After my family decided not to make the trip into LA to Maestros due to Friday night traffic, we decided to try something new. Of course Ruth Chris is not far, but we were in the mood for something a little more upscale. We were the first people to arrive to restaurant. We were warmly welcomed (I'm sure having 8 people in our party didn't hurt). The lighted menus were quite useful in a darker atmosphere. \r
Since none of us are seafood fans we all ordered the ""meats"" on the menu. The kids all ordered their various sides (creamed spinach, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes) and one dinner item, the stuffed chicken.\r
Let me start with the mac and cheese for a second. The reason I'm starting with this item is due to an absolutely absurd comment by another reviewer. They called their mac and cheese worse than Kraft's. I tasted at least 4 types of cheeses in Larsen's version. There was some blue in there as well. It was superb. And this is a side dish.\r
The creamed spinach was average. I also had a Caeser salad. It was average. Mashed potatoes were excellent (but not many ways to get this wrong). The stuffed chicken was a favorite with all 8 of us digging in.\r
As for the steaks, we had NY, petite filets, and regular filets. Again, without a doubt, the best steak I've ever had. The table agreed. We passed on using the peppercorn sauce (a little overkill). All of us used the excellent bernaise (perfectly made - no separation).\r
The service and attention were excellent till about 75% of our meal was complete. The restaurant got packed and our waiter went MIA. Even forgot a scoop of ice cream for my daughter. I would still give him an A, but this is something many restaurants have to work on. Larsen's is not an exception.\r
I wouldn't say the place is kid friendly, but it was a lot more receptive than Maestro's. All of us had a satisfying experience and will return as often as our wallets will allow. \r
Expect to pay $60-$75/person with a glass of wine and dessert.
Pros: Without a doubt best steak ever had...
Cons: After place got packed, service level dropped...
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