There’s probably no single entrée at Dal Rae more emblematic of the restaurant’s mid-century tastes than the pepper steak. The restaurant cuts the steak from either a New York strip or a filet mignon, but either piece of meat is a good one. What makes the dish, however, is the pepper sauce, which completely caps the steak in scallions and bacon. The menu quotes the claim that the steak is “often copied—never equaled” and that’s completely true—it’s an essential dish for anyone with a red-blooded appetite. The Continental heir on Dal Rae’s dessert menu is the Grand Marnier soufflé, a melon-sized pastry that takes at least 30 minutes to cook. As expected, the dessert is well worth the wait, with the excellent crème anglaise bringing out the subtle citrus for some light and liquored continuity with the duck a l’orange.

DAL RAE RESTAURANT 9023 E WASHINGTON BLVD | PICO RIVERA 90660 | 562.949.2444 | DALRAE.COM | OPEN MON-THURS 11AM-3PM & 5-10PM | FRI-SAT 5-11PM | SUN 5-10PM | FOOD FOR TWO $50-100 | FULL BAR | VALET PARKING

Tags: american, dinner, lunch, pico rivera, steakhouse