Prime Rib Feast at Five Crowns Is Befitting of Royalty

There never ruled a wilder hedonist than Henry Tudor, who lived, loved and ate not wisely but too well. His favorite sport was the now politically incorrect hunt. He fancied himself a composer and wrote court songs and carols. He wore dashing ermine-trimmed clothes, and when the rules of the church got in the way of his love life, he simply formed his own church and went his merry, lusty way. Six wives? Of course. Everything to excess. The man had gout after all.

So, it just jolly well makes sense that the feisty, feasting monarch is honored with a dinner in his name at the Five Crowns. The dish is King Henry VIII’s cut, a 20-ounce slab of prime rib served with creamed spinach, potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and horseradish sauce.

And what a sauce. Piled high in a silver compote, the secret of its richness is simple: It’s merely whipped cream mixed with seasoned salt and horseradish. Although it’s decadent enough to be served with dessert, it’s best on beef--prime rib, that is--fit for a king.

* King Henry VIII prime rib with two tablespoons horseradish sauce--1,064 calories/63 grams of fat. $27.95 at Five Crowns, 3801 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. (949) 760-0331.

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