I was amazed by Knife Dallas’ seating options and their fine dining approach to steak. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
On a recent trip to Dallas, I dined at The Knife, a modern Texas steakhouse.
This restaurant surprised me with its upscale fine dining approach and free appetizers.
My meat was a little rarer than I would have liked, but I was surprised that it didn’t bother me at all.
I’m a New Yorker who recently visited Dallas for the first time. Over the years, I’ve been to quite a few steakhouses in New York, so I have a good idea of what to expect from the experience.
However, although I have visited Austin and Houston before, I had never eaten at a Texas steakhouse. During my research, I discovered Her Knife, a modern take on the classic steakhouse, offering a variety of steaks and sides with a more upscale feel.
Knife is the brainchild of James Beard Award nominee, Top Chef alum, and Michelin-starred celebrity chef John Tesar.
According to D Magazine, Anthony Bourdain once described Tesar as “the most talented chef I’ve ever worked with,” so I had high hopes for him.
Knife wowed me with its modern approach and complimentary appetizers, but perhaps what surprised me most about the meal was the price: I spent over $100 on the meal alone, and didn’t even order dessert.
Here are seven things that surprised me from my experience.
The first thing that struck me about the knife was its location: it was inside a hotel, albeit a luxury one.
The lobby of the Highland Dallas. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
When I think of my first Texas steakhouse experience, I picture a large rustic brick building and subdued décor.
While that’s true, the restaurant looked a little different because The Knife is a modern take on a Texas steakhouse. Still, I was surprised when I arrived at the restaurant and discovered it was located inside The Highland Dallas, a Hilton-owned hotel.
“Knife is a meat restaurant. There are a lot of steakhouses in Texas. Some of them serve the best steaks, but to me, my vision for Knife was a little different,” Tesar told Inside Entertainment in 2014, about a month after the restaurant’s grand opening.
It was also amazing to be able to sit at the counter and watch the food being prepared right in front of me.
Chef preparing food with Dallas knife. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I could actually see the restaurant’s chef preparing each dish, including my own. I was dining alone so this was a pleasant surprise. It gave me something to look forward to while eating.
I was also surprised by the appetizers I received for free.
Complimentary veggie appetizer at Knife. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The crudité appetizer included carrots, cucumber, celery, and a creamy Green Goddess dipping sauce. The vegetables were some of the freshest I’ve ever eaten and were very tasty as a palate cleanser before a meat-based meal.
However, I was surprisingly disappointed with the bread.
Knife bread. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The bread was flavorful and the small plate of butter it came with was nice, but the bread was cold when it was brought to the table. I know not all restaurants warm the bread before serving, but that temperature made the bread taste a little dry, which I personally didn’t like.
However, it is was All we got was a complimentary bread basket so couldn’t complain too much.
The Caesar salad on the side was more delicious than I expected.
Caesar salad with knife. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I ordered the Caesar salad because it seemed like a typical steakhouse appetizer and I had eaten it at other steakhouses before.
However, I have ordered Caesar salads at other steakhouses and rarely thought this salad was great.
The iceberg lettuce is tasteless and the dressing can be too strong. There’s nothing worse than biting into croutons right out of the bag.
But Knife’s Caesar salad really surprised me. The lettuce was crisp and fresh, the dressing was light and creamy with a distinct anchovy flavor, and a gentle dusting of Parmesan brought the salad together.
I thought it would just be a boring addition to a meal, but was surprised how delicious it was.
The steak was a little rarer than I wanted, but I didn’t mind.
Petit fillet of knife. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I ordered the steak – 6 oz filet mignon from 44 Farms in Cameron, Texas. — Medium rare. When I sliced it, I found it to be a little rarer than usual, which made me a little nervous.
However, I’m not one to be picky about the rarity of meat, so rather than return it I decided to give it a try.
The filet had a delicious crust on the outside and the center of the cut was juicy and very flavorful, I was surprised as I loved it even though the steak was cooked a little rarer than I prefer.
I was especially surprised at how expensive it was for a meal alone.
Knife menu. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Knife is one of the busiest and most luxurious steakhouses in Dallas, so I expected to pay more than I would normally pay to eat out.
I was still a little surprised when I saw the meal bill was over $100, especially since we hadn’t even ordered dessert.
However, I think the price was reasonable as it was about the same as what I paid at similar level steakhouses in New York City and I think the meal was well worth the money.
The filet mignon was one of the best cuts of meat I’ve ever eaten. I liked the addition of the free crudités. The side menus we tried were also great. The service was also perfect.
However, dining in a hotel, albeit luxurious, did have some drawbacks: I wish the steak had been cooked for a minute or two longer.
Knife Dallas did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.
