David Burke’s Primehouse

A break away from the traditional wood panelled and white aproned steakhouse, David Burke’s Primehouse is a sight for sore eyes and rumbling bellies. The modern décor and the fine setting made it truly a steakhouse for the 21^st Century. With Chef’s David Burke’s latest pride of Chicago, there was no doubt we were in for quite a special night at The James Hotel.

This place is remarkable as it was the one steakhouse where the server had left such a big impact on me, that I can still remember his name and face. Brian was a bubbly and down to earth character, who gave poignant and practical advice on what was obviously a delectable menu. His greatest impact on me must have been the introduction of a little Napa Valley wine called Orin Swift’s “The Prisoner” 2008. The wine’s name lived up to it’s billing as when the prisoner was released, we found it aggressive and full bodied with a little mellowness in the aftertaste, a wine which must be consider in this writer’s opinion, one of the best accompaniments to a quality piece of dried-aged steak.

For appetizers, we opted for the wagyu beef sashimi and the foie gras. Both dishes were done to perfection, but the wagyu beef was simply outstanding, both in terms of taste and presentation. The beef was perfectly sliced, and served on a big block of Himalayan salt. It cannot be described but rather, it has to be experienced.

The main course was special. You would think that after 4 steak restaurants in 6 days we would be so sick of the beef, but David Burke’s cow is unique in itself. First of all, he has his own farm in Kentucky and his own 2500 pound Black Angus Bull. The resulting cattle is used to produce the highest quality prime cuts which is then aged in their in-house facility for up to 75 days to produce beef of unparalleled tenderness and flavour.

The medium rare 55-day Bone-In Rib Eye came perfect, and paired with truffle asiago fries and the wine made it possibly the most satisfying dining experience I’ve had anywhere. Like the starters, the steak has to be tried to be believed. This is a MUST HAVE whenever you are in Chicago.

We thought we could round a perfect night with a perfect dessert. Brian’s timing could not have been better. After the plates have been cleared and we had a bit of time to digest, he swoops in with the dessert menus. We promptly obliged after he suggested that we should indulge in one of their sweet treats. In truth, the Apple Cobbler was wonderful but also on the sweet side which almost became over powering. We promptly alerted Brian of our mild dissatisfaction, and he must have taken it to heart as no sooner as we had said that, he arranged two servings of complimentary home made sorbet to be brought to us to “kill off the sweetness” as he so quaintly put it.

So with a bulging belly and a massive tip, we rounded off our grand tour of Chicago steakhouses, which what must be the best steakhouse in the mid-west. We couldn’t be more satisfied.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars