Restaurant Review: Sandy's Argentine steakhouse Libertango is celebration food at its finest 

• Courtesy Photo

As satisfying as a good steak is, it's not necessarily the stuff of culinary variety—in fact, the less one does to a steak, the better it is. This was a lesson I learned early on in my life, and it's more or less a maxim that I've just accepted. However, when you are trying to be the best food writer you can be, you end up realizing just how fragile all those assumptions really are.

The restaurant that has me reevaluating my relationship with steak is Libertango (10395 S. State Street, 801-448-6449, libertango.us), an Argentine steakhouse whose only location outside of South America is our own Sandy, Utah.

Before we get into the restaurant itself—don't worry, this place is awesome—we need to take a moment to recognize the steak-forward culture of Argentina. About one-third of Argentina's geography is made up of grassland known as The Pampas, and feasting on this grassland are the majority of the country's livestock.

Beef is big business in Argentina, and the locals have been taking their steaks seriously for decades. There is a reverence to the preparation and seasoning of beef that is common among Argentine steakhouses, and it's something you definitely notice when you go to Libertango.

The third restaurant in the Serodio Family's empire, Sandy's Libertango does things the same way they've done things at their two restaurants in Brazil. They've gone heavy on the atmosphere—it may be in the middle of Sandy but once you're inside you'll feel like you've just landed in a posh Brazilian shopping district. To that end, I'd recommend getting a reservation before you pay this place a visit—it's busy most evenings, and it adds to the ambiance once you arrive.

It's packing all the swank vibes it can muster: art depicting flamenco dancers adorns the walls and everyone on the service staff wears black vests and newsboy caps. Despite these strong, dinner-with-a-capital-D vibes, service is impeccable and friendly.

When you come to Libertango, you're going to want to get a steak. But you and I both know you can't just waltz into a cloistered church of chimichurri like this and simply ask for steak, so be prepared to do a bit of soul searching once you get your menu. All of the steaks at Libertango are done a la carte, which gives you a bit of flexibility.

For a first-time visit, the ojo de bife ($42 for 10 oz., $48 for 18 oz. and $62 for wagyu), or ribeye, is a great place to start. As you can see, each steak cut comes with its own set of size and quality options—you really need to determine what kind of steak journey you are on when you arrive onsite.

The servers make a point to let you know that all your meat gets is a bit of salt while it's cooking, but each table does get a small arrangement of sauces—think vinegary mignonette or creamy horseradish—that can be added at the diner's discretion. My suggestion here is to take your first bite as naked as the house intends, but you have my permission to chase it with a sip of their smoked old fashioned.

As you savor these initial bites, it soon becomes clear that there is steak, and then there is steak. When dining out a lot, every so often you're lucky enough to get a dish that has a heritage to its flavor, and this is one such opportunity. You can almost see the gauchos herding cattle along the grassy Argentine plains with each bite.

There's no shame in having steak be the centerpiece of your meal here, but you can purchase a few tasty side dishes that are made to share. For your regular sides, you can't go wrong with the crema de maiz dehumada ($6), a smoked creamed corn that evokes the elotes of Mexican street food fame. On the premium sides menu, the arroz con queso ($9) was a gooey delight that mixed white rice with oodles of melted cheese. The side dishes are designed to make the steaks look good, so you're not going to find anything here that overshadows the main event.

For those after something with a bit more wow factor, the Grill Master Selections quadrant of the menu has plenty of composed dishes worth drooling over. The king of this particular court happens to be the Thatcher Steak ($70), which is an 18 oz. American wagyu sirloin served with country fries and a bourbon barbecue sauce. You pair this with your red wine of choice or another craft cocktail and you've got celebration food at its finest.

When I first heard that a swanky steakhouse touting an impressive menu of steaks, sides and pasta along with a cocktail menu to match was coming to Sandy, it sounded a bit too good to be true. Having summited the savory peaks of Libertango's meaty mountain range, this place is the real deal—and quite a lot of fun for those looking for a bit of a splurge.