Posted on: Wednesday, July 14, 2004

By Charles Stuart Platkin

Having a good steak is not just about eating, it's about indulgence — stuffing yourself until you can't eat anymore. And while steak houses are not exactly known for serving up "health" food, there are a few tricks that can help you navigate the menu.

Bread and butter

A few slices of bread and butter can add as many as 400 to 500 calories. If you can't limit yourself to just one slice, have the basket removed from the table. You can refuse it before it's brought out or ask for a plate of vegetables to munch on instead.

Appetizers

Watch out! These can be a nutrition disaster. For example, batter-dipped, deep-fried onions, such as Outback's Bloomin' Onion, have about 1,700 calories and 116 grams of fat! Look out for sauteed mushrooms or crab cakes; they can pack on more than 200 calories per serving — and that's without any sauces. French onion soup or lobster bisque? Either one can have more than 500 calories per serving. Avoid anything fried, creamy or served with a sauce and look for "broiled" or "steamed." If you're not sure how it's prepared, ask.

Try oysters on the half shell (only about 10 calories per oyster), shrimp cocktail (about 22 calories per shrimp, including the sauce) or a broth-based (not cream) soup. Avoid salad sabotage by asking for the dressing on the side and sprinkle it on with a fork. Try fat-free or low-fat dressing, and avoid high-calorie add-ons such as cheese or croutons.

The steak

While beef is high in saturated (unhealthy) fat, it's tasty as well as a good source of protein, iron and other nutrients. But there are some nutritional minefields. For instance, did you know that Outback prepares its steak (as well as Chicken or Shrimp on the Barbie) with butter? Or that Ruth's Chris adds butter to create a sizzle when served? In fact, many steak houses put either butter or oil on their steaks. But almost all are willing to make them without.

• Prime rib: The worst of the bunch. Most restaurants serve this in portions of about one pound — which can add up to as much as 1,350 to 1,400 calories with more than a day's worth (up to 45 grams) of saturated fat.

• Rib eye: Not much better. A 16-ounce rib eye contains about 1,100 calories and more than 20 grams of saturated fat.

• T-bone and porterhouse: Many restaurants serve their T-bone or porterhouse steaks at over a pound — about 20 ounces, which brings the calorie count to more than 1,200 with 25 grams of saturated fat.

• New York strip: An 18-ounce New York strip steak contains about 1,050 calories and more than 30 grams of saturated fat.

• Sirloin and filet: Your best bet would be a sirloin (about 700 calories for 12 ounces), which is one of the leanest cuts (lowest in fat) you can order. Or you can go with the filet mignon, which is smaller — typically nine ounces and about 450 calories with approximately nine grams of saturated fat.

Other tips

• Think ahead. Call beforehand to find out how various dishes are prepared so you don't annoy your hungry dinner partners with your pre-ordering questions.

• Make it smaller. "Ask yourself, 'Does the prime rib taste three times better than the sirloin or the filet?' because it often has three times the fat and calories," says Jayne Hurley, R.D, senior nutritionist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Even though you lose about 25 percent of the steak's weight during cooking, nutritional guidelines still only recommend eating a three-ounce portion of beef, not 20. Share that large steak! If sharing isn't an option, order the smallest size — even a children's portion. Or, cut it in half and take the extra home.

• Watch the sauce. Especially bearnaise or hollandaise — two tablespoons contain 140 calories, so go for the au jus.

• Trim the fat. This can save as much as 25 percent of the calories.

• Order barbecued chicken or shrimp. Save more than half the calories. These are typically the healthiest items on the menu.

The sides

Know your suspect "sides" — they can add 250 to 800 calories: creamed spinach (about 300 calories per cup), mashed potatoes (200 calories per cup), French fries (600 calories for a large order) and vegetables sauteed in butter or oil. Order your vegetables steamed with steak seasoning added.

Drinks

Red wine and martinis are lower in calories (120 to 160) than most other alcoholic drink, but they still add up.

Charles Stuart Platkin is a syndicated health, nutrition and fitness columnist. Write to info@thedietdetective.com.