The Flame Steakhouse

Open daily, 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.

The Flame Steakhouse has ambient lighting and is a refreshing calm in the busy El Cortez Hotel. White linen tablecloths, decorative wall sconces and coral-colored armchairs add to the charm of the restaurant.

Murals of Italy line the walls and videos of scenic Italy play on two muted flat screen TVs. A variety of breads including delicious cranberry walnut bread is served with your meal.

Executive Chef J Kelly is a diamond in the rough. Kelly brings an upscale, new flair to an older restaurant. He uses his own blue crab cake recipe with a light remoulade sauce. The crab cakes are amazing with lots of crab and a mild cake mixture, which enhances the flavor of the crab. There are also appetizers like panko crusted fried shrimp, BBQ baby back ribs, and shrimp cocktail. 

In addition to traditional Caesar salads and French onion soup, a unique “Chicago Style” garbage salad is offered. Garbage salad has chopped iceberg lettuce, tomato artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, marinated mushrooms, Genoa salami, cucumber, sweet onions, garbanzo beans and cheddar cheese in a lemon vinaigrette dressing. 

The Insalata Caprese is a generous portion of buffalo mozzarella, beefsteak tomatoes and basil drizzled with olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar. 

For entrées, Roberta’s offers a simple and to-the-point menu that includes New York steak, a 20-ounce porterhouse, filet mignon, beautifully prepared lamb chops with mint infused jus and rosemary. How could you go wrong?

Seafood entrées include Alaskan king crab, Atlantic salmon, and shrimp scampi.  A seasonal fish, sea bass, is cooked the way you like it and topped with a lemon caper sauce. A must-try is the fried lobster tail, succulent lobster tail fried to a golden brown and served with drawn butter and lemon. 

A highlight on the menu is the creamed spinach. Delicious, fresh spinach is sautéed and creamed and served with a hint of nutmeg. 

For dessert, try the strawberry shortcake, layers of fresh strawberries and whipped cream sandwiched between two layers of cake.

Other desserts include a chocolate molten cake, extra chocolate-y, New York cheesecake, chocolate layer cake and tiramisu. A variety of ice creams and sorbets are also offered. 

The Flame Steakhouse steakhouse is a great place to eat in the downtown El Cortez Hotel. It’s quiet, casual and you get a good meal at a reasonable price. The next time you’re downtown, give it a try.

-- Review by Nikki Neu