Superb Steak Houses
By Ann Blask
Photography by Jim Bush.
The secret to a perfect steak is finding one prepared exactly the way you like it. From blood-rare to well-scorched, every steak lover has a preference. I probably fall into the chef’s-nightmare category. I want my steak served so hot, I can still hear the sizzle, and smell the beefy, charred aroma. I don’t want to see red in the middle, but I still want juice to run out when I make the first cut. And one more thing: Make it a porterhouse, please.
No matter how exacting your standards, or how particular your tastes might be, Western New York has its share of fine steak houses that can serve up the ultimate steak to even the most discerning diner.
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The Red Osier
This country restaurant, in the small hamlet of Stafford, midway between Buffalo and Rochester, is famous for Prime Rib. To be more specific, this is Prime Rib at its best: Tender, juicy, and so big, you’re sure to have enough leftover for lunch the next day.
The smallest serving, the Princess Cut, weighs about a pound. The hefty Call Cut, (named after one of the first families to settle in the area) averages four and a half pounds, and stands eight-nine inches high. That’s one serving!
Does anybody actually eat the whole thing? “Yes,” says General Manager, Michael Moore. “In fact we serve forty-fifty of these a week.”
What about today’s fitness craze, and our supposed diet-conscious mentality ? Forget it. As owner Bob Moore explained, “when people go out for dinner, especially for special occasions, it’s ‘no holds barred’.”
While we’re on the subject of “big,” the Super Colossal Shrimp Cocktail is also a show-stopper. With just three shrimp per serving, each one of these Peruvian delicacies is about six inches long, and is served icy-cold, with cocktail sauce and lemon.
Of course, there’s more to the Red Osier than huge portions and take-home bags. Quality, taste, and service are all part of the dining experience.
They have won two of the three top prizes at the Taste of Buffalo, two years in a row. They were awarded the Best Destination Restaurant by the Buffalo News last year, and also won the National Beef Council Award.
And that’s just for the food. When it comes to service, the accolades are equally abundant. The Prime Rib is served tableside, from a special cart that keeps each standing rib roast at a perfect temperature, and at the same time, warms the plates.
Though Prime Rib is their signature entree, their full menu includes rack of lamb, pork chops, Australian lobster tails, and steaks. A delicious choice in the steak department is Steak European, a black Angus strip, sautéed in a burgundy demi-glace, topped with green and black peppercorns, and bleu cheese.
A subtle hint of bleu cheese is also added to the mashed potatoes—a savory touch that goes well with any kind of beef. Another option is mashed sweet potatoes, flavored with butter and brown sugar.
You can choose from three separate dining rooms, though most people don’t care which one they are seated in, as all are attractive, with well-spaced tables. My choice is the West Room, a bit smaller and more intimate, with bookshelves and a stone fireplace.
The Red Osier Landmark Beef and Seafood Restaurant
6492 Main St. (Rte. 5), Stafford
1-888-343-6972
Open Tues-Sat from 4:00 p.m.
Sunday from 1:00 p.m.
Closed Monday
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Garlock's.
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Make a paste with the following:
1 jar of beef base
(in most supermarkets)
2 tbls Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbls onion powder
1 tbls garlic powder
1 tbls Kitchen Bouquet
Rub over all sides of standing rib roast.
Let stand at room temperature for 2-3 hours, so that the internal temperature of the meat warms.
This will insure even cooking throughout.
Roast in a pre-heated 250 oven ñ no higher, until desired doneness.
Slow cooking is the secret.
E. B. Green’s
There are three things that make for great dining: Exceptional food, beautiful surroundings and enjoyable company. E. B. Green’s gives you the first two. Choosing the right companion is up to you.
Named for famed Buffalo architect Edward Brodhead Green, the restaurant is not only one of Buffalo’s premier dining rooms, it ranks as one of the top ten steakhouses in the country.
Situated in the Hyatt Complex, which includes the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the Buffalo Conference Center, E. B. Green’s has been a shinning star for downtown Buffalo since it opened in 1984.
The décor has a timeless elegance, with mahogany walls and tables, brass accents, and a few Leroy Neiman prints for a splash of color. The smart looking, bi-level dining room is adjacent to the equally attractive bar/lounge. Low bar chairs, not stools, and small cocktail tables, clustered around the piano, make this an inviting spot for a pre or post dinner drink. Wednesday through Saturday nights it’s also center-stage for music and entertainment by Jackie Jocko and Joe Peters.
