I love the ambience of a good old-fashioned chophouse. Red leather booths, dark lighting, questionable martinis, and oh yeah, steak.

Usually damn good steak too. That's because a good chophouse makes no apologies for its red-meat-centric position. So there is no need to hide behind any of the foodie pretensions of the moment.

Chophouses do meat. Several cuts, all of them grilled.

Chophouses were never simply restaurants. In another time, on another continent, the original English chophouses could easily be called the16th century gastro-pubs (to borrow an au currant foodie phrase) of their time.

Let's talk about steak.

I over heard some people talking in a restaurant recently about steak. The point one of the diners was trying to make was that in tough economic times people turn from "better" cuts of meat to the "cheaper" cuts of meat.

His point made sense to me. I suppose people do exactly that.

But then his next statement floored me. He said, "So when I cook a steak at home I force myself to buy something like a flank or skirt steak. But when eating in a nice restaurant I always order the filet, no matter what the price".

I almost choked on my hanger steak!

I would advise just the opposite. While true that a good filet has a lovely soft tender texture. It cuts like "buttah" and we have been programmed to believe that means it tastes better. However, all filets, good, bad, or indifferent; cooked at home or at a Michelin starred restaurant are relatively flavorless. Why do you think people wrap them in bacon?