Steak 101

Let this expert Dallas chef teach you how to order the perfect steak

When you go to Bob's Steak & Chop House for a delicious dinner, there's really no way you can go wrong. But you could order a steak that's perhaps not the cut or temperature you were expecting, especially if you haven't brushed up on the basics of beef.

That's where Chef Sean Merchant comes in. The corporate executive chef at Bob's Steak & Chop House is ready to teach you Steak 101, from why prime is so special to what "medium rare" really means in the kitchen. And once you've digested this primer, go forth and order steak with confidence — and some mac and cheese.

What is Prime steak?
USDA Prime means that the meat is designated in the top 2 percent of all beef. It's derived from young beef and has the highest degree of fat marbling, which results in amazing tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and texture. At Bob's all the steaks are prime, including the famous prime filet, a cut that's rarely found in most steakhouses.

"Most will say they are a prime steakhouse, but the filet is the one cut they serve that usually isn't," says Merchant. "There’s a big difference between choice and prime, mainly in the marbling and richer flavors you get with the latter. It delivers that 'melt in your mouth' sensation."

Different Cuts
The taste and texture of your steak depends on where the meat is cut from. Bones and fat produce more flavor as the steak cooks, but the leaner filet cut is often the most popular with diners. The four most common cuts are below, in order of leanest to most marbled.

Filet: Boneless and compact, with most or all extra fat trimmed away. Chef Merchant cautions cooking above medium rare-plus, because starting at medium the steak can become "too grainy." Medium rare is just right, when the marbling and fats have just started to break down. Want yours rare? Go for it. This cut doesn't need the heat as much as others.
Strip: Whether a Kansas City bone-in strip or a New York boneless strip, expect a strip of fat to run along one side. There will be some marbling, but no fat pockets. The filet cooking recommendations hold for this cut as well, and rare is still an acceptable choice.
T-Bone: Also known as a porterhouse, this cut is served with — you guessed it — the bone intact. On one side sits the filet, while the other holds the New York strip. Many praise this cut as "the best of both worlds."
Ribeye: Served bone-in or boneless, this cote de beouf (which translates literally to "beef rib") is cut from the upper ribs. Expect a lot of marbling and fat pockets throughout. Chef Merchant recommends ordering medium rare-plus and warmer, but that it's best cooked medium because "the fats have broken down more for a better mouthfeel."

Ok, so what is "medium rare-plus?"
Even if you often grill steaks at home, your definition of medium may not be the same as the chef's due to the quality of beef and cooking techniques. Bob’s also lets its steaks rest before serving, which helps create the juiciness and tenderness that Bob’s is known for. Use these color-coded shortcuts to ensure you're thrilled when you cut into your steak.

Rare: A ruby-red but cool center.
Medium rare: Ruby-red throughout, but warm.
Medium rare-plus: Medium pink with a small amount of ruby.
Medium: Light pink with just a touch of ruby.
Medium well: A thin line of light pink throughout.
Well done: Cooked all the way through, no pink whatsoever.

"It's common for people to come to a steakhouse and want to order 'the best steak,'" says Merchant. "There is no such thing. Everyone’s 'best steak' is different; it’s all about what you normally enjoy. At Bob's you'll get the prime version of your favorite steak cooked exactly how you like it, and we know you will be hooked."

Do you know your ribeye from your filet?

Photo courtesy of Bob's Steak & Chop House

Do you know your ribeye from your filet?

Restaurant News Roundup

This Dallas restaurant news remains upbeat despite a few closures

Kona Grill

Pumpkin cocktail and pumpkin pie at Kona Grill

This roundup of Dallas restaurant news has competing themes: There are the seasonal holiday releases one expects at this time of the year, but there are also a sprinkling of closures that have occurred within recent days. But chin up, there's an opening or two to balance things out.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:

H-Mart, the Korean supermarket, opened its first location in Dallas, at 2534 Royal Ln. in Koreatown. The chain has more than 72 stores including six in Texas, with two in DFW, in Carrollton and Plano, and another opening soon in Haltom City. The Dallas store is not as large as the Carrolton store but has a nice food court. The parking situation is rumored to be a nightmare.

Outback Steakhouse closed its location in Plano at 1509 N. Central Expy. on October 26; it had been there for more than 30 years. Fans of the signature Bloomin' Onion fried appetizer can still find satisfaction at 50 locations in Texas and 16 in the DFW area including two that opened recently in Allen and Prosper, joining locations in Addison, Arlington, Burleson, Denton, DeSoto, Euless, Forney, Fort Worth, Frisco, Garland, Hurst, Irving, Lewisville, and Mesquite.

Chicago Avenue Hot Dogs in Frisco has closed. The restaurant opened in 2022 at 15922 Eldorado Pkwy. #700, with authentic Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches that made it a beloved destination for the local Chicago-loving community. But the location proved to be a challenge. Owners Rick and Jamye Henry say they may consider reopening at a different address down the road.

Ferris Wheelers BBQ, the restaurant and live performance space in Dallas' Design District, has closed after eight years and will become a new concept managed by Spune Productions, the local music promotion and event company. It opened in 2017 with an emphasis on its barbecue menu, then forged a partnership with Spune to ramp up the live music side in 2023.

Lazi Cow, a bubble tea shop concept founded in California, opened a location in Denton at 21800 Bricker Rd. in early November with a menu of boba tea, coffee, frozen drinks, bowls, and Japanese taiyaki pastries. This is their third DFW location, following Frisco which opened in 2024, and Colleyville, which opened in August 2025.

