[title type="h5"]Tuesday, January 27, 2015.
Steak Knife.[/title]
The Steak Knife has been on my mind for the past few months. I attempted going there a number of times, but found no parking in a many-block radius from the restaurant. Mondo and Lakeview Harbor and many other places that made Harrison Avenue a restaurant row also pull in the cars.
But today, for some reason--could it be the chill in the air?--I was able to grab a spot only three blocks away, in the linear parking lot in the center of the Harrison neutral ground.
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The Steak Knife at the beginning of a cold evening.[/caption]
I think the Steak Knife is regarded by those who aren't among its regulars (and there are many of the latter) as a second-place finisher in the steak field. Given that New Orleans has twenty-seven premium steakhouses, second place isn't bad--except for those for whom everything is a competition.
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Stack of fried eggplant,.[/caption]
I've always liked the place, as much for its sides and appetizers as for its steaks. Escargots, crabmeat au gratin, and a stack of eggplant disks with marinara sauce. Potatoes au gratin. And that funny crustless, sauceless demi-pizza they call "the tidbit." They make a few very good entree salads, and some non-steak entrees, notably the roast chicken and griled fish with crabmeat and butter.
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Strip sirloin.[/caption]
But I come for the steak. It seems even better than usual. It's a strip sirloin--my favorite cut--with all the qualities I hope to find. A satisfying sear at the exterior, juiciness in the center, enough fat to enrich the flavors of the beef.
Brothers Bob and Guy Roth have managed the Steak Knife far longer than their father did. He opened the restaurant with Ernie Masson in 1972. After a few years, the place reached a certain equilibrium that it still has--even though a move across the street and the deep flooding from Katrina made changes. The bar is always busy even when the dining room isn't. Everybody knows everybody. On weekends, they have live music.
Guy came over first to say hello. Then Bob showed up in the togs of a man who has been cooking all night. All is well, in a restaurant you can count on to remain as you remember it.
[title type="h5"]Steak Knife. Lakeview: 888 Harrison Ave. 504-488-8981.[/title]
