Katy Sun, August 19, 2004
"Perry's customers getting what they pay for"
by Mystery Diner"I've eaten at Perry's grille and Meat Market in Friendswood and always enjoyed their fine steaks, burgers and the signature pork chop served in a casual setting.
But the luxurious new Perry's Steakhouse and Grille in Sugar Land is a spectacular eating experience by itself that is difficult to describe.
Bob Perry started the business back in 1979 as a butcher shop in southeast Houston. Seven years later, son Chris added a restaurant to the butcher shop and three years later they opened a second one in Friendswood.
I've always enjoyed seeing the meat right there in a regular butcher shop display in Friendswood. It gives you that sense of freshness. But Perry's does more than just bring it to you fresh.
The beef is dry aged in-house for a minimum of 28 days. Then each steak is caramelized with their house spice blend and chargrilled to your specifications. They top it off with a maitre d'garlic butter.
The Scarsdale and Friendswood stores still include butcher shops if you want to take home the beef, sausage and pork and cook for yourself.
But if you want to be treated like royalty and have glorious bombardment of your taste buds, go to one of the Perry's Steakhouse and Grilles. There are others in The Woodlands and on Bay Area Boulevard.
To begin with, this is dining opulence. The ambience is every bit as nice as the finest restaurants in town like Vic and Anthony's downtown or Pappas Brothers Steakhouse on Westheimer.
It is finely carpeted and has six major dining rooms, not counting the bar area that has a three-piece jazz ensemble playing most nights. The enchanting piano playing permeates the entire building.
The rooms are decorated with fine art and each has its own fabulous chandelier, ranging from art deco to standard. The mood is soft and easy and the lights are kept down low.
The waitstaff are all extremely personable and conscientious, dressed smartly in black slacks, black vests, white shirts and ties. My waiter, Courtney, was outgoing, bright and genuinely warm. He helped me through all of my requests and questions.
I started with the shrimp cocktail which is four large shrimp in the middle and thin slices of lemon between the shrimp. It was excellent.
Then I went for a Caesar Salad and got quite a surprise. To begin with, they bring out a place of Italian sourdough bread that is very unusual. It has a hard crust and the middle is spongy and delicious.
The salad was a huge side of lettuce tipped with a large anchovy (which I skipped) and roasted pumpkin seeds along with a superb Caesar dressing and a peculiar thin slice of hard-baked olive bread that seemed more for show than for consumption.
For my entrée, I decided to try something new. I can highly recommend any of the steaks or the signature pork chops, which are the size of a baseball glove and have a fantastic char-broiled flavor. But this time I went for one of the evening's specials.
It was the chateaubriand kabob. It was fantastic.
They bring it out in a large steel contraption on which rests your plate. The plate contains side orders like asparagus, carrots and scalloped potatoes, all exceptional.
The rest of the metal device was a curved arm from which a metal skewer dangled. On the skewer were the many delectable parts of the kabob – medallions of juicy, flavorful chateaubriand, large spiced shrimp and chunks of lobster interspersed with slices of grilled bell peppers and onions. On the side they bring two sauce serving bowls, one with melted butter and the other with the house red wine sauce.
The whole serving apparatus includes small tongs with which you pull off each delightful morsel. Every bite was exquisite.
The place has an enormous variety of other selections from porterhouse steaks and filet Perry to colossal char-grilled shrimp and Hawaiian grilled chicken and veal Leon. On Sunday they have a brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. that I have yet to try. But it sounds dazzling with smoked chicken omelettes, Italian French toast, grilled shrimp frittata, eggs Benedict and much, much more.
Now be warned. This isn't your normal restaurant. The prices are as lavish as the food and surroundings. My shrimp cocktail was $9.95. The Caesar salad was $4.95 and the kabob was $39.95. But you get what you pay for.
Perry's Steakhouse and Grille is sumptuous dining at its very best."
Mystery Diner Report Card
Service ****
Ambience ****
Cleanliness ****
Food *****1= Poor 2=Fair 3=Good 4=Excellent 5=Superior
