The Capital Grille – New Restaurant Smell

AHHH…THERE’S NOTHING BETTER THAN THAT NEW RESTAURANT SMELL!

Yes!  A brand spankin’ new baby boy of a steakhouse just opened it’s doors in Lower Manhattan – ironically across the street from the front door of my new apartment!  THE CAPITAL GRILLE – WALL ST.  Yes, they are seemingly opening new locations everywhere and at what would seem like an odd time, economically speaking.  Not only did they just open a location downtown across from my apartment, but also just opened a new location in midtown across the street from my office (Rockefeller Center).  Maybe the Capital Grille is doing something right?

Ok, so this is a chain.  I have dined in Capital Grille’s in the past in Seattle, San Diego, etc…but this one is across the street from my apartment so I was really rooting for it.

I’ll let the pictures do the talking but…

(Editor’s note) The bread was plentiful and served with a very creamy butter. I ordered the Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing. No where in the description of the item were mushrooms mentioned but the salad itself was 40% mushrooms. Big let down. The bacon was great but the dressing and the hard-boiled eggs were bland. This was not a winning item. – Rev

Shrimp Cocktail?  Good.  Not the best I’ve ever had but very respectable.

Lollipop Lamb chops?  Unreal.  I love when I order 6 chops (one for each person at the table) and they bring SIX ORDERS!!!!  YES THAT IS 24 chops!  Lucky for us they were outstanding *Please note that Meat God ate 9 by himself!!!!

Sirloin Sliders?  Decadent!  Prime sirloin (not ground) cooked to perfection in a mini-roll with butter.  This could easily be the meal…

Au Gratin Potatoes?  The best I have ever had!

Lobster Mac ‘N’ Cheese? Not for me but it sounded like this was also the best version the table has ever had.  Sam’s Mashed Potatoes?  Perfect!

Lyonnaise Potatoes?  Really, really good.

Fresh Asparagus sauteed?  Gotta have some greens.

Fresh Creamed Spinach?  Another winner.

OK, so apps and sides are outstanding.  Now to the main event.  THE STEAK!

This is not the best steak I have ever had.  My standard NY STRIP MEDIUM.  It’s cooked perfectly, presented properly, and smells AMAZING.  It’s sitting on a very light coating of gravy that captivates me immediately.  I cannot wait to sink my teeth in!  Alas, the flavor is just not there.  The salt hasn’t penetrated to cut and it’s just a bit flat.  I’m told they serve “Choice” steaks as opposed to “Prime” steaks by Big PA and that Choice is just a little lesser than Prime in quality.  Either way, the chef seemed to do everything perfectly but the cut itself did not perform up to expectations.

(Editor’s Note) The key lime pie was rich, tangy and exploding with flavor. I didn’t try the Meat God’s Ice Cream Sundae but the fresh berries in it looked amazing! -Rev

Had a great time.  Our waiter (absent occasionally) totally hooked it up from taking all the chops off the bill and accepting all the AMEX $50 coupon offers we brought (x3) to the point that this was a very affordable outing.  Only about $80 per person (pre-tip) which is amazing since we all had scotch, beer, and two bottles of wine!

4 out of 5 knives

Even though I really want to drop an additional point for a lackluster steak, the private room, warm reception, outstanding apps and sides, affordable wine selection, and understanding wait staff & host keep it to a very solid showing for me!

(Editor’s note) While we were posing for some fun pictures, the server came in and asked if he could take a picture

Porterhouse New York – A Savory Steak With a Bitter End

We’ve been doing this for 5 years now. Amazing to think there are still Steak Houses in NYC that we haven’t been to but when new ones open, that gives new life to the SC7. Such was the case with Matty Winks choice of  Porterhouse New York. Located in the Time Warner Center in NYC’s Columbus Circle,  Porterhouse is the creation of former Windows on the World (the restaurant that used to sit atop the World Trade Center) chef, Michael Lomonaco.

The Meat God and I showed up on the early side and took at seat at the bar, sipping on beverages while waiting for the rest to arrive.  We made pals with the young lady seated next to us who gave us some tips on ordering. She also gave us a few bites of her aromatic french fries.

