I was never fond of the Perry’s on Sutter Street. Not as a restaurant. Not as a pick-up joint. But something amazing happened when the owner moved his downtown presence to the Embarcadero and put his son at the helm. No, the quality of the men didn’t improve; but the menu sure did. Perry Fils (as the French would call him) has narrowed the selection and focused on the classic items Perry’s does best. As a result, Perry’s-Embarcadero pulls up the quality of just about everything on the table.

The space inside the Hotel Griffon has always been on the awkward side. It’s long and narrow, light on each end and dark in the middle. Perry’s has been more successful than previous tenants at making the room look inviting from most angles. And on a warm night when they open the doors to the Bay you can forgive them just about anything. The waitstaff is mostly well trained and extremely friendly. They keep things moving at a pleasant pace.

But this site is called Steak Adventures and so it is the steak on which I will concentrate. Specifically, it is a 14-ounce New York strip and in my opinion it is the best thing on the menu. The meat is tender, juicy and tasty with just the right balance of fat. And it has the wonderfully lingering finish of a New York that hasn’t been played with too much: just a little salt from what I can tell. I always say I’m not going to finish it and then I wind up bringing home a slice so small I’d be embarrassed to give it to my neighbor’s Chorkie.

At $29.95, the steak is the most expensive item offered, but that price also covers two generous sides. While not a traditional side like, say, baked potato, the corn bread is my favorite. The vegetable of the day is often a pleasant combination like peas and cherry tomatoes. The creamed spinach topped with cheese is another good option for those who like green things. But I’d skip the fries, which while titled ‘Crispy’ aren’t.

The one thing I would wish for Perry’s-Embarcadero is a better bartender. The house concoctions are simply strange. One involved strawberries and basil and tasted the way I imagine one of those graduated Glade air fresheners would. In the interest of public safety, I should say that I discourage you from drinking both this cocktail and Glade. The classics don’t fair much better. With the new popularity of small-batch bourbon and the importation of superior sweet vermouth, the Manhattans all around San Francisco have reached new heights. At Perry’s they are merely ‘eh.’ Fortunately, the wine list has taken a turn for the better since the opening of this location. The Tempranillo is a particularly good match for the steak.

All in all, if you are looking for a good Steak Adventure that is in no danger of breaking into the three figures, I recommend the New York at Perry’s-Embarcadero. Throw in an Apple Brown Betty and a good friend and you’ll have a great evening.

Perry’s Embarcadero

155 Steuart St. (near Mission)
San Francisco, CA 94105
415.495.6500

As part of Slow Food Month in San Francisco, the Artisan Beef Institute sponsored a blind steak tasting in the Teatro ZinZanni tent on Pier 29. Since it was on a Monday night, I represented the Steak Adventure team along with three guest tasters. The idea was to prove to participants that steak is somewhat like wine in that the flavor varies greatly depending on the breed of cow, the location in which it is raised and what she is fed. A local rancher, butcher, chef, and sommelier were on hand to give background and answer any questions.

The meal began with a palate cleanser of cold cucumber soup. It was garnished with a large handful of cilantro to which I’m allergic, so it will not be reviewed. Next came two ounces each of four kinds of steak accompanied by a corn and herb flan and apples for cleansing the palate. The meal was topped off with a scrumptious cherry tart.

The slices of meat were laid out at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00. Everyone was encouraged to go around their plate three times to taste each type alone, with Merlot, and then with Cabernet. All of the steaks were New York strips prepared medium rare. In one of the few slip-ups of the evening, salt and pepper had been added. While the panel highly recommended pre-salting as part of preparation, all agreed that pepper can cloud or even dominate the flavor of the meat. There were also a few tables that received medium slices, although some seemed to prefer that level of doneness.

The meat was to be judged on three main qualities. Texture might be catalogued as tough, chewy, firm, bouncy, like butter, or mush. The personality might be characterized as unbalanced, flat, layered, savory, gamy, or straightforward. This could be further defined with flavor notes of Roquefort, maples syrup, mushroom, etc. Lastly, the mouthfeel could be described as dry, moist, coats the palate or oily. Impressions were recorded on a prepared sheet, which also allowed for an overall rating from 1 (never again) to 10 (outstanding) and a ranking from 1 to 4.

You may have noticed over the course of our Steak Adventures that I most often order ribeye or prime rib. I generally prefer well-marbled meat with some firmness to it and a lingering finish. Even blind, this preference played out. As my overwhelming first choice I chose the Kobe beef from Nebraska. This was a grain-fed cow bred from Waygu and Angus stock, wet-aged a minimum of 21 days. I described it as moist and rich with a slightly olive oil flavor. In fact, the taste overwhelmed the somewhat-bland Cabernet.

My second favorite was the Charolais, a dry-aged grain-fed cow from Colorado. This breed originated in Bourgogne, France and is used by chefs throughout Europe. I described it as buttery with a basic meaty taste and a short finish that worked well with the Cabernet.

In third place was the Holstein-Friesian wet-aged steak. This breed originated in the Netherlands, but has been available in America since the late 1800s. The cattle—mostly cast-offs of dairy cows—are fed a combination of grain, hay, vitamins and minerals resulting in a very fine texture. I found it boring unless washed down with massive amounts of Merlot.

Finally, my least favorite was the grass-fed Angus from Sonoma. Jason and I have suspected that we really don’t like grass-fed beef ever since our disappointing dinner at Acme Chop House. My notes said, ‘too tender, livery, slightly weird, strong aftertaste.’ On a scale of 1 to 10 I rated it a 2, figuring I’d eat it again if I absolutely had to.

When queried about their favorite steak, the 60 participants were split almost evenly among the four options. Certainly, the Artisan Beef Institute had made their point. While not all of us have such a wide range of options, it is helpful to know that a cow has been given quality feed, raised in a quality area such as Nebraska, Colorado, or California, and has not been overly stressed. The rest, as they say, is a matter of taste.