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Despite the lagging recovery, the restaurant industry – one of the hardest-hit segments of the economy – is showing encouraging signs of life, with openings across the valley.

If you’re thinking of throwing a steak on the backyard grill, how about a Vegas Strip Steak? You won’t find one in your supermarket meat case today, but if “Meat Geek” Tony Mata has his way, its appearance may not be too far off.

When it comes to preparing steak at home, the quality of the beef is an obvious starting point, but sometimes a cook’s options are limited. Dave Zino, executive chef of the Beef Checkoff program of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said one tip is to look for steaks that have the most marbling, the white flecks of fat distributed throughout the meat.