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Here's the best beef from A to Z

John Lehndorff, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 13, 2006 at midnight

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Denver has genuinely blossomed as a culinary destination in the past few years. Neighborhoods are brimming with intriguing new American bistros under the direction of virtuoso chefs. Diners are discovering adventurous ethnic fare at Ethiopian, Indonesian, Peruvian and Argentinian eateries, and vegetarian food is easy to find.

But under that hip facade, the true face of Denver dining keeps peeking out and saying, in a low and resonant voice, "Moo."

Judging by the continued opening of upscale steakhouses, this never stopped being a cow-friendly town. When push comes to lunch, beef is still what's for dinner whether it's a well-marbled charred filet or a gravy-smothered chicken fried steak.

Meat-and-potatoes people won't have any trouble ordering a rare steak in Denver.

In honor of the 100th National Western Stock Show, the celebration of all things beefy, we offer an alphabetical tribute to our favorite steak places in metro Denver. Once you know these ABCs, you'll always be able to get to the meat that matters in Denver.

A is for the Aurora Summit's inspired variation on the same, old prime-rib theme. At this landmark eatery, the fork-tender beef is coated with peppery rub, pan-fried and dished with real au jus and creamy horseradish sauce. Don't miss the Summit's cheese-ified twice-baked potato. Aurora Summit Restaurant, 2700 S. Havana St., Aurora; 303-751-2112

B is for the The Broker. Regulars make reservations for the bank vault room at the downtown restaurant. After the standard shrimp bowl, they settle in with the Maytag New York steak crowned with sautéed mushrooms and sharp bleu cheese. We like the Broker's change-of-pace sides including baked sweet potato and Thai coconut string beans. The Broker Restaurant, 821 17th St., Denver; 303-292-5065

C is for the Capital Grille and its steak tartare. This primal starter matches top-notch raw, chopped filet mignon with sweet onions, tart capers and hard-boiled egg. We go back to the Grille for consistently great service from greeting to goodbye and the best coconut cream pie in Denver. Capital Grille, 1450 Larimer St., Denver; 303-539-2500

D is for Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse because we like sipping a great wine while chomping on a veal porterhouse steak. This clubby eatery offers a novel-sized wine list of more than 1,000 reds, whites, bubblies and dessert wines, many of them pricey, hard-to-find favorites. Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse, 8100 E. Orchard St., Greenwood Village; 303-796-0100

E is for Elway's, the restaurant where the food, not the Hall of Famer, is the main attraction. We seriously salivate over the eatery's stunning wet-aged, hand-cut prime 13-ounce bone-in filet, carefully grilled and sided with dreamy creamed corn. Besides, where else can you get a giant, chocolate-glazed "ding dong"? Elway's, 2500 E. 1st Ave., Denver; 303-399-5353

F is always for The Fort where all that moos is not necessarily beef. Visitors and locals alike linger over Scout Jim Baker's Mountain Man Steak, a 20-ounce, bone-in bison ribeye steak delivered with shallot-cheddar mashed potatoes. The Fort Restaurant, 19192 Highway 8, Morrison; 303-697-4771

G is for the "gangster steak" at Steakhouse 10, a 14-ounce New York strip smothered liberally in an in-your-face sauté of kalamata olives, bell pepper, onions and mushrooms. It's a fun place run by a Greek-American family where many meals start with flaming cheese and the entree price happily includes soup, salad, vegetable and potato. You also can't miss with the pepper-crusted prime rib. Steakhouse 10, 3517 S. Elati St., Englewood; 303-789-0911

H is for Harry's Chop House. We like the fact that the well-grilled 16-ounce T-bones arrive complete (as in not a la carte) with a choice of sauces ranging from Bordelaise and Bearnaise and two sides such as Lyonnaise potatoes and goat cheese-creamed spinach. Harry's Chop House, 2115 E. 17th Ave., Denver; 303-322-2425

I is for the Imperial, Denver's classiest Chinese eatery. When you crave a steak change of pace, we recommend the sizzling black pepper steak. Sliced New York strip and slivered green and red bell peppers are stir-fried and dished fajita-style on a hot platter. Imperial Chinese, 431 S. Broadway, Denver; 303-698-2800

J is for the hot savory juice that bursts from the aptly named Big Steak served at the historic Buckhorn Exchange. Cut from a New York strip loin in up to 4-pound slabs, the meat is slowly grilled until it develops a wonderfully charred crust. The meat is carved tableside and sidekicked with creamy horseradish and sautéed onions and mushrooms. Buckhorn Exchange, 1000 Osage St., Denver; 303-534-9505

K is for the "kingloin" that rules at Gallagher's. The 26-ounce monster is hickory-broiled and served naked, sans salt, black pepper, butter or seasonings. This is what steak should taste like: tender and warm inside with enough chew to make it worthwhile. Gallagher's Steakhouse, 1480 Arapahoe St., Denver; 303-825-6555

L is for Luke's - a Steak Place, one of the most family-friendly meateries we've ever had the pleasure to visit. You don't have to get dressed up or empty your wallet, and kids under 12 eat free. Best of all, the good quality New York strip dinner includes salad, bread and spuds or spaghetti. Luke's - a Steak Place, 4990 Kipling St., Wheat Ridge; 303-422-3300

M is for Morton's, where the steaks are paraded to your table so you can meet your meat. To impress your date and push the expense account to the limit, choose the colossal double Porterhouse steak for two that is carved at the table. Finish with hot chocolate cake or a chocolate, raspberry, Grand Marnier or lemon soufflé. Morton's, The Steakhouse, 1710 Wynkoop St., Denver; 303-825-3353; and 8480 E. Belleview Ave., Greenwood Village; 303-409-1177

