From my Palm experiences, which I've never liked, I think they've got the same quality control problems with the meat, too. It's inevitable, honestly. Cows differ so much from animal to animal, you can have two people at the same table getting a steak and one be sublime while the other's just really good. They probably got meat off two different cows. I agree, however, that at the highest level, you've got to be able to minimize that sort of variation. And I've found it is pretty consistent -- you're going to get a really damn good steak when you go into a USDA Prime steakhouse. The crap shoot is if it's going to be sublime or not -- I've there are certain times when a place is just on its game more than other times. There are a lot of variables, I suppose. The meat that particular day, as well as the aging.

I drool anytime I read this thread. Good thing I'm having steak tonight. Good steak, good conversation ... gotta love the FT.