It wasn’t exactly Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, but as a high school junior from Central Illinois, I felt plenty bold heading up to Chicago on the Burlington Zephyr, with four buddies to see Bill Haley and the Comets perform “Rock Around the Clock” on a hot, humid summer morning at the Chicago Theater, then catching an afternoon Cubs game at Wrigley Field.
We were so innocent, and such good boys.
I also remember the Gothic Revival castellated Chicago Water Tower – completed in 1869 – and wondering, What the hell does that thing do?
Later I learned that the Water Tower was a key part of a solution that brought clean water to Chicago at a time when the waters near the shore had become too polluted to drink. Engineers built a pipeline that extended far into the lake, where the water remained pristine, and the pumping station that drew the water cityward was located at 805 Michigan Avenue. The Water Tower enclosed the tall machinery of the pump.
Maybe not so coincidently, it opened around the same time as the Chicago Stock Yards.
I recall my mother talking about a childhood visit to the Stock Yards with her aunt Edie, and how she cried and cried at the sight of it.
As Chicago grew, so did the stockyards – their expansion fueled in part by the proliferation of the newly invented REFRIGERATED RAIL CAR. It opened up markets for fresh beef all over the United States. Suddenly saloons and taverns from coast to coast began serving fresh steaks and chops. No bells and whistles. Just beef on a plate.
With thousands of cattle arriving each day, it’s no surprise that Chicago would soon become America’s steakhouse capital.
One of the greats was – and remains – GENE & GEORGETTI, which still thrives after 84 years in its original downtown location on Franklin Street in the heart of River North. There’s a lot to love about this never-ever-changing steak institution. First of all, it’s family owned and operated by Tony Durpetti and his wife, Marion. Old-school waiters who really know their stuff serve heavy, dark-crusted, prime-aged steaks from a white-hot 1100°F broiler. What stories the servers could tell – if ONLY they would. My guess is that regulars Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Jack Lemon, Lucille Ball, Bob Hope and Mayor Richard Daley might be involved.
Gene & Georgetti offers best-of-class renditions of all the steakhouse side dish classics – shrimp cocktails, cottage fried potatoes, onion rings, broccoli with cheesy, nutmeggy cream, etc. – along with a number of items (Clams Casino, spaghetti with clams) that reflect the restaurant’s Italian heritage.
The beef? It’s PRIME. The portions? ENORMOUS. The cocktails? STIFF. And the atmosphere? More masculine than a RUGBY SCRUM. Then there’s the dining room. It’s “Air Conditioned for Your Comfort.”
Everything about Gene & Georgetti expresses Tony’s philosophy: “Stay just as good as we are, and people will continue to come over and over.”
In my opinion, that is the equivalent of A FIRM HANDSHAKE.
But there is a NEW CHICAGO today – different from 1941. While Gene & Georgetti refuses to change, now carnivores can choose from a wide range of newer, more modern steakhouses – a few serving dairy cow steaks, some serving bison, some with newfangled iPad wine lists. Some, God help us, even have DJ booths.
Among the best and highly respected of the newer breed are GT Prime Steakhouse, Bavette’s Steakhouse & Bar, Mastro’s Steakhouse, Maple & Ash, and RPM Steak.
A week ago, I and a group of PARASOLE colleagues dined at RPM STEAK on W. Kenzie Street in downtown Chicago. I chose RPM because Richard Melman is involved. And I think he is a genius.
RPM tends to have a more modern feel – smart, sleek and more elegant – and its steak offerings embrace the latest trends. PRIME DRY-AGED CORN FED…WET AGED FILETS…PURE JAPANESE WAGYU (at $28 to $55 per ounce!)…CROSS-BRED AMERICAN and AUSTRALIAN WAGYU…various GRASSFED OPTIONS (don’t bother)…they’re all on offer.
A word about WAGYU. “Wa” means Japanese. “Gyu” means cow.” As near as I can tell, the Japanese purebred WAGYU BLACK COW has, over the centuries, become the dominant and most desirable breed for Wagyu steaks.
The pampered cows, born and raised entirely in Japan, are highly controlled and were not exported until a very limited few were allowed to leave between 1975 and 1997. Most went to the United States and Australia, where they were cross-bred to various degrees with BLACK ANGUS breeds, thus spawning the American and Australian Wagyu brands.
PURE JAPANESE WAGYU spends no time at all grass feeding. It’s lovingly nurtured by grain and beer, and is so heavily marbled that the meat is almost white. The American cross-breeds, while also heavily marbled, don’t go that far. I’ve tried them all and can report that each is loaded to the brim with fat and flavor. All are delicious. Unless I could try them all in a side-by-side taste test, I’m not certain which is best. I suspect that any distinction is without much of a difference.
Compared to classic American, dry-aged, corn-fed, perfectly marbled beef, Wagyu steaks have their own flavor profile and a totally different chew. The intense marbling and rich fat make for a steak that practically melts on your tongue and involves little chewing. Choose Wagyu for a luxurious and decadent eating experience. If you prefer a longer-lasting, nuttier umami and chew, then the dry-aged American Angus is for you.
As noted above, RPM offers steaks of every variety, each with a different “mouth feel,” texture and flavor. But the differences between RPM and an old-school steakhouse like Gene & Georgetti don’t stop with the steaks.
While RPM offers a traditional Caesar Salad and expected sides like steamed broccoli, the fun begins right from the start with a basket of FRESHLY MADE POPOVERS ($11) – which, by the way, are made from the exact same dough as British YORKSHIRE PUDDING, but are baked in muffin tins. When they rise high above the rim, they POP OVER.
Caviar service is offered at market price.
Risotto with rare White Truffles was special, as was Risotto with Morel Mushrooms. Neither is frequently seen at a steakhouse. Both are expensive.
Dover Sole, prepared tableside, is a show stopper…prepared with butter, butter, and more butter.
The “Millionaire’s Baker Potato” with fontina cheese and black truffles? Oh, no! Not that again! ($21)
For dessert, our table ordered the icy-hot Baked Alaska ($21), flamed tableside with maximum pizzazz.
And then, out of the blue…came COTTON CANDY.
No, RPM Steak is not your father’s steakhouse. Gene & Georgetti is.
One is not better than the other. RPM is a Corvette. Gene & Georgetti is a Mercedes. After all, a great steak is just a GREAT STEAK.
WTF
PHIL