But the main event is the food and the star attraction is steak. To help you decide on an entrée, your server will wheel over a cart of samples showing the various steaks and chops, raw, and wrapped in plastic. It’s far easier to select the right size once you see the difference between an eight ounce and a fourteen ounce Filet Mignon, for example.
The most popular choice is the Signature Steak, a twenty-four ounce Porterhouse. It also comes double in weight for two people, though I’ve been told there are those who choose the forty eight ounce as a single serving.
You can top off your steak with sautéed mushrooms, crispy fried onions, or both.
In addition to steaks, they also offer grilled pork chops, veal chops, rack of lamb, chicken and seafood. The cold-water lobster from Nova Scotia, comes in two and three pound sizes, but don’t worry about wrangling with it. Executive chef Stephen Foreman makes sure it’s served already cracked for easy eating.
A salad and potato or rice, are included with each entrée. In this category, the favorite is a baked sweet potato—positively the biggest one you will ever see. It’s dressed with brown sugar, honey, and a touch of orange.
I never get a chance to try the appetizers here, I think because my brain is focused only on the magnificent steaks, but there are some tempting choices. Salmon Cakes, Lobster Bisque, Black Bean Soup, and a new, homemade Beef Dumpling Soup, to name a few.
E. B. Green’s Steakhouse
Six Fountain Plaza
855-4800
open daily from 5:00 p.m.
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E.B. Green's.
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“Signature Steak”
Select a prime cut of beef
Brush both sides with butter
before grilling
Then brush again while grilling.
Grill at very high temperature
(E. B. Green’s grill temperature is 1800 degrees)
The high temperature allows for the crispiness on the outside, while sealing in the juices to give the steak wonderful flavor.
Garlock’s
Garlock’s slogan is, “When people think of Lockport, they think of Garlock’s.”
I’d like to add a postscript. “When people think of Garlock’s, they think of steak.”
Opened in 1946, the restaurant became famous when original owner, Harold “Gig” Garlock, introduced Western New Yorkers to a new creation he had sampled in Chicago—an “Open Steak Sandwich.” It’s filet mignon, served on a piece of garlic toast, and still the most popular menu item today. The only thing that has changed is the price. Back then it was $2.95. Now it’s $16.95, and still a hands-down favorite.
When current owners, Nancy Long and her son Michael, bought the restaurant in 1990, there was little, if any transition, as Nancy had managed the restaurant since 1963. “We still serve lots of beef,” she says, “everything from a 28 ounce Prime Rib, to Porterhouse, New York Strip steaks, and our best seller, Prime Black Angus Filet Mignon.”
Though steak is king, many consider their broiled pork chops and lamb chops equally outstanding. Another big draw is Icelandic Lobster Dainties, which few restaurants have, because they are so difficult to get.
Even if you’re usually a steak-and fries, or steak-and-baked-potato person, this is the place to change your routine, and opt for a twice-baked potato. Light and fluffy, with a cheddar cheese topping, it is a Garlock’s specialty.
If the meat-and-potatoes menu satisfies your comfort-zone, so too will the cozy, décor. The two knotty-pine dining areas, separated by a half-wall, give the restaurant a country-feel, with shelves displaying a Jim Beam bottle collection, many of which are collector’s items. More of the collection is displayed behind the bar.
Another bit of nostalgia in the barroom is a player piano, complete with hundreds of music rolls. It’s not uncommon for patrons to take a seat at the piano bench after dinner, and entertain the crowd. A bit noisy, yes. Lots of fun? You bet.
Garlock’s Restaurant
35 South Transit St., Lockport
433-5595
open daily from 4:30 p.m.
Garlock’s Twice-Baked Potato
Bake potatoes
While still warm, cut in half and scoop out into a large bowl.
Add milk, salt, and pepper and beat until creamy.
Re-scoop back into shells and top with shredded, sharp cheese.
When ready to serve, re-bake at 375 for approximately fifteen minutes, or until the cheese melts and the potato is hot.
Ann Blask is a freelance writer and partner of Visions Travel in Orchard Park.
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