THE GLUTTON

Between the popularity of Fuddruckers and the growing number of shabu shabu and Korean barbecue restaurants, most Angelenos have developed a taste for do-it-yourself dining. But few DIY restaurants have the panache of the Venice Room, a hidden gem that blends the faded glamour of a vintage steakhouse with the unironic charm of a 1970s lounge (the black lights are a nice touch.)

It offers gluttony on three levels: sate your hunger with steak, slake your thirst with cocktails and indulge your narcissistic ambitions with karaoke.

Aside from a few lunchtime sandwiches, the Venice Room offers only one meal: a steak dinner that you cook yourself. The hostess happily guides novices through a process that begins, in true midcentury style, with a plate of iceberg lettuce and gobs of dressing. A sizable hunk of raw sirloin soon arrives at your table alongside a sourdough bun and a foil-wrapped baked potato (the only part of the meal you don’t cook yourself). Mosey to the open flame grill to dress your meat (The Glutton sticks to salt and pepper) before throwing it on the flames.

The resulting steak -- ringed by a layer of succulent fat -- is thick, juicy and flavorful. And there’s nothing like hearing the sizzle of animal fat on an open flame harmonizing with the strains of nearby karaoke to make you realize you’re getting drunk in a very special place. 2428 S. Garfield Ave., Monterey Park. (323) 722-3075