Houston's Newest Seed Oil-Free Steakhouse Sells a ‘Texas Strip'
A new steakhouse in Houston is flipping the script on tradition with a menu that ditches seed oils, embraces beef tallow, and even renames the iconic New York strip — calling it the 'Texas strip,' instead.
King Steak opened in the Galleria area at the end of May, offering what chef Eric Aldis says is 'healthier' steakhouse that's free from seed oils — a new trend cropping up in restaurants across the country in an attempt to appear more health-conscious. Instead, King Steak uses beef tallow, olive oil, or butter to cook and fry its food and strives to cater to all dietary needs. 'We have something for everybody,' says Aldis, adding that the menu is largely gluten-free, aside from the bread used in the French dip and cheeseburger, and includes a vegan bolognese.
So far, the steaks are unsurprisingly the top seller at King Steak, with the New York strip noticeably labeled a 'Texas strip.' Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick launched a controversial initiative earlier this year to completely rename the cut of steak in the Lone Star State. He received pushback from several restaurants, particularly those in New York, with one threatening to sue Texas for $1 million. In Texas, opinions seemed to be mixed, with some restaurateurs and chefs saying renaming the New York strip, the 'Texas strip,' was pointless and confusing for diners, while steakhouses like Taste of Texas thought the new branding could be advantageous for Texas-proud businesses.
Aldis, a seventh-generation Texan, says he didn't know there was any controversy surrounding the Texas strip. 'I cut the strips, so I name the strips,' Aldis says, adding that King Steak implements an underlying 'finer' Texas theme.
'It's not your traditional steakhouse,' Aldis says, noting the lineup of inventive shareable plates and appetizers not usually found on steakhouse menus, including a vegetable charcuterie made up of a variety of cured and marinated vegetables, guacamole served with bacon chips or gluten-free bread, and a beef and pork meatball baked in 'nonna's pomodoro' sauce. Sides also go far beyond the standard steak pairings of asparagus and mashed potatoes, with accompaniments like mushrooms cooked to order, pesto cauliflower rice, jalapeño hash browns, creamed spinach artichoke, foie gras, and beef tallow fries.
King Steak's set-up is also fairly unique. The glassed-in restaurant features 30 tons of compressed air-conditioning, Aldis says, but anytime it's 85 degrees or cooler, the restaurant intends to open up its windows and turn the dining room into a full patio with an indoor and outdoor area. 'It's like a convertible,' he says. The restaurant offers three private dining rooms that can be transformed into five separate rooms, including two smaller spaces that can seat up to 12.
The chef, formerly the culinary director of Federal American Grill, partnered with restaurateur Johnny Vassallo, co-owner of Mo's Irish Pubs, to open King Steak following a decade of working together at the now-closed Mo's A Place for Steak, where Aldis was chef. As with most of the other restaurants he's worked at, Aldis says King Steak is focused on the diner experience. 'We're not trying to win a Michelin star. We're not trying to win awards,' he says. 'We're trying to make sure our guests are happy.' See More: Houston Restaurant Openings
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