Sara C.
Yelp
STK is a very well oiled machine, with high quality offerings and staff. While it may not be the most inexpensive option for steakhouses in Atlanta, it definitely proves the old adage that "you get what you pay for"!
We popped in pretty late to STK after a Hawks game that we had to find our way out of in traffic. We were in a large party of family of about 8 and they still held our reservation even though we arrived quite later than expected, which was impressive.
We were in Atlanta for the holidays with family, and the decor of STK fit the bill perfectly to keep us in that spirit. The decor was changed out to a gorgeous menagerie of Christmas trees in the center of the dining area, as well as sprigs of holiday colored greenery sprouting from the walls and a giant festooned tree at the entrance.
Our server was wonderful and answered our questions and gave great recommendations. She first brought out the bread service to start and it was divine, arriving in little cast iron skillets almost resembling a giant popover roll. It was a pull apart style bread, turning into little bits for each person to have their own. The bread itself was delightful, with what seemed to be a delicious butter on top and some zesty oil on the side for dipping.
In keeping with the holiday theme, there was also a special holiday menu offered. We had the Santa's Egg Nog cocktail, and it was super tasty. The alcohol flavor was minimal, just FYI, if you're afraid of traditional egg nog with alcohol. This was a perfect balance.
Another holiday menu offering was the entree I got, which was the Pumpkin Ravioli with Dungeness Crab. The raviolis were delicious with a slight hint of sweetness in the pumpkin, that paired so well with the toppings of the savory, supreme quality crab.
My husband had the Maple Rubbed Salmon from the regular menu, and oh my was it heavenly. Superbly clean salmon filet with a slightly sweet maple twinge. It came with brocollini, cherry tomatoes, and an olive dressing. Extremely refreshing and simple, but just expertly put together.
Our large group shared a huge mess of sides and they were all fabulous! In order of my favorites:
-Brussels Sprouts: These are one of my favorite starters/sides to order and these did not disappoint. Not too crispy and not too largely cut, just perfect. Slightly sweet with the cider glaze to play off the green flavor of the sprouts, and perfectly cooked bits of bacon. I know that's the whole idea with Brussels Sprouts, but they took the old classic dish and just did it very very well.
-Tater Tots: Now I know this sounds like a normal thing you can get anywhere or in the freezer section at your local grocer, but let me tell you - these are not your momma's tater tots! The tots themselves are giant and a little "flat" like a poker chip. They come with a scrumptious and a little spicy sriracha dip that was amazinnnnng.
-Sweet Corn Pudding: This sounds like it might be a dessert and it is a little bit sweet, but it's really similar to creamed corn (but really really creamy). It was exactly what I was hoping to get when I ordered it, and I loved that that's what showed up.
-Bacon Mac and Cheese: Again, this probably sounds like something you can grab at many restaurants, but it's just done so well at STK, that it's a cut above any other I have had. Super creamy pasta with little bits of bacon. I think you can get it without the bacon and just normal mac and cheese, but why would you go and do a thing like that.
-Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes: Now these are last on my list of the sides, but that doesn't mean they are bad by any means! It's just that all the other items were so heightened, that the mashed potatoes being just mashed potatoes put them at the bottom. But they were still very good, especially because they were made using Yukon Gold potatoes and not normal Russets.
Ok I'm making my mouth water again now just detailing all these dishes. I'll just say to conclude that if you're in Atlanta and looking for a nice place to eat with great service and high quality food, look no further than STK!