Bistecca Fiorentina

After receiving an email earlier in the week from Eddie Wales, owner of Motor Supply Company Bistro, we special ordered the Bistecca Fiorentino that chef Tim had dry aged for 19 days.

Our delightful server, Rachel, offered to take a photo back in the kitchen, but once there found she was too short and enlisted Eddie to take the shot of the two steaks that we didn't choose back in the kitchen. Tonight's chef, Greg, had brought out this tray for us to choose ours. After 20 minutes of cooking, he brought it back out for us to tell him, "Yes, that looks delicious, you may now take it back to the kitchen and slice it up for us."

While waiting for our steak to arrive, which is a cut similar to a porterhouse that's part strip steak and part filet, we enjoyed a delicious salad of frisee, bacon, and poached egg with a red wine vinaigrette (Frisee aux Lardons). Breaking open the yoke allows the vinaigrette to become a creamy dressing.

We asked for the least expensive, best paired option for the steaks, and Eddie suggested a perfetto 2006 La Vita Lucente Toscana. We will buy this wine again, hopefully at Total Wine.

Based on recommendations, we ordered the thick steak medium rare. We'll order it medium next time for ease in cutting and our personal tastes. The steak is rubbed with sea salt & pepper and needs no additional seasoning (don't be like another guest and salt your food even before tasting it!), though the squeeze of fresh lemons that it's traditionally served with made it even more delicious. The filet was sooooo tender.

We brought the thick bone home to make a beef broth-based soup. We're going to use the leftover bits of less done steak to saute in a little olive oil and butter -- just until warmed -- for a steak & eggs breakfast.

Our sides were just as delicious as everything else: fingerling potatoes (butter, sea salt, black pepper) so creamy, and haricots vert.

I brought home a piece of the just-iced three-layer carrot cake to eat in bed with a glass of milk while composing this. Half was enough to satisfy my sweet tooth...and now I have another half to eat tomorrow night! Or for breakfast. I mean, it's practically a muffin, right?