The ultimate menu for steak lovers just launched in Vancouver

Meat eaters, this one is for you.

Starting February 27, the Steak Masters – In Pursuit of Perfection tour will kick off its cross-Canada journey, bringing a limited-time menu to select CHOP restaurant locations across the country.

The tour begins on the west coast at Chop Steakhouse & Bar, a Richmond staple famous for its steak, prime rib, and seafood. From February 27 to April 7, guests can indulge in a steak-forward menu fit for the modern carnivore.

Steak Masters comes from the hearts and minds of Stephen Clark, Chop’s Executive Chef, and Vancouver-based celebrity Chef Alex Chen, who was the 2019 Pinnacle Awards Chef of the Year. The two have been friends and peers for many years, and both have long wanted to present a menu that celebrates steak without compromise.

“It’s something new. It’s a little bit of an adventure inside Chop,” explained Chef Clark during the tour’s opening night dinner event.

According to Chef Chen, the two enjoy working together because they share a similar philosophy in the kitchen: prioritizing flavour above everything else. He explains, “What I love about the dishes we’ve created is that they strike the perfect balance between challenging the status quo of steak preparation, while also being well-balanced, elegant, and familiar.”

So what do elegance, familiarity, and above all else, flavour, look like on a plate? We had the opportunity to try out the menu in person.

For anyone who hasn’t been to Chop yet, the restaurant features modern dining spaces that ooze sophistication and comfort. It’s everything you want in a steakhouse: cozy seating options with lots of privacy, flashy fixtures that sparkle in the firelight, and a quiet confidence that lets you know you’re in for a real treat.

The restaurant is also uniquely equipped with an army of state-of-the-art Montague broilers, which can reach up to 1800°F, cooking your steak to custom, seared perfection.

The Steak Masters menu features four dishes, three of which offer unique takes on the classic steak.

It begins with a bright, light (but still decadent) steak tartare, mixed with hand-chopped Certified Angus Beef and served with house-made Russet potato chips.

The second dish, a flavourful sirloin cap picanha with a “zippy” chimichurri sauce and Brazilian spices, transports diners to South America to indulge in authentic Brazilian BBQ.

“When I tasted the picanha for the first time, I was like, ‘Wow,'” says Chef Chen. “The smokiness, just the element of flavour, it’s really, really fitting thinking about the fire, the broiler, which is really high heat and can just caramelize it and roast the fat. It needs that.”

But the star of the show has to be the Tomahawk, a 40-ounce rib eye steak served “au poivre.” Well marbled, rich, and buttery, the thick ribeye comes with a long bone still attached and is considered by many to be the king of steaks.

“It’s the perfect steak to share. It comes with a beautiful peppercorn sauce and a couple of killer sides: cauliflower potatoes and just knock-your-socks-off creamed corn,” says Chef Clark.

The dinner is topped off with a pineapple upside-down cake that will turn your dessert expectations on their head (get it?). Think caramelized pineapple, buttermilk gelato, and candied pecans served over a rum cake, topped with a burnt rosemary marshmallow.

Chefs Chen and Clark will be travelling across Canada from now through October, training chefs at Chop restaurants in Edmonton, Toronto, Calgary, and Winnipeg to cook their limited-time menu to perfection. Trust us when we say, a steak menu this good is a rare (pun intended) experience you need to try while you still have the chance.

Looking to treat the steak-lover in your life? Or maybe you don’t need a reason to celebrate and just want to experience something special happening in our city. Whatever your reason, for more information and to plan your visit, visit chop.ca and follow them on Facebook.

Steak Masters – In Pursuit of Perfection tour

When: February 27 to April 7, 2020 
Where: Chop Steakhouse & Bar — 10251 St Edwards Drive, Richmond

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