Walk On's

So Lafayette got a Walk On’s.  And then UL goes out and has a decent season.  Coincidence?  Maybe.  But I do wonder why Walk On’s is so far away from campus.  I know real estate prices in Lafayette can’t be cheap, but they appear to do great business anyway.

Back on track, I noticed Walk On’s has a steak on the menu.  Only one steak to be precise.  So why not give it a try?


Walk On’s
2336 Kaliste Saloom Road
Lafayette, LA 70508
http://www.walk-ons.com/




12 oz Ribeye, Medium Rare

1.  Price - $18.99.  Steak plus one side(stuffed potato) and roll.

2.  Look

A Lafayette Steak Database first: video!  In a very atmospheric experience, the steaks are brought to you on a sizzling platter.  It almost sounds like the whole restaurant is clapping for you.  They may as well be.  We were seated in a more central area, so as the steaks are brought out, everyone can’t help but check them out.  Very theatric, I’ll give them that.  For comparison, check out how a very famous steakhouse(Peter Luger in New York) does a similar presentation.

As far as I know, the sizzling effect is achieved by a couple of spoonfuls of butter being put over the steak and then putting it and the platter it is served on under the broiler to get everything hot and jumping.  I quizzed the waitress, but she wasn’t sure.  She was sure of how hot the plate was though, she showed off a burn that was still visible that she received weeks earlier.

3.  Cooked to Doneness

So points for theatrics.  The downside?  Extra cooking time of such a thin steak, there’s almost no chance of hitting the proper doneness.  None.  To hit medium rare, you’d have to cook the steak just barely beyond rare on really high heat to get a sear, then broil it with the platter, then get it to the table to get eaten before carryover kept cooking it.  And the additional problem with that, steaks should rest.  Even if it’s just for a few minutes.  The surface temperature will drop, and the steak will relax, the internal juices(if there’s any left) will settle evenly as the temperature becomes steady throughout the entire steak.

Peter Luger can do this.  If you noticed in the video, that’s a prime cut of Porterhouse around 2 inches thick and usually served in a portion for 2 or more people.  This is a 19 dollar Walk Ons 12 oz ribeye.  There is no quality comparison.  If Walk On’s wants to continue this practice, I’d say they need to fine tune their method of cooking.  Or you should try ordering your steak one degree of doneness under what you usually get.  Rare for medium rare, medium rare for medium.  No guarantee that will work, but it’s worth a try.

4.  Taste

Even though it was one of the most overdone steaks I’ve had, it was still relatively tender and juicy with the slightest pink tint.  I think this is more of a testament to the ribeye’s ability to stay flavorful without drying out.  Any other steak would be a desert at this point, but the ribeye was still worth eating.

5.  Seasoning

The steak was very basically seasoned, salt and pepper.  The real champion here is serving the steak on the hot platter with the splash of butter.  The butter mixes with the seasoning and the steak juices as you cut into it to form a nice sauce.  Adjust salt and pepper as you like or even add a small amount of your favorite steak sauce to swirl in, and you’ve got something worth finishing.

6.  Bang for the Buck

If you’re pretty serious about your steak, I can assume there’s no way you’d be pleased with how overcooked it will come out.  So like I mentioned, you’ll have to order a step down.  At 19 bucks, they’re around market value.  I‘m always looking for that market value steak price that has fine steakhouse quality, this isn‘t quite that.  But I would add there is room for improvement though.  The stuffed potato was pretty good.  It was just a halved potato covered with cheese and bacon.  The layer of cheese was so dense, you had to struggle to get potato.  I think it would benefit from being removed from the skin, mixed, then loaded back in to aid in removal.  For the steak, the flavor is there, they just need to tweak the cooking process or offer a thicker steak that will be able to handle the intensive cooking.  And you can’t beat dipping the roll in some of the leftover butter and juices.

So I’m hesitant to call for the “No deal, Howie.”  Try it for yourself.  I’ll probably even try it again down the road to see if it is improved.  Though I will say, compared to a lot of the other things on the Walk Ons menu, the steak is pretty far down the list.  The burgers are simply much better and much cheaper.

-Aaron A. Aaronson




Ribeye (12 oz, Medium-Rare) with a Stuffed Potato

1.  Price: $18.99

2.  Look

Winning, anyone? Served sizzling makes up for a skinny piece of meat. I was happy to see my steak.

3.  Cooked to Doneness

Remember how Don's impressed me by cooking a skinny steak well? Walk On's couldn't pull off the same feat, and I can understand why. Still, if you're gonna charge me $18.99, you may want to invest in thicker cuts so as to serve a medium-rare when called for. To be fair,  a bit past medium was still pretty appetizing.

4.  Taste

Very good. As with everything I've tried on this establishment's menu so far, I would say you're not going to complain.

5.  Seasoning I give it an A. The burgers at Walk On's are so good, I could see where the steak seasoning wouldn't be their primary focus.  Surprise! The meat was well-flavored, and I found no reason to complain. I reached for A-1 as the meal wore on, but that was just a response to sensory withdrawal as the sizzle died down.

6.  Bang for the Buck

While the steak is not the same value Walk On's burgers and sandwiches present, it appears to be more than a token offering. That's a pleasant surprise. You may want to order one level more toward rare than your natural preference simply to overcome the thinner steaks. My love for the cheaper offerings is the only reason I wouldn't order the ribeye again. If you find yourself at Walk On's and hankering for a steak, I say go for it.

My non-steak advice would be to order the onion mountain or the fried cheese for an appetizer if you're not on a diet. Either is delicious.  Also, enjoy one of the beers on tap, but don't look at the itemized receipt if you're sensitive to alcohol markup. (Yes, seriously.)  Finally, chase your meal with a cookie bowl if you're not averse to a likely food coma. Good times all around.

-Optimus