N is for the 16-ounce, medium rare New York strip steak with green peppercorn sauce at Bob's Steak in Cherry Creek North. Bob's earns points among the upscale steak joints because the meat comes with a signature giant glazed carrot and your choice of spuds. Bob's Steak and Chop House, 121 Clayton Lane, Denver; 303-398-2627

O is for the Oscar - not the movie award, the sumptuous topping of asparagus, crab and bearnaise sauce for the fork-tender filet mignons at the Denver Chophouse. The retro train-station space is cool as are the swell beers craft-brewed on the premises. Denver Chophouse and Brewery, 735 19th St., Denver; 303-296-0800

P is for the practically perfect Porterhouse that graces the tables at Brook's Steakhouse. This 24-ounce slab of prime bovine pulchritude isn't remotely lean or heart-friendly. Cut into the sirloin or the tenderloin sides of the bone and juices spurt out to mingle with the top-notch garlic mashers. Brook's Steak House, 6538 S. Yosemite Circle, Greenwood Village; 303-770-1177

Q is for quantity, as in the grilled meats that keep on coming at Denver's outlet of the Rodizio Grill chain. Waves of waiters stop by your table with skewers of garlic steak, chicken, bacon-wrapped turkey, game sausage and more until you achieve complete carnivorous bliss. Watch out for the post-meal meat hangovers! Rodizio Grill, The Brazilian Steakhouse, 1801 Wynkoop St., Denver; 303-294-9277

R is for Red Square Euro Bistro, which boasts the city's largest vodka selection and a stellar, deconstructed beef stroganoff courtesy of chef Maxim Ionikh. Juicy, grilled-to-order New York strip nestles with sweet caramelized onions and great cream-infused mashers accompanied by sour cream-mushroom sauce. Red Square Euro Bistro, 1512 Larimer St., Denver; 303-595-8600

S is for the sugar steak sizzled for generations of fans at the seriously retro Bastien's. The signature entree is a 16-ounce New York strip grilled in a sugar coating that seals in all the savory juices. Bastien's, 3501 E. Colfax Ave., Denver; 303-322-0363

T is for the terrific turf (that's a T-bone steak) and sweet surf (big Alaskan crab legs with drawn butter) that team up for a price at Ruth's Chris. We're impressed that there are seven different potato sides available: mashed with roasted garlic, baked, au gratin, steak fries, julienne fries, shoestring fries and Lyonnaise. Ruth's Chris Steak House, 1445 Market St., Denver; 303-446-2233

U is for the unbelievably rich beef "Flemington" that tops the menu at the always classy Fleming's. Harkening back to the age of continental cuisine, the dish envelopes a well-aged filet in buttery puff pastry with mushroom duxelle and serves it with a glossy Madeira wine sauce. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, 191 W. Inverness Drive, Englewood; 303-768-0827

V is for Vesta Dipping Grill where the very cool ambience, the highly seasoned fare and the hip servers make steak a true adventure. We love the zesty three-pepper grilled flat iron steak with a choice of three dip sauces from among dozens of choices. How about tantalizing your taste buds with Argentinian chimichurri, black pepper aioli and smoked habanero salsa? Vesta Dipping Grill, 1822 Blake St., Denver; 303-296-1970

W is for Wolfe's Barbeque, where the beef brisket is a hickory smoked chewfest and we love the Shaker lemon pie made with whole, thinly sliced lemons including peels. It may sound counter-intuitive, but this tiny, low-key Capitol Hill establishment is a fine spot to bring vegetarian friends for the fabulous barbecue tofu. Wolfe's Barbeque, 333 E. Colfax Ave., Denver; 303-831-1500

X marks the spot on the menu at Sullivan's occupied by a true winner: the 20-ounce, bone-in, Black Angus Kansas City strip. Make it a complete meal with horseradish mashers, a martini and an iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing. Sullivan's Steakhouse, 1745 Wazee St., Denver; 303-295-2664

Y is for "yummy!" That's what we say when we find out we're eating at Mickey's Top Sirloin in its new north Denver location. Diverse cow-related art still adorns the walls, there still isn't a dress code and the menu continues to feature highly affordable, house-cut sirloin steak dinners along with some top-notch fried chicken. Mickey's Top Sirloin, 6950 N. Broadway, Denver; 303-426-5881

Z is for the high-end cowhand thrills dished at Denver's profoundly colorful Zengo. Try the heavily marbled Oregon Kobe beef at a steep $10 per ounce. You cook it at the table on an oven-heated stone and dip the tasty tidbits in wasabi sauce. Zengo, 1610 Little Raven St., Denver; 720-904-0965

How do you want your steak cooked?

• Raw: Totally uncooked beef only appears in specific dishes such as steak tartare and beef carpaccio.

• Very rare: Cooked so quickly that the outside is barely seared, and the inside is red and cool.

• Rare: The outside of the steak is grayish brown and the middle is barely warm, red and slightly bloody, and surrounded by pinkish meat.

• Medium rare: The outside of the steak is brown and slightly caramelized. The middle is warm and pink, getting browner closer to the surface. Meat will still be tender and juicy at this temperature.

• Medium: The outside is thoroughly brown and caramelized, and only the very middle is even pink. Most of the juice will be cooked out and the cut will be less tender.

• Medium well: Might as well just call it well-done because at this point the meat is rapidly becoming jerky.

• Well-done: The outside of the steak is brown, possibly charred, and the inside is brown and devoid of juice, meaning the meet is very dry and exceedingly chewy. This is a bad thing to do to a good steak.

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