All good Steak Club meals should start with bacon and Porterhouse delivered the goods! The Thick Cut Apple Wood Bacon was warm, delicious and oh so salty. We each had 2 pieces. Also impressive was the bread selection. Rather than just drop a basket of assorted baked goods, the wait staff came around with a tray filled with multiple choices of bread. Matty Winks did his best to eat one of each, maybe 2!

I followed up my apps with the Wild Italian Salad; Arugula, Roasted peppers, pecorino cheese, Sicilian olives, grape tomatoes. After picking out the olives and tomatoes, I dove in. Fresh greens, savory cheese and nicely roasted peppers.  It’s good to help the digestion of what is about to come.

I didn’t eat any of the shrimp but the general consensus of the table was pretty negative. In fact, I think it ruined shrimp in general for the Big P.A. More on that in the comments.

The BIG P.A. and I went for our usual, the Porter House for 2. Ain’t nothing like getting 2 different steaks in one; strip and filet! I can’t lie, it was one of the most perfectly cooked and delicious steaks I have ever eaten. It’s not easy to absolutely nail the selection of meat and then cook it to perfection but the Porterhouse New York delivered the goods! Not a single shred of beef was left on the bone by the time we finished.

Sides are an important part of the SC7 experience and on this fine evening we spared no taste bud. The Macaroni and Cheese was pretty good, as was the sauteed and very flavorful Broccoli.  I didn’t partake in the Creamed Spinach Mr. Pete’s way (covered in chunks of Apple Wood Bacon) but I think everyone else quite enjoyed it. The winner for me were the golden fried Hash Browns. Ain’t nothing like a greasy, crispy fried potato!

It was a great meal and as always a great time with the brethren of Steak Club 7. But alas, this particular “meating” was bitter sweet. Salty Moore announced his retirement from the group. As a founding member of our professional steak eating gang, it was sad news to suffer the 2nd retiree (Big Datti Meltz was #1) but as he was about to go off and be married, we can’t fault the guy. You’ll be missed champ. To celebrate, a rich, chocolate cake and the Meat God standard: chocolate Sundae. Joe, Matt and I went for our usual following move; black sambucca with a single espresso.

4 out of 5 knives
-Rev

The Parlor Steakhouse – The Gale Force of Cookies

Steak Club 7 events always start the same way; the 7 of us email each other all day about our excitement. We all get hungry and by the time we arrive, we’re practically ravenous. On this night in particular, I arrived on the early and could barely contain myself as I sat at the bar sipping a Balvenie Rocks.

The Parlor Steakhouse, on New York City’s upper east side, comes recommended to us by the attorney I work with for a bar I am trying to open called One Barrel Bar.  In fact, my attorney Peter, is an investor in Parlor and his son Michael, is the owner. To say the deck was stacked, is a gross understatement. Peter joined me at the bar with his wife for a cocktail and a chat. As the boys in SC7 arrived, I introduced us every around and once we were all in the house, the most wonderful hostess Sarah, showed us to our table.

I knew people were hungry when I watched us plow through 2 servings of bread. Either that or the herb butter was really, really good! More like a combo of the two. I skipped out on salad and appetizers but shrimp cocktails, oysters, Caesar and Chopped salads and Garganelli Pasta were ordered by some of the others. I gnawed into another slice of bread while sippin’ on some Scotch.

Once the apps had finished and the hunger for steak was about to kick back in, the wait staff showed up with some sliders. Now let me tell you something, few things excitement like a burger can (see my other site; Burger Conquest) so I was giddy like a puppy when you first walk in the room! They weren’t on the menu, otherwise I would’ve suggested them so it was a complete surprise. With some kind of shredded cheese on top, these mofos were TASTY and I definitely made sure I was one of the few who go more than one.

While the flavor of the sliders was still fresh in our mouths, the wait staff showed up with a bountiful cornucopia of steaks and sides. Before we could dig in and enjoy, a storm of such intensity descended upon New York like someone was literally dumping a massive Manhattan sized bucket of water on the city. Lightening flashed, rain soared like bullets, sideways down the streets of the city impaling everything in its path. People were scrambling about the streets trying to get out of this surprise storm. Right then, the floor to ceiling windows on the front of the restaurant blew upon. It was cool to see a storm have that much power but it sucked because we were sitting next to the windows. It took multiple members of the Parlor staff to get them shut.

