In the raucous party that is late Satuday-night dinner at The Knife Steakhouse, a 25-year-old picture of John Belushi kept locking into my brain.

As John ''Bluto'' Blutarsky, Animal House's flag bearer for the state of inebriation, Belushi wore a sweat shirt that read simply: COLLEGE.

The Knife is an all-you-can-devour bacchanal of food and drink, an obvious haven for the burgeoning South American community of Aventura, Hallandale and Hollywood. The menu promises all manner of beef, pork, sausage and chicken, but somehow it all comes out tasting vaguely the same: like MEAT.

And since the flat price includes a full bottle of red or white for each person -- a drinkable Argentine blend that could easily be called WINE -- The Knife is a restaurant crying out for a college campus.

Eating there is a rich experience, much more than the sum of its parts. From the time we arrived around 8:30 p.m. until we left two hours later, the large dining room was packed to capacity. Many of the tables were groups of six, eight or more, roaring with laughter. The small entryway was thick with people waiting for a table; reservations are only taken through 7 p.m., and dozens were still in line when we left.

A modest salad bar and eclectic appetizer station are the first stops. The salad bar was skimpy, with only the most basic fixings and a haphazard sidebar of dressings, among them a nearly empty bottle of Mazola corn oil.

The appetizer bar was more interesting. Empanadas had a spicy kick, but were a little stingy on filling. Cold slices of stuffed pork were authentic pleasers with flavorful olives and cheese.

Then diners queue up cafeteria-style, moving past a long grill blanketed by as many as two dozen meat selections. Or so the menu suggested. By our estimation, only about half that number were actually available last Saturday. (It's hard to say for certain -- none of the grill chefs spoke English, and our Spanish was not up to the task of differentiating skirt steak from flank steak.)

The handful of cuts we sampled were good but unremarkable. Ribs were truly disappointing. Pork and beef varieties were fattier than an election-year appropriations bill.

The sausages were better; both chorizo (pork sausage) and morcilla (blood sausage) were peppy, smoky and delicious.

Sweetbreads and tripe are also on the menu, but were nowhere to be found. Two of the most interesting sounding menu items were also missing -- pork loin with plums and mustard-rubbed pork loin.

Side-dish options are slim -- a choice of french fries, white rice or mashed potatoes. At least the fries were wonderfully thick-cut and fresh from the oil. Vegetables are grilled alongside the meat, but our only options were sweet onions, delicious but dry, and red peppers stuffed with cheese.

The prices are a relative bargain: Dinner is $20.85 per person during the week, $22.95 Friday and Saturday. The same deal is available at lunch for $17.95.

Ultimately, though, The Knife is more than the sum of its parts. The place seems to spark with fun, and that -- along with the aforementioned WINE -- makes it easy to enjoy the humdrum food.

Place: The Knife Steak House.

Address: 602 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd., Hallandale.

Rating: Good.

Contact: 954-456-6822, thekniferestaurant.com.

Hours: noon-midnight Sunday-Thursday, noon-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday.

Prices: all-inclusive dinner $20.85-$22.95, lunch $11.99-17.95.

FYI: Reservations available noon-2 p.m., 5-7 p.m.; full bar. Credit cards: AX, DN, DS, MC.