Men and women who wouldn't dream of buying marbled porterhouses, filets and strip steaks in supermarkets are sneaking choice cuts in steak houses, where like-minded souls can get a blast of beef without shame or fear of being found out. After all, everybody else in the room is doing it, too. Even non-steak house restaurants are feeling the impact of the beef craze. Paula Reauso, general manager of West Provision Co. in Detroit's Eastern Market, a supplier to country clubs and high-end restaurants in the metro area, says her beef sales are up 60 percent over last year. But the big thing has been sirloin that's usually the favorite with men.
Women usually prefer a filet.
They want a little bit of flavor once in a while. They want to feel like they've eaten a good steak, a burger. Beef can be very, very lean. But that's in a moderate serving 3.5 ounces. A high-fat diet, she notes, has been shown to contribute to heart disease and various forms of cancer, including of the breast, colon and prostate.