When in Texas, Eat Steak (a.k.a.
The Best Meal of my Entire Life)
After the
Buffett show last week, I hung around for an extra day to visit with my friend
Terry. We decided to put on our “grown
up” clothes and treat ourselves to some truly “fine” dining. On Terry’s recommendation, we ended up at "Ocean Prime" in downtown Dallas.
To start with
the happy ending: I would have paid
$1,000 for that meal and not batted an eyelash (at least that’s what I said
while under the influence of some of their excellent wine). Everything was absolutely wonderful, from top
to bottom.
Terry told me
that their waitstaff is provided with three months of training. It certainly shows. Our waiter, David, made excellent suggestions for wines to complement our meals. I have no doubt that he could have suggested at least two wines for any item on the menu, and explain how they would complement the food they were paired with.
Terry started with a Spanish chardonnay that David suggested. She loved it. I had a "Black Orchid" cocktail made with black raspberry vodka and some other delightful yummies. Garnished with an edible orchid bloom, it was sooooo good. In case you're curious, the orchid flower was crunchy, but didn't really have any taste of its own.
Our appetizers were oysters on the half shell and a shrimp cocktail. My shrimp cocktail came in a container kept cold by dry ice. The dry ice looked like it was "smoking" as it was served, so it made for quite a presentation! In that container were three of the most gigantic shrimp I have ever seen ("gigantic shrimp"...is that any oxymoron?) You would think that being so large, they would be tough, but nooooo.
Onto the main courses: Terry had an 8 ounce filet Mignon, and I a 16 ounce rib eye. We learned that the correct term to use when you want your meat cooked on the "rare" side of "medium rare" is "rare push." Good to know! Both our steaks were literally so tender we could almost cut them with fork. We know, because we tried! My steak was at LEAST an inch thick, and both steaks were seasoned perfectly. HEAVEN ON A PLATE! Those steaks literally appealed to ALL our senses:
>The lovely presentation
>The sound of us going "OGMYGOD" with each bite
>The smell of perfect meat
>The incredible taste, of course
>and even the FEEL of juice dripping over my tongue with each and every bite.
We shared a side dish of black truffle macaroni and cheese. OMG. Words cannot describe. I have literally never tasted anything like it. Forget everything you know about mac-n-cheese. There was not a morsel left in the serving dish. Terry told David that had we not been in a public place, she would have licked to the bowl clean. I definitely would have accompanied her on the spoon.
Our desserts were everything we hoped for. Terry had lemon cheesecake with blueberries. It was the traditional "dry" style, made with ricotta cheese, that we both prefer. I had creme brulee, and it too was absolutely perfect. There's just something so magical about using your spoon to break through a perfectly glazed sugar surface and then dive into the depths of a sea of custard below. Served with few fresh berries, it was just right.
I haven't even talked about the "ambiance." Waiters in white coats are there to attend to your every need. Empty plates and glasses are removed from your table without you even realizing it. Ladies' chairs are held for them. The music is soft, but just loud enough for you to hear and enjoy it. Whether you're in the Sammy Davis room or the Frank Sinatra room you will be sooo well taken care of.
I basically spent a days' pay on one meal (not something a single girl takes lightly) and I don't care. Worth every penny.
Q: Would I recommend "Ocean Prime" to a friend?
A: Is everything bigger in Texas? :wink:
Bon Apetite, Y'all!
