Bickell's Blog
July 27, 2008

"My favorite animal is steak" - Fran Lebowitz

People in my town still talk about the restaurant renaissance of the 1970's. It was a time when a bold and talented group of restaurateurs opened a host of exciting concepts that started a whole new interest in the subject of food and wine and dining out. All of a sudden, Philadelphia became a real restaurant destination. All these years later, it's interesting to note that while steak was certainly available, steakhouses were few and far between. I remember Arthur's Steakhouse on Walnut Street, and that was basically it.

It's 2008, and we have less people living in Philadelphia compared to the 1970's, and Arthur's is long gone. In its place however, we have The Palm; Ruth's Chris; Morton's; Capital Grille; Prime Rib; Smith & Wollensky; JW's at the Marriott; Barclay Prime; Fogo de Chao; Chima; Table 31; and three more about to be opened - Butcher & Singer, Union Trust, and Del Frisco's Double Eagle. That's 14 big-time steakhouses and that's not counting the suburbs. I'm guessing that the steakhouse craze is not unique to this City. American's are paying big money for the red meat, and there's apparently no end in sight.

It's also interesting to note that the popularity of steak is not confined to steakhouses. Chef Daniel Stern at Rae in the Cira Centre is doing big numbers with a two-pound Porterhouse T-bone combo that is selling at a mere $180.00.

The economy is what it is and there is supposed to be tons of doom and gloom out there for the restaurants, but the public is laying out big bucks for expensive food like steak and everything that goes with it. The big question is how much is too much? At what point could there be one too many steakhouses, and have we come close to reaching that point yet?

Who knows? And maybe the timing is right to bring Arthur's back.

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