The Last Point is a new sports bar from Kelcher Entertainment Group opening at 4578 Belt Line Rd., in the former Addison Point, an Addison sports bar that first opened in 1977. Carrying on the legacies of The Midway Point and Addison Point, the Last Point offers 21 large-screen TVs and 3/4-pound burgers.

Kona Grill, the Asian-American restaurant at NorthPark Center, has brought back its pumpkin menu with two cocktails — Pumpkin Spice Margarita with tequila and reàl pumpkin purée, and a Pumpkin Mocha Martini with vodka, pumpkin spice rumchata, nitro-infused espresso, and crème de cacao. There's also food: Pumpkin Bisque withshrimp; lobster & mushroom ravioli with asparagus and shiitake mushrooms; and pumpkin pie with honeycomb crumbs. Go real matchy-matchy like the influencers do and order the whole thing.

La Rue Doughnuts, the acclaimed doughnut shop at Trinity Groves, has changed its hours: They are now open on Mondays which bring them to seven days a week. Simultaneously, they've shortened their hours on weekends and will no longer remain open until 8 pm. New hours: Monday-Friday 7 am-2 pm, Saturday-Sunday 8 am-4 pm.

il Bracco, the Italian restaurant in the Park Cities, has new seasonal dishes including a burrata salad with figs, grapes, walnuts, arugula and fennel; Amalfi tuna salad with citrus, cucumber, arugula, and pistachios; Marsala trumpets with trompetti noodles, mushrooms, garlic, and Marsala; crab cappelletti, available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; cioppino fisherman’s stew; wild mushrooms with garlic and thyme; white beans with Italian sausage and sage; and cauliflower with pistachio, mint, currants, and Reggiano.

Bobbie’s Airway Grill, the popular Preston Hollow restaurant, has new seasonal dishes including smoked salmon dip; blackened trout with jalapeño coleslaw; redfish topped with crab in a lemon butter sauce with savoy spinach; stone crab claws, an off-menu feature available through spring; and rotating soups including chicken tortilla Monday-Wednesday, potato leek on Thursday-Friday, and Texas Red Chili on weekends.

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer has conjured up the Something Bad CrazyShake, an over-the-top chocolate peppermint milkshake with mint green frosting, crushed Oreos, chocolate cake, a whimsical pretzel broomstick, finished with a playful witch hat — available November 20-30 at Black Tap locations in New York City, Dallas, and Las Vegas at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.

Taziki’s Mediterranean Café has a new limited-time Turkish Meatballs, inspired by founder Keith Richards’ recent trip to Turkey and the authentic chargrilling techniques he experienced, available through January 25. Rather than simmering in sauce, these lamb meatballs are chargrilled to order and can be ordered with rustic tomato sauce, in a pita gyro, or as a salad topper.

Torchy’s Tacos taco of the month for November is the Space Cowboy, featuring fried chicken, red chile sauce, cilantro lime rice, avocado slice, cotija cheese, and cilantro, in a flour tortilla. They also have a Drink of the Month: a limited-time margarita called the “Out of Office" with habanero-infused blanco tequila, Tajín rim, and two serrano pepper coins for garnish.

Maple Leaf Diner is offering whole pies during the holiday season in three varieties: pecan, chocolate pecan, and pumpkin, priced from $27 to $31.

Cinnaholic has two limited-edition flavors for the season: cinnamon roll decorated with Christmas cookie frosting, topped with cookie bites; and cinnamon cookies with chocolate chips, pretzels, marshmallows, oreos, and holiday sprinkles.

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse is launching two seasonal flavors of its signature Pizookie cookie, available while supplies last: The Dubai Chocolate Pizookie with Ghirardelli chocolate, pistachio sauce, and kataifi in a crackable chocolate shell; and the Monkey Bread Pizookie featuring cinnamon pull-apart bread with vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle — returning after a two-year absence. They also have two seasonal cocktails: The Dubai Chocolate Espresso Martini with Monin pistachio and nitro-Infused espresso, drizzled with pistachio sauce and rimmed with chocolate fudge and kataifi; and the Holiday Lights Lucky Ducky with tequila, rum, vodka, peach schnapps, blue curacao, sweet & sour, pineapple juice, Starry, hard candies, and light-up cubes.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe has a new edible blue shimmer sugar topping that adds sparkle to any smoothie or bowl for free. Guests should request "Mermaid-style" on their orders.

DQ Texas restaurants have a new Peppermint Bark Blizzard Treat combining white and milk chocolatey layers, peppermint candy cane pieces, and soft serve.

Yogurtland has two seasonal items: a special Peppermint Mocha frozen yogurt with chocolatey coffee and peppermint in side-by-side dispensers which you are suggested to swirl; and the Ginger Bread Man Cookie topping featuring a spiced crunch.

Jamba, ordinarily known for its healthy juice smoothies, has a new Frozen Hot Chocolate topped with Nutella and coconut whip, available through January 12. They also have new bites including chicken empanadas, and herbed mozzarella bites with marinara sauce. The chain has 22 locations across DFW and 47 across Texas.

Wingstop has a special Fiery Lime flavored wing, born from the flavor profile of a spicy margarita with lime and chili.

Sprinkles the cupcake chain is opening its "Holiday Boutique" with limited-edition treats that include a Spiced Cranberry Vanilla cupcake: a vanilla cake filled with spiced cranberry compote, topped with cream cheese frosting, and finished with freeze-dried cranberries. Available through November 27.

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas has named Jacopo Nardini as its new Director of Food & Beverage. Nardini brings more than 15 years of hospitality experience having held senior food and beverage leadership roles at prestigious Forbes Five-Star resorts across Europe, the Caribbean and the United States. Most recently, Nardini served as Director of Restaurants at The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay.

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