GREAT EATS HAWAII: PRIME HOUSE DAVID BURKE

PRIMEHOUSE DAVID BURKE

CHICAGO, IL

We had a limited time in Chicago with so many different places to eat. Had to get in at least one steak during the trip. I have done the Chop House, Morton's, Gibson's, Ruth Chris, The Palm and others so we decided to try David Burke Prime House that was featured on the Food Network and Travel Channel. We started with the Kobe Beef Carpaccio served on a large salt block. This thinly sliced raw beef was slightly seared on the outside. It melted in your mouth. Delicious. We split the Caesar Salad that was made at the table in elegant fashion. Nice light dressing made this the perfect salad before the large steaks. I ordered the 75 Day Ribeye ($65). This bone-in steak was totally different than any steak I have tasted. It had a deep, rich flavor that made it unlike a regular steak. The beef was charred perfectly on the outside. This added to the flavor profile and really put it over the top. The meat itself was not fatty and melted in your mouth. This is a steak that needs to be eaten slowly with a nice glass of wine. For $65 you need to take your time and savor every bite.

DAVID BURKE'S PRIMEHOUSE

The James Chicago, 616 N. Rush St.; 312-660-6000

It's only two years old, but the lore of this modern steak house is already common knowledge: Burke's $250,000 stud Black Angus bull living the good life in Kentucky; the Himalayan-salt-tiled cellar; an aging process so extreme it eclipses some military campaigns in length. Oh, and the restaurant is pretty good. In fact, the magnificent 20-ounce bone-in rib eye, aged 55 days in that cellar and seasoned with salt and pepper, is the best dry-aged steak in Chicago ($59). I ordered it rare, and every dense-yet-tender bite burst with concentrated beefy flavor. The menu's "Reserve Cuts" section also features a 35-day-aged Kansas City bone-in sirloin (20 ounces; $48) and two more 20-ounce bone-in rib eyes, one aged 40 days ($51), another for 75 days ($67). That last one isn't available all the time, and its flavor, bordering on what the British politely call "high," pushed my limits. In addition to your rib eye, eat every crumb of the delicious eggy popover that Burke's favors instead of bread, get yourself a side of broccoli with red onion and feta, and call it a day.