text: Few things satisfy ones appetite in such a primal way as steak And few chefs are as innovative with food as Michael Mina So when searching for a place with an innovative approach to steak StripSteak should have been a no brainer rightnnAs it turned out StripSteak was a bit of a letdown The reason however is a little hard to pin down Suffice it to say that I found the restaurant both overwhelming and underwhelmingnnWhat was overwhelming were the ways in which they attempted to bribe you into loving the restaurant This begins the second you sit down when they parade out to your table a Trio of Duck Fat Fries Now who can resist duck fat fries Clearly I was being manipulated here and the truffle oil fries did just that That said because they bring them out to every table while lying in wait for their next victim the fries do not come out as hot and fresh as they could be In addition to the fries they also bring out to your table a cast iron pan of potato focaccia bread which was delicious but dense All this before even getting our appetizersnnFor our meal we both opted for the prix fixe menu which is a fair deal at nnst CoursennMaryland Blue Crab Chowder Bacon Lardon Parsnip Intense crab flavor but a little watery Not my favoritennBibb Wedge Avocado Bacon Oregon Smokey Blue Good flavor but I felt like I have had this before Surprisingly staid for Michael Mina In fact both these dishes were really underwhelmingnnnd CoursennSlowPoached Prime Rib of Beef Select Seasonal Side Dishes The meat was well cooked but honestly I have made better prime rib at home The side dishes consisted of a wonderful brussels sprouts slaw a predictable truffled mac and cheese and an insipid creamed spinachnnDryAged BoneIn Ribeye surcharge This was delicious perfectly cooked and full of flavor Now this is the reason that one comes to a steakhouse not for all the distractions and bribes And this is the reason I brought the Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon corkage which paired perfectly with the meatnnrd CoursennMichaels Root Beer Float Sassafras Ice Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies Pure yum I could have had a pitcher of thisnnFinally as if this was not enough before you leave and write your Yelp review they present you with a bag of Chocolate Almond Brittle Again a bribennThe service was for the most friendly and unpretentious with the exception of the person who came to open and decant our wine I do not think he was the somm He seemed a little snotty and did not smile at allnnSo would I come back again Probably not but I did enjoy some aspects of our meal The next time I am in Las Vegas and want to do a Michael Mina restaurant I will head to Nobhill Tavern instead