STK Steakhouse Brings Its Signature Dry-Aged Steaks To Denver

I had to pinch myself when I walked into STK, which was voted one of Denver's most beautiful restaurants. I've been to a lot of steakhouses where I feel like I'm walking into the inner sanctum of a traditional men's club and where sedate club traditions prevail, but STK is not that. STK is clubby but in a sexy, pressure is good for you, kind of way. And yes, that neon sign is, I'm told, the most photographed place in the restaurant.

Filled with massive eye-catching artworks, it is hard to not tour the space and fill your senses before you even sit down to eat or drink. Both needs are well taken care of. In fact, all five senses are managed quite well in this spot where every table seems like the best spot in the house. The staff effortlessly meets every need. To be fair, it was quiet on the night we went, and the DJ was not spinning, but even so there was still a definite vibe. This is a place, even in Denver, where it is okay to wear a tiny sleeveless tight-fitting dress and high heels or not. This is a place to spot your favorite local sports figures dropping in after a game. And yes, this is a place to eat. And drink.

We began with crafted cocktails to set the mood and then it was on to octopus. The octopus was cooked perfectly, which is not easy to do. It had us wanting more but the rich fried gnocchi with short rib really satisfied, especially on a cold rainy night. Alfred was quite good at seeing to our needs and brought us wine pours to see what we'd prefer to go with our salmon and steak. The wines by the glass are quite amazing and paired perfectly with our entree choices. But it was the two glasses of Prosecco before the mains arrived that I enjoyed most. Yes, this is a spot where Prosecco is poured by the glass.

And the steak? After all this place is named STK, a superb dry-aged Delmonico was set before my husband, and I could almost see him start drooling. It was cooked perfectly and though it didn't need the béarnaise, the béarnaise still tasted good. The foraged mushroom side was rich, but mushrooms always go so well with steak, don't they? I, on the other hand, had salmon, also perfect. Follow all that with house-made sweet potato donuts, one of STK's most popular desserts, that had us licking our fingers and then the plate, and we left STK feeling like we were parting with our best friends.

STK has many locations across the US. Each location changes up to 40 percent of its menu to suit local tastes. Brent, our head chef, shared with us some of his future ideas and I think judging from what we hear, the pressure is sure good for him. Being able to go back and see something new on the menu only adds to the energy that STK sends out. STK is a new-generation steakhouse, and one that I'm guessing will help start new Denver traditions and ranks among the best in the state.

STK hosted our writer but all opinions expressed are her own.