Review #46 - Steak and Stein

Steak and Stein
Variety: Steakhouse
Address: 6061 Young Street
Date Visited: Thursday, February 14, 2013
Orders: Valentine's Day Feature (Two 7oz Striploin steak dinners) with Queso Cheese Sticks

Taste: 5 + 7 = 13/20
Portion Size: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Presentation: 6 + 6 = 12/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 6 + 6 = 12/20
Bonus: 1
Minus: 1
Final Grade: 66% (Satisfactory)

(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)

Notes: J used to love going to Steak and Stein when he was younger. It was the kind of place that you could afford to go with your friends when you were in high school and felt like you were adults. He hadn't been back in several years and, well, the atmosphere hasn't changed all that much, which is both good and bad. Basically, Steak and Stein is like a blue collar version of The Keg, and is barely a step up from fast food restaurant. Lots of really young people and really old people, with little variance in-between. Being Valentine's Day, we did make a reservation and to their credit, we showed up early but they still sat us right away (bonus point). We understand that being a little miffed by the service on a busy day like Valentine's Day is like getting mad because there's a long line at Disney World, so we're excusing the server for forgetting our Queso Cheese Sticks until after our meal was served - though, as good as they looked on the menu, we wished she'd forgotten them altogether - it was like biting into tortilla crumbs into a gooey stick of salt (yuck). For some reason, they were served with sour cream instead of salsa, which might have enhanced the experience. The steaks were not huge by any means, and Ts had a huge chunk of fat on the side, while J's had big gobs of fat throughout (he doesn't usually eat steak anyway, and this meal gave him no reason to change his mind anytime soon). Another interesting point - the butter for the baked potatoes was served in those little ketchup cups from fast food restaurants. Never seen that before! The only other comment, which resulted in the negative point, was that T's red wine was served in a white wine glass, full to the brim. Not to get all "high class" here, but red wine is supposed to be served in half-full larger glasses, in order to let it breathe. That stuff was suffocating.

Final Verdict: Go if you're looking to eat on the cheap and don't care too much about the quality.

Review #45 - Flipburger

Flipburger
Variety: Gourmet Burger
Address: 277 Lacewood Drive
Date Visited: Saturday, February 2, 2013
Orders: Blue Cheese Burger, (unsure of the name of the) Burger, Poutine, Strawberry Milkshake, Peanut Butter/Banana/Bacon Milkshake

Taste: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: -
Minus: 1
Final Grade: 81% (Good)

(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)

Notes: We've been on diets lately, hence the lack of reviews. But, a birthday resulted in a trip to Flipburger, one of the growing number of gourmet burger joints in Halifax. It was a Saturday night around 5:00 and it was quasi-busy when we arrived. Minutes later, after claiming some seats and getting in line, the place got PACKED. As such, the restaurant was a little crammed and loud, but that's probably a good sign. The crowd was quite varied, too - from toddlers to seniors, but mostly thirtysomethings. J selected the Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon Milkshake (yes, bacon), but figured he should probably get a burger, too. Honestly, neither of us can remember what it was called, and their website appears to have been attacked by malware, so checking the menu online isn't possible right now. Basically, it was a big, beefy burger with loads of toppings, including crispy onions and avocado. And it was good. But the milkshake was the real point of interest. Bacon in a milkshake? We kinda figured it woulda been ground up bacon. Nope. A big honkin' strip of bacon. Didn't really add anything to the taste, but it was novel. T's Blue Cheese Burger was also very big and very good, and her milkshake was pretty standard. We split a poutine (yeah, our diets went to hell that night) and, honestly, it wasn't fantastic. The gravy was too watery and salty, the fries weren't cripsy and there weren't enough cheese curds (hence the minus point). But overall, it was a tasty trip, and we'll probably be back.

Final Verdict: Great burgers but pass on the poutine.