Dinner at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House in Greenwood Village is not for the stiff-necked. There’s just too much gawking to be done.
There’s a klatch of cougars at the bar, flawlessly turned out in bridge- season knitwear and knee-high boots. There are a couple of burly athlete types in collarless dress shirts holding court at a table along the back wall. Besuited men of a certain age wander in and out of the private rooms, twisting Bluetooth hardware into their ears and reeking of cigars. And, yes, that’s Mike Shanahan over in the corner.
tagvery good/great
This is the belly of the Greenwood Village new-money beast, a hive of capital and privilege and bling, a sort of greater-Denver version of L.A.’s Mr. Chow’s, where the rubbernecking opportunities come fast and furious enough to make you wonder what the house specialty really is: food or fabulousness.
But while surveying who’s who and whom they’re canoodling with is a fine pastime (best enjoyed with a cocktail, say, a martini), don’t pursue it so vigorously that you’re distracted from what you really came for in the first place: steak.
The steaks at Del Frisco’s are, in a word, sublime. Beautifully cut, carefully aged and exquisitely cooked, they’ve yet to reveal a flaw. The kingly prime porterhouse, a monster that weighs in at 24 ounces (that’s a pound and a half to you and me), is best shared, while the rib-eye, a mere 16 ounces of well-marbled beef, is a one-person affair. Eat your fill at the table, then take the rest home for steak and eggs in the morning. Filet lovers will revel in the buttery, flavorful 8- or 12-ounce versions, each a lovely bundle of meat.
Every steak I’ve sampled at Del Frisco’s in the past month or so (so far, six of them) has been so good that I was reluctant to acknowledge to myself the following fact: The sides, at Del Frisco’s, fall short.
Creamed spinach (called Spinach Supreme here) was runny and un-(not under-, un-) seasoned. The potatoes au gratin felt sticky- starchy, not silken, on my tongue. A serving of “Chateau” potatoes (mashed and browned, not a typical “Chateau” preparation, which usually calls for quenelle-shaped potatoes) was lackluster and, ahem, not very warm, even when presented on a piping-hot plate. A beefsteak tomato salad was saddled with under-ripe, apple- crunchy tomatoes. (Not for nothing, these were served after emphatic assurances from our waiter that the tomatoes were ripe and delicious.)
The worst side offender was the onion rings, crunchy rings of onion overcoated with a chalky, pasty crust. Onion rings aren’t hard to make, but they take discipline and attention.
Del Frisco’s can do better, and it should.
Appetizers were less troublesome. The tasty shrimp cocktail (which could do with a presentation makeover; it’s an unceremonious pile of shrimp on lettuce) boasted meaty, briney shrimp, and the Caesar salad, if slightly overdressed on two occasions, successfully melded a refreshing crunchiness with a savory tang.
Del Frisco’s kitchen has no problem with the house-made desserts, particularly the massive lemon cake, a sweet, buttery, superbly lemony wedge of bad-for-you-but-look-at-what-you’ve- already-eaten-so-what-the-heck indulgence.
Service at Del Frisco’s ranges from adequate to indulgent. Staffers are trained to recognize and jump on customer cues. Announce you’re in a hurry, and they’ll rush you along. Make clear that you’re here to hang, and they’ll back off. Upsells are evident but not aggressive; you won’t feel slighted if you order inexpensive wine.
Speaking of wine, Del Frisco’s has a sprawling, steakhouse-appropriate list of mostly red, mostly American juice. Employ the services of the wine steward. And the martinis, icy and bracing and seductive, were textbook.
If your goal for the night is staying within a reasonable budget, you’ll lose when you walk in the front door. Nothing comes cheap at Del Frisco’s, and a party of four enjoying appetizers, steaks, sides, desserts and wine can easily spend more than $400.
(Be a hero and claim the bill; your economic-stimulus rebate check will cover it, and you’ll still have a couple of Benjamins left over for a new pair of shoes and a tank of gas.)
Del Frisco’s, solidly in the top tier of Denver’s well-populated top tier of steakhouses, is not without its blemishes. But when the check’s been paid and the valet tipped, no questions linger about this landmark’s ability to deliver mightily on its two most captivating promises: great steaks and excellent people-watching.
Tucker Shaw: 303-954-1958 or dining@denverpost.com
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House
Steak. 8100 E. Orchard Road, Greenwood Village, 303-796-0100
** 1/2 Rating | Very Good/Great
Atmosphere: Wood-paneled walls, low lights, big bar area, a few television sets. On busy nights, a busy, buzzing hive of monied activity.
Service: Well-trained and professional.
Wine: Hefty list of steakhouse favorites.
Plates: Appetizers, $7.95-$15.95. Entrees, $26.95-$46.95. Sides, $3.95-$9.95.
Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Dinner 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Details: All credit cards. Parking lot. Valet parking. Wheelchair accessible. Takeout available. Several private rooms available. Call ahead with large parties.
Three visits
Our star system:
****: Excellent
***: Great
**: Very Good
*: Good
