There are no two ways of saying it, this great city has too many options for food. From drive-throughs to buffets to eateries, many of the options in front of you for your next dinner often blend together. Which is why we had to take the time to spotlight a genuine next-level steakhouse whose flavors and techniques truly take that next step in culinary excellence.
That next step, 138 degrees, a restaurant like no other, pushing forward the culinary field to deliver to you, the customer, an unparalleled dining experience. One of the ways 138 degrees has pushed the envelope is dry aging. It has been well-established that dry aging dramatically increases the taste and texture of steaks, but 138 degrees goes even further beyond. This time-honored tradition of aging meat has been extended to pork, poultry, fish, and other proteins to truly bring an elevated flavor and experience to every item on the menu, as they receive relentless care, attention, and love. Yet despite all of this, the steak nearly paradoxically still rises above to truly shine. However, perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise; the temperature at which a steak is finished and the song “We are 138” by the Misfits are both references in its name.
Their bone-in dry-aged ribeye is easily among the best in the entire city, shining on a menu amongst delicacies such as Anderson Ranch lamb chops bedded in Carolina Gold risotto, a house-ground signature burger, shrimp and Anson Mills grits, and Cauliflower veloute with lobster. It isn’t just dry aging, however, to thank for the incredible taste of their food and the skill of the chef and owner, Matt Meyer. Meyer’s approach to cooking is to find what nobody else is doing and pursue it to perfection. He takes great pride in the thoughtful sourcing of his ingredients, from learning about the story behind where his proteins come from to the science behind different cooking techniques and how it affects the flavor of a dish.
His cooking knows no boundaries and can only be described as American because it is inspired by the melting pot of cultures that make up America. And a big part of that is the connection to local ranchers and farmers that 138 degrees have forged. “My main thing is just giving credit to our farmers,” Meyer told What Now on Tuesday. “That’s what we’re really trying to drive home, to have that connection with where your food comes from and be transparent with it. It’s a big deal to me, and it matters to a lot of people.” So experience the next step in culinary evolution, with 138 degrees.
