Best Prime Rib

[mucho gordo]

The best prime rib I've ever eaten was prepared by encasing it in rock salt shell. Does any place fix it that way?

[jenn_grey]

definitely Lawry's

[chezwhitey]

Is it me or has the quality at Lawry's gone down in the last few years?

[sparkareno]

I was there about a year ago and thought the same thing. I used to love the place but this time the portions seemed a little smaller and the meat much fattier.

[chezwhitey]

Last time I went, half a year ago, I noticed they didn't put cherry tomatoes on their salad anymore I asked why this was, server said most people didn't eat them so they mo longer served them. Translation: management is nickel and dining you to cut corners. Between that and them pushing their house wine, it feels a lot cheaper and not as decadent as before.

[ns1]

I was there 2 weeks ago and actually thought it was substantially better than my previous visit 5 years ago.

I can't comment on portion sizes cuz me and the GF split a bowl cut and barely finished 1/3 of it.

[NAspy]

Kincaid's in Redondo Beach claims to have rock-salt roasted prime rib. I ate there many years ago and tried it and found it inferior to Lawry's.

[Sam D.]

Tracton’s had the best prime I ever ate. They used to roast their Prime Rib encrusted in rock salt at their now defunct L.A. and Encino restaurant locations. The same family still operates Red Tracton’s in Solana Beach close to the Del Mar Race Track. I haven’t been there but I would bet they still roast the prime rib the same way.

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Del Mar Cafe
712 S Del Mar Ave, San Gabriel, CA 91776

[ipsedixit]

Let me preface this by saying that I am not a prime rib expert and order it only rarely, but I do really like the bone-in prime rib offered by Morton's. Available only Friday and Saturday during dinner service. Dunno how it's prepared (e.g. whether it's salt crusted), but it's good for me and my money.

[foodiemahoodie]

My favorite prime rib in town is from The Palm.

But Lawry's is still very good. And I like their popovers/yorkshire pudding.

[jindomommy]

I like Flemings better than Lawry's.

[fourunder]

Does anyone remember Gulliver's?

[Servorg]

We still go a couple of times a year to the one in Orange County. Still great.

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Gulliver's
18482 MacArthur Blvd, Irvine, CA 92612

[fourunder]

I'm going to guess it's been about 35 years since I've been there. I remember the Prime Rib served with Yorkshire Pudding and Creamed Corn....all by some very attractive women in theme attire. Very impressionable for a young man.....and apparently memorable for an old one.

[Servorg]

All still exactly as you remember it. We used to go to the one in Marina Del Rey (RIP). That location became the abomination known as Jerry's Deli...

[monku]

The gravity defying "serving wenches".

I assume "serving wenches" is OK, because Gayot.com uses it
http://www.gayot.com/restaurants/gull...

[Harry Niletti]

I also go to Gulliver's a couple of times a year, and I enjoy it more than Lawry's, in part because of the scenery, in part because they have other items on the menu that I really like -- roast duck with red cabbage, for example -- and in part because I always stop for dessert at Strickland's.

-Harry

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Gulliver's
18482 MacArthur Blvd, Irvine, CA 92612

Stricklands Ice Cream
4523 Campus Dr, Irvine, CA 92612

[Servorg]

Harry, once I've put down a medium rare Brobdingnagian cut of prime rib and seconds (or thirds...) of creamed corn and spinach, Strickland's would probably fell me like an Ox who stepped onto a downed live high voltage line in a windstorm...

[Harry Niletti]

I thought you were that really skinny guy smoking a cig in your avatar?? I once saw a table full of football players sitting down to Brobdingnagian cuts, after which I swear I could hear their chairs groaning.

Well, if you ever manage to escape with less than half-a-ton of food at Gulliver's, I highly recommend Strickland's for their smooth soft-serve ice cream, particularly in the form of a turtle sundae.

-Harry

[Funwithfood]

Stricklands ice cream is fab!

[que ball]

Had no idea Gulliver's was still there- thought it and Chanticleer had left years ago! Can't wait to get there again!

[wienermobile]

Yes Lawry's The Prime Rib in Beverly Hills does. Here is a link to their recipe.
http://www.lawrysonline.com/theprimer...

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Lawry's Prime Rib
100 N La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

[BombayUpWithaTwist]

I don't think Lawry's encases it in salt, they just have it on a bed of salt.

