Neighborhood: Beverly Hills
The other night, my date and I slipped into this cozy and modern Beverly Hills steakhouse, settling in for an enjoyable, multi-course steak dinner - complete with 2 martinis for us both, and dessert. Who else knows about this unbelievable steal at the Porterhouse Bistro? The place has never been packed, but the customers are steady and varied. Around us: a young man and woman sharing a steak on a first date, and a group of friends who had to make sure the wine they were ordering was included in the deal – it is. Yes, the first course here is the breadbasket – but the rustic and warm La Brea Bakery rolls come with a platter of inspired spreads – tomato bruschetta, olive tapenade, and a roasted garlic clove share space with the standard butter. For the second course, my French Onion soup was a dazzler for the eyes – a heaping pastry puff baked over the cheesy onion broth. Unfortunately, the taste of the onion broth was bland and forgettable. Skip the spectacle and order the crisp Caesar or the steakhouse classic Lettuce Wedge. The meal’s centerpiece did not disappoint – the Porterhouse for 2 was brought out sizzling in its own juices, fresh from the grill. The tender meat was already carved off the bone, so all we had to do was lift our share onto our plates. Unbelievably rich and tasty, the perfectly done medium steak melted in our mouths. Did I mention we each got a side? The garlic mashed potatoes complimented the meat perfectly, while the creamed corn was some of the best I've had. There were enough of the side dishes to split these as well. The surprise here was dessert – usually an afterthought for ‘dinner specials’ (think a scoop of ice cream), here the presentation of the chocolate lava cake and the strawberry shortcake that we had ordered made our stomachs instantly forget that we were already full. Our server paced our food perfectly, and made sure we got our second cocktail before the steak arrived. The deal here is so good, we kept waiting for the ‘catch’. No catch, just a fantastic dinner at a great price – we can’t wait to go back and do it again.
COST: $43.20 for four courses, and 2 drinks (well cocktail, beer, wine, or soda)
LINK:www.porterhousebistro.com
NOTES: On holidays the price of the deal raises to $53.20. Valet parking. Reservations suggested.
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