A Steakhouse Selling Meat By the Ounce

Those who love meat but not the pretentious atmosphere or prices of a steakhouse have a new option with the opening of Steakology. The fast-casual restaurant at Westfield Topanga and the Village in Woodland Hills sells top-grade beef by the ounce. David Adir, chief executive of Carving Board Sandwiches in Tarzana which owns Steakology, got the idea while traveling in Japan, where certain restaurants sell all food by weight. He combined that concept with a relaxed setting. “I love prime steak, but I hate getting dressed up, the big ordeal of eating at a prime steakhouse,” he told the Business Journal. “If you just want to grab a steak and go home, they’re not conducive to that.” Prices range from $1.60 an ounce for sirloin up to $4.50 for the better cuts of wagyu beef and filet mignon. Adir figures the tab for one person runs about $18 to $20 for a lunch steak and between $30 and $40 for dinner. The restaurant also serves tuna for those who don’t want red meat. Side dishes include fingerling potatoes, cheesy cream corn, mushrooms and salads. Beverages include teas and juices, but no sodas. Adir compares the meat quality to Morton’s the Steakhouse or Ruth’s Chris Steak House. “We are buying the same beef, USDA Prime, but you can choose your thickness,” he said. He added that other restaurants precut their steaks, resulting in a loss of meat, while Steakology buys entire sides of beef and carves it on the spot, creating a more efficient use of meat and lower prices for the consumer. “We’re not inexpensive, but not anywhere near other steakhouses,” he noted. Adir and his brother Yoaz are co-founders of the Carving Board chain of sandwich shops, which has six locations including in Burbank and Tarzana. If the flagship Steakology proves successful, Adir plans to expand. Steakology had a soft launch in December, but Adir hopes to stage an official opening this month.