We're no strangers to the concept of having "champagne taste on a beer budget." We also know one of its relatives, "prime steak taste on a hamburger budget."
The question becomes: How can we get close to the taste of high-end beef in patty form? We found an answer at five steakhouses that specialize in cuts of superb beef, and also offer four-star burgers.
Each steakhouse kitchen has its own ideas about how to dress its burger (for instance, with bacon, cheese, grilled onion and so on), but you can order it with any condiments you want. If I had a do-over for this column, I would skip the frills and go with only meat and bun. That way, the purity of the sandwich would be the focus, and the essential flavors and textures would suffer no distraction from the add-ons.
Ruth's Chris: The last time we had fare from RC was Aug. 20, when it wowed the 400-plus crowd at the Off to the Races fundraiser at the Pavilions. The line was long for the steakhouse's filet mignon sliders.
With that in mind, anticipation was high as we sat at the marble bar, waiting for Ruth's Prime Burger. Turned out to be a marvel. The house-ground trim from prime steaks is used to hand-form this hefty baby. We didn't find a better rendition.
Tip: Substitute the shoestring fries for the hand-cut fries.
Available: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. only on Fridays. The Roseville RC does not serve lunch.
Price: $13.50.
Ruth's Chris, in the Pavilions shopping center, Fair Oaks Boulevard near Howe Avenue, Sacramento; (916) 286-2706, www.ruthschris.com.
Sutter Street Steakhouse: The bar is more intimate than RC's, and the recorded music is better: Jackson Browne, the Beatles, Bobby Vee, the Temptations. … The centerpiece of the dining room is a glass-and-wood wine "cellar," a unique piece of kinetic sculpture.
"I cut my own steaks and grind filet, New York steak and ribeye for the burger," said chef-owner Brian Knadle on the phone before our visit.
The Steakhouse Burger, pictured at left, was big and luscious, but we thought the buttered-and-toasted ciabatta roll was too much bread for the meat. The soup of the day was an incredible roasted corn-jalapeño flecked with drops of chili oil – sweet 'n' heat.
The burger is also available in the special three-course lunch, a deal at $18.95.
Tip: Ask for creamed horseradish on the side.
Available: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. only on Fridays.
Price: $13.95
Sutter Street Steakhouse, 604 Sutter St., Folsom; (916) 351-9100, www.sutterstreetsteakhouse.com.
Chops Steak, Seafood & Bar: This clubby dining hall is where politicians and lobbyists recognize each other by their brightly colored suspenders. Greeting diners is a $40,000 custom-made cooler filled with funky-looking hunks of slowly aging prime beef.
Chops is another steakhouse that grinds its own trim for its burgers, in this case from prime filet and sirloin.
In the coming months, Chops plans to open a sister restaurant at the Palladio at Broadstone center in Folsom (www.gopalladio.com).
Tip: Because beef tenderloin and sirloin are relatively lean cuts, add some bacon ($1.50).
Available: 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
Price: $11
Chops, 1117 11th St., Sacramento; (916) 447-8900, www.chopssacramento.com.
Land Ocean New American Steakhouse: The half-pound burger is from Kobe-style beef. We also ordered a very good bison burger and made short work of both.
Tip: Don't pass on the delicious skinny fries, mingled with a few sweet-potato fries.
Available: At lunch and dinner daily, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Price: $12.95
Land Ocean, 2720 E. Bidwell St., Folsom; (916) 983-7000, www.landoceanrestaurants.com.
Morton's: The stately steakhouse will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on certain days in December – 8-9, 14-16 and 20-21. Its burger from prime house-ground trim will be on the menu.
Tip: Team it with sautéed mushrooms.
Price: $17
Morton's, 621 Capitol Mall, Sacramento; (916) 442-5091, www.mortons.com.
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By Allen Pierleoni
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