Blogger Blowout at STK

A month or so ago, STK held a media dinner (organized by Pleasure Palate) for a bunch of bloggers who got way more than what we (at least I) imagined we would. When I say a bunch, I do mean a bunch. Throughout the night I met some bloggers I haven't met before like streetgourmetla, Matt Bites, Tara Met Blog, Alli411, Seeking Food, Food, She Thought, and Gastronomer. And then almost everyone else on my blogroll: Wandering Chopsticks, Kung Food Panda, Mattatouille, Choisauce, Teenage Glutster, Sinosoul, and The Liquid Muse. (Am I missing anyone? There were so many of you!)

The night started with a slew of cocktails concocted by mixologist Pablo Moix in the bar area.

A couple of interesting and 'spicy' drinks: Capsicum Mojito (bacardi, lime juice, mint leaves, bell pepper rings - $15)

The winner of the majority vote was the Green Intensity cocktail (aviation gin, lime juice, serrano chili slices, basil leaves - $14)
As someone noted upon first sip, this cocktail "tastes like Thailand in your mouth!" A little spicy for me to drink the whole thing, but definitely unique, memorable, and tasty.

My favorite drink was actually the uva caipirinha (lebon cachaca, red grapes, lime, clover honey - $14). Sweeter than your standard caipirinha because of the grapes, and I also love the taste and smell of the honey. Definitely planning on trying this at home!

The only off-menu item we had that night was the first course - "Tomato 4 Ways"
The most interesting and creative dish of the night, in my opinion. Seems like chef Todd Miller really showcases what he can do with this one. Tomato "tartar", dried tomato, flash fried tomato, and raw cherry tomato. Delicate, creative, very well-executed and nicely presented.

Since we ate sooo much, and I was drinking soo much to really remember and take decent photos of everything, let me give you the highlights :P

Roasted Beets (coriander, micro mint, yogurt, curry - regular price $12)
The creamy yogurt sauce might be a tad too sweet/creamy that it deters a bit from the beets, but otherwise I enjoyed this dish. The beets were amazingly sweet, and the little spice from the coriander and curry was a very nice contrast. And the micro mint ... well, I'm still not sure what a micro mint is.

And then there was my favorite dish of the night: The Li'l Big Macs (Japanese wagyu, "special sauce", sesame bun - regular price $20)
Thick, moist, juicy wagyu patty. Nicely toasted buns. A creamy special sauce and the essence of truffle. My god, this was sooo good. Eating this satisfies an almost (almost? no, it totally does) carnal desire.

Our steaks came pre-sliced - not sure if they do this normally or if this is just because we are sharing everything with a big group. Below is the dry-aged rib-eye.
The meat was pretty tender, cooked medium-rare (just right) and pretty juicy. They were already a little cold by the time I got to them though, so it's hard for me to say anymore (I don't like cold steaks).

Some of the sides were pretty notable, such as these Parmesan truffle fries (regular price $9)
These big, thick fries were the perfect media for truffle oil and parmesan cheese (Yes, that's where my priority lies. truffle>parmesan>potato).

Another side that I really enjoyed was the sweet corn pudding. So creamy, sweet, with a bit of saltiness. If you haven't yet noticed that I have a corn on the cob on all my festival posts, I'll tell you again. I. LOVE. CORN. So you might not want to take my word 100% on how good this sweet corn pudding is.

The dessert is notable because they used Nutella :)
A classy version of a chocolate pop tart, with Nutella.

I haven't paid much attention to STK until that night and I was pleasantly surprised. Pablo Moix's drinks were creative and delicious. The food was also pretty good with good steak and a few great starters/sides, such as the sweet corn pudding. Or like those Li'l Big Macs. Ohh. Must come back!

STK
755 N La Cienega Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 659-3535