If I wasn’t thinking “how the hell am I going to get home in this” my thoughts would’ve been focused on the Porterhouse covered in garlic cloves that had just been placed on the table. I had never seen anything like it. Were they trying to warn us about the post meal vampires hidden in the restaurant’s basement or did they just love garlic? No idea, but look at this!

Our eyes were almost as big as our stomachs, for once! The steaks came along with a sampling of The Parlor’s sauces and although most of us prefer ours with out sauce, we still try em out. The Bearnaise had a nice lite creamy taste and made the whipped potatoes really nice.  The Herbs and Fresh Lime was great too although really didn’t need to go on a steak. So yeah, yeah, what about the steak right? Well as much as it pains me to say it, it was OK. It wasn’t cooked right and was served barely above room temperature. The flavor was less savory than I would expect and in this occasion, to make it to the point, we used more sauce than normal. I feel bad saying it A. because I never like a negative review but also B. the Steak House owners are friends and colleagues. But we have duty to be honest with our readers.

Having said that, the whipped potatoes were decent, as were the very unique twice baked potatoes. See the picture of what looks like a muffin? Those are the twice baked potatoes! The fried onions were good too.

When the servers came to ask the standard “would you like any dessert?” question, we all declined with too full of bellies. A few moments later they showed up with some fresh baked cookies and Blueberry Filled Beignets with Lavender Flower Anglaise and Almond Ice Cream. The latter were very unique and tasty but OH MY GOD, the cookies! THE COOKIES WERE AWESOME. I will admit to being a self-proclaimed cookie fiend but who out there doesn’t like warm, fresh baked cookies?

All in all a good time but an upsetting steak serving. Much to the credit The Parlor Steakhouse, without us even saying anything, emailed us the next morning and apologized.  They lost a line chef mid-shift which through everything that night for a loop. They invited us back for another tr, but they should be careful what they wish for…we may take them up!

2 out of 5 knives
-Rev

CO 1502 (EWR->LAX) – Solo Mission

Thank you Continental.  Just when I felt I was coming to grips with getting overlooked occasionally for that complimentary upgrade.  Just when I accepted the notion of…”eh, it’s only a 3 hour flight from IAH to LGA, I’ll be fine in coach.”  JUST WHEN I figured out how to use my iPod headphones in that stupid dbl prong input in coach (comp full headset in first) to watch the movie…YOU GO AHEAD AND SPRING THIS ON ME:

Pretty standard first class menu upon first sight from my favorite airline.  Toasted almonds, really nice piece of smoked salmon, 5 different types of warm rolls to choose from, great mixed romaine salad, standard entree plate with heaping portion of mashed potatoes, 2 different kinds of asparagus, and a WHAT??? 14OZ GRILLED MEDIUM (perfectly) NY STRIP?  I mean look at this…

I mean seriously, how did they do it?  Punching it on a grill to sear then finishing it off to perfection in the microwave???  Like, it was really, really good and honestly, I wasn’t even that hungry…but I ate the whole thing and wanted more.

Topped it off with a massive vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and cherries and a cup of coffee and I was stoked.

OK, so let’s be straight, this wasn’t the Strip at Pietro’s…but as far as air travel goes, it was beyond it relatively speaking.  Sure beats that pigeon stuffed hot pocket I had in coach a few months ago.

Well played Continental, I will fight even harder to maintain my high elite status!

5 out of 5 plastic knives!

-JoeC

Yankee Stadium – 3 Steak Houses and 1 big win

Ahhhh summer! A fantastic time of the year for fun, activities, friends, baseball and steak!! Hence Jon’s decision to choose NYY Steak at Yankee  Stadium for our July SC7 outing. With both the Meat God and Jon’s favorite team, the Yankees, playing both Matt and Colin’s team, the Orioles, today’s day game made for a perfect choice. For those keeping records, JoeC is Red Sox loyalist,  I’m a fan of the ‘84 Tigers and the Big PA hailing from the UK, likes Manchester United…and steak.

The day started off at 11:30 am when we all met up at the Ted Turner founded  Ted’s Montana Grill. Although we didn’t eat any steak, seemed like a great place to meet due to it’s central location and having the D/F trains right below the building. We hopped aboard the subway and headed to the Bronx.

What do you know, it was Yankee Stadium Free Puzzle day sponsored by Avis. At first we thought was pretty cool but moments later when we realized we would be walking around all day with a giant box, it was not so awesome. I think I may have been the only person who made it out of the stadium still holding the box.

