Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on March 2010

With a ground-central Roppongi Hills location and a menu to warm the heart of any carnivore, 37 Steakhouse & Bar (2F Keyaki Dori Terrace, 6-15-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku; www.37steakhouse.com) calls to mind old-school chophouses in New Y York or Chicago. The spacious, wood-heavy dining room is brightened by airy windows and a glass-enclosed kitchen, with a central island bar that provides a fine vantage point for taking in all the action. 37’s menu will be comfortingly familiar to steakhouse veterans, emphasizing Australian beef that’s been aged for 21 days. Cuts range from a petit 5oz (150g) tenderloin of Japanese beef (¥4,000) to a whopping 35oz (1kg) porterhouse (¥19,000); the most popular dish is bound to be the 12oz (350g) black Angus sirloin, with a ¥3,900 price tag that’s on a par with the restaurant’s overseas cousins. All the requisite side dishes are on offer, including creamed spinach, sautéed mushrooms, grilled asparagus, and mashed, baked or fried potatoes (all ¥600-¥900). Traditional chophouse starters include Caesar salad (¥1,200), shrimp cocktail (¥1,700), crab cakes (¥1,600) and a seafood platter (oyster, crab and shrimp; ¥4,600 for two persons), while the lineup of desserts is equally impressive: NYC baked cheesecake (¥1,200), lavender crème brulée (¥800) and bread pudding with bourbon sauce (¥800), among several others.