Del Frisco's New Menu Items Include A Massive, 45-Day Dry-Aged Rib-Eye

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse, which has 13 locations across the country, is easily one of the top steakhouse chains in the country. It's constantly looking to up its game, however, so some pretty exciting new cocktails, appetizers, steaks, and side dishes have been added to its menu. We had the opportunity to visit the New York location recently to try out some of the menu items, and discovered that the most impressive new addition isn't even on the menu.

But let's start with some other new additions first. You can start your meal with your choice of more than 10 new cocktails, and nearly 20 new wines by the glass are available. We sampled the Blood Orange Manhattan (Redemption rye, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Solerno blood orange liqueur, and Angostura bitters) and the Sapphire Bramble (Bombay Sapphire, ginger liqueur, lemon, blackberry, basil, and San Pellegrino Limonata); the Manhattan was elevated by the subtle citrusy sweetness of the blood orange liqueur, and all the components of the bramble came together to result in a light and refreshing, not-overly-sweet cocktail.

Two new appetizer additions are on the menu: seared Hudson Valley foie gras with strawberry-balsamic glaze, toasted brioche, and shaved white chocolate; and charred red wine-braised octopus with gigante beans stewed with tomatoes and arugula dressed with lemon and olive oil. We opted for the latter; the octopus was fork-tender, and pairing it separately with either the beans or the arugula turned it into two different dishes, both equally tasty. It was also quite a large portion, enough to serve as a meal in itself.

But now, onto the main event: The restaurant has expanded its dry-aged meat program, and is now offering a 16-ounce 45-day dry-aged prime strip or rib-eye as well as 22-ounce 14-day dry-aged prime lamb. But the true piece de resistance is being offered as an off-menu special: a 32-ounce, 45-day dry-aged prime double bone-in rib-eye dubbed the Double Eagle, presented to the table before being whisked back to the kitchen, sliced, and served alongside black volcanic salt, red Himalayan salt, and porcini salt. The steak is heavily seasoned with salt and coarse black pepper before being cooked, and the meat surrounding the bones as well as most of the fat is trimmed away, resulting in a gorgeous, high-end steak. Ours was perfectly cooked and an ample size for two people to share, and the extended dry aging lent it a supreme beefy flavor, with plenty of minerality and a slight funkiness. My only quibble is that because the steak is already seasoned in the kitchen, the additional salts aren't entirely necessary; a trio of sauces, for example, would have been preferable. Other new entrées include "Simply Prepared" halibut, salmon, and scallops, and a jalapeño-bacon burger in Texas only.

"The expanded dry age steak program is a delicious compliment to the core classic wet age steak selections that are known to set Del Frisco's a cut above the rest," the company's corporate executive chef, Thomas Dritsas, said. "The unique dry aging process allows guests to explore the character and tenderization of the steaks, highlighting the blue cheese and hazelnut tones that are rounded out with robust flavor."

New side dishes include creamed corn with blistered shishito peppers, grilled asparagus with romesco sauce, spaghetti squash gratin, and the curiously-named Uptown Del's Potato. Always game to try any new steakhouse potato preparation, we ordered the latter, which turned out to be a twice-baked potato, mashed and spooned back into its skin and topped with melted fontina cheese, scallions, chives, and shaved truffle. Needless to say, it was a wise decision.

Del Frisco's is about as dependable as a steakhouse can get, and these new steak additions put it in a league of its own, as most steakhouses don't age their steaks for much longer than 28 days. The new Double Eagle steak is definitely worth seeking out; not only is it a cut above the rest, it also comes with a gold medallion that you can take home.