dineLA October 2009: Nick and Stef's Steakhouse

(Elise Thompson)

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Walking into Nick and Stef's in downtown Los Angeles, your first impression is that it would be the perfect place for a business lunch, should you ever need to have a business lunch. The decor is unobtrusive and simple, but it is pristine. There is not a spot on a napkin, a mark on the banquette or a glass out of place. Service is charming and impeccable, bordering on the obsequious.

LAist was invited to sample their dineLA menu Friday night (by "invited" we mean free-ee). The appetizer choices included Salt roasted heirloom beets, and I cannot recommend this dish highly enough. These are not your mom's soggy old beets. Other choices were the Petite iceberg salad - Baby tomatoes, roasted green onion, cucumber, Maytag blue cheese or Soup - Chef’s daily inspiration. Last night the chef was inspired to make clam chowder.

Entrees included a Grilled 8 oz. château sirloin steak, JBS potato purée, Shelton Farms organic chicken with garlic fries or a Grilled salmon fillet with Sautéed spinach with garlic chips. In spite of this being a steakhouse, the château cut, known as "the poor man's filet" does not really take advantage of their dry aging room and in-house butchery skills. Nick and Stef's is the kind of place to splurge on steak. Try the chicken or fish this week and treat yourself to a Dry-aged Bone-in Ribeye next time.

Desserts included Honey poached seckel pears with Cajeta ice cream, hazelnut shortbread cookie, Trio of sorbet - Kiwi gazpacho and organic blueberries or Handcrafted ice cream trio, shortbread cookie. Here is where we kind of fell off the mark. We discussed dessert without the menu in hand, and ended up with a Chocolate Guinness Bread Pudding and Lemon Meringue Pie, which you will notice is not on the dineLA menu. The pie, however, is pictured in their ad for the dineLA menu, so you never know. Mystery Pie.