Vegas Watch

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Higher Steaks

(Gourmet " November 2008)

By Sara Pepitone

Is it causation or correlation that births a brontosaurus-size steak in a country with an expanding collective waistline and a diminishing wallet? Now you debate the topic over a 120-ounce porterhouse: "steak for six" at BRAND Steakhouse, in Las Vegas. "It's one huge steak," says executive chef Brian Massie. And at $267 (or $44.50 per person), it's a veritable recession special - served with one huge side of potato gratin and two sauces. Of course, superlative is everything in Vegas. The steak - charred on the grill, slow-roasted for even cooking - is sliced and arranged mountain-high on a giant lazy Susan. It's meat roulette: spin for your share. Or, if you are up the town's challenge of general excess and can eat the nearly eight-pound slab all by yourself, the meal's on the house (cardiac consumption not included).