Prime Dining Found At Surf & Sirloin

Good food, responsive service and the lowest price possible have been the promises restaurateur Larry Karagiannis made and kept to his customers since opening Kari's Surf & Sirloin in 1994. The Des Peres restaurant is renowned for serving only USDA prime beef and quality seafood.

“Only 1.8 percent of all beef is prime--it’s the best and the reason why we insist on serving it,” said Karagiannis “To serve the best quality seafood, we buy all our fish whole and cut it into filets ourselves.”

Such attention to quality and detail has allowed Surf & Sirloin to create an elegant yet surprisingly affordable white tablecloth dining experience. The menu presented is a blend of classic gourmet and American favorites served with continental flare. This classic concept's style is reflected in the dining room’s décor, which is understated and creates a relaxed atmosphere.

Service is friendly and attentive, while servers take the extra step to tempt ones taste buds by displaying platters of the day’s featured steaks and seafood. Counted among the top steaks ordered are the filet mignon, weighing in at 6 or 9 ounces and served with béarnaise sauce, ($23.50 - $29,00), the 14-ounce New York strip ($28.00) and the pepperloin ($29.00), a filet finished tableside with a cognac peppercorn sauce. A rare gourmet treat that has become a house specialty is 26-ounce the bone-in, dry-aged rib eye ($34.00). These hefty steaks along with any of the entrées can be shared with a fellow diner for a $4 split charge.

Listed under Surf & Sirloin’s "Eclectic" menu section is Veal Oscar, sautéed veal cutlet topped with Alaskan king crab, fresh asparagus and hollandaise ($25.00). rack of lamb ($38.00) and chicken chardonnay ($17.00) sauced with white wine cream reduction are other dining alternatives listed as eclectic.

On the surf side of the menu is shrimp tempura ($19.00), the No. 1 seafood seller, which plates five jumbo shrimp with clarified butter. Another prime choice is the Florida black grouper ($20.00), available in various cooking preparations. Black grouper, considered by gourmets and chefs as the finest grouper variety, is often prepared as an off the menu, chef-inspired special.

Each entrée is served with a choice of potato and vegetable du jour. Premium sides  such as as twice-baked potato, creamed/sautéed spinach and asparagus are available as an upgrade for $2.50 while House, Greek or Caesar salads are all à la carte.

Consider beginning dinner with an appetizer, which also makes a perfect small plate dining option. Appetizer picks to partner with an entrée are the traditional shrimp cocktail, oysters rockefeller and the Surf & Sirloin signature appetizer, the saganaki ($7.00), a must try for cheese heads. Saganaki is fried Greek kasari cheese seasoned with lemon and garlic and flamed tableside. Like the flash of fire? Culinary pyrotechnics continue through dessert via the flambé specialties strawberry romanoff and bananas Foster. 

Open for lunch and dinner, Surf & Sirloin is located at 13090 Manchester Road.