BLT Prime: I WANT MORE RIB EYE

Okay, so let me just say right now, this post will not contain any pictures.

None.

My stupid phone has like, no battery power, so I couldn't be a true creeper by snapping my usual photos. Plus, the lights were dim and sexy...not really conducive to taking good photos.

BUT. This meal, this experience, was so fantastic, I think I'm more than able to describe it.

BLT Prime (Bistro Laurent Tourendel. He's got a couple of other highly lauded restaurants in the city, such as BLT Burger, which I've gone to and loved) is definitely a grown-up spot. The decor and atmosphere definitely leans toward a mature clientele, but manages to be extremely warm and inviting. Dark leather chairs, plush pillows, and candles basically just invite you to relax. I stuck to one of their house cocktails for the evening, the Ice Flower Bubbly. The mix of champagne, ice wine, elderflower liquor, and lemon juice make for a lightly sweet and crisp drink that was refreshing, if not a little strong. I had two of them which were sipped nice and slow.

They start you off with complimentary chicken liver pate and toast....YUCK YUCK YUCK. I hate and despise liver, but I wanted to be a good sport and try it here. Oh man, that nasty, mineral flavor will never be good to me, no matter where I have it. But then, they sent over....THE POPOVERS. Instead of just having plain bread for the table, they bring out these huge egg-y rolls that exhale delicious steam when you cut into them. A couple sprinkles of salt and a swipe of butter, and you basically look like a lunatic shoving this into your maw. Crunchy. Tender. Salty and savory from the Gruyere baked into the top crust. Honestly, if I had just eaten these all night, I would have been a happy camper. They even give you a little recipe card with the recipe for them, so you can recreate the experience at home. How sweet is that?

I got the Lobster Salad (referred to as Cobb style on the menu because it contains similar ingredients to theoriginal), and I split it because it was way more than I could handle on my own. And, I was okay with admitting that. Big chunks of still warm lobster were nestled all the way through the pile of mixed greens, avocado, and tomatoes. It was bathed in a creamy dressing (I think it had Roquefort cheese, but even though I don't usually like blue cheese, it was still yummy) and crowned with a spiral of crisp bacon. Perfect.

I ordered the rib eye (all of their meat is dry aged to promote tenderness and a deep flavor), and I think my only mistake was ordering it medium well. It came to the table, as all of their steaks do, sizzling in its own cast iron skillet with a pat of herb butter melting into its grill marks. Oh, and a ring of roasted bone marrow with a little spoon for me to scoop it out. Of course I put it right on top of my steak. I had no choice! Great fat marbling, crispy pieces of fat, and oozing herb butter and marrow. EFF YEAH. The steak was cooked  perfectly, and I was greeted with a slightly rosy center as I kept cutting into the beef. Since BLT can obviously be trusted to make a steak properly to order, I won't be as paranoid, and I'll get it medium next time. My sides were solid as well, a little skilled of beautiful glazed carrots, and another of Parmesan gnocchi with a fluffy mountain of the grated cheese on top.

Desert was a simple, but outstanding, show-stopper: a personal Rhubarb Tart with vanilla bean ice cream and strawberry sauce in a crumbly shortbread crust. Tart. Sweet. Creamy. It was like, a normal strawberry rhubarb pie had a dream of becoming better....and when it woke up, it looked like this tart.


So basically, just go here. Get some money and a nice pair of slacks with an elastic band. Because, my friend, you're not just gonna eat....you're gonna EAT.