A classic European dish is suddenly taking over Monterey County, and the world.

Steak and potatoes cannot be trendy. How could they be? The combination is enduring, like Ruth and Gehrig, death and taxes, rocks and hard places.

And yet there’s this observation from the aptly named Dallas Observer: “We’re now in 2024: the year of steak frites. New restaurants are opening dedicated entirely to the dish, and old ones are scrambling to add steak frites to their menu.”

Easy to shrug off as a Texas thing? Well, New York papers also took notice. And the craze extends far beyond American borders. According to an article earlier this year in Dubai-based Caterer Middle East, for instance, “experts say the trend is here to stay.”

And in Monterey County, the brasserie staple can be found everywhere from the casual rooftop bar and restaurant LindaRose in Monterey to Carmel’s Seventh & Dolores Steakhouse – it’s an off-menu item for those in-the-know – and many places in between. Even the upscale Mexican destination Alejandro’s in downtown Monterey features “bistek frites” on the menu.

“It’s funny – I was cutting back on steak,” reports Jerry Regester, chef at Spotted Duck in Pacific Grove, referring to his orders from purveyors. “All of a sudden it sold like mad. I learned my lesson.”

According to the consumer data channel YouGov, steak frites ranks as the nation’s ninth favorite food. Among millennials, it is a top three favorite.

Sylvia Medina, part of the family behind Red House Cafe in Pacific Grove, believes the surge in popularity is in a large part due to its relative affordability. In a volatile time when even a prime New York strip may set one back $70 or more, $29 for steak frites at Jacks Monterey, $25 for the same at Edgar’s in Carmel Valley’s posh The Quail resort or even $52 at Alejandro’s are bargains.

Steak as an entree is identified with status cuts, such as filet mignon. Steak frites, on the other hand, is a more informal presentation, so chefs can turn to less expensive cuts. Regester uses strip for his version. But, he adds, “Skirt, flank – any way is good.”

Chef Carl Ashurst and his team at Jacks prefers skirt steak. While not as tender as filet, it carries a rustic, swarthy character.

“It’s really flavorful and everybody likes it,” says Hector Berumen, executive sous chef at Jacks.

The dish is straightforward yet versatile, consisting of beef, fries and generally a sauce. Although French traditional calls for béarnaise or au poivre – the latter is preferred at l’Escargot in Carmel – chefs can change things up. Red House Cafe ladles tarragon butter over the steak. Alejandro’s takes the dish in a different direction with chimichurri. Regester drizzles both the meat and fries with duck jus and plates alongside a horseradish aioli.

At Red House, steak frites is a lunch item. Medina says they offer it “because we love a good steak frites, and we don’t see it on lunch menus.” It is a filling midday meal. Still, she adds, “We sell quite a bit.”

The ongoing trend toward more casual dining may also play a role in the dish’s popularity. Steak frites can be ordered by Seventh & Dolores diners, although they keep it off the menu. Instead, it is featured at the restaurant’s adjacent wine bar, The Annex.

And Regester believes there is a third factor at play.

“Everything is so crazy – not just here, but around the world,” he explains. “People want to go back to comfort.”

Call it a casual, credit-friendly indulgence. It can be dressed down (beer battered fries at Edgar’s) or up. The Annex plates the steak with a classic bordelaise and prepares the fries Belgian-style, cooked twice.

Whether intentional or not, the presentation exposes an age-old dispute. Both France and Belgium claim the dish as their own. Culinary scholars – the neutral ones, anyway – tend to side with Belgium. After all, fishermen from that country are credited with inventing what we call French fries.

It is said we have the Doughboys of World War I to thank for the mistake. But Thomas Jefferson also learned of frites while in France, and returned to serve them at a White House dinner.

Either way, it is steak and potatoes in an approachable style.

“It’s just one of those classic dishes,” Regester says. “It’s always good.”