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Last Night at BLT Steak

Restaurant followers and foodies know that in New York City, BLT doesn’t stand for bacon-lettuce-tomato, oh no siree. It stands for Bistro Laurent Tourondel, and the French chef who has used his initials–not to mention his culinary talent– to create a BLT empire (located mostly in New York and Las Vegas, it includes BLT Steak, BLT Fish, BLT Prime, BLT Burger, and BLT Market). Lucky us, Tourondel has chosen to open up a branch of BLT Steak in Dallas, albeit by the Galleria (sigh). Last night was a soft opening, and as soon as we walked through the doors we practically ran right into chef Tourondel, who looked just like he does in that picture. Minus the chair-straddle. “I love Dallas,” he said. “But I still get lost driving around here. I need a driver.” Funny, that’s just what we were thinking when we got lost trying to find the place.

Follow the jump for food descriptions and more.

I’m usually surprised by the small amount of food at restaurant openings, but last night was an exception. There was a beef tenderloin carving station in the back, alongside a table full of cheeses and breads, including the famous cheese popovers that are big as yo’ head. There were also ice-filled trays of oysters, fat shrimp and crab, as well as passed apps that we didn’t get to try. People were filling up several plates and settling in. Another good thing: The drinks were flowing, and the bartenders already knew several people by name (??), which made Laura and I feel like we were at Al’s, which we loved. Bar snacks were also good: slightly sweet but salty almonds, spiced popcorn, and herb-covered olives.

The press materials tell me the menu will be organized by category (meat and poultry, fish and shellfish, vegetables), and to further customize, diners can choose from nine different sauces for the steak and three for fish and shellfish. There is an entire category of “mushrooms,” and they all cost $10. Tourondel also said the menu would include a raw fish dish that isn’t in any other cities. He said it’s “kind of like hamachi,” and that’s as far as I got. There is a hamachi listed on the menu, with butter pickle, meyer lemon, and avocado, which might have been what he was mentioning.
The interior was designed by Michael Bagley and includes one of those “slotty boards” like they have at the Porch. A big black board with white letters you can slide in. Tim says it’s called a marquee, but that didn’t sound quite right. Anyway the coloring is very warm, with caramel covered banquettes, and Macassar ebony tables, and a big wooden L-shaped bar in the front. It’s cozy, and it feels kind of French bistro-ish. Not a traditional steakhouse atmosphere. BLT Steak opens for dinner on Thursday, but will be opening for lunch after the new year.