ith over 100 Keg Steakhouse locations, six Hy’s Steakhouses and a newly opened restaurant/club, Gotham, one has to seriously wonder about the motivation between David Aisenstat’s opening of yet another steak house in Vancouver. True, there will always be a demand for high-grade Alberta beef cooked to perfection and if the restaurant, which opened recently without so much as a bang, impresses, it will quickly gain a loyal following but another steak house??? Have I mentioned that Gotham is just around the corner? A wise move for Aisenstat if he wants to continually float back and forth between venues. Ok, let’s peel away the layers of criticism and see just what The Shore Club has to offer that other steak houses in the area don’t, shall we?

Well for starters, The Shore Club’s inception has been overseen by a steakhouse mogul who knows his way around the kitchen and, no doubt, knows what makes a good steak. Housed in a renovated 2-story building built in 1928, the restaurant encourages passerby’s with an elegant stone exterior and a nine-metre tall neon sign perhaps meant to invoke familiarity among the baby-boomer crowd.

Once inside, a rich Mahogany entrance lends an air of tasteful comfort to anyone walking through the door. Clearly its décor aims to reach out to its well-heeled clientele, in a dark and classically elegant embrace. The 275-seat interior was designed by Elaine Thorsell of Boti Interiors and cost a small fortune at $8 million. On the main level, the elegance is enhanced by the large Yamaha piano and oil painting by local artist Gordon Smith. An elevator and winding stairway leads to the second-level dining area which is bright and spacious and boasts a number of intimate seating areas throughout the room.

Like its sister restaurant, Gotham, all of the prime beef at The Shore Club comes from Alberta and ranges from a $36 filet mignon to a $50 porterhouse. Sides are not included in the price and can be purchased for between $7 to $11 and include creamed corn, baby beets, fries, onion rings and mushrooms. More expensive sides include lobster tail ($25), 1/2 pound of king crab legs ($25) or tiger prawns ($18).

Perhaps where Shore Club’s difference lies is in its seafood-heavy menu. Executive chefs Armand Savet and Jay Perera certainly know their way around the kitchen. Here, fish is as prized as the steak and Aisenstat has said that he hopes to sell as much of the former as the latter. Seafood entrees include Macadamia-crusted halibut, Maple-glazed king salmon, Stuffed rainbow trout. A stuffed lobster tail sounds delicious but sells for a whopping $65.