Ordering is where many people lose control. “Blue” can mean different things depending on the restaurant’s culture. The most useful habit is to ask clarifying questions without sounding difficult.
Try this language: ask whether “blue” means a quick sear with a cool, very undercooked interior, and whether they use a thermometer. If you want rare, ask if “rare” means red center and what it looks like when it reaches the table. Some places will describe temperatures; others will describe visual cues.
Also ask about thickness. If they only have thin steaks, blue may not be achievable. Good kitchens understand that steak style is constrained by the physics of heat transfer, not by menu wording.
