Del Frisco's

Del Frisco’s is the newest upscale chain steakhouse to open in Boston. When I first tried them for drinks over the summer, I wasn’t sure if the crowd was a reflection on the food or the trendy waterfront location. I eventually tried them for dinner several times, and have decided this may be my favorite steakhouse in Boston. My most recent visit was to try the special power couple dinner with a foodie friend. The dinner for two includes choice of salad, a filet and crab cake, choice of side, and choice of dessert for each person. At $99, this is a great deal; steaks ordered a la carte at Del Frisco’s start at around $50. 

Although I think Del Frisco’s might be an exception, I tend to think of steak (at this level) as a commodity and judge a steakhouse based on the apps, sides, dessert, and wine list. My friend and I both agree that Del Frisco’s has the best blue cheese wedge salad we’ve ever had, and we were disappointed it wasn’t an option on the special menu. However, our server let us both substitute at no charge and it was just as good as we’d  remembered. The wedge is about a quarter of an iceberg lettuce head, topped with the best blue cheese dressing I’ve had, crumbled blue cheese, large pieces of chopped bacon, and sliced cherry tomatoes.

Although I like crab cakes, they aren’t something I typically order. I tried one because it was included on the special menu and it was also the best crab cake I’ve ever had. I love crab, but don’t like a lot of breading or the texture of a crab cake (with a lot breading) that’s been fried. This crab cake had hardly any breadcrumbs at all, and was more like a huge pile of warm, pan seared crab. It came with a hint of a slightly spicy sauce on the plate, which tasted great with the crab.

The filets were also delicious, although both were undercooked at first. My friend’s was worse than mine, and her portion of the meal ended up being comped (we were charged for my half, extra sauces, and wine). Based on my experience, this is standard for a restaurant of this caliber.  What surprised and impressed me was when the manager came over, gave us her card and cell phone number, and told us to text her anytime we come in so she can make sure our steaks are cooked perfectly.

          The steak and crab cake were so good that I finished them, and completely forgot about the dessert that was on its way. I was completely stuffed, but somehow managed to eat half of the banana bread pudding when it arrived.  It was served warm, with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce and like the crab cake, I was glad it was included because otherwise I never would have tried it.

          My latest experience at Del Frisco’s gave me an opportunity to try a few new menu items, and reaffirmed it as my favorite steakhouse. The food on the power couple menu (and the service when we ordered from it) was just as good as any meal I’ve had when paying full price. The original mix up with the steaks didn’t lower my opinion of Del Frisco’s; the manager’s response actually improved it.