February 14, 2012Perched above scenic La Jolla Cove's "restaurant row," Steakhouse at Azul has plenty going for it. But your focus quickly turns to the inside, as it gracefully delivers top notch service and precisely prepared fare in a warm and cozy environment.
Upon
entry, an exposed glass closet flaunts an expansive collection of approximately
two hundred wine offerings. Dark wood pillars, rock walls, and a stone vault
accentuate the spacious recessed dining room, and ceiling to floor windows
invite you to enjoy one of the most coveted views of La Jolla Cove.
Although
Azul is typically steakhouse pricey, it offers tasty fare for those on a
limited budget with a reduced price lunch, brunch and lounge menu and a $7 till
7pm happy hour on food and spirits every day, which includes items like steak
frites and a seared yellowfin tuna sandwich.
The
smell of seared steaks upon entering Azul instantly wetted my appetite. We
started with bread with a creamy garlic herb truffle butter paired with a nice
pinot noir. Azul showed its class, to my surprise, with a personalized hand
written birthday card (and a lovely complimentary dessert) for patrons who let
the restaurant know that you are there to celebrate a special occasion (me!).
Of the wood oven-fired sides, we sampled
three ($22 for three or $8 each). The bacon and chive macaroni and cheese was
creamy and delicious, with the always-welcomed addition of smoky bacon. The
asparagus was bright green, fresh and crispy, and the spinach was lightly sautéed,
and thick with garlic – both refreshing and savory.
We
split a twelve-ounce filet mignon ($48), thickly cut, perfectly seared, and
cooked to an ideal medium rare in Azul's specialized Montague Steakhouse
Broiler. Each bite melted in our mouths. The steak shined brighter than any
star in the sky that night.
Even
though unnecessary, we just had to sample the filet with several of Azul's
eight house-made sauces ($5 for 6 oz. share portion or three 2 oz tasters). The
béarnaise was classical, but punctuated by a burst of clove or cinnamon. The
three peppercorn cognac tasted of a traditional grandma's beef gravy. The
roasted garlic and white truffle cream sauce was delicate and creamy and a
pleasure to bathe the buttery steak in.
For
dessert, the Steakhouse provided me with a complimentary candlelit banana
cheesecake for my birthday! It was most delicious and appreciated and made for
a sweet end to a wonderful evening.
The
Steakhouse at Azul truly makes patrons feel at home, and combined with an amazing
location and steaks cooked just right, it is worth the price tag.
THE
STEAKHOUSE AT AZUL
1250
Prospect Street, La Jolla
(858)
454-9616
Hours:
Lunch
-12 pm – 4 pm Friday & Saturday
Dinner
- 5:00p, – 9:30 pm Sunday – Thursday, 5:00 – 10 pm Friday – Saturday
Happy
Hour - 4 pm – close Monday, 4 pm – 7 pm Tuesday – Sunday
Brunch
– 10am – 2 pm Sunday
