The Downtown Grill sits across from the movie theatre on, you guessed it, the Downtown Mall. Judging by the white tablecloth interior and the tank of Maine Lobster greeting you as you enter, this place means business. Does it live up to its steak house reputation in Charlottesville?
Prime Steaks and only $35 plates…cVillain likes the potential
Our waitress explained that all of the steaks are “Prime.” I couldn’t find any verification of “USDA Prime” on the menu. What I think the waitress actually meant was that these steaks scream “I’m loaded” in front of the hot date. Now, I’ve had many a “USDA Prime” Steak at Morton’s, Ruth’s Chris and others, but I’m always extremely weary because this labelling usually means “really expensive,” not “really good.”
The masses of people that help the Downtown Grill pay its enormous rent are brainwashed
I was thoroughly disappointed in the steak. Unlike most other “Prime Steak Houses,” the Downtown Grill did not sear its meat (maybe they did, but they did a poor job). This is totally unacceptable with a $30+ steak in Charlottesville. Searing is the way to do steak these days. The meat itself wasn’t the problem, it was the preparation. If you don’t know how to caramelize the exterior to lock in those juicy flavors, I suggest taking a lesson or two from someone!
For a better steak in town try:
- Duner’s $30 filet, the demi-glaze flavors are always a surprise
- Hamilton’s $29 filet, nicely paired with various side dishes (that you don’t pay extra for)
Finally, I’d like to say that the Downtown Grill does have an excellent wine list and is a great place to impress a date. But, just because it’s a “Prime” Steakhouse doesn’t mean the food should be the most expensive in town. If you like steak, there are better, less expensive places. For now, I’ll stay away from the Downtown Grill.
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Tagged as: Charlottesville, Downtown Mall, Reviews
USDA Prime denotes a higher quality cut than Select or Choice grades, so the designation actually does mean better meat. More marbling/fat content and younger animal stocks (more tender, less sinewy muscles) give Prime a much richer mouth feel. That’s not to say it always tastes better (a matter of preparation and animal diet), but generally speaking, if you see Prime on a menu, you should have a reasonable expectation of a good cut. Also look for “dry aged,” which I think makes a much bigger difference than the Select vs. Prime distinction. Dry aging allows collagen in the muscle fibers to break down, yielding an exceptionally tender meat. If you see Prime Dry Aged on a menu, chances are it’ll satisfy.
As far as I’m concerned, searing and pan roasting to medium rare is the only way to do justice to a good cut of beef (and chefs detest customers who would order a steak well done…and complain later that it’s not tender enough). It’s a simple preparation, and any chef at a pricey establishment should be able to handle it, which is why the Downtown Grill review surprises me. I’m not a fan of the a la carte steakhouse concept, so I usually satisfy my steak urges at home. Whole Foods markets (if not the one in Cville) typically sell a good selection of Prime and dry aged beef, and even though the prices are somewhat high, you fare far better than ordering an equivalent cut at a steakhouse. Learn a few simple cooking tricks, and you’ll never order steak out again.
I love eating at new restaurants and exploring the culinary scenes of every place I’ve lived. But at the end of the day, people need to be creative and experimental in their own kitchens. Paying $35 for a steak in the middle of a bare plate is ludicrous. Learn to cook it yourself–a very easy way to impress your friends and pick up a new skill. Save that $35 for a something interesting that pops up on a menu at your favorite restaurant.
I can’t comment on the food at Downtown Grill, but I’d like to add that their bar is a great, uncrowded place to have a drink and a snack. Mike the bartender there is one of my favorites in town.
BusRider: AMEN TO THAT. What’s better: higher quality and a tough or fatty cut (hangar, prime rib), or lower quality and a naturally tender cut (filet)? Thor, you can recommend Duners any time. They are practically perfect!
My preference is really dependent upon what kind of mood I’m in. As far as the “lesser cuts” go, I love the flavor of flank and skirt steaks, but tenderness is always an issue, even if cooked to medium rare. Resting the meat for at least 10 minutes often helps quite a bit, though, by allowing the juices to reincorporate.
My favorite cheap cut at the moment is tri-tip. Since there are only 2 per cow, many butcher shops don’t put them on display. Just ask, though. Tri-tip is cheap ($7-$9/lb), but well marbled, extraordinarily tender, flavorful, and did I mention cheap? I make a killer Vietnamese grilled beef (bo nuong) dish, and tri-tip maintains its tenderness when thinly sliced and grilled (defies logic, but it’s true).
For the more expensive cuts, I love NY Strip and Porterhouse steaks. Filet is fine, but it dries out so easily due to lower fat content, and I have received many a poorly-cooked restaurant filet.
I’ll echo my disappointment in the Downtown Grill. For what I paid, I certainly feel like I got taken for a ride, given the quality of food I got.
I could have gone to Outback and gotten a comparable steak.
The Aberdeen Barn
they always say, and a flor-
ist plays piano.
Reading this thread has made me incredibly hungry.
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