Steak is easy to make. Whether you like it pan-fried, oven-roasted, sous vide, or on the grill, there are endless ways to make a slab of beef delicious, and most of them are pretty simple. By just following directions, the right amount of heat and a little patience can make any caveman in an apron look like a seasoned grillmaster. And that's a good thing.

It's also why, when we talk about steakhouses, we don't talk about the tenderness or the marbling of the prime rib, the juiciness of the filet. We can, but why bother? We don't have to talk about those things because it's already expected they're going to be, well, damn good. The measure of a steakhouse, then, is not in its meat, but rather, the sides: Yes, creamed spinach is a must. Do they respect their potatoes? And what's the asparagus situation?

At Chef Laurent Tourondel's BLT Steak in Washington, D.C., a French riff on the classic American steakhouse, and one that's about to be known for much more than its meat (or loose Las Vegas affiliation to Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen), it's the gruyère popovers that get people talking. The steakhouse was the setting for a recent conversation between two lawyers: Donald F. McGahn II, the White House counsel, and Ty Cobb, who's representing Trump in the Russian investigation. The pair were talking loudly about how to respond to Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller's request for information within earshot of New York Times reporter Kenneth Vogel, who wrote an explosive story about the clash. 

Arguably, there are those who would tell you there are certain meetings you should never take in the open-air company of total strangers, let alone in reporter-swarmed Washington D.C., and probably even less-so when they concern the legal defense for potential acts of light-to-severe treason. But as anyone who's had this appetizer can attest, it was probably worth the risk. And the best part? Thanks to our friends at Williams-Sonoma—and unlike supposedly clandestine conversations—this steakhouse's best-kept secret is already out in the open.

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