Steakhouses seizing the sizzle as diners tire of complex fare.

The low-carb frenzy may have mellowed, t steak is staying on the menu. A new crop of contemporary steakhouses is popping up in Los Angeles, including the Lodge in Beverly Hills, the Sterling in Hollywood and a yet-to-be named Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group offering at the Regent Beverly Wilshire.

"Everybody likes old food, (but) usually when you want to eat something old, it comes with an old restaurant," said Adolfo Suaya, a partner in the Lodge. "I want to make the food that we all know, but a little newer design."

For Suaya, that meant bringing on hot designer Dodd Mitchell to give the Lodge a hip feel with ebony and suede touches, but he said the restaurant won't stray from classic steakhouse fare. Other new steakhouses, including the Dakota in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, are spicing up the menu with uncharacteristic plates such as duck leg confit and Korubuta pork chops.

The thirst for meat is fueled by two simultaneous trends: Low-carb diets reintroduced people to protein-filled meals, and restaurant goers tired of elaborate fusion concoctions.

"There was a long period where everybody was told steak wasn't good for you. They are coming back and getting their quota, catching up for lost time," said Tom Kaplan, a senior managing partner at Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining.

Some established steakhouses could take a few hits as red meat aficionados explore the new territory, but Suzanne Tracht, chef and co-owner of Jar, which opened four years ago, welcomes the competition, betting that her eatery will do just fine. "They (diners) are looking for fresh, simple foods," she said.