Rule No. 1 at Mastro’s: Order your steak slightly under your preferred cooking temperature, as one server advised, because the steaks are borne from the kitchen on plates heated to 400 degrees, meaning they continue to cook on their journey to the table. Rule No. 2: Don’t even think about touching the plate.

Now that you know the rules, you can sit back and relax in this somewhat staid dining room, knowing that your beautifully charred medium-rare bone-in Kansas City strip will not tilt medium, and that the tender mouthfeel of your companion’s tangy bone-in filet (above) will not be compromised. For the full self-indulgent shebang, start with steak sashimi on a bed of wasabi mashed potatoes (nothing like having a little steak before your steak). And say yes to the warm butter cake topped with brûléed sugar crystals.

Tip:If you crave a more boisterous crowd, make a reservation in the modern piano bar, where the martinis flow and you can catch the game on huge plasma screens.