Fleming's Steakhouse

Fleming's Steakhouse

Order: Seared New York Strip (Medium-Rare)

Juiciness: Okay

Beefyness (Natural Flavor): Good

Size: Good

Preparedness: Okay

Seasoning: Moderate salt lightly brushed with peppercorn

Advertised Weight: N/A

Estimated Weight: 15 oz. 

I stopped by Fleming's as I passed by it on my walk home from work last week when I realized that I was both hungry and anxious to start reviewing steaks.  I had 90 minutes to kill before an obligation that evening (I am obligated to watch Bulls games) so it was obvious that I should fill that time by eating/writing.  

I took my first step inside Fleming's and thought the atmosphere was in-between classic and modern.  Very nice though lacking any particular character.  There was downstairs open bar table seating while the main dining room was upstairs. 

As previously mentioned, I'm a New York Strip guy so unless there's clearly a house specialty of another cut, that's my go-to option.  When I placed my order I was presented the option to have the steaks lightly seared before preparing to "seal the juices in".  This option was only a recent addition to Fleming's though it came highly recommended.  I was hesitant but decided to go for it after asking the waiter which method he preferred.  

The steak arrived on a fairly hot plate and looked divine.  This hunk of meat looked like a serious contender on the plate.  However, it became apparent after a few bites that the preparation would be the downfall of this steak.  Where did all my sealed in juices go?

The searing option was not for me and though I would recommend it to someone who enjoys steak with a made to order interior and a heavily charred outside (think Gibson's), I dispute the notion that this steak was any juicier than it would have been had it been simply put on the grill.  "Pittsburgh rare" is a method of preparation where the steak is charred on the outside and left essentially raw on the inside.  I would have described this particular steak's preparation as "Pittsburgh medium-rare" with its charred top layer.  

What I liked:  This had the thickness of my ideal steak.  The size was good and the interior was just right.  The light peppercorn seasoning was a nice touch. 

What I disliked:  Not dry but dryer than an average steak of such thickness.  The char flavor on the outside overwhelmed some bites.  Not particularly tender.

What I would do different next time: I'd skip the seared option.  It formed a somewhat thick crust which detracted from the tenderness of the interior.  Next time I would try the dry-aged variety of the strip.  The two star rating was simply a review of my steak but I believe the enhanced flavor of dry-aging combined with a lighter charring on top would give this steak 3+ star potential in this blog, which is a rating steakhouses everywhere yearn for.  

CostCo in Chicago has occasionally carried $100 in Fleming's gifts cards for the price of $80, which could convince me to give Fleming's a try in the future.  American Express has also at times offered a $50 statement credit in the past for spending $100, a deal I would certainly take advantage of for this quality of a meal.  If I didn't come back for steak, I would consider taking advantage of their happy hour special (before 7PM) in which a steakhouse bacon cheeseburger and various wines/cocktails can be had for just $6.

New York Strip - Thicky Thick, just how Nelly likes it

Rough and crusty exterior, warm and gentle on the inside