Steakhouse

There are those times in life in which a name doesn't necessarily meet reality, when a book defies its cover, if you will. And in the world of cocktails, this is no exception. A Boxcar tastes nothing like an actual boxcar. A Cape Cod? Tastes nothing like a beach. And in our case, the Inner Harbor's Sullivan's Steakhouse has a cocktail whose name and ingredients might throw you for a loop: the Thai Basil Fizz. The Thai Basil Fizz, though it sounds rather robust from its ingredients list including black pepper, Thai basil and prosecco, is almost like a fizzy whiskey sour - sans whiskey of course, with Tito's Vodka in its place.

There are those times in life in which a name doesn't necessarily meet reality, when a book defies its cover, if you will. And in the world of cocktails, this is no exception. A Boxcar tastes nothing like an actual boxcar. A Cape Cod? Tastes nothing like a beach. And in our case, the Inner Harbor's Sullivan's Steakhouse has a cocktail whose name and ingredients might throw you for a loop: the Thai Basil Fizz. The Thai Basil Fizz, though it sounds rather robust from its ingredients list including black pepper, Thai basil and prosecco, is almost like a fizzy whiskey sour - sans whiskey of course, with Tito's Vodka in its place.

When Sisson's (32-36 E. Cross St.) opens in February after extensive renovation, more will be changed than just the ownership and decor. The city's best-known Cajun restaurant will become a "Baltimore steakhouse," according to Thomas Cizauskas, one of the new owners. How will a Baltimore steakhouse be different from other steakhouses? I asked him. "It will be affordable," he said. Sisson's beef will come from a single Omaha ranch, and the restaurant plans to have its own butcher on site.

Maryland Live Casino has opened its version of the Prime Rib, the iconic Baltimore steakhouse that has flourished almost from the second of its founding in 1965 by the Beler brothers. The new steakhouse is operated by the casino and is technically unaffiliated with the Prime Rib restaurants in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington. The casino operators describe the relationship as a licensing partnership with Buzz Beler. He has, by all accounts, played a significant role in pulling off the casino restaurant, whose chefs received training in the Prime Rib ways in the Washington restaurant's kitchen.

Baltimore always has room for one more steakhouse, as Morton's, Shula's, Ruth's Chris and Fleming's have demonstrated. Enter Chester's, newly opened at 1717 Eastern Ave., where the Fishery used to be. It has what owner Jim Alberts calls "New York flair" with one difference: Prices are moderate for a steakhouse. Entrees average around $18; the restaurant's signature dish, a 20-ounce rib-eye steak with potatoes, costs $14.95. The menu of mostly beef dishes is limited, says Alberts, with seafood offered as daily specials.

Forget froufrou food. We Baltimoreans must love plain ole meat and potatoes because steakhouses continue to pop up all over town. In the next few days, two more arrive. Tomorrow, the third Ruth's Chris Steak House opens in the Baltimore area. And it's a mere three blocks from Ruth's Chris No. 1, on Water Street, also owned by local restaurant magnate Steve De Castro. Ruth's Chris Steak House Pier V has taken the space previously occupied by De Castro's old Eurasian Harbor. "Eurasian Harbor did great on weekends, but we weren't as strong there during the week," Steve says.

A suspected leak of carbon monoxide prompted the evacuation of a popular steakhouse near the Inner Harbor last night and sent 17 people to area hospitals. The Baltimore Fire Department received a call shortly after 8 p.m. of an "unusual odor" at Ruth's Chris Steak House at 711 Eastern Ave., said Chief Kevin Cartwright, a spokesman for the Fire Department. About 150 patrons were evacuated, and 17 of them were treated for suspected carbon monoxide exposure and taken to hospitals, Cartwright said.

A Kentucky restaurant chain has purchased the old Berger's Colonial Inn and plans to reopen the Pasadena landmark as a 295-seat steakhouse.Texas Road House, which has about 20 franchises nationwide and is based in Louisville, could open its Pasadena restaurant as early as June 1."I think the community is going to be real excited about this," said Gayle W. Grismer, who will operate the steakhouse. "I want to see it open up, and I want to have some fun with it."The building will be transformed from the traditional 1950s-style family restaurant that was Berger's.

The current popularity of high-end steakhouses is proof that old restaurant trends never die, they just disappear for a while. Suddenly it's quite chic to be enjoying well-marbled steaks again, dripping with butter and cuddled up next to a baked potato with sour cream. It's as if nouvelle cuisine, fusion fare and small plates never happened. When restaurant consultant Clark Wolf had dinner with the late, great Julia Child for the last time this summer, their eating place of choice was Lucky's Steakhouse in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Four of us arrive at Canton's Outback on a Thursday 6:30 p.m. and are immediately seated in a prime spot, no pun intended. The steakhouse is half full. What's wrong with this picture? If you don't know, try getting a table without a wait at the Hunt Valley location of this popular Aussie-themed chain, or any other Outback in the 'burbs. The steakhouse's appeal for adults is, of course, beef and lots of it. Its appeal for kids is -- well, I'm not sure what the appeal is. It always seemed like an adult's restaurant to me, in spite of the children's menu.

