Until now, Highbury has never had much to offer in the way of restaurants. There’s a Stringray café, a tired branch of Iznik, an OK Vietnamese, Au Lac, which lacks the vigour of those places on Kingsland Road … and that’s been about it.

It’s partly, perhaps, because there are just so many restaurants touting for your money in Upper Street, a short walk away.

And partly because the nature of all the pubs and many of the shops around here remains dictated by what happens on match days (upheaval, let’s call it, politely).
Garufa, though, seems to have broken this hex. At 10 o’clock on Saturday night, after Arsenal had opened their season by thrashing Everton at Goodison Park, it was packed, buzzing with obviously happy eaters, despite being pretty expensive for a neighbourhood joint.

The owner, Alberto Abbate, has a successful track record, having previously opened Buen Ayre in Hackney and Santa Maria del Sur in Battersea.

Garufa, though, is intended to be a full Argentine restaurant rather than just a steakhouse – and it seems far more authentic in spirit than the nightclubby nonsense to be found in the likes of Gaucho.

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One wonders why, with 31 locations nationwide, The Capital Grille would venture into Seattle, a market already well-marbled with many fine steakhouses, from the homegrown variety — Metropolitan Grill, Daniel’s Broiler and El Gaucho come to mind — to chains like Morton’s and Ruth’s Chris. Do we need The Capital Grille?

Or maybe that’s akin to asking a woman with a closet full of shoes why she needs another pair.

Judging from the lunch and dinner crowds filling the plush dining room and mirrored bar on recent visits, The Capital Grille, which opened downtown in February, is finding an audience. Most were in business attire, making them the perfect extras for a set designed to look like those exclusive men’s clubs of yore.

A thick, Oriental-patterned carpet covers the floor, antlered stag heads gaze down from mahogany columns and ornate frames hold life-size portraits of local luminaries from Chief Sealth to Eddie Bauer. Other familiar names are etched on the brass plates of private booze lockers prominently placed near the front door. Along the upper ledges of the capacious booths, magnums of wine stand tall as if ripe for plucking, should the whim to celebrate overtake one of these titans of commerce. It is all reminiscent of an earlier century, another Gilded Age.

“Recession?” I thought. “What recession?”

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There I was, lunching on vivid Indian flavors in Penn Quarter earlier this month, when a friend texted me from the city’s newest steakhouse in the just-opened W Hotel.

“DISASTER!!” he typed from his table at J&G Steakhouse, which takes its name from Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the famous French chef with 22 restaurants in his global portfolio.

“Oh no! I’m eating there tonight!” I shot back, eager for more details from one of the most discerning meat lovers I know.

“Good luck. Jean-Georges is actually here,” he teased from within strolling distance. “Suffice it to say the best part of lunch was the J&G steak sauce so I could cover up the vapid Ore-Ida shoestring fries.”

Suffice it to say I did not show up for my reservation that night with lofty expectations. The lobby of the W Hotel, which diners navigate on their way to the restaurant, was packed and noisy with after-work revelers. I couldn’t help but notice that the bank of elevators leading to the rooftop bars was fronted with velvet ropes, burly guys in suits and clots of people hoping to imbibe high in the sky. When I finally found my dining companions in the crowd, one of them, who’d expressed interest in an after-dinner drink upstairs, said his curiosity was met by a smile and little encouragement from a staff member: “It will take you a month to get a reservation.”

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In the spring of 2006, New Orleans needed a lot of things. A fully functioning justice system comes to mind. Affordable housing would have come in handy as well.
As it turns out, the city also was in the market for something considerably less urgent but nonetheless keenly desired: a quality steakhouse. In retrospect, it is hard to imagine a more perfect answer to that particular problem than La Boca.

Considering how many restaurants that spoke to New Orleans’ steakhouse history remained shuttered — Crescent City, Charlie’s, Ruth’s Chris, Dickie Brennan’s — beef grilled by well-meaning amateurs wasn’t going to cure what ailed us. And the occasion didn’t call for — and still doesn’t — another steakhouse that requires corporate backing to both build and patronize. The need was for a steakhouse that hinted at progress while providing familiar comforts.

La Boca continues to satisfy these criteria and then some. Borrowing from the Argentine steakhouse tradition, the restaurant has given New Orleans a taste of something new without losing sight of what diners really want when they venture to a steakhouse: steak. The rub at La Boca is that very few of the steaks will be mistaken for what dad threw on the grill.

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“The salad bar is for suckers,” teased my friend Misha as I trawled the buffet at Angus Grill Brazilian Steakhouse, tonging up fat spears of asparagus and the likeliest looking marinated shiitake caps.