I do enjoy going to Lawry's though! I also recently had prime rib at Taylor's which was pretty tasty. I have no idea how they roast it there.

House of Prime Rib in San Francisco may encase it in salt.

[wolfe]

Bombay you are correct as this is from the recipe linked.
"Make sure no salt actually touches the beef. "

[wienermobile]

I stand corrected, but it still is very good prime rib.

[Servorg]

"I don't think Lawry's encases it in salt, they just have it on a bed of salt."

Right you are. In fact if you look at their website they talk about how to prepare a prime rib at home and they emphasize that no salt should actually be touching the beef.

[Harry Niletti]

"... no salt should actually be touching the beef."

That's because salt draws out the juices, which then go into the rock salt and not into the roasting pan for gravy. And, yet, salt-encased prime rib is a specialty in some parts of the country. I make prime rib by cooking low-and-slow to medium rare, which produces a very juicy roast with the same degree of doneness from the middle to the edge. I imagine that adding a salt shell wouldn't dry out the meat, since the low-and-slow method retains juices so well. I hope mucho gordo hunts down a good example, because I'd like to try it.

[mucho gordo]

I also would like to have it again. Unfortunately, the one, and only, place I had it was in a small restaurant in El Centro, CA. I don't travel there any more.
Oddly enough, another restaurant in El Centro was the one and only place where I was able to get Mountain Oysters.

[Harry Niletti]

I'll pass on the mountain oysters, but can you remember the name of the restaurant for prime rib? My family lives in El Centro, and I visit down there quite frequently.

-Harry

[mucho gordo]

WOW! I haven't been there since the mid '60's. I do remember it was on the main hiway into E. C. around where the main drag cuts in on the left. I hope this helps pin it down a bit.
Don't pass on the oysters if you haven't tried 'em just because of what they are.

[Harry Niletti]

I asked my sister, and she doesn't know which place you have in mind, but I'll inquire further.

-Harry

[mucho gordo]

Bear in mind, Harry, that this was back in the mid '60's and probably long gone by now.

[Harry Niletti]

M.G., my family has been in El Centro since Mose came down the mountain, so someone ought to know.

-Harry

[mucho gordo]

Harry, is it a coincidence that the first 2 letters of your last name are the same as in Ni-land? Did your family own that acreage?

[Servorg]

The community was named for the Nile Valley of Egypt

[mucho gordo]

Interesting, Servorg. I never knew that.

[Servorg]

http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInf...

[Harry Niletti]

Coincidence.

Say, was that restaurant called "Brunner's," by any chance? It's now just a motel with a coffee shop, but my brothers say the place also had a nice steakhouse back in the days when you visited.

In any case, I hope someone can answer your original question!

-Harry

[mucho gordo]

YESSS! That name does sound familiar.

[mucho gordo]

It figures I'd remember all the good places to eat when I was there; the Chinese place (Yee's Garden, I think), that Italian place on the other side of town where I got the 'oysters', the AYCE buffet place and last, but not least, the fantastic $0.08 cent tacos in Mexicali.

[Harry Niletti]

You won't be surprised to hear that the 8-cent tacos are long gone on both sides of the border, M.G., but there is lots of good Mexican food in EC and vicinity. Or maybe it just seems good because my family is well known to at least 80% (usually closer to 100%) of the patrons of any restaurant we walk into. So the feeling of friendship and intricate ties is very warm. You've got me thinking I should review some of my favorite places for the California board.

-Harry

[mucho gordo]

It doesn't surprise me at all, Harry. All good things must come to an end <sigh>. You really ought to give the 'oysters' a try. Be daring. You just might like 'em.

[wolfe]

Those juices going into the roasting pan in the Lawry's recipe are falling into a bed of salt not conducive to gravy making.

[SIMIHOUND]

I am not understanding why the salt is used on the bottom of the pan. Also I have been cooking my PR with a salt cap and it has come out great. Maybe it could be better if I followed the recipe...

[RicRios]

"I am not understanding why the salt is used on the bottom of the pan"

Not just at the bottom, it goes all around!
Nice recipe here from the Home Cooking board: "Salt-crusted beef report!"
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/277780

[Servorg]

I think SimiHound is referring specifically to the Lawry's method for cooking the prime rib as described on their website.