectual dishes.
But for all the pomp and circumstance of the new ‘new age’ cafes and Woodstock themed restaurants (which we love, don’t get us wrong) there is still a great need for classic well executed steakhouses. Not the kind that our parents’ parents dragged them to with super stuffy waiters and gigantic hunks of tough meat masquerading as steak and requiring A1. We’re talking about places like NYC’s Benjamin and Old Homestead, restaurants that have kept the tradition of steakhouses alive while adapting with the culinary revolution and perfecting their technique.
We found a Texan steakhouse that might just beat them all. Three decades ago Perry’s Steakhouse was founded as a small butcher shop that has since expanded into a family-owned and operated premier steakhouse in Austin, Texas.
The restaurant was founded on the core philosophy of serving only the finest cuts of hand-selected USDA-aged prime steaks cut fresh daily with outstanding service, staying true to their meat market roots. And while the steaks here are quite convincing, we’ll cut to the chase: these guys serve the mother of all pork chops. Pork as you know it is gone, and nothing will ever be as heavenly as Perry’s.
Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille was founded in the belief that great cuisine and great customers are the recipe for lasting success. The catchphrase is that they’ve redefined dining with an experience that’s truly Rare and Well Done….appropriate considering the quality of their steaks. But something that truly sets a restaurant apart from competitors, in our opinion, is everything that comes with the steak from the wine list to the side dishes and dessert. We were not disappointed.
The menu is a variety of steakhouse staples and updated dishes like Perry’s Signature Fried Asparagus Topped with jumbo lump crabmeat, Tempura Fried Lobster Tail, Symphony Kabob (a hanging presentation of Filet Mignon, lobster and shrimp, served with steamed asparagus) and the aforementioned Perry’s Famous Pork Chop, Carved tableside….the seven finger high (yes, we measured) prime chop is cured, roasted, slow-smoked and caramelized and served with homemade applesauce.
Doggie bags are approved here—there’s no way you’ll make it through your meal without being rolled out if you try to finish it all at once. Savor each bite and make everyone at the office jealous with your gourmet leftovers for the next week (or two—these portion sizes are epic). Tableside flaming dessert creations finish the fanfare with Perry’s typical flair and are as scrumptious as they are entertaining and showy. Oh, and the wine list leaves NOTHING to be desired. Hundreds of options for the eager wine enthusiast or selective oenophile.
Austin might be famous for being weird or having great tex-mex, but don’t let that stop you from stepping outside the tourist box and having a world class steakhouse experience. Texas does do it bigger and better after all.
