I went with my father to
Manitowish Waters, WI one time and we went to this steak house. It was a local joint, really popular, and we had reservations like 3 days out. It was one of those places NO one knows about except the locals, but incredible.
The owner of the place came out to take our order (my dad had meet him last time up there) and offered things not "on the menu" that the chef (the owners brother) specialized in. The whole family was Greek, and what they were doing in back wood WI running a restaurant I will never know.
Anyway I ordered a Porterhouse done "Greek Style" with crushed pepper and garlic.
OMG never has a steak crossed my lips that was comparable. It was like an orgasm of the mouth I am not kidding. Imagine a PERFECT cut of steak, done PERFECT medium rare, all red and juicy, you want to lick the plate it is that juicy, and the outside is seared with a hint of pepper corns, sea salt, and tiny little bits of hand crushed whole garlic embedded in the outer edge. This man had talent. I don't care it took over an hour for our meals to arrive, it was hand craftsmanship making this food. Once I was assertive and made the order 3 others at our table had the same thing (table of 10).
I literally was asking for bread to sop up the goodness on the plate; and if decorum was non-existent I would have taken the plate home, licking it the whole way, into bed, and made sweet sweet love to it.
The truly sad part of the story is the next year we went there, the brothers had a fight, restaurant closed, and the cook moved back to Greece.
Every now and then I can still taste it, and really cry I have never found as good a steak anywhere I have tried. The absolute WORST part is today 9 years later I hold every steak I eat to that scale. It is almost a disappointment to enjoy a good new york strip some times
There you go Halo, #%^ you for making me remember that and cry in dis-pleasure.
