Charolais Steak House By Jim White Don’t we have all the steak houses we need? What could another one do that’s different or better? Juicy steaks, excellent pommes frites, wonderful sauce Béarnaise and a quiet, elegant setting would do the trick for me. Voila! The owners of Clare de Lune took over a space at bustling Preston Royal last year and quietly developed one of the area’s best new restaurants: Charolais—steak and potatoes with a French accent. The restaurant is named for the prized breed of white cattle that accompanied Romans on their invasions of France and England. An army travels on its stomach, of course. The Romans were smart enough to bring along their own livestock. Never know what you might be able to pillage along the way. Thankfully modern warriors can get plenty of beef, and more, simply by stopping by this warm and inviting restaurant. Your first visit should include a taste of their specialty. A 10-ounce sirloin ($15.95) and tournedos of filet mignon ($14.95) are served at lunch. They’ll also make you a steak sandwich brimming with onions and cheese ($12.75) or classic Steak Tartare ($12). Other treats abound. Salad entrées are the most impressive. Caesar salad is beautiful. It’s prepared with avocado, asparagus tips and French green beans. Add grilled chicken ($10.95) or beef tenderloin ($13.95) for a very satisfying respite. The grilled shrimp cucumber salad is a work of art ($13.50). It features an intricate array of tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers, sprinkled with goat cheese and served with a delicate herb yogurt dressing. Additional entrées include fresh grilled Norwegian Salmon ($13.95), seafood fettuccine in a saffron cream sauce ($12.95) and chicken piccata with braised spinach and yummy garlic mashed potatoes ($12.95). The best sandwich on the list is the open face grilled chicken ($10.95). This comes with a nice housemade garlic mayonnaise (aioli). For dessert, they’ll even make crêpes suzette or cherries jubilee if you ask. Their motto, quoting ownership, is "we’ll make anything you want". Ah, now we do have all the steak houses we need! Charolais Steak House 5950-A Royal Lane (214) 692-0900 Send me an Email: jwdineline@aol.com