Steaking A Claim At Tampa's Table

TAMPA - How much beef can one city ingest?

The thought simmered over dinner at Gallagher's Steak House, the urbane new restaurant at the Channelside complex and another sign of Tampa's insatiable appetite for meat.

Houses of beef cover the local map these days, serving everything from cheap shoe leather to high-end Angus. The wheat germ lobby might take offense, but cows have never been more sacred for those wielding forks and serrated knives.

Channelside is a work in progress, and Gallagher's lends credibility. The restaurant's roots go back 80 years, opening as a speak-easy in New York's theater district in 1927. It set a legitimate table with the end of Prohibition and carved a reputation for fine beef. The owners allegedly coined the term 'New York strip.'

Today, six Gallagher's operate around the country, catering to people who aren't shy about opening the wallet for a hearty meal. The menu is a la carte, the meat - with few exceptions - ideally prepared, the service crack professional, and the atmosphere tastefully subdued.

Gallagher's sets the tone for dining with ornate high ceilings and lavish wood appointments and flooring. A long bar sits off to the side, separated from the comfortable dining rooms and tables with window views. Speaking of windows, guests can gawk into the two-story cooler, where huge slabs of chilled Midwestern meat on the bone are dry aged behind the glass.

On two visits, we got what we paid for: dense meats with flecked and streaked marbling fired over hickory coals. Most of our cuts had the hallmarks of USDA prime grade beef: The right proportion of meat to bone, of fat to lean, and noticeable quality in texture and taste.

On our first night, we enjoyed a delicious appetizer of seared ahi tuna and a rich and aromatic onion soup. Our glistening prime rib queen cut was a generous portion, cooked exactly as requested and served with an earthy side of crimini mushrooms. And any restaurant that offers homemade oxtail soup deserves praise.

The prime rib king cut is a massive portion, ours served medium rare and bursting with juice and flavor. We also devoured the 14-ounce filet mignon, succulent and tender as butter. Our only disappointment was an overcooked dry-aged bone-in sirloin.

The chilled Medley of Seafood can be shared by a party of six. The bounty includes a 2-pound Maine lobster, shrimp, Gulf of Mexico oysters, littleneck clams, lump crab cake and smoked salmon.

The restaurant serves a limited selection of fresh fish entrees, a roasted half chicken, grilled lamb, veal and center-cut pork chops. We enjoyed a crisp and refreshing Caesar salad, and were impressed with the size and flavor of the Beefsteak Tomato and Colossal Onion Salad with Roquefort dressing.

Some diners resent a la carte menus, and we find it hard to swallow a $7 baked potato, an $8 serving of creamed spinach or a $9 helping of asparagus.

The wine cellar offers a thoughtful selection of varietals from around the world, designed to suit most tastes and price ranges. We found an enjoyable complement to our steaks in a bottle of Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel - a good deal at $42.

DINING REVIEW

Gallagher's Steak House

BOTTOM LINE: High-end beef at Channelside.

WHERE: 615 Channelside Drive, Suite 203, Tampa

HOURS: 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday

CREDIT CARDS: All major

RESERVATIONS: Yes

CHILDREN'S MENU: Can accommodate

ALCOHOL: Full bar and wine list

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes

PRICE: Entrees range from $28 to $47

CALL: (813) 229-8000