THE COMMITTEE CHOPHOUSE

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑

Upscale steakhouse

Perfect For: Date Night; Drinks; Upscale Dining

Standout Dishes: Chateaubriand Prime Cut; Lyonnaise Potatoes; Baked Alaska

The spectacle of the Baked Alaska at The Committee Chophouse alone almost makes it worth ordering. Served tableside, this dessert has flaming 151 rum spooned onto it, creating a gorgeous blue flame that toasts the meringue and changes the appearance of the dish before your eyes. Before you even take a bite, the display is so spectacular you feel you’ve gotten your money’s worth.

But then you dig in and the flavors immediately overwhelm any memories of the dessert’s appearance. All concentration must be devoted to appreciating every moment these flavors are on your tongue.

In that way, the Baked Alaska sums up The Committee Chophouse as a restaurant.

Located in the lower level of the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel, The Committee Chophouse is an experience before a dish hits your table. The space is stunningly beautiful, eliciting an elegant 1930s vibe and allowing diners to step into a bygone era. Unlike many steakhouses, the lighting is kept up, creating a warm dining feeling that beckons guests to have a drink and stay awhile.

Due to the classic decor and extensive wine and cocktail menus, both in the restaurant or at the swanky attached bar, the Cottonwood Room, one could have a great time at The Committee Chophouse without taking a single bite.

But in doing so, you would miss out on some tremendous food.

The menu is filled with steakhouse favorites like filet mignon, ribeyes, strips, and an epic 48-oz. porterhouse. Alongside are the classic “surf” options: jumbo shrimp, crab legs, and lobster tails.

But The Committee Chophouse’s menu pairs these expected dishes with chef-driven specialties like Prime Beef Tartare, Twice-Cooked Pork Belly, Cornbread Canales, and more.

To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with a steakhouse that cooks steaks very well. But The Committee Chophouse has more to showcase than just beef.

But if it did stop at beef, that would be OK, too.

Don’t believe me? Order the Chateaubriand Prime Cut and your mind will be instantly changed. The tenderloin steak is so clean, lean, and tender, it’s almost velvety in texture. The beef is mild in flavor, but its decadent succulence gives it a regal elegance. And you can forget the steak knife: this beef is so tender, it dutifully surrenders to a swipe from the fork.

The Chateaubriand is wondrous on its own, but The Committee Chophouse allows you to up the ante with several standout sauces. From the creamy Hollandaise to the herbaceous Charred Scallion Chimichurri and the sweet Demi-Glace, each sauce allows you to redefine the flavor profile of the delicate beef.

While The Committee Chophouse works wonders with its steak, I think I’m more impressed with how it transforms its sides. It’s one thing to amp up an adored product, but to make humble ingredients like potatoes and mushrooms the arguable star of the meal takes true talent.

The Lyonnaise Potatoes are a great example. Cubed spuds are pan-fried and sautéed with a truckload of butter and parsley. Adorned with caramelized onions and a creamy, tangy sauce, these are home fries amplified to the nth degree.

Then there’s the Wild Mushrooms. The Committee Chophouse takes several varieties of these fungi and cooks them down in butter and red wine, creating tender, sautéed bulbs that soak up all the richness of the fats they’re cooked in. Each order comes with roughly 3/4 of a pound of mushrooms, and shame on you if you leave a single one of these delectable morsels uneaten.

I feel like a bit of a lunatic for raving so much about the mushrooms at a steakhouse, but they were arguably the best part of my inaugural meal at The Committee Chophouse.

That is, until, we got to dessert.

Let’s return to the epic aforementioned Baked Alaska. There’s a reason you don’t see this item on many restaurant menus; combining hot and cold elements simultaneously makes it very difficult to execute.

But The Committee Chophouse pulls it off with a perfect balance of flavors. A sweet, tender almond cake is offset by the tartness and rigidity of the cherry ice cream. The torched merengue incorporates a campfire effect, similar to the flavor of a perfectly cooked s’more. If you’ve never had this dish before (hand raised), it’s admittedly odd at first. It takes your brain a bite or two to process what it’s experiencing; but once you compute the flavors, you won’t be able to stop shoveling this wonderful dome into your face.

On top of the food and the environment, you’ll be hard-pressed to find better service in Omaha. The wait staff is exceedingly friendly and eager to help you traverse the menu should you need any assistance.

You should be aware that a meal at this restaurant is both a time-consuming and more expensive affair. Plan on your meal taking at least an hour and a half, if not longer—this is by all means not a bad thing, but something to consider if you’re operating under time constraints.

But the combination of service, ambience, and food make the bill and time commitment worth the investment. Enter The Committee Chophouse to be wowed by the elegance and the good vibes, stay to be blown away by the wonders coming out of the kitchen.