P.S. Steak – Background
One of my greatest regrets in my culinary life is that I never got a chance to dine a Le Belle Vie.
La Belle Vie was a French restaurant that used to sit at the 510 Groveland Building across the street from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, and it was famous for its fine dining experience and legendary chef’s tasting menus. Out of all the restaurants in the history of our city, it might be the most awarded, ever.
Put simply, the critics loved it. Andrew Zimmern called it “The Gold Standard for Fine Dining.” The Zagat Guide constantly ranked it the top restaurant in Minneapolis. In 2009, head chef Tim McKee was the first chef in Minnesota to win the coveted James Beard award for Best Chef in the Midwest, and in the years after, La Belle Vie scored a record-breaking nine James Beard semifinalist finishes.
And then in 2015, it closed.
I think I speak for all of us local foodies when I say that it was a shock. How could what’s supposed to be the best restaurant in the cities just go out of business?
And even worse… I’d never eaten there. 😭
I guess I was saving it for a special occasion, or something. What a fool…
And then, some hope.
Enter P.S. Steak
In 2019, that 510 Groveland Building was reborn. And even better, at the hands of La Belle Vie’s former chef, Mike Decamp.
He had worked with Tim McKee at La Belle Vie for years, before Decamp left to open a who’s who of the Twin Cities most popular restaurants. (They include Monello, Constantine, Borough, and what might be our favorite burger in the Twin Cities, Parlour.)
His concept for the old La Belle Vie place? A steakhouse called “P.S. Steak.”
As in, P.S. – we can make amazing steaks too.
With my lesson learned from last time, I wasn’t going to wait on this one. So, under no special occasion at all, I decided to head to the restaurant and check out these steaks for myself.
P.S. Steak – The Location, Vibe, and Atmosphere
When you pull up to PS steak and it’s luxurious 510 Groveland location, you immediately realize you’re in for something special. The glistening white marble building oozes luxury, and the complimentary valet service confirms your suspicions.
When you make your dining reservation, you’re given two options. You can either dine in the “lounge” or the “steakhouse.”
Here’s the lowdown the two:
The Lounge: I didn’t know it when I booked my reservation, but Andrew Zimmern once called La Belle Vie’s lounge area one of the “city’s best date night spots.”
After walking in, I could see why. It’s a lively space, covered with white marble walls, a long bar in the front, and high tops, low tops, and all sorts of seating scattered throughout.
Overall, the lounge vibe looked like that of a classy, high-end bar.
The Steakhouse: The steakhouse sits in the back of the building. It’s a dimly lit bar area, with black marble surfaces and plush red booths.
Compared to the lounge, it seemed like a quieter, maybe more traditional vibe.
Our Visit + Full Review
When making our reservation, I went with the steakhouse, and I can’t say I regret it.
It’s a beautiful space.
Given the restaurant’s price tag, and considering P.S. Steak is, well… one of the fanciest steakhouses in the city… I was worried the vibe might be too formal.
But as I sat down, I was greeted by an atmosphere that is equal parts classy, casual, and approachable, while still very much giving you the feeling that you’re about to experience something special.
Our fellow patrons ranged from young couples on dates to groups celebrating birthdays to older businessmen talking work, which I think is a tribute to the versatility of this place’s atmosphere.
We sat down at one of the plush corner booths and got to ordering.
Drinks
P.S. Steak has an impressive cocktail list and an even more impressive liquor and wine list.
Lily and I started with:
- The SFTMT, which gave me a chuckle when I realized it stands for the “Spicy Floral Tequila Mezcal Thing”
- The Pamplemousse, a grapefruit vodka cocktail
Both were fantastic. The Pamplemousse was one of the most refreshing cocktails I’ve tasted, while the SFMT was that perfect sophisticated upgrade to a margarita. (Although it’s so much more than a margarita that it seems wrong to even list the two in the same sentence.)
We both also grabbed a glass of red wine to go with our steaks – Lily’s a Pinot Noir and mine a Tempranillo – and both went perfectly.
Starters
The Menu at P.S. Steak is impressive, and I immediately found myself wanting to order it all.
I diverted to the waiter’s expertise, who gave us a detailed rundown of nearly the entire menu that left my suspicions confirmed – you can’t really go wrong here; it’s all recommended, and it’s all supposed to be delicious.