“At least that’s what my Brazilian friend at works says,” he amended. I continued to ignore him, casing the noontime display in search of — there! — skinny little haricots verts, cooked al dente; rounds of grilled summer squash and zucchini; and tiny teardrop tomatoes tossed with chunks of cucumber.

I knew I had to have some of the unassuming potato salad, too, because it reminded me so much of my mom’s. After several visits to this cordial, low-key churrascaria, I had my drill down, the key to enjoying an all-you-can eat repast of rodizio-style meats. I knew exactly what the house goodies were and how to stock my plate before the resident faux-gauchos showed up at the table, bearing dramatic swordfuls of skewered meats.

The rotisserie-grilled meats really are the deal at the Angus Grill (they’re my favorites of any local churrascaría, including the much pricier Fogo de Chão), but it’s also the homey accessories that make this cordial, low-key restaurant my current rodizio spot of choice. I love the molten little cheese popovers they serve, and the small rice fritters that taste like some exotic species of hush puppy.

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Named after Colombian sculptor Fernando Botero, Botero Steak embodies the artistic style of the artist with paintings on the walls and a tremendous sculpture of a rotund woman in the center of the restaurant. Botero’s signature curvatures are present in everything from the silverware to the menu, giving the restaurant a gastronomic design and feel. Immediately, diners realize this isn’t any ordinary steakhouse; Botero Steak is sleek, modern, and sophisticated, with a circular dining room that overlooks the Encore pools and integrates into XS Nightclub.

Helmed by Chef Mark LaRusso, Botero Steak emphasizes steak, of course, with fresh seafood and appetizer offerings. For a tasty but light precursor to the main dish, the restaurant offers tartare and crudo selections along with salads, soups, and other seafood appetizers. We recommend the Dungeness Crab Agnolotti, served with artichoke and a lemon emulsion sauce. Or, for a massive starter fit for a group, order the Shellfish Tower, an impressive spread of select oysters, gulf prawns, Maine lobster, and crab.

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Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the Alsatian-born chef who became a star in the New York culinary firmament, is performing now at J&G Steakhouse in the old Hotel Washington, newly transformed into the W Hotel at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest. He lives up to his reputation.

The food at J&G is superb. Since Mr. Vongerichten supervises an empire of more than 20 restaurants and is often elsewhere, he has installed Philippe Reininger as executive chef.

The new W lobby and almost-but-not-quite loud music overwhelm the old hotel. The J&G restaurant, on the other hand, is elegant in beige, black and deep red. Dark wooden tables are nicely spaced; the ceiling is high above large windows overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue; the service could not be better. The only drawback is the loud techno music, ill-fitted to the space and the food that cries at least for a little Sinatra, strings and brass, playing softly in the background.

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In news that is sure to make your next layover at T4 within JFK (home to Virgin America and Emirates flights) a little more savory, The Palm Bar and Grille, from The Palm steak house restaurants is expected to open later this year.

In its first airport incarnation, The Palm Bar and Grille will serve prime cuts of meat along with their top Italian and seafood dishes.

T4 will also get a few more dining options like the Seafood Bar by Caviar House & Prunier (That’s right, a caviar bar!), a healthy pizza shop, Zpizza; two new sit-down restaurants, Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar and Tigin Irish Pub & Restaurant; two new bakeries, Upper Crust and Panopolis; and in the fast-food department, a Panda Express.

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Great news, Denver dicks: There’s a brand new joint in town where you can unfurl your manhood! Yes, you heard me right, backslapping members of the city’s rich, white elite. Next time you feel like taking out that spray-tan of a leather sofa you call your girlfriend, forget taking her to The Capital Grill then to Spill for bottle-service. Screw dry-cleaning that mink holocaust your third-wife loves so much and then heading down to either Del Frisco’s or the Cool River Cafe in the DTC. That shit is played out, playboy.

The next time you feel like acting self-important in a city that is anything but, may I suggest hitting up a new spot called Fogo de Chão downtown? Or have you not yet heard of Denver’s newest, hottest, most identical-to-a-hotel-banquet-hall churrascaria?

That leaves you in pretty exclusive company then, because everyone who was anyone was on hand at the Brazilian steakhouse last week for the grand opening. And by everyone who was anyone, I mean Mayor John Hickenlooper and Nenê. Other than that it was just a flock of cheese-dick, white-toothed assholes doddering after their bobble-headed girlfriends, then row after opportunistic row of miserable-looking press types, there to festoon their kidneys with free alcohol and pocket cheese squares for their cats.

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It wasn’t easy to get into Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House on a recent Saturday night. Literally. A horde of prom-goers and pre-Mother’s Day revelers clogged the foyer and the two front entrances, so that it was impossible even to step through the revolving door.

