Mastro Steakhouse

Kitt, “the vegetarian”, was in the mood for meat. I’m certainly not going to pass up an opportunity like this. She looked up the best steakhouse in L.A. and Beverly Hills’ Mastro seemed to be the place. With A5 Wagyu listed on the menu, I was definitely in. Lucky for us, we were able to squeeze in a last minute reservation.

The dress code required pants and collars, which meant gripes from the boys for having to wear something other than t-shirts and shorts. It also meant draping my youngest in one of my shirts since he didn’t have a collared shirt for this trip.

This place looks and feels like an classic upscale steakhouse. In my Eddie Bauer shirt, I felt underdressed but no questions asked. The waiter even tried to make light of oversized shirt on my youngest to put everybody at ease. Kudos to him.

The food

With no surprise, I ordered a 12oz New York-style cut of A5 Wagyu. It came prepared very simply, with a tasty char on the outside and just the right amount of salt. It was delicious and I didn’t hesitate to eat every bite of it. (Well, I was kind enough to share with everyone at the table.)

Kitt ordered one of her favourites, Chilean sea bass. Which, to be honest, does that qualify as meat? I had my steak, so I’m not going to quibble. I had a bite of hers and it was prepared very well. It was near melt-in-your-mouth.

I ordered a glass of Stags’ Leap petit sirah, which was a great recommendation for the meal. I haven’t normally been a fan of Californian reds but this one definitely worked.

For dessert, I’m a sucker for crème brûlée. Sadly, I was disappointed in this one. I like it when the caramelized sugar is still warm from the blowtorch. This one was cold.

Verdict: If you’re in the mood for some good meat, go for it, but maybe skip dessert.

Experience:	★★☆
Value:	★★☆
Food:	★★☆
Drinks:	★★☆
Service:	★★☆