STK Steakhouse

She said:

When Brian suggested going to STK for lunch, my brain conjured up an image of a traditional steakhouse. You know, wood everywhere, country music blaring in the background, and longhorn trophies mounted on the walls.

STK is none of those things.

Instead, it is a modern, sleek, chic, and hip kind of place. I’ve been really loving the way SLC has experienced an evolution when it comes to the dining scene because it’s now catering to the part of the increasingly changing demographic that wants to experiment with new cuisine. Utah is slowly, but steadily, developing a more diverse population. I’ve met people who’ve moved here from LA, NY, Miami, Seattle, and other places, people who’d grown accustomed to patronizing really good restaurants. They’ve learned, as I have, that the stereotype about Utahns loving only meat, potatoes, and green Jello does not hold true.

Upon approaching the front entrance, I took note of the building's exterior. There was a large outdoor area for patio dining in the warmer months. Plus, there were white, wavy panels overhead, black steel-wrapped windows (LOTS of windows!), and warm, brown-colored wooden siding. It looked very urban, and the theme continued inside with walls that were painted black, others that were painted white as a marked contrast, and an industrial ceiling that repeated the color scheme. The thing that caught my attention about the ceiling was that the white, undulating panels suspended below the duct work looked like waves and seemed to mimic the pattern on the outside of the building.

Upon entering, we were immediately greeted by a friendly hostess who stood behind a wooden kiosk to our right. Before we followed her to our table, I took note of the bright red ceramic bull statue sitting atop a glass-fronted gas fireplace located directly opposite the entry doors. Once seated, I first focused more on taking stock of our surroundings than I did in perusing the menu.

A mural took up the entire back wall of the restaurant. It depicted a young woman wearing headphones. What was particularly striking about it was the colors. In the sea of black and white walls, this mural stood out because of the swirly pattern in its background, all painted in orange, blue, green, and red hues. Juxtaposed against the black, gray, and sepia tones of two giant Utah arches on a different wall, the mural was the star of the show.

The décor consisted of white chairs, semi-circular booth seats clad in white leather, and dark wooden tables. Strategically placed throughout the dining area were tall, white ceramic vases holding profusions of artificial white flowers and cranberries in the same shade of rea as the bull statue. Also, clear globe pendant lights were suspended over our heads. On our table, the globes were repeated in the candle holders that had brass bases.

Kudos to the proprietor and the decorator for their attention to the details. The result was an upscale, elevated vibe.

Anyway, about the food: It was beautifully presented and was positively delicious. My sincere compliments to the chef! The egg and avocado toast I ordered was taken from the presumed ordinary offering to the next level.

The bread consisted of two slices of brioche, toasted to a perfect, gorgeous, golden brown. They were each topped with a generous spread of mashed avocado, sprouts, a poached egg, and sliced peppers. I picked out the jalapeños, but I left the sweet red peppers alone.

Except . . . Yikes! Fire! 🔥 🌶 🔥

They weren’t sweet peppers at all, but red jalapeños. For those of you who, like me, didn’t know that jalapeños aren’t always green, it turns out that they turn red as they ripen. And not only that, but they become more potent, as well! While my mouth burned, eyes watered, and nose ran, our waiter came over to ask how everything was. I told him about the jalapeños being a surprise, as I was expecting toasted pumpkin seeds, as stated on the menu. Personally, I would have preferred the pepitas and some sweety drop peppers to cap off my toast for the contrasting texture and pop of color.

He said:

STK sits kitty-corner from the Delta Center, which makes it an attractive stop before or after an event. Our waiter confirmed it gets a lot of traffic on game days. According to him, hockey fans tend to stop by before the games, while basketball fans stop by after the games, though much more so when the Jazz win. He also said they see a fair amount of athletes, musicians, actors, and other celebrities.

I’ve wanted to check out STK for a while, ever since I saw their menu online. It has plenty of enticing options. I had noticed, however, that their online menu didn’t show their prices. I can think of two reasons why they might have been left off. STK has restaurants around the country. Around the world, actually. So, the prices probably vary from location to location. The other possible explanation comes from that old adage about prices: “if you have to ask . . .”

Indeed, the prices were a bit steep. That’s not usually enough to scare me off, but I generally like to know before I visit a restaurant how much I can expect to pay for a meal. Not only does that avoid some embarrassing situations, but proper expectations can improve most experiences. So, I’ll try to pull back the curtain a bit for you.

I had gone expecting lunch, but when I arrived, I found they were serving brunch instead. STK serves brunch on weekends until 3:00. The brunch menu featured a selection of cocktails ($23), salads and starters ($27 - $34, or $149 for the caviar), a raw bar ($30 - $71), Benedicts ($34 - $50), other Brunch fare ($29 - $68), steaks ($54 - $103), and seafood ($42 - $45, or $12 per shrimp). They had a few other choices, including desserts ($19 - $26) and side dishes ($20).

One item on the menu seemed out of place to me. It was listed by itself in the corner: a 7oz Wagyu burger with fried egg and bacon for $9.99. First, all the other prices on the menu were rounded to whole-dollar amounts. Second, this was the cheapest item on the menu, by a wide margin. For example, the Starters section of the menu had a Slider version of the Wagyu burger for $29. But this larger, cheaper burger also included French fries, while a side of Tater Tots by itself cost $20. I was so puzzled by the apparent discrepancy that I asked the waiter about it.

He told me it was no mistake. Apparently, the burger was advertised outside the restaurant as an enticement to passers-by. So, maybe it was a loss-leader, but the waiter assured me it was quite acceptable to order it. Plus, he said it was a great burger. As I was in a lunch mood, the burger attracted me more than the brunch offerings. So, I ordered it, feeling slightly abashed for foregoing the fancier fare.

Before my burger arrived, we received bread service in the form of a large, fluffy bun in a cast iron skillet. A glaze of cinnamon butter topped the bun and formed a deliciously sweet and caramelly pool at the bottom of the skillet.

My burger arrived with a generous basket of battered French fries, perfectly golden and crisp. The waiter explained that the burger also appears on the lunch menu (and on the dinner menu for take-out only), but only the brunch version includes a fried egg and bacon, making it an even greater bargain. It was hefty. Because the patty was so juicy and the egg just slightly runny, I decided I had better attack it with my knife and fork.

The quality of the Wagyu beef really stood out, as the patty, cooked medium, had a crispy, caramelized crust, and a juicy, pink interior. It may not have been as fancy or glamorous (or expensive) as the other menu offerings, but it was a great burger, and it made a very satisfying lunch.

Conclusion:

With its modern, chic atmosphere, delicious food, attentive service, and proximity to local events, STK is a popular spot for both locals and celebrities.