There are a few things you can count on in life: death, taxes and the fact that Father’s Day flummoxes gift-givers year after blessed year.
What does Dad want? Another tie? Another book? Another bottle of cognac?
This year, I’m gonna make it easy for you: Dad wants a steak. A big, fat, juicy steak.
Problem solved.
Luckily, Denver is jam-packed with options. From the Denver Chophouse to Del Frisco’s Double Eagle to Steakhouse 10, we’re as well-steaked as any town in the USA.
Two of Denver’s popular steakhouses, Bastien’s and the Capital Grille, have almost nothing in common besides steak. One is a laid-back, throwback local favorite, one is a well-groomed and detail-driven link in a national chain.
But both are worth a visit.
Bastien’s Restaurant, which has been around for almost 70 years, sits on East Colfax Avenue at Madison Street, serving cold martinis and big steak dinners to a fiercely dedicated clientele.
The building is a unique mid-century building shaped like a circus tent. It’s unmissable on its block, announcing itself with one of the greatest signs in Denver, an aqua-blue stack of promising neon words like “cocktails” and “steaks.”
Indoors is a Rat Pack movie set that’s been tweaked periodically over the past half-century, with a sunken bar up front, a circular dining room beyond, a cloistered private table upstairs and a patio out back.
The cornerstone of Bastien’s menu is its famous New York Sugar Steak. Bastien’s coats the steak with a brown sugar-based herb rub before it hits the grill. The sugar creates a hard, brulée-like shell on the outside of the steak; it doesn’t sweeten the meat, but it does make for a crispier crust.
Unusual, yes, but quirky enough to fit with the restaurant itself. Same goes for the shrimp in overcoats, (beer-battered, deep fried shrimp). They’re good, mainly because they (and their name) make so much sense here.
Straight steak-lovers should order the house rib-eye, available as a queen-cut (10-ounce) or king-cut (16-ounce). Tip: Order rare for medium-rare – the kitchen tends to overshoot.
Here’s a fast-dying concept: At Bastien’s, your dinner salad and side order of potatoes are actually included in the price of your meal. Imagine! Choose the twice-baked.
Worth ordering: onion rings (crispy), hot artichoke dip (retro-cool), Ryan’s bistro steak salad (summery and refreshing).
Skippable: escargots (bland), shrimp cocktail (soggy), Trout a la Bastien (dreary).
Desserts are no joke at Bastien’s. Some, like the apple pie, come on a sizzling skillet with a scoop of ice cream and hot butter sauce. Fried cheesecake is a slab of cheesecake wrapped in pastry then deep-fried.
Dang.
Bastien’s is as much about its unique vibe as about the food. Prices are fairy low, around $20 give-or-take for a steak dinner. But the cuts were not as refined in quality or preparation as what you’d find – and pay for – in some of Denver’s higher- end steakhouses.
For example, at The Capital Grille, located downtown on Larimer Square.
This slick, players-club restaurant nails its share of steakhouse hallmarks, from smooth (and free) valet parking to impeccable creamed spinach to heavy-hitting wine. Frigid martinis, big shrimp cocktails, oversized booths, spotless service. Hey, they even change out white napkins for black when you’re seated.
Cap Grille’s servers are pros who know the menu and wine list, and have clear opinions. They’re engaged, and if a server on one recent visit was perhaps too familiar, he was nonetheless thoughtful and present.
Meals are paced beautifully here. I’ve encountered only one service slip-up. Once, the wrong glass of wine was delivered to our table. The gaffe was immediately remedied with the correct pour. Net: We got a bonus glass of wine. Not bad.
Oysters on the half shell were marvelously fresh, packed with a chilly, head-filling North Atlantic flavor.
As to salads: Iceberg wedge, yes. Caesar, yes, especially the croutons. Tomatoes with onions and Roquefort, maybe, if you really love Roquefort.
All the steaks I’ve sampled at Capital Grille have been great. Beautifully aged, precisely cut, carefully prepared, exquisitely presented.
Most oustanding cut? The filet mignon, either solo or sliced over cippolini onions and wild mushrooms. Buttery-tender, beautifully colored and more flavorful than a filet should be.
The mammoth bone-in rib-eye (called the Delmonico here), which dwarfed its plate, was as ambitious in flavor as in size. Tip when eating: Thin cuts against the grain will best exploit the heavy marbling to make this steak explode.
The impossibly thick-cut sirloin, doggy-bagged, lasted through two more meals. One preparation had it coated in Kona coffee, which lent an earthy flavor. But the Cap Grille’s sirloin is as good as it needs to be straight-up, without the coffee coating. Happily, the joe was no more noticeable than a light dusting of pepper.
You can’t get any more decadent than the bone-in veal porterhouse with a Roquefort butter sauce, a sweet-surrender dish impossible to justify but also impossible to resist.
Sides: The slightly woodsy creamed spinach was spot-on, actually tasting of both spinach and cream. Potatoes au gratin were crispy-hot and rich. And while others at the table enjoyed the lobster macaroni and cheese, I’m getting tired of this dish, which is everywhere. Mizuna already nails it; I say save your pennies and have it there.
Stellar: broiled lobster. Less stellar: pan-fried calamari.
Cap Grille goes big at dessert. Cheesecake was tangy but dauntingly large, flourless chocolate cake was sweet but fell flat after all that steak. Best choice was berries in vanilla crème anglaise, mercifully light enough to keep your tires from flattening on the way home.
The wine list at Capital Grille is ample and clear if predictable. Cabernets hold court, with some representation from France and other countries. We selected an Oberon Cabernet from Napa, not a steal at $58, but good for our steaks.
Bottom line: You and Dad can have a very good time at Bastien’s, and if you order judiciously (a steak and a martini), you can get out of there for under $40 each. But if Dad’s been extra-cool this year and deserves a pricey evening of killer service and memorable steaks, Cap Grille’s is the number to call.
Dining critic Tucker Shaw can be reached at 303-820-1958 or dining@denverpost.com.
Bastien’s Restaurant
Steak
3501 E. Colfax Ave., 303-322-0363
**|Very good
Atmosphere: Retro-cool period building and dining room with plenty of quirks.
Service: No white gloves here, but servers are friendly and casual. Great bar service.
Wine: Modest wine list with a few bargains, but the martinis are fabulous.
Plates: Small plates: $5.95 to $9.95. Entrees: $15.95-$22.95.
Hours: 4-10 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday-Friday; 4-10 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 4-9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Details: All major credit cards accepted. Parking lot. Reservations recommended but not required. Patio dining.
Three visits.
Our star system:
****: Exceptional.
***: Great.
**: Very good.
*: Good.
No stars: Needs work.
The Capital Grille
Steak
1450 Larimer St., 303-539-2500
***|Great
Atmosphere: Classic, buttoned-up steakhouse decor, lavishly appointed, elegant silver and flatware, large booths, lively bar.
Service: Spot-on and buttoned-up but casual. Servers are helpful with selections and good with pacing.
Wine: Predictably large wine list with many steak-friendly options, mostly cabernets, with some surprising pinot noirs. Good representation from California and Burgundy. Nice cocktails too.
Plates: Small plates: $7 and up. Entrees: $18 and up.
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 4 p.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.
Details: All major credit cards accepted. Complimentary valet parking. Reservations recommended. Great for special occasions.
Three visits.
Our star system:
****: Exceptional.
***: Great.
**: Very good.
*: Good.
No stars: Needs work.