So we began the difficult process of narrowing down our selections…
Wagyu Steak Tartare
What can I say, I’m a sucker for tartare. And it seems only appropriate in a steakhouse praised for its wagyu.
The tartare was great, as expected, but the real star may have been the crunchy, homemade crackers, or the picked veggies which added the perfect zing to each bite.
Garlic and Herb Pullapart Bread
As promised, this bread literally pulls apart.
The closest thing my unsophisticated self could compare it to was Monkey Bread, as goofy as that sounds.
In any case, this was a fun little dish, and it became a game between Lily and I to see who could pull off the most perfectly, soft, chewy piece. (We both won, because each bite was fantastic.)
The Steak
Denver Steak
The Denver Steak is a Wagyu-Angus cross, and we’re told it’s the most frequently ordered steak on the menu.
At P.S. Steak, you can also choose various “enhancements” for your steak, which are little bonuses served on the side. They range from $5 horseradish sour cream to $25 to $52 foi gras and lobster tail.
We went with the $5 “sauce aur pouvre” per our waiter’s recommendation. (He said it paired especially well with the Denver Steak.)
So, how was this main event?
In a word, delicious. The Denver steak was every bit as tender, juicy, and perfectly charred as one would hope from a top notch steakhouse, and the peppery sauce au pouvre certainly added the perfect saucy touch.
Sauteed Mushrooms
Wow…
Is it silly that a plate of mushrooms might be have been the most mind blowing thing I ate all night?
These mushrooms were so simple, and yet so much more. Those little white mushrooms you see in the photo are pickled mushrooms, and they add the perfect acidity to cut through the richness of the rest of the ‘shrooms.
I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to look at mushrooms the same way again…
Aligot
Aka Mashed Potatoes on Steroids.
The Aligot here takes a mashed potato puree and then mixes it in a 50/50 split with gruyere cheese. If this isn’t the richest, creamiest bowl of potatoes you’ve ever had, than I need to know where else you’re eating. Because these were unlike anything else.
Dessert – Strawberry Cheesecake
We finished off the evening with a strawberry cheesecake from the dessert menu.
Now, any time I see strawberry cheesecake on the menu, I can’t help but get flashbacks to the premade, jello-like concoctions you’ll find at the cheesecake factories of the world.
But of course, I should expect better at P.S. Steak.
And the cheesecake here blew us away.
In contrast to most of the cheesecakes out there, P.S. Steak’s was a light and airy take, made all the more brighter by juiciest strawberries and blackberries around. (Seriously, I need to know where they find those berries, because I haven’t had anything like that since fresh-off the vine berry picking in the dead of summer.)
Overall – P.S. Steak is a worthy successor to the La Belle Vie space
That might be a bold thing for someone who never actually visited La Belle Vie to say, but I do know this…
If you’re looking for an elevated chef’s take on the traditional steakhouse, P.S. Steak is the perfect pick.
It ain’t cheap, that’s for sure (our splurgy ordering came out to well over $100 per person) but you already knew that.
But you get what you pay for, and it’s easily one of the best steakhouses in Minneapolis.
The steak was done to perfection, as expected, but what really separated this meal for us was all those amazing creations around the steak.
From the delicious cocktail menu and a perfect wine menu, to the amazing appetizers and most mind blowing elevations you’ve ever had of classic steakhouse side dishes, P.S. Steak is an amazing addition to the Twin Cities.
FAQs:
What’s the service like?
P.S. Steak is full wait service, with the sort of quality that you’d expect from a high-end steakhouse. Our waiter was a total pro, and clearly an expert in the menu and all of its different cuts of meat.
(They also have bar seating where you can order off the regular menu.)
Do you need a reservation to visit P.S. Steak?
I’d say it’s recommended.
Average Plate Cost
Honestly, you can make P.S. Steak as expensive or affordable as you like.
The menu ranges from a $14 burger all the way up to authentic cuts of Japanese Wagyu that are somewhere around $165 for five ounces.
Noise Level
Average overall, while the steakhouse section was pretty quiet.
Parking
There’s free valet parking!
Hours
As of this writing, P.S. Steak is open for dinner seven days a week, starting at 5:00 PM. You can find their most updated hours on their website.
Location
510 Groveland Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
