I'm like the "guy" among my group of gfs. Why? While my lovelies delicately cut into their scallop or sea bass at dinner, you will find me carving into a hunk of meat. I have no shame, I LOVE MY MEAT!
I've been to Del Frisco's, Delmonico's, Craftsteak and Mon Ami Gabi and I can say hands-down that CUT blew these highly rated Vegas Steakhouses OUT OF THE WATER!
On Thursday, 7.29.10, my friend and I arrived on time for our 6 PM reservations and were promptly seated.
FOOD/DRINKS:
*2007 Pinot Noir ($17/glass): I forgot the name b/c it's not listed on their online menu, but this Pinot was recommended by our waitress. It had the perfect balance of berry flavor w/ a slight acidity to balance the richness of the food.
*Complimentary Bread:
-Cheese sticks: OMG! The cheese sticks were sprinkled w/ parmesan cheese and baked to a cheesy crisp.
-Pretzel Bread: SO GOOD! Nice and crusty on the outside and pillow soft layers in the inside.
-Onion Focaccia: YUM! It was like layers of buttery bread woven around sweet caramelized onions
*Bone Marrow Flan ($17): YUM! What a genius take on bone marrow! The flan was like velvety smooth custard w/ prominent bone marrow flavor (beefy richness) w/o an overwhelming oiliness that bone marrow tends to have. The mushroom marmalade added a layer of savory sweetness while the warm toasted added a nice crunch.
*Maple Glazed Pork Belly ($17): MmMm! The pork belly was perfectly crisp and smokey on the outside and fork tender and soft in the inside. The pear compote added the perfect amount of sweetness to balance to saltiness from the pork, while the dressed arugula added a layer of citrusy peppery freshness.
*A Tasting of New York Sirloin ($145 + $40 for an add'l 2 oz): Shared among 2 people.
Before we ordered, the steaks were beautifully presented on a platter while our waitress explained the differences (i.e. marbling). All the steaks are lightly seasoned w/ their House Sea Salt, charred to seal in the juices, and then grilled to the perfect tenderness. Each cut was served w/ an accompanying sauce chosen by the Chef.
-Australian Waygu Sirloin (2 oz): OMFG *Faint*! This was BEST effen steak I've ever had in my 28 years! With gentle strokes from my knife, the AW cut like a piece of butter and juices dribbled down from the pores of the meat. The AW had a crisp crust and the meat melted in my mouth like a triple cream butter. It was so full of FLAVOR from the intense marbling and it wasn't overly seasoned so you can taste the actual waygu.
Bearnaise: Added an add'l layer of richness w/ a hint of citrus flavor
-U.S.D.A. PRIME Dry Aged Nebraska (4 oz): SO GOOD! It's a little leaner than the AW, however, the taste is not sacrificed. Just like the AW, the steak was perfectly cooked (medium rare) w/ crisp outer crust and juicy tender center.
Chimichurri: Added an herby freshness w/ a touch of sweetness
-American Waygu from Idaho (4 oz): Although it was a perfectly cooked and seasoned steak, it was my least favorite of the three. This is to be expected after sampling the other steaks which had much more marbling and flavor.
House made Steak Sauce: Added a sweet and spicy tang
*Sides:
-Bone Marrow ($9): OMFG! As you bite into the gobbles of marrow, the beefy oily goodness just bursts in your mouth and showers your cut of meat w/ yet another layer of richness.
-Creamed Spinach w/ Fried Egg ($12): YUM! The spinach was tender and the yolk from the egg added the perfect amount of creaminess w/o being too heavy.
*Strawberry Shortcake ($14): The perfect ending to our meal! The shortcake was warm and crisp on the outside w/ soft layers in the inside. The vanilla ice cream added a sweet richness while the strawberry frozen yogurt added a tart sweetness. It was the perfect balance of taste, textures, and temperatures; hot, cold, creamy, sweet, and tart.
*Complementary Dessert:
-Salted Carmel Fudge Bar: After stuffing myself w/ rich laden foods, the richness of the fudge was just too overwhelming for me.
-Whiskey Cashew Brittle: OMG! The cashew was perfectly toasted and crisp, while the brittle was sweet and crunchy w/ a hint of the whiskey. What set it over the top was the flakey, buttery phyllo dough crust.
SERVICE:
FLAWLESS! Our waitress was friendly and very attentive. She was well-versed w/ the menu and made excellent recommendations. Orders were promptly taken and the food was brought out like an orchestrated symphony. The other wait staff looked like intimidating nightclub bouncers but were very sweet and checked on us numerous times to make sure everything was perfect.
AMBIANCE/DÉCOR:
CUT is not your grandpa's steakhouse. It's modern and sleek w/ ivory basket woven walls, glass square box lighting, abstract gun metal décor and black/white scenic pictures.
CUT is a MUST go-to for steak connoisseurs! It's not cheap, however, a meal at CUT is one of those "life experiences" that you cannot put a price tag on...