Upstairs in the balcony section, where most diners are directed, tables filled quickly with a diverse and democratic crowd, even at the glaring daylight hour of 6:30 p.m. More and more patrons ascended the stairs, clutching the massive ironwork railing that looks like a David Yurman bracelet writ large, then disappearing into hidden back dining rooms. Downstairs, in the clubbier, more spacious seating that seems to be reserved for — well, who, exactly? — only a few empty tables awaited the fortunate.

Houston may be glutted with high-end steakhouses these days, but Dallas-import Del Frisco’s seems to have struck the right chord. Just a half mile up Post Oak from its Galleria location, Bob’s — another Dallas hopeful — has struggled in the former Tony’s space, parting with its operating partner and teaming with a new chain.

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In its short life span of less than a year and a half, Spice Modern Steakhouse has grown into a three-location mini chain. Two of those locations are more prime than the meats: the original on Winter Park’s Park Avenue, which is slowly regaining its title as one of the area’s best dining destinations; and the newest on Lake Eola, amid the downtown dining district, which could have a greater role in the revitalization of downtown Orlando than Church Street, often touted as the last great hope.

The other location is in Lake Mary, in a spot that has already been home to two other restaurants in just a few years. There’s nothing wrong with that location, but if I had a hankering for a meal at Spice Modern, I think I’d head to one of the other two.

The problem with the Lake Eola Spice Modern is that there isn’t a whole lot to crave other than the location. The quality of the food is spotty, courses arrive ill-timed, and the restaurant is staffed by young people who are untrained, indifferent, and at times, downright surly.

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It was prime time on a Friday night at The Capital Grille — Seattle’s newest downtown steakhouse — and the place was slammed. Business types loosened up with martinis, shaken tableside. Well-dressed couples clinked flutes of bubbly at tables decorated in confetti as thick slabs of beef were delivered around the sprawling 235-seat dining room.

This Grille is only the second West Coast outpost of a sizzling chain that first fired up in Providence, R.I. The chain was purchased in 2007 by Darden Restaurants, the Orlando-based giant behind Red Lobster, Bahama Breeze and Olive Garden, among others.

That should not suggest The Capital Grille has become the Olive Garden of steakhouses. There are no all-you-can-eat breadsticks and bottomless bowls of salad. This is a high-end restaurant working hard to create a luxe, clubby feel. The warmly lit place is dolled up in dark colors and rich textures; request a booth for one of the comfiest perches in the city.

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Traditional steakhouses can be stodgy affairs, with their dark wood decors and basic meat and potatoes fare. Enter Union Prime, the latest venture from Andrew Silverman. The restaurateur has turned Steak Frites, his old French bistro, into a 21st-century boîte where ladies who lunch can feel as at home as alpha males. And he’s recruited chef Brady Duhame, formerly of Bouley and Picholine, and sushi chef Jason Zheng, from Blue Ribbon Sushi, to cook at the 3,000-square-foot restaurant. “Andrew wanted something more modern, so he added a sushi menu. It’s a contemporary take on surf and turf,” says manager German Calle. And don’t expect a predictable manly aesthetic either.

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San Francisco is not a great steakhouse town. It has neither the legendary steakhouses of New York (Keen’s, Sparks, Old Homestead, Peter Luger) nor the sexy new steakhouses of Los Angeles (Cut, Mastro’s, Nick & Stef’s, Jar). Try typing “steakhouses” in an Internet browser and nine U.S. cities pop up, none of them San Francisco.

Local beef-eaters’ hearts must have skipped a beat when they heard that 5A5 Steak Lounge was opening in the Financial District space that had been empty since Frisson closed in the spring of 2008. The restaurant’s name itself might also have caused another skipped beat: As its Web site says, “A5 stands for the highest grade of beef in the world, and a top-quality dining experience.” But those interested in that top-quality dining experience might be worried to read that the restaurant “blends the vibe of a cocktail lounge with that of a traditional steakhouse … 5A5 is also the ultimate lounge experience with live DJs/vocalists/bands.” Happily, on the weeknight we showed up for an early dinner, none of these were in evidence.

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ENVY is located in the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel on Paradise Road.

ENVY’s sleek, open design boldly announces a new paradigm in fine Las Vegas dining.

Pat Murphy’s design for the steakhouse restaurant is a study in balance: expansive windows and high ceilings create a lofty sense of space, while elements such as a candle-lit, walk-in wine cellar and a 1,500-bottle wine wall, impart warmth and structure.

Guests can choose from an extensive hand-selected wine menu as they nestle in one of ENVY’s spacious, welcoming booths.

VIP guests can enjoy a chef’s table in a private booth with a front row view of the open kitchen.

Now in its fourth year of operation, ENVY has received a long list of Las Vegas restaurant reviews, a two-time recipient of the prestigious Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for its outstanding wine list, the restaurant has been named to Las Vegas Life’s coveted Dining Guide ‘A’ List and was also named “Best New Restaurant Off the Strip” in the February 2006 issue.

