Weekly Column

January 3, 2007

BEEFY FEASTING

Schula's Steak House attracts a huge crowd to its Orlando, Florida door. It's easily housed within the massive boundaries of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. Schula's is one in a chain of such establishments strategically found countrywide. This branch offers four large masculine-looking, main dining rooms, each one festooned in a sports motif, along with private dining for parties and special events.

Somber dark wood floors are sheltered under lofty bright white ceilings, casting a soft glow of light over the tables sheathed in starched white cloths. An atmosphere of noisy liveliness dominates, particularly during peak feeding hours.

My experience at Schulas's Steak House over the years have rarely been disappointing, a view confirmed by my most recent visit, meaning both cooking and service (even when backed up) can generally be upbeat and on target.

The specialized menu, written on individual pigskin footballs. Is limited so that the preparation of each dish should be perfect.

Here the waitstaff sets down a round loaf of aromatic hot sour dough bread and hunks of fresh unsalted butter upon being seated. They then roll up carts of raw meat, very much the same as executed in Morton's of Chicago, for your scrutiny: specimens include plump cuts of filet mignon, Porterhouse steak, Kansas City strip, New York strip steak, regularly available big slabs of rosy prime rib of beef, a four or five pound Maine lobster, lobster tail, and thick loin lamb chops, usually trimmed of excess fat. The cuts are tremendous, aged and well-marbled. Lobsters average four to five pounds and can be ordered out of the shell. Main courses also embrace assorted seafood such as red snapper, mahi-mahi and the freshest Norwegian salmon.

Appetizers range from oysters Rockefeller and shucked raw bar oysters to stuffed barbequed shrimp, chilled half lobster, steak tartar, cold and pristine shrimp billed as colossal-sized to create their shrimp cocktails. Not to be missed when in season, are the luxuriantly textured stone crabs served with a mouth-watering mustard dip. Ripe beefsteak tomatoes supported by powerful crumbled gorgonzola cheese standard Caesar salad which are other starter options.

The steak at Schula's are top quality, especially the hefty bone-in, tender, succulent cowboy steak accompanied by flavorsome sautéed red and green peppers commingled with pithy button mushrooms.

Double baked potatoes with all the trimmings are done excellently, but homemade potato pancakes tend to be on the fire long enough to burn the edges black. Asparagus may have been fresh when cooked, but were slender, scrawny ropes instead of being well-rounded, thereby flawing texture as well as taste, albeit cooked properly and attended by a silky Hollandaise sauce. I suggest you decide on the preeminent creamed spinach instead.

If anyone has room for dessert there are significant choices to be had, wandering from fluffy chocolate soufflé for two, assorted creamy layer cakes and pies, as well as cheesecake and ice cream. The wine list is extensive and expensive. Cocktails are he-man-sized and well mixed.
Schlula's American Steak House is open nightly for dinner.

Entrees $22.95 to $75. Reservations accepted and major credit cards. Telephone: 407-934-1362.