Has another rebranding, and a new restaurant team led by Roger Lenzi, finally brought Vero a steakhouse on a par with Morton’s, or Ruth’s Chris, or the Capital Grille?
Well, no. But Vero Prime – as the steakhouse on 21st Street is now called – is definitely a step up from its lineal ancestors, MT’s Chop House and Chop House 88. And the prices are on the whole considerably more reasonable than the top big-city steakhouses – good value for your dining dollars.
On a recent Saturday night, we arrived at 8:15, and were ushered to a comfortable booth. Vero Prime has the right atmosphere for a steak house – dark and hushed, black ceilings, burnt sienna walls, and a lot of wood.
After taking our drink order, a bottle of Joel Gott cabernet, a basket of warm rolls appeared on the table.
On this evening, we decided to pass on appetizers and start with salads. I ordered the fire grilled Caesar and my husband and our companion ordered romaine wedge salads with creamy blue cheese dressing, and chunks of double-smoked bacon. The salads were excellent, and were only a $3.50 add on when ordered with dinner.
Then for entrées, I picked the prime, bone-in ribeye ($48), my husband chose the 12-ounce prime strip ($32), and our companion decided to try the filet risotto ($28).
The prime ribeye was a very nice piece of beef, perfectly prepared Pittsburgh style on the wood grill. It was tasty, but would have been more succulent with a bit more marbling. The prime strip also was prepared Pittsburgh style, and was excellent, very flavorful and juicy.
Our companion’s entrée consisted of three pan-seared filet medallions served over a bed of porcini mushroom infused risotto. It’s crossover dishes like these where you see the influence of Lenzi – who also owns two of Vero’s favorite restaurants, Avanzare (Italian) and Bijou (French).
The other big plus for Vero Prime is you get a choice of two steakhouse sides with your entrée at no additional charge. Check the price of the sides and salads at the big city steakhouses, where a single veggie can run into the teens, and you quickly realize that what you are getting here is quite a bargain.
For dessert, we shared an order of apple bread pudding ($8). A delectable end to the meal.
Vero Prime has an impressive selection of wines, and since our last visit, a number of these – including the Joel Gott cabernet (now $40) – appeared to have come down in price. Dinner for two with a modest bottle of wine could range from $120 to $150 before tip.
Our beef (pun intended) with the old Chop House 88 was that Vero diners were being asked to pay Morton’s or Ruth’s Chris prices for something that did not measure up.
Now, Lenzi has produced a dining experience that while not quite big city steakhouse, is better than previous steakhouse efforts in Vero and is presented at a more attractive price point. For the moment, Vero Prime is delivering dining deals that are hard to beat.
And if you are up for dining between 5 and 5:30, Vero Prime has an early menu that starts at $14.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at [email protected].
The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
