Best Steak ???

[Ben Dover]

Probably not smart to debate food with a "chef" -- but what the hell...

What you say is true, there is no bone in a "fillet" (by definition).

As a steak afficionado, I can however tell you that many of the finest steakhouse in the US are now offering what they oxymonically refer to as a "bone-in fillet" -- as Franklin's Tower suggested. I don't remember seeing this on the menu at Moishe's - but it might be.

The bone-in fillet is a rectangular cut with a small piece (a sliver really) of bone on top. I think the idea is that more fat is left intact between the meat and the bone which lends more taste to the meat as it cooks...

I know this for sure, because I ate one in March I still prefer a bone-in rib steak most of the time -- but it was damn good.

BD

 

[chef]

Probably not smart to debate food with a "chef" -- but what the hell...

Just for the record, I'm a techie, not a chef - I just cook well.

 

[Ben Dover]

I guess now you have a new dish to try.

I can't cook (other than bbq) but man can I eat!

I am an excellent food critic too

BD

 

[chef]

........
I am an excellent food critic too

BD

Prove it !!! Contribute to the resto thread !!! It's been silent for a while.

 

[Working Stiff]

As a steak afficionado, I can however tell you that many of the finest steakhouse in the US are now offering what they oxymonically refer to as a "bone-in fillet" -- as Franklin's Tower suggested. I don't remember seeing this on the menu at Moishe's - but it might be.

If you want to try a bone-in fillet steak, go a few blocks north of Moishe's to a small restaurant appropriately named "A l'Os" ("On The Bone"). It's on St-Laurent around Laurier or Fairmount (can't remember). It's a good restaurant, totally unpretentious, has an open kitchen, great food, and, best of all, it's bring your own wine.

 

[emgeef]

well, one last point. While it always remains a matter of taste, in my further opinion, the best cut is a ny sirloin. You should try to get a center cut or as close to a center cut as possible. I can talk to you about cuisson and the temperature of the plate, but another time...lol

 

[Nugie]

You mean a T-Bone or Porterhouse, both of which have a filet on the small side of the cut. A filet does not have a bone.

It's been explained already, but in a bit more detail...

You normally see whole tenderloins vacu-sealed up. It's only when you look at the primals that you can see them on the bone. The section of beef that becomes the T-Bone or porterhouse (depending on which end) can be cut so that a small portion of bone remains with the tenderloin portion. Doing so is fairly inefficient as you only get 2, AT MOST 3 small "bone-in tenderloin" per side of beef.

Here's the rub: For combination of flavor and/or tenderness, hanger steak is my personal choice. You can get it for dirt cheap, because the thing looks like dog food and unless you know what you're eating you'll think you're getting robbed.

Anatomically, it's the belly-side separator between the ribs and loins, it's got some diaphragm in it. It's thin and can't really support its own weight, so it doesn't look like a classic thick steak SHOULD look. I've never seen one more then, say, 1.8 to 2 cm thick. But, it's got nearly as much flavor as a NY strip, and can be just as tender as tenderloin (filet).

Personally, unless it's very specifically a specialty of the house, I avoid bone-in steaks. I love my steaks medium-rare; that is, 5% charred outside, 75% pink, and 20% cool bloody red middle. Having bone changes the cooking times/temperatures dramatically, as bone is both an insulator, conductor, and moisture reservoir. It is not uncommon to get a steak that is less consistent throughout because of the temperature near the bone, as opposed to a boneless variant.

But when it's done right... man oh man do I love digging in to some burnt marrow.

 

[chef]

.............But when it's done right... man oh man do I love digging in to some burnt marrow.

Then you must like osso bucco.

 

[Board Stiff]

Any American coming to Montreal will be disappointed. Even Queue de cheval' signature dried/marbled steak is weak...I love the Schwartz's steak...what they can do with a 4 dollar piece of meat! Also, entrecote on peel below sherbrooke is fun and tasty.

 

[Nugie]

Then you must like osso bucco.

Ah, I do indeed, but that's because I love braised meats.

The marrow in a braised preparation like osso bucco comes out very different then in a dry heat application like you would normally grill or broil a steak.

People keep talking about Schwartz's... what's that all about?

 

[MtlGuy]

Speaking of restaurants could somebody also let me know where can I find a really great, rather fancy restaurant?

I am looking for something along the lines of Four Seasons in Chicago
(http://www.fourseasons.com/chicagofs/dining.html), so velvet drapes, tuxedoed staff etc., but nothing modern, I don't like that.
It is for when my SO joins me, so gotta make it up to her somehow

Thanks,

Ps. I know it is not exactly what this thread is about (steaks) but I figured it is close enough (restaurants) and I didn't want to spam the board by opening a new thread again.

For valvet draps, old world type of atmosphere I would strongly suggest "Chez Queux" in old Montreal (http://www.chezqueux.com)

I lived in Down Town Montreal and area for 10+ years (now moved away) and this is one of my favorite restaurants... I will be visiting in a couple of months and I already have reservations for this place.

 

[qwerty2]

yes chez queux is pretty classy and do an excellent steak frites or steak aux poivres.

Queue de cheval is for showing off when you have people to impress with the price on the menu (ie clients who you want to impress or that special girl you actually want to sleep with and not pay by the hour ) but food wise ... its way overrated ... there are way way better food for half the price in montreal ( try some ostrich steak and you forget quick about the porterhouse at queue de cheval that cost 40% more). The only thing that was good at queue de cheval was the seafood platter ... but go to Joe Beef and order some oysters at the oysters bar and tell me what you prefer...

But if you are a foodie and like steak and you are in montreal and you want to indulge in some culinary excess, go try something similar to a steak like ostrich steak at a very good and always full restaurant named la colombe. Or bison steak or duck breast medium rare. Or indulge in some foie gras at a restaurant named pied de cochon. Also they make some mean pig's feet but thats a bit different from a steak.

Also theres a restaurant named Bice .... its an italian restaurant but they make a pretty good ribsteak ... I found it better than what I had at queue de cheval for sure. But the seafood is not that good. oysters dry and not top quality at all.

Seriously one of the reason I like montreal so much is the number of good restaurants here.