So the Ritz Cafe nudie bar is going into the steakhouse biz. I can't wait for it. "Do you want your meal topless or chopless?" "Sorry, sir, Filet Mignon is not our French lap dancer." "Would you prefer a sirloin or lady loin?" "Our strip steak does just what the name suggests." The wordplay on T-bone boggles the mind. If the new eatery violates the law, will the vice squad stage a steak-out?

LOL, do we have the comment of the week now? I nominate this one.

It is difficult for a moderately priced restaurant to offer prime steaks.
#1 The price point for a 16++ ounce prime cut steak would stand out and most do not have ala carte sides so a vegetable and starch must be included.
#2 Lack of guest purchasing prime cuts would make it difficult to maintain quality and freshness.

Consequently alternative beef/pork offerings for the moderate priced restaurant must be made available: flat iron steaks, top sirloins, tri-tip bison, veal or bison osso bucco, pork tenderloin, pork chops and so on.

If you want that thick and juicy steak and are willing to splurge, then a prime steak house is for you. However once the craving is satisfied you may not return for quite some time, putting pressure on steak houses to be around for the next splurge.

First, MAG I couldn't have said it half as well re the Ritz steakhouse. First vote for comment of the week.

Second, I remember all the discussion here after the affordable steak dinner posting in September. Clearly, there are those that do who actively seek out the best $15 steak. However, almost every restaurant on the list and in the following discussion was a small neighborhood place not a chain trying to Cheescake or Chang the steakhouse experience. I see that the Stoney River web site says "comfort food dressed up in a sport coat."

OK maybe I'm in the minority but I have never seen steak as comfort food. Other than an occasional well made Steak Frites at a place like Petit Louis, Wine Market or Bistro Blanc, if I want to have a steak I want Prime dry aged beef from a place like Capital Grill, Morton's or Ruth's Chris. Sure the price is "outrageous" but for me it's a splurge well worth it.

On the other hand you have places like the now closed Jordan's that offered the same "outrageous" prices as the Prime/ dry aged houses with lower quality beef. If I'm going to splurge I wan't the real thing. I think this is one of the many reasons Jordan's closed. Happily Carlos Venegas has so far chosen to use Prime cuts at his new restaurant in MapleLawn.

Oz which Venegas replaced sat in that same middle ground as places like Greystone Grill, more expensive than a neighborhood place in the city without an upgraded cut of beef out in a suburb. The main two draws seemed to be the tree in the bar (now gone) and the rocks in the bathroom sinks. While the Greystone Grills in Hunt Valley and Columbia are still open the Rockville branch closed under the lack of revenue vs high rent Oz also found in Maple Lawn.

Finally, can we get back to some more stripper humor

I want Prime dry aged beef from a place like Capital Grill

Calling Donny B...

Bucky,
LOL, I thought the exact same thing.

captcha does numbers too:
hardwood 1485

MAG Man, you are hot.

Food, like everthing else, goes in cycles. I remember, and not that long ago, admitting you ate beef, much less steak, would earn you some real looks. Poultry and seafood ruled. I'm glad steak is back!

I dearly love steak. When I lived in the Baltimore area, I rarely ordered in a restaurant, simply because I could get a much better one at home. I'd go to Lexington Market and get a couple porterhouses cut and trimmed, take them hone and grill them in a cast iron pan. With mushrooms, a baked potatoes, and salads I had a $150 meal for $50 or so

Now don't get me wrong, Ruth's Chris is good, Morton's is good, but once you eat a steak at Peter Lugar's in Brooklyn, NY you're spoiled for anything else. I can't duplicate their steak at home. Of course it's a long trip from Baltimore.

Jack Z., you may be right about the steak at Lugar's but I'd prefer my steak without the 'tude.

Their steak is amazing, the 'tude, (and I know they are kinda proud of it) not so much.

Pit beef at the Gold Club and now steaks at the Ritz. So many off color comments, so little time.

CAPTCHA Gives Compliments...albeit with poor grammar.

your persuading

Guess the Ritz won't be going into the Steak House business anytime soon .... at least at the planned location.