BLT Steak carves its niche

You automatically feel sophisticated and chic when walking into this posh steakhouse on I Street. BLT Steak’s atmosphere is no Ruth’s Chris or Morton’s; instead, it boasts trendy hardwood floors so clear you can see your face shining back at you, and comfortable booths adorned with pillows. Intimate lighting and large, open windows add to the mood of this warm, airy and inviting bistro-style restaurant.

Executive Chef Laurent Tourondel opened the first BLT Steak in New York City in 2004. It was given so much praise that Tourondel expanded it to two locations in D.C. (which opened in November 2006) and San Juan.

Other restaurants include BLT Fish, BLT Prime and BLT Burger. There is also the BLT Market at The Ritz-Carlton New York at Central Park.

Chef de Cuisine Victor Albisu joined BLT Steak in D.C. in December 2007 after speaking with Laurent. He became enamored by the whole concept, and realized it was definitely a chef-driven restaurant. “It’s a great a la carte menu, and a great steakhouse with a French bistro-style menu,” he said. “The restaurant’s daily blackboards and seasonal foods are things that really attracted me to the restaurant. It’s a great opportunity and I’ve loved every moment I’ve been here.”

Albisu said that the ambiance of BLT Steak is really what sealed the deal for him. “I came to dinner here, and felt like it was a real upscale bistro with loud music and an Old World, modern steakhouse feeling,” he said. “It was that dichotomy of old and new, and it all totally works. I felt so comfortable here.”

Albisu said that sometimes it’s hard to sell a steakhouse in D.C. “There’s so many that we really had to work to put our best effort in at standing apart from the others,” he said. “It’s the concept alone. Not many realize it’s a modern take on things along with the older style steakhouse menu; basically we as a team here really think that we are the best steakhouse in the city.”

BLT Steak is truly for those who are looking for an elegant meal at a price. Average prices for two people are in the $150-$200 range. As one of only a dozen women in the restaurant, most of the suit-and-tie-clad male patrons seemed to be members of Washington’s elite, making business deals over 16-ounce New York strip steaks and chatting at the bar that seemed to get more and more crowded by the minute.

Upon being seated, a welcoming wait staff inquired about cocktails or wine with dinner. My friend and I chose cocktails, him a vodka martini made with Ciroc and a cucumber gin twist made with Hendricks.

Chicken liver pâté was then brought out with crispy bread to smear it on. It was my first time trying pate and it was a lot tastier than I originally imagined. Our appetizer arrived next. The restaurant has an extensive raw bar, and we chose jumbo shrimp cocktail. Other raw bar options include lobsters, oysters and clams. The shrimp was so big that it almost needed to be cut with a fork and knife.

After our shrimp, BLT’s signature warm cheese popovers were brought out. Popovers are hollow pieces of bread made with warm cheese on the inside and a flaky, melt-in-your-mouth crust.

“They’re made with a liquid dough and our patrons really seem to enjoy them,” Albisu said.

The popovers were served with a small recipe card to recreate them in your own home.

After all of this delicious food, our meals were finally brought out: a 16-ounce New York strip steak and a 22-ounce rib eye steak, along with poached green beans with shaved almonds and crispy potato skins with melted cheese, bacon bits and celery. I couldn’t finish the enormous steak, grilled to perfection. My friend said it was the best steak he had ever tasted.

Being unable to finish the delicious monstrosity that was my steak, I packed up the leftovers and we both said no to dessert, due to simply having no more room to eat another bite. However, BLT’s dessert options include pies, a lemon and blood-orange sorbet and a chocolate chestnut sundae.

Albisu said that BLT Steak in D.C. is an ode to Laurent. “I learned a lot from him, and I’m pleased to be working for him. It’s nice to have that luxury of still having a mentorship from a world-renowned chef,” he said. “The ability to talk to someone and gain feedback from someone as accomplished as him is quite the pleasure.”

BLT offers valet parking during dinner hours. The restaurant is closed on Sundays and open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. More information about the restaurant can be found on its website, www.bltsteak.com . For reservations call 202-689-8999 and get ready to live luxuriously.