Even as reports roll in of the recession hitting their high-roller clientele, the top-tier steakhouses still dominate the Denver scene: Del Frisco’s. Capital Grille. The Palm.
Checks may be smaller, and cheaper wine may be moving faster than the premium stuff, but these big-name joints still have plenty of business for the same reason McDonald’s does: Human nature draws us to comfort foods in hard times, and upscale steakhouse cuisine is comfort food for the rich.
It’s the smaller-steakhouse owners for whom this economic thrill ride represents a true shakedown. The short list of little-guy beef joints (Bastien’s, The Aurora Summit, Emil-lene’s, Luke’s, Juicy Lucy’s, Mickey’s Top Sirloin, Cherry’s) will grow shorter over the next year.
They’ll fight back — you’ll notice 2-for-1 deals in your inboxes, coupons in your circulars, special-event listings on Facebook pages to get you back in the door. But gimmicks are not magic bullets: Just as in any economy, longevity will come with consistency, attention to detail, intelligent service and excellent steaks.
Here’s hoping one steakhouse we don’t lose is Englewood’s smart, small Steakhouse 10.
Blink and you’ll miss the entrance to the parking lot behind this clubby little restaurant, where a noticeable lack of windows creates a moody, low-ceilinged, leather-upholstered speakeasy atmosphere. A flickering fireplace in one corner generates some of the scant light in the place.
Service operates at a whisper, but a persistent, focused whisper. No small-talk interferes with the acceptance of your martini order, or the mixing and delivery thereof. Specials are pleasantly, not indulgently, identified and described, and dinner orders are taken efficiently. And you are left, blessedly, to converse with your companions.
And, naturally, await your supper, which, if you’ve ordered correctly, would proceed as follows:
First, saganaki to share with the table. Flaming cheese. No kidding. (Steakhouse 10, owned by Peter and Kosta Kallas, has several Greek dishes and wines on the menu.)
Next up, salad. Choose the decadent iceberg wedge with its earthy blue cheese dressing over the Caesar, which, while tasty, was too mildly flavored.
Presumably, you came to Steakhouse 10 for steak, so your next course should be steak. Filet freaks and rib-eye junkies alike will be delighted with the precision of the cooking; medium-rare slabs show a perfect center of red surrounded by luscious, meaty pink; order it rare and you’ll feel a distant, but insistent, chill on your tongue.
Furthermore, char (a crucial steak element that at some area steakhouses is confused with charcoal) is restrained but present, offering just enough bitter-coal-fire seasoning at the edge of each bite.
How’s this for a steakhouse anomaly: Potato and vegetables are actually included with your meal. Choose the baked for old times’ sake (butter and sour cream) or the simple, garlicky mashed potatoes, fully loaded with butter and garlic.
With steak, you’ll want wine. The list at Steakhouse 10 is accessible and manageable, heavy with California reds. Seek something Greek if you’re looking for a more interesting pour, particularly if you’ve subbed seafood for steak.
Not everything at Steakhouse 10 is as well executed as the steaks. Menu danger spots include the cloying Gran Marnier-sauteed sausage and peppers, the prickly chicken Diablo with its wan chipotle drizzle, and/or the Gangster Steak, a strip that’s been unnecessarily smothered with the above-mentioned sausage-and- pepper medley. But with careful ordering these bullets are easy to dodge.
Unpretentious but refined, laid- back but precise, Steakhouse 10 has the consistency, attention to detail, intelligent service and excellent steaks it’ll need to survive this recession, and the next. With just a little shot of luck, it will.
Tucker Shaw: dining@denverpost.com
Steakhouse 10
Steak and Greek. 3517 S. Elati St., Englewood, 303-789-0911, steakhouseten.com
*** RATING | (Great)
Atmosphere: Dim lights and comfortable banquettes. Small, cozy main dining room.
Service: Swift, friendly, professional, not indulgent.
Wine: Unsurprising but appropriate list, mostly steakhouse reds. A few deep-cellar pours, for a price.
Prices: Entrees $22-34.
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Closed Sunday.
Details: Parking lot. Wheelchair accessible. Private rooms available.
Three visits
Our star system:
****: Exceptional.
***: Great.
**: Very Good.
*: Good.