 Nick & Stef's Steakhouse Restaurant Review: Long before he moved his flagship Patina to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, superchef-restaurateur Joachim Splichal demonstrated a strong commitment to downtown L.A. (well ahead of the pack), represented by this sleek steakhouse named after his twin boys. While preserving all of the time-honored elements of the traditional steakhouse, Splichal's unique touches are everywhere, from the glass-walled aging chambers to his penchant for potatoes. For starters, we particularly like the spicy grilled barbecued shrimp cocktail with coleslaw and a Caesar salad prepared tableside, even for one. Endive and snap pea salad may be another option. The dry-aged steaks, like the 12-ounce New York strip and ten-ounce “Château” sirloin, are consistently well cooked and seasoned; while they require no embellishment, consider one of the sauces --- anything from a classic béarnaise to a Maytag blue cheese sauce that also pairs well with the kitchen’s addictive garlic fries. Nick & Stef's offers a wine list deep in full-bodied reds, and for dessert, there’s banana bread pudding. Although some of the steaks here are priced well into the forties, Nick & Stef’s remains a relative value among steakhouses, especially with a ten-ounce flatiron steak offered in the twenties. The bar is a lively happy hour destination and the dining room a top choice for pre-theater meals. The inviting contemporary design of the restaurant is warmed by white pine with mahogany accents and white linen.
|