Steak

I've been hankering for a good steak for about a week now so I'm going to the store later after I get off work to pick up one and some fixings. Since I have some time to kill before I get off work I have a few questions concerning steak in general:



1) What is, in your opininon, the best cut of meat for a good steak?

I usually stick with sirloin and sometimes a ribeye, since it's cheap and what I'm used to, but I might be interested in branching out.


2) How do you cook your steak?

I usually stick to pan-frying and sear both sides at a high temperature before lowering to cook more thoroughly. I like the meat to be dripping red but firm and easy to cut/chew.


3) Where do you go for high quality meats and how much is reasonable to spend on a good steak?

I usually go to Leblanc's because it's close to where I live and the small sirloins I get usually go for about $3.75. I'd like to keep what I spend on this steak to be under $20.


4) Do you marinade your steak? Wet or dry marinade? And for how long? And what do you use?

I usually just rub it down with black pepper and let it sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours before cooking. I've heard that salting it before is a bad idea, any merit to that?

5) What do you like to eat with your steak, in terms of side-dishes?

I stick with a buttery, cheesy baked potato (sometimes add bacon) and some buttered break- usually French bread or a Hawaian roll. If I'm going all out I'll saute some asperagus after I'm done with the skillet.

ETA:

6) What are the most important factors you take into account when judging a cooked steak?

For me:

1) Flavor
2) Tenderness
3) Juicicity
4) Appearance