Tri-tip is trendy. At least in my world.

I hadn’t heard of the small, triangle-shaped cut of beef until a March trip to California’s Central Coast, where tri-tip is a mainstay. I ate it in a barbecue place in San Luis Obispo and, candidly, wondered what the fuss was about.

Then during my FFF research last week, I randomly encountered two restaurant menus that included a tri-tip sandwich. I was  fated to give it another go.

Our contestants are: Parkshore Grill in St. Pete and The Brinehouse in Safety Harbor. With tri-tip, I probably should’ve featured three restaurants. But I just didn’t have the time — and I’m not sure there is a third.

PARKSHORE GRILL

The Shaved Prime Tri-Tip Steak Sandwich ($23) is only served at lunch (’til 6). We made it a late one, arriving at 5:30 on a Thursday. The hostess walked us to the back dining room, and we wrangled a table next to the window.

The dining rooms were beginning to fill up, most likely for dinner service. Our server, Trevor, was attentive and efficient, and didn’t betray a hint of disappointment at having a table of two seniors splitting a lunch.

Appearance

The sandwich was … not exactly small — more like, compact. The parmesan fries sat in a fan of paper inside a silver container. A refined presentation refined, especially for a sandwich.

Taste and Texture

Tri-tip has been described as a cross between a steak and a roast, and I’d say that’s pretty on the nose. The beef had a robust flavor and, while tender(ish), it required a measure of jaw work. The bread was perfect — a bit of crunch on the outside, soft beneath. Carmelized onions were a welcome addition.

The creamy Boursin cheese had melted to the consistency of mayo, which made for a drippy sandwich that required me to make use of the cloth napkin between bites. All told, this tri-trip sandwich was a no-fuss, straight-ahead affair that hit all the right notes.

The fries earned good grades for balancing crisp and potato flavor, and keeping the parmesan subtle.

Bonnie had a few bites, but otherwise I easily polished off the meal.

THE BRINEHOUSE

We nearly always do our FFF fieldwork on weekdays, but upcoming travel made Friday the optimal day schedule-wise. The upshot was that it took 20 minutes to find a parking spot in downtown Safety Harbor at 6:15.

The Brinehouse has an interesting concept. It has the feel of a barbecue restaurant, but instead of smoking its meats, they’re brined and marinated, then finished off on a wood-burning grill.

Our server, Elaine, was a pro. After a brief phatic exchange, we got to the menu, which she knew inside out, as well as the beers and wine. Elaine informed us that the brine includes dried coffee.

I ordered The Steak Rustler ($18) — “grilled tri-tip, tobacco onions, poblano peppers, plum tomatoes, pimento cheese spread and smoked paprika aioli on a Brioche bun.” Ambitious. I chose Mama’s Macaroni Salad as a side, and added an extra side of Gorgonzola Mac-n-Cheese ($7.50). For libations, I got a Stiegel Goldbrau Lager draft, Bonnie a Three Thieves Chardonnay (both $7.50).

Appearance

The hefty meal was served BBQ-style. The sandwich stood out for its thickness. Three slices of crisp dill pickle on the serving tray were an enticing touch.

Taste and Texture

The sandwich was a messy monster. I asked Elaine for an extra stack of paper napkins.

The tri-tip was more thickly cut than that of Parkshore Grill, with straightforward, sapid beef that didn’t announce its brined-ness, although I’m not sure what that would’ve meant. Suffice to say it was damn good meat.

A lesser version might’ve gotten lost amid the other ingredients. The poblano peppers were a nice touch, but overall the Steak Rustler would’ve benefited by omitting an ingredient or two. It had a lot going on.

I nearly finished the beast, and that was while paying considerable attention to the sides, both of which were top-drawer.

And the Winner of the Tri-Tip Tilt Is …

Parkshore Grill.

I’m split on this decision. I very much liked both sandwiches, but in the end the simplicity of Parkshore Grill’s won out. That said, The Brinehouse outdistanced Parkshore for the sheer volume of quality food it served for a similar price.

But in the end this is a competition between tri-tip sandwiches, and thus the St. Pete restaurant edges out a win.