If you've eaten out in Rochester much over the past 20 years, you've had Tom Polizzi's cooking, perhaps at Rooney's, the Olive Tree, or Hogans Hideaway. His is a classic restaurant guy story: started washing dishes at the Marriott, then worked his way up from prep to pantry, lunch to first cook. Now fully in charge at Tournedos, his employees call him just "Chef."

The restaurant is part of the Inn on Broadway, in the historic University Club, remodeled and restored by owner Robert Fallone, Jr. "I met Bob originally at Rooney's," says Polizzi. "He'd always order the double rack of lamb." Polizzi offered advice when Fallone remodeled the kitchen, and in 2005, Fallone gave Polizzi the reins to Tournedos.

This has been the decade of the steakhouse. To distinguish Tournedos, Fallone decided to serve dry-aged beef, the standard at many fine steakhouses, but nearly unheard of in Rochester. Dry-aging is slow, and results in a richer, more flavorful steak. But during the process the meat loses weight, and at the end has to be trimmed, making dry-aged beef quite pricey. Fallone is betting that connoisseurs would be willing to pay.

A few months ago, Tournedos began dry-aging its own beef in house. Polizzi showed me the climate-controlled aging rooms where the whole rib and strip loins live (die, actually) for 28 days. It's fascinating.

And it costs. A 14 oz. dry-aged strip is $34 à la carte; a 24 oz. porterhouse, $54. Is it worth it? Frankly, my experience comparing dry-aged steaks to conventional ones is limited. My companion had the 20 oz. cowboy steak (bone-in ribeye), and the flavor was powerfully rich ($48). The bone is one reason, and the aging could be as well. He asked for it medium, and it came with no pink inside. If you like steaks on the rare side, be very specific in Rochester, where most customers prefer them well done. The highlight was the fat, so rich you could feel your arteries harden.

The eponymous tournedos of beef au poivre was two generous filets, crusted in an impossible amount of pepper, fine by this pepper freak ($24). Medium-rare came what I'd call medium, with only a hint of pink (I like a pink interior with a red heart).

Among appetizers, fried calamari was excellent, lightly breaded and fried, quite tender ($11). The Spanish clams with chorizo were almost overpowered by the delicious sausage ($14). Carpaccio was served rolled with fresh mozzarella and then sliced, also excellent ($8). Of course there are salads. Traditional Caesar is $7, and there are also mixed greens, iceberg, and more. We had a nice pickled beet salad with pear and mesclun.

Everything is à la carte, with large portions of vegetables for $6. Sautéed wild mushrooms complement any steak, and one order will serve a table of four. We liked the earthy, garlic roasted Brussels sprouts and the bourbon-maple sweet potatoes, but found the onion rings a bit too dense. Potatoes and starches are $5, and our mashed potatoes with cheddar were genuine and delicious.

Tournedos' crusty Italian bread deserves its props. Polizzi got his recipe years ago from Amy Scherber of Amy's Bread in New York City. The crust is magic, crisp and chewy, with a glorious muted sheen. Inside, it's airy and soft, but not too light. It's everything bread ought to be. Janice Plant is Polizzi's baker, and also makes the desserts. Fallone takes pride in handling the wine list himself.

The 75-year-old building is beautiful, and the remodeled dining room has a lofty elegance. The Wine Cellar room, with stone walls and floor, can handle mid-sized parties. And you've likely been to a wedding in the upstairs ballroom, with its huge frescoes of local scenery. It's also been updated, but carefully to preserve the historical integrity.

Tournedos and the Inn are trying to bring big city elegance to our downtown, and Tom Polizzi is happy to be there. "My bottom line is this place. It makes me go," he says. "I'm not the owner, per se, but I feel like the owner." It will be interesting to see how Rochester reacts. If you're a steak aficionado, you certainly should check out the dry-aged difference.

Tournedos Steakhouse, 26 Broadway, Rochester; 269-3888. Hours: Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. & 5-11 p.m.; Saturday, 5-11 p.m.; Sunday, 5-10 p.m.

To visit City's Dining Guide page for Tournedos, click here.

Food tip

Barrita and Jeff Shanks take great pride in the all-natural beef, pork, and turkey at the Crossroads restaurant in Lima (7281 W. Main Street, 624-1590). Unlike virtually any other restaurant in the country, Crossroads serves meat from animals the Shanks raise on their own farm, five miles away. You can also buy frozen cuts to bring home. Visit www.SevenBridgesBeef.com or call for info and hours.

--- Michael Warren Thomas of www.SavorLife.com.