On the night before most home games, Ravens players favor Sullivan's Steakhouse. And which Ravens roost at Sullivan's? The long list includes Haloti Ngata, Paul Kruger, Terrell Suggs, Ray Rice, Torrey Smith, Matt Birk, Justin Tucker, Bernard Pollard, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Corey Graham and Michael Oher. Reps for the restaurant say that Ravens flip for chef Ben Erjavec's cheesesteak eggrolls.  The eggrolls are on the regular Sullivan's menu, but you can try making them yourself.

Seems that before a big game, the Ravens would be thinking about eating their opponents not eating with them. But hey, it's pre-season. The folks at Sullivan's Steakhouse report that the two teams dined at the Inner Harbor restaurant last night, side-by-side, bulky bicep to bulky bicep. Sullivan's is apparently a big Ravens hangout. About 30 Ravens players were there and about 20 Jaguars, they say. In the black and purple, there was Haloti Ngata, Ray Lewis and Ray Rice, who apparently likes to order the same Sullivan's dish before every game -- the salmon.

Happy birthday Don Larsen. The former Oriole and World Series perfect-game thrower turns 83 on Tuesday. If you want to send Larsen a gift, consider a Sullivan's Steakhouse gift certificate. Larsen liked his crab cake dinner so much at Sullivan's Baltimore restaurant last Friday, that he came back again on Saturday night, and he brought Hall of Fame closer Rich "Goose" Gossage with him. On Saturday, Larsen had the 26-ounce Long Bone Ribeye and Gossage got the Bone in KC Strip.

Jeff Fitchett believes that a decent steak doesn't have to break the bank. At Poor Boy Steakhouse, he proves it. Fitchett, working with Kyle Algaze, opened the Severna Park restaurant last fall in the space vacated by the duo's other spot, the Breakfast Shoppe (now in the space formerly occupied by the lauded, but short-lived, Cynthia's). The concept was years in the making, and the team's perseverance and planning paid off. Poor Boy's food works, the service is attentive, and while the steaks aren't bargain basement cheap, they are moderately priced.

Upon their arrival on Thursday the Washington Wizards held a team dinner at a Japanese steakhouse. The team-building exercise was intended to break up the monotony and division that naturally comes with being on a losing team. "When you do things like that, go out to eat, do different things together, it builds a bond, and a relationship to make you want to play with each other on the court, and play hard for each other," Rashard Lewis said a day later. Whatever happened over the course of eating prime cuts of beef was lost the moment the Wizards set foot on the floor Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, as they suffered perhaps their most embarrassing defeat of the season, 120-89, at Wells Fargo Center.

How old-fashioned is Lewnes' Steakhouse? The best appetizers are shrimp scampi and clams casino, the most desirable side dish is potatoes Lyonnaise, and the bar still makes a Manhattan with two parts whiskey to one part vermouth, and no one does that anymore. Without any drama, Lewnes' serves its regulars a plain and proper dinner of exquisite steak. Imagine the Prime Rib mixed with the old Burke's, and you'll have a rough picture of Lewnes', a corner landmark in the cozy Eastport neighborhood of Annapolis.

Upon their arrival on Thursday the Washington Wizards held a team dinner at a Japanese steakhouse. The team-building exercise was intended to break up the monotony and division that naturally comes with being on a losing team. "When you do things like that, go out to eat, do different things together, it builds a bond, and a relationship to make you want to play with each other on the court, and play hard for each other," Rashard Lewis said a day later. Whatever happened over the course of eating prime cuts of beef was lost the moment the Wizards set foot on the floor Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, as they suffered perhaps their most embarrassing defeat of the season, 120-89, at Wells Fargo Center.

The restaurant formerly known as Harvey's in Green Spring Station has had more facelifts than Zsa Zsa Gabor. Each restaurant concept seems like it should be a winner -- sophisticated casual, seafood and now steakhouse -- but they come and go in the blink of an eye. Likewise the forgettable names: Towne Hall, City Crab & Seafood Company, and now Mick & Tony's Baltimore Prime. Even so, every time I've been back, the place seems pretty busy. We ate there a month after the place reopened as Mick & Tony's.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is one of the Harbor East residents celebrating its 10th anniversary in Baltimore this year. Steak rules here, and you'd be foolish to disobey. I haven't had a more satisfying rib-eye than the one Fleming's recently served me. I loved looking at it and eating every robust bite. Fleming's signature steak preparation involves seasoning with kosher salt and black pepper and finishing with butter and parsley. This makes the beef, USDA prime, both outstandingly flavorful and gorgeous.

Outback Steakhouse presented a $1 million donation to Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization providing emergency financial and other assistance to military families and wounded service members. The big-check ceremony took place in front of the Outback Steakhouse located in Ellicott City. That's a good local angle, but the better one is that Marylanders benefit from Operation Homefront which I first learned about from the Restrepo DVD.