- A steakhouse owner shared the best things to order at a high-end steakhouse and dishes he'd skip.
- He often orders a seafood tower, A5 wagyu, and dishes with in-season produce.
- He said filet mignon and dessert are rarely worth ordering at a steakhouse.
Dennis Turcinovic is familiar with steakhouses and their menus — after all, he owns the historic Delmonico's steakhouse in New York City,
The restaurateur told Business Insider that he grew up in the business and has spent decades experiencing different menus and service styles throughout the years.
So, when Turcinovic goes out to eat at high-end steakhouses, he's pretty particular about what he'll order. He said diners who want to make sure they're getting a good bang for their buck should be even more selective.
Here's what he'd suggest ordering and skipping at a steakhouse.
Superior cuts of meat are worth trying.
Turcinovic said he'll always splurge on a good cut that's been prepared well — "especially the cream of the crop of all meats, which is the A5 wagyu."
The restaurateur said it's important the chef knows the right technique for treating the "very fatty, high-marbled piece of beef."
When it's cooked properly, it's worth every penny. If not, he said, it's not going to taste the way it should or be worth the high price tag.
He applies the same rule to ribeye, which he calls "one of the best cuts of beef you can find."
Seafood towers are a fun way to kick off a meal.
"I would definitely start with a seafood tower," he told BI. "I mean, that's just so classic in a steakhouse."
It's oftentimes a beautiful centerpiece and an exciting way to kick off a special meal. Just don't get too carried away with the size of the tower, and save room for the main event.
Try to get in-season produce when you see it.
If you spot something on the menu and know it's the peak season for it, Turcinovic said to consider ordering it, regardless of the cost.
He said truffles and ramps are two of his favorite things to splurge on when they're in season.
In general, pay attention to specific varieties, and don't be afraid to ask questions about the produce.
If you see fries on the menu, for example, and it happens to be somewhere between late summer and early winter, ask what kind of potatoes are being used.
Turcinovic said fries made with in-season Kennebec potatoes are also one of his favorite things to order.
Try something new or experimental, so long as it's within the bounds of a steakhouse.
If there's something on a menu you don't often see or get to try, it's probably worth ordering — as long as it's within the realm of steakhouses, he said.
For example, a special cut of smoked meat or uniquely prepared vegetable side could be worth trying.
However, a fun pasta dish or dessert might not be worth getting at a steakhouse. He said some dishes are probably on the menu to "appease other people" who don't want steak, not because they taste particularly wonderful.
On the other hand, don't get the tomato-and-onion salad unless tomatoes are in season.
Tomato-and-onion salad can be popular at steakhouses. However, Turcinovic said it's not worth splurging on unless there's something stand-out about it and it's peak tomato season.
If it isn't tomato season, you're probably ordering a lackluster version of the fruit.
There are often better options than filet mignon.
Unless you're really craving it, filet mignon isn't a cut that's worth splurging on at a steakhouse.
"You can get a filet anywhere," Turcinovic told BI.
If you're going to a nice steakhouse, seek out the best beef option possible.
"In my world, that would mean more like a ribeye or larger ribeye, like a Tomahawk steak, what they would call côte de boeuf," he said.
You can probably skip the mac and cheese — or pasta dishes, in general.
Although mac and cheese might be a good add-on if the price is right, he wouldn't suggest spending too much on it at a steakhouse.
In his experience, the dish can just be heavy and not very good.
He said, in general, he "would never order a pasta dish at a steakhouse," especially if it didn't have a protein or align with the restaurant or chef's area of expertise.
Steakhouses aren't usually known for having amazing desserts.
If you're looking to save money on your meal, skip the sweets.
Turcinovic said steakhouses don't often have good desserts and that a lot of restaurants are "buying cakes from a store, cutting them, and putting them on a plate."
Dessert is simply not where the staff's energy is going unless, of course, they have a dedicated pastry chef on staff.
