i am no expert when it comes to steak, but i should at least boast about my steakhouse experience in new york city, especially for all the money that’s been shelled out to get medium rare chunks of flesh, all having tasted not too different from each other, but being expensive enough to make me believe that each one is phenomenal in its own way.

on saturday (3/26), i took my buddy nigi, who turned 22 last week, to peter luger’s steakhouse in brooklyn. the train ride was a long one from school – (1)/(2) to 14th st., (F) to Delancey, (J) to Marcy. i met nigi at penn station along the way and we were too late for our reserved time of 2:45pm. we waited at the bar and had a brooklyn lager. finally, we were taken upstairs where our waiter quickly took our order and served us immediately. we had a waterstone napa merlot (1999), jumbo shrimp cocktail, cream spinach, golden baked potatoes, and a porterhouse steak for two. the steak was done medium rare, and it was a most wonderful taste. i remembered reading about the barnard alum woman going to the meat market every morning to pick out the right meats for the steakhouse, and also heard how the aged quality of the meat made it superior. the meat cut very tenderly and went well with the peter luger steaksauce. nigi and i capped the meal off with a huge fudge sundae, which must have been 50% thick whip cream. a most decadent meal that immediately made us yearn for sleep. it was a good time.

so, having done peter luger, i feel obliged to list my top 5 nyc steakhouse experiences. i know i haven’t done smith&wollensky yet, but that’s a chain. so here goes (i’d put peter luger at #2):

1) Strip House (13 E 12th st.) – felt like a bordello with its red leather seats and very 1930s style b&w photos. i loved their black truffled creamed spinach and their goose fat fried potato. i had the filet mignon although i heard their new york strip is excellent. their cheesecake for two is ridiculously big, and good.

3) Dylan Prime (62 laight st.) – this high class spot in tribeca has a really cool looking bar and a very romantic decor. it’s a place you can have steak and fondue on the same night. i had their “carpetbagger” which is a filet mignon stuffed with oysters and wrapped in bacon.

4) Sparks Steakhouse (210 E. 46th st.) – this place is really big and you wonder how many rooms it has. i thought their sides were a bit weak, but their steak had a nice salty flavor and their creamed spinach was a good complement.

5) Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse (148 W 51 st.) – i made the mistake of ordering a rare and it was really, really rare. but i tasted a friend’s new york strip, and it was pretty good. they put lots of butter on your steak. they have oversized wine glasses and big portions for sides.

i am never too impressed by a steak meal because steak can only surprise you so much in terms of flavor. it’s a good way to satisfy a carnivorous appetite, but sometimes you wish it was just a bite and nothing more. it might also be the korean in me – i ultimately prefer my meats well marinated and sizzled on the grill in front of me for immediate consumption in a fresh green lettuce leaf with a dab of bean paste. i ought to make some trips to flushing and make kalbi houses the next top five list.