Ribeye Steaks, Prime Ribs--Dozen Best
As we wind down the farewell-to-meat-eating season, the thoughts of many beef-lovers turn to roasted prime rib and ribeye steaks. They are the same cut of beef, just prepared different ways. As the name implies, it comes from the forward ribs of the animal. It's the only first-class steak that can be kosher, coming as it does from the forequarter of the animal. With quite a bit of interior fat even in low grades, ribeyes are the most foolproof of steaks Unless overcooked or otherwise messed up, they're always tender. Ribeyes and prime ribs from USDA Prime-graded beef can have a colossal amount of fat. Connoisseurs of the cut expect and enjoy this. Another of their preferences are for bone-in cuts. A large bone-in ribeye steak has in recent years become known as the "cowboy cut," and has become a favorite of many steaklovers. For all the masculinity of steakhouses, it's the girls who seem to love the cowboy cut most--my wife being a prime example of this. Here are the dozen restaurants where she and I found the best ribeyes and prime ribs.
1. K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen. French Quarter: 416 Chartres. 504-524-7394. They buy prime-grade beef here and blacken it. I'll bet that kicks up some smoke in the kitchen. Luscious.
2. Sal and Judy's. Lacombe: 27491 Highway 190. 985-882-9443. Even though the Italian food and seafood is the main specialty here, Sal's prime rib has attracted a large following of people who never order anything else.
3. Keith Young's Steak House. Madisonville: 165 LA 21. 985-845-9940. My wife has succumbed to the temptation of the enormous cowboy-cut ribeye more often here than everywhere else put together. Hand-selected beef, grilled by a master of the art.
4. Mr. John's Steakhouse. Garden District: 2111 St Charles Ave. 504-679-7697. USDA Prime, sizzling in butter, rich and well-trimmed. Get a side of spaghetti with red sauce to finish the lustiness.
5. Ruth's Chris Steak House. Metairie: 3633 Veterans Blvd. 504-888-3600. |CBD: 228 Poydras (Harrah's Hotel). 504-587-7099. One of the true Prime cuts on the menu of our most famous steakhouse, the ribeye here stands with the best. The prime rib is not nearly as good.
6. Crescent City Steak House. Mid-City: 1001 N Broad. 504-821-3271. Not only Prime but dry-aged in house.
7. Gallagher's Grill. Covington: 509 S Tyler. 985-892-9992. Pat Gallagher's current restaurant doesn't call itself a steakhouse, but it is one, with prime beef hand-cut in house, sizzling in butter. We have put away many a cowboy cut here.
8. Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse. French Quarter: 716 Iberville. 504-522-2467. You can have it any of three ways here. The ribeye steak is a nice thick boneless slab of Prime beef. It can be had straight or with barbecue shrimp and the sauce therefrom. Or as Prime-prime rib, roasted slowly, horseradish sauce and all.
9. Crazy Johnnie's. Metairie: 3520 18th St. 504-887-6641. Although Crazy Johnnie's is best known for its bargain filets (low price, high quality), it has long roasted prime ribs as well as anyone in town.
10. Young's. Slidell: 850 Robert Blvd. 985-643-9331. Only the towering filet mignon outsells the ribeye here, which comes of an open-flame grill, often still sizzling without the help of hot butter..
11. Rib Room. French Quarter: 621 St Louis St. 504-529-7045. The city's best-known vendor of prime rib performs the slow-roasting in the classic style. Bone in or out.
12. Steak Knife. Lakeview: 888 Harrison Ave. 504-488-8981. No fancy tricks: a USDA prime ribeye, grilled very nicely, served with a touch of butter. The potatoes au gratin make it perfect.
