I like the overall char on that steak. I prefer that to marks - more flavor in my mind. Although, I will do as muebe does - sometimes - cook one side to the way I like it for flavor and put the "marks" on the up side for serving. Nice cook!
Yes! What is on display is also pleasing to the eye not just the palette and can change a guests opinion of the taste of a steak. You can take two identical steaks and have one with grill marks and the other with none. Even if the steaks were cooked exactly the same and tasted the same the guest will pick the one with grill marks on display as their favorite. Of course there is always that one guest that will flip their steak and ask "What about the grill marks on this side?". That is the guest that does not get the invite next time
The same goes for a restaurant. You can have two restaurants with identical food but one has nice cutlery, plates, decorations, expensive menu... A fine restaurant. Then the other with paper plates, plastic forks, no decorations, cheap menu.... Low end restaurant. The fine restaurant will always edge out the others it because of the visual and mental influences even though the food is exactly the same.
Sorry to derail the thread but Doc Holly's comment made me think about an episode of "Food Detectives" I remember seeing that proved this point.