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My sense of direction is bad at the best of times, but I thought the taxi driver would surely know the way to the hotel. ¡°Which hotel?¡± he demanded, ¡°where?¡±

OK, so getting to the first hotel on Shaikh Zayed Road is a little difficult, but after a few illegal u-turns we arrived at The Monarch Dubai. Welcomed by piano music and a vast marble lobby, we made our way up the staircase to Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

After being seated at a romantically lit table with a bench seat running down one side and what I can only describe as a classily arm chair on the other (my dinner partner wouldn’t stop asking me where he could purchase one), we were given the lowdown on the concept of the restaurant — family-style fine dining. Entrées are served à-la-carte, with sides available for sharing at the table. I was amused by the spiel given by our polite and well-groomed server as she had obviously regurgitated it more times than she could count.

For an establishment which brags about its beef, I was happy to see seafood mains and accompaniments on the menu. I don’t pretend to be a connoisseur, but I have eaten ahi tuna at an array of places and can honestly say that this starter, served with a ginger, mustard beer dressing, was the best I’ve ever had. New Orleans-style barbeque shrimp in a red wine and garlic butter sauce was broiled to perfection, and my friend and I ravenously mopped up the sauce with our selection of fresh breads, the soft pretzels being my favourite.

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From the outside, Boa Steakhouse’s new digs on Sunset Boulevard don’t look too promising: a sleek, anonymous office building close to the West Hollywood- Beverly Hills border with a valet station out front. Give up the Sunset Strip for this?

That wondering makes the stunning space on the other side of the door even more surprising than it already is. Wow and double wow. Don’t even think about eating inside. Pass on by the relaxed crowd lounging on sofas in the bar and head straight for the dramatic outdoor dining space (that is, if you reserved ahead and there’s still a table free).

The soaring, slanted ceiling with a circle cut out of it to show off the night sky gives the place a futuristic feel. And the roomy circular booths are just the place to show off the summer gowns women are wearing. The guys are dressed up too, in skinny suits or tailored shirts. If you’re looking for glam in a steakhouse, this is it. At least for the summer, when everyone wants to dine outside. Come cooler weather, though, heat lamps are mounted high above.

The menu is mostly Boa’s standards. Order a Caesar and a server makes it table side, wielding a wooden spoon double time to whip up the dressing. Steak tartare is a table-side performance too. Tuna tartare, crab cakes and seafood platters round out the appetizer selection.

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“This world’s no blot for us, nor blank. It means intensely, and means good: To find its meaning is my meat and drink” —Robert Browning, English poet and playwright

If the meaning of this world lies within its meat and drink, look no further. Denver’s newest “churrascaria,” Fogo de Chão, has opened its doors. With 15 different choices of meat, a 30-plus-item salad bar and an extensive wine list, the Brazilian steakhouse has it all. Considering that Brazil’s history pulls in a cultural multiplicity of influences form all over Europe, Africa, Native America and the Middle East, Brazilian dining truly does offer a worldly experience. There is no better place to enjoy the southern Brazilian style than at Fogo de Chão, located in the heart of downtown Denver.

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When Marco Pierre White’s NBC TV series Chopping Block was axed, one of the most damning criticisms was, “He (MPW) is no Gordon Ramsay.” Ouch. While his protégé is now one of the richest chefs in the world and has a huge restaurant empire, MPW owns a more modest portfolio of restaurants and a pizza chain. The latest addition to the family is the MPW Steakhouse and Grill located near Liverpool Street in London. When Dos Hermanos visited, the great man was not in attendance, and his involvement appears to extend no further than the restaurant name and the menu.

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There are generally two kinds of brunch in Dubai: the lavish – read snooty – affairs that assault diners with enough food to feed a medium-sized country, or the slightly scummy booze-ups that inevitably with someone dancing on the tables. The Grand Grill, a South African steakhouse, manages to fill the gap in between and it does so very nicely.

My date and I arrived to find a homely, friendly and lively atmosphere thanks to the orange-hued decor, sociable open kitchen and matey waiters. We were a bit disheartened when we saw the rather small buffet of trays filled with pasta, salad, mashed potato and rice, but we warmed right back up again at the site of flames licking at juicy steaks, chicken legs and giant barbecue ribs. This is definitely one for carnivores.

Our waiter served us drinks, and kept us stocked up throughout the afternoon – even surprising us with some pink bubbly – and encouraged us to eat as much meat as we could stomach. Which we did. The steaks were a little over cooked, but had a deliciously sweet marinade, the chicken and ribs were meaty and messy – just how they should be – the flesh falling away from the bone at the mere suggestion of a knife. The char-grilled taste added a Neanderthal manliness to the tender meat.

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