{mosimage}For the carnivores among us, nothing beats a melt in your mouth piece of beef. And fortunately for us, steakhouses are thriving in the restaurant world, and new ones seem to keep popping up--four of the six establishments we feature here have opened within the last four years.  The key to success is, of course, to develop a reputation for exceptional quality.  But each steakhouse seems also to have its own trademark: a notable historical feature, an unusual concept, or a signature dish.

At The Library Restaurant, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, owner Bruce Belanger is rightfully proud of his superb steaks.  The menu features a range of top quality Choice and Prime beef. The secret, he says, is finding a reputable supplier and then ensuring proper aging and handling of the meat once it is in the restaurant.  “That’s where the chef comes in,” says Belanger, “with inventory control.”

Library Restaurant Chef John Rieger agrees and says a top priority for any high quality steakhouse is to see that the beef is aged in a temperature controlled environment and that systems are in place to guarantee proper rotation of the product.  This is true in any restaurant, says Rieger, but particularly for steakhouses, which deal with a more costly inventory than many other types of restaurants. 

In addition to the high quality steaks, Belanger and Rieger both point to the side dish section of the menu.  Says Belanger, “Each side is served family style and serves at least two to three people,” and it’s all made fresh in house.  “For the creamed corn, we cut if off the cob right before we cook it,” he says.  Chef Rieger explains that the creamed corn contains nothing but fresh corn (native in summer), cream, salt and pepper, and a dab of butter.  The corn is simmered with the cream until the cream reduces into a rich  sauce.  The starch that has been scraped from the cob provides extra creaminess, and a dollop of butter brings out the sweet corn flavor and creates that quintessential, silky creamed corn texture. Their luxurious creamed spinach is made only from fresh baby spinach (never frozen) and is sautéed in olive oil with a touch of garlic and then creamed.

Another feature that sets The Library Restaurant apart is its location in one of the most notable historical sites in the area--The Rockingham House.  Initially a private mansion owned by Portsmouth Judge Woodbury Langdon in 1785, the Rockingham was converted to a hotel in 1833, and in 1905 served as one of the host locations for the historic Treaty of Portsmouth, or Russo-Japanese Treaty signed in 1905. Several presidents have slept at the Rockingham, including George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy. The history section of their web site is well worth a visit for the architectural details of the building.

At The Orchard Street Chop Shop, in Dover, New Hampshire, Chef/Owner Christopher “Koz” Kozlowski features USDA prime steaks on his menu and points out that only two percent of all beef produced in the U.S. receives this grading.  Kozlowski believes going with the extra grade is worth it, even if it presents more of a challenge in keeping the prices down.  When the Chop Shop opened in January of 2004, it was perceived as “super high end,” says Kozlowski.  The restaurant was admittedly priced higher than surrounding establishments so he revamped the strictly a la cart menu, so that each entree would come with two sides.  He then added a “Rustic Menu” in the restaurant's more casual upstairs dining area, the Top of the Chop.  This offers lighter fare with a lower price than the main menu.
 
{mosimage} At The Hanover Street Chop House, in Manchester, New Hampshire, Chef James Davidson doesn’t settle on just one source for his meats; diners will find three all natural options, two dry aged options, and one Prime offering on the menu.  Davidson explains that the Chop House offers such a selection because steak lovers don’t all have the same tastes. Some diners might place a premium on eating only all natural meats, while others might be specifically looking for the intense, nutty flavor that dry aging imparts.

Searching for the “absolute highest quality we can find,” is time consuming to begin with, but even more so when so many different preferences are being accommodated.  Davidson doesn’t let that stop him. “Our menu selection isn’t typical for a steakhouse,” says Davidson, “We place a real emphasis on our other dishes. They are not an afterthought.”  He finds organic arugula to pair with a skillet roasted salmon, or heirloom tomatoes to complement an all natural chicken breast, and he tries to use exclusively New England harvested seafood on the menu.

As for the steaks, Davidson says that one of his favorite things to do is brush roasted shallot butter on each steak before it is presented.  He keeps the butter at a soft, creamy consistency so that it melts into a glossy lacquer just as the steaks come sizzling off the grill.  “It’s just a simple compound butter,” says Davidson, “but it makes a world of difference.”