Omnivore's Opulence
Spruce's Secret Off-the-Menu Steak

When it comes to eating red meat, we're hard-pressed to find a downside. In fact, you could say we were on Atkins before it had a name.

That's why we continuously scour the city in search of the best new meat—er, steak—and how we ended up discovering Spruce's secret Short Loin Chop.

Chef Mark Sullivan (Slow Club, The Village Pub) takes his beef so seriously, he won't even list his favorite on the menu; you have to special-request this 34-ounce bone-in masterwork. The cut, which includes the porterhouse and T-bone portions, is made specifically for Spruce by Niman Ranch—known for raising Angus-bred cattle on the pasture, then finishing them with an all-vegetarian feed. The meat is aged for 28 days, a process that concentrates the flavors and makes the already-tender cut supremely tender (the beef equivalent of a fine Bordeaux).

Sullivan seasons the hefty steak with salt and peppercorns, grills it on the bone until it's perfectly caramelized, then lets it rest to seal in the juices. The dish comes with vegetables from Spruce's organic garden and, the kicker: crispy duck-fat potatoes. On any given night, he'll have about eight chops on hand—so come early, take a spot at the bar and prepare for your well-disciplined meal.

After all, you are on a diet.