We are definitely frontloaders

This is going to be a long one.

Ok, so I sit down to write this and already I'm annoyed - I need to look at the menu to properly discuss what everyone ordered.  Apparently, the restaurant changes the names of its dishes based on location.  Cute, Hyde Park, real cute...  Now I have to remember what's what without a cheat sheet (aka menu online), and there were 11 of us.  But it was for a good reason - my future SIL (we'll call her Learning to Share because she really had to get used to our family's habit of sticking our forks in your food simply because we want to try it) gradutated from PA school.  For those of you who don't know, she's basically a doctor now!!!  Congrats, love!

We started off on the right foot, though.  Yes, I decided to take my 3 year old and 4 month old to a restaurant that's not really for kids for an 8pm reservation.  So not surprising when BabyGray decides to give a us a diaper gift right before we sit down.  Rightfully so, there are no changing tables in the bathroom, so Learning to Share and I are standing in the hall, trying to figure out what to do when a gentlemen walks by and picks up on our dilemma.  He then tells us to hold on for just a minute, he'll be right back.  He leads us to the back room where he had put together a few chairs to make a makeshift changing table.  I was impressed, it doesn't get much more accomodating.  Thought it was worth mentioning, now on to dinner...

Frontloaders.  My brother said it perfectly, and for that we'll call him FrontloaderB (eluding to FrontloaderA - my Dad).  We order every appetizer that is even remotely appealing to one of us. Forget dessert, its not nearly as important.  Fortunately, Learning to Share's family loves dessert, then it balances out.  So we get 2 Mr. Hyde & Dr. Jekyll shellfish platters and stacked plates of more seafood - Blackened Scallops, Jumbo Shrimp, Crab Cakes on the one; Lobster tails, oysters, crab legs, jumbo shrimp on the stacked deal (at least I think that's what they were called - I didn't order them, just ate them).  Other things on the table: the Hyde Park Wedge and the Lobster Bisque.  Lobster Bisque was a weird presentation when she dumped it into my bowl from a metal cup, but so far everything was excellent.

Its a steakhouse, so steaks were all around with a splattering of Chilean Sea Bass.  All the steaks were good, cooked well, lots of flavor.  My Sacco Steak was sweet, and I love hollandaise, plus bacon, yum.  FrontloaderA was unable to expand on his Sea Bass - he kept telling me he was too full to truly know how it tasted. MacCheese thought his Sea Bass was melt-in-your-mouth good (Yup, MacCheese doesn't eat steak, or most other great foods, hopes for Kraft Mac&Cheese at all times, but then orders sea bass, I don't get it).  Nobody cared for for FrontloaderB's steak compared to the other options - too much peppercorn.  Aside from that, all were well prepared, exactly what we all asked for - medium was medium, rare was rare, bacon wrapped was delicious.  IPA-hole hit the cow on the head with The Rooney.  He tends to go with that steak & lobster combination and it works.  Learning to Share argued, quite passionately, that her Clemente was superior, which it may have been if you love bleu cheese.  All in all, great appetizers, great steaks, great sides.

Who:  Me, IPA-hole, the kids, and the rest of the family
Where:  Hyde Park
What:  Me - The Sacco (Steak Dijon) *sweet and tasty
            IPA-hole - The Rooney (Steak a la Lobster) *winner
            FrontloaderA - Blackened Chilean Sea Bass
            FrontloaderB - The Bettis (Steak au Poivre) *tasted like jerky
            Learning to Share - The Clemente (Steak Au Bleu) *winner if you like bleu cheese, so 2nd
            Enabler - Steakhouse Chop Salad
            MRE - The Big Ben (12oz Filet)
            MacCheese - Chilean Sea Bass w/ Lemon Sauce
            Allergic to Shellfish - NY Strip Steak (sorry about the Jekyll & Hyde, unaware of the allergy until today)
            MamaBsweet - Filet Mignon
            The Kids - Grilled Cheese & FF

I have to mention the family-style sides on the table. Lobster Mac & Cheese, Cream Corn, Asparagus Bearnaise.  IPA-hole thinks that was the best Lobster Mac & Cheese ever.  I enjoyed the corn as well.  Not a huge Asparagus fan, so I passed on that but the others enjoyed it. And of course, MacCheese thought the french fries on the kids plate were exceptional.  Oh, I almost forgot, IPA-hole wants me to mention that the beer selection is mediocre at best.  I enjoyed a few glasses of Malbec.  Mmmmm.

To top it off, Learning to Share decided we needed some Carrot Cake. Please look at the picture - that damn dessert is bigger than BabyGray!!!!  I don't normally eat carrot cake, but merely the size encouraged everyone to try to finish it.  And I liked it.  MamaBsweet went for the Creme Brulee - not as good as other places.

So, as far as Hyde Park goes, its a good steak place.  You can go for a steak and end up enjoying the apps and sides more.  And yes, I would like to stick my fork in your food!

 ~ CDO