We’ve never been big on going out for New Year’s Eve. We usually spend it one of three ways:
1. enjoy an early dinner out with friends and ring in the new year in the comfort and safety of our own home;
2. go to a party at a friend’s house; or
3. invite friends over for a delicious home-cooked meal and splurge on great champagne.
With the current state of the economy, the majority of our friends opted for choice # 3 – buying great quality foods and vintages and eating at home figuring they’d spend, at most, half what they would at a restaurant.
We chose to go the dinner out with friends route. We brought our college daughters, got dressed up and descended on the new kid in town – Venegas Prime Filet. The name says it all…a steakhouse serving prime cuts of meat and more.
The space previously was also a steakhouse with a big tree in the middle of the room – needless to say, the décor back then left a lot to be desired. Now, it’s glossy and romantic, reminiscent of Old World décor combined with New World luxuries.
We are mesmerized by the ambience, addicted to the meats, crazy for the wine and swooning over the chocolates.
We consumed so much food during a 3-hour dining soirée that we couldn’t possibly tell you about every dish. Suffice it to say that the appetizers were delicious: a lovely crabcake, crispy calamari, full-flavored tacos de pescado, and a well-rounded global cheese plate.
The salads are truly tasty with crisp, fresh ingredients and true foodie accompaniments like applewood smoked lardons, fire roasted tomatoes, dried figs, candied walnut dust, parmigiano crisp.
The Chef’s Compositions are well varied with several selections of fish and poultry. The court bouillion-poached lobster with tarragon drawn butter is a standout. As is the Colorado lamb with the chef’s special sauce.
But the steaks steal the show! They are true prime cuts with great marbling cooked to perfection. Our table boasted a selection of Filet Mignon, NY Strip, and the Big Boy – 30 oz. Australian Wagyu steak for 2. Though the steaks were ambrosial we each chose different sauces and butters to complement them (there are 12 choices).
It wasn’t our first time at Venegas. From past experience we knew this novel powerhouse would fit our foodie cravings on a special night…and they delivered! It was a great way to start off our new year…one with many more Venegas reservations.
We wish all our dear readers a happy, healthy, successful and safe 2010 filled with lots of fun, belly laughing, love & endless Perfect Bites!
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/31/1490983/restaurant/Baltimore/Columbia/Venegas-Prime-Filet-Fulton"><img alt="Venegas Prime Filet on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1490983/biglogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:34px" /></a>
love the pictures
Posted by: Marina Mikolasko | 01/02/2010 at 03:17 AM