First thing’s first and since it was a “day-off” a little stop at the “Retro Beer Cart” for some tall boys of Schaefer Beer. (That’s the Meat God’s sur name FYI.)

And that lead us right to the always mandatory, Carl’s Cheese Steak. Making it officially, the first steak of the day. Carl’s is heralded by many to be the most authentic Philly style cheese steak in NYC. Me, I go extra wiz “wit” fried onions.  Matt, the man, the myth, the legend, got 2 cheese steaks!

It was well into the 1st inning before we got to our seats, hot Carl’s steaks in hand.

That didn’t last long before the desire for more food and drank lead to wandering around the gigantic stadium. We found and perfect spot to enjoy the afternoon sunshine just at the top of the bleachers off the 2nd and 3rd base line.

Once the grumble demon in Matt’s stomach starts up, there is nothing that can be done until it’s fed. Suggestion; Lobel’s fresh made prime rib sandwich. You’ll find the Lobel’s stand on the main concourse off the 4th base line. You can watch them hand slice and prepare the cuts of beef while you wait in line and thankfully for Matt’s stomach demon, there was no line. He didn’t even stop to look. The steak is served in au-jus style sauce on a simple white roll and with option horseradish, Matt’s favorite. The Lobel’s sandwich, made for steak #3 of the day and it was damn good!

While the steaks settled in, we watched a little more game. Feeling ambitious, JoeC opted for a waffle cone of frozen yogurt. He asked if I wanted one to which I replied “I’ll just wait until you can’t finish that one.” He said “not a chance” and a few minutes later, I was holding half a cone.

With a 6 to 4 Yankee’s win over the Orioles, it was time to head over to NYY Steak. The half Hard Rock Cafe owned restaurant, according to the website is based on “Council Oak Steak & Seafood Restaurant in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, with locations in Tampa and Hollywood, Florida.” The game ended at 3:45pm and as the stadium emptied, the restaurant began to fill up.

I have to give the place some credit, they did a great job using the Yankee theme to dress up the place. Baseball diamond shaped appetizer plates, hot mini-pretzels instead of rolls, memorabilia, Yankee’s branded steak knives for big spenders, retired player’s autographs illuminated on the wall and their jersey numbers on the plates. The honey butter that came with the pretzel was delicious!!!

The meal started off with appetizers of Fresh “NYY Steak Bacon”, “Colossoal Shrimp Cocktail” and the “Onion Ring Stack.” I can’t comment on the Shrimp but the bacon was thick cut and tasty with a strong salty flavor. The onion rings were heavily fried and very doughy, almost like a doughnut without sugar. I definitely enjoyed them in all their overly greasy goodness.

With just the right amount of digestion time between appetizers and the main course, the big dishes started to arrive. With several choices of steaks and sizes, everyone ordered based on how much they had already consumed throughout the day. I went with a 14 oz Strip steak, as always, medium rare. The steak arrived cooked as ordered. It was a good, flavor filled steak although seemed to have a lack of juiciness. It was better than I expected for a steak house in a baseball stadium.

After we all decided upon the sides we wanted, the Big PA went and ordered whatever he wanted. The order consisted of Au Gratin Potatoes, Creamed Spinach, Lobster Mac and Cheese, Steak House Fries and Fresh Asparagus. The Au Gratin’s stood above the rest here and were cooked just to a point just before the potatoes turned to mash. The fries were crispy and sprinkled with spices, they were good but I had eaten so much at that point, that is was just overkill.

With the 2nd most comfortable chairs of any Steak Club 7 event (#1 goes to Bull and Bear) everyone made themselves comfortable after  very full meal.

In the end, probably the most fun Steak Club 7 event in our 4 years of operation. All that was missing was dumping champagne on the winning team’s (SC7) heads, so we improvised…

As we pulled back into NYC around 7:30, with full bellies and smiles on our faces, at a time when an SC7 event would normally begin, we decided, one more glass of wine at one of SC7’s faves, Bobby Vans. Although we didn’t have any more steak, it seemed the right place to end a very fun day.

Carl’s Steaks Cheese Steak- 3.5 out of 5 knives
Lobel’s Prime Rib sandwich – 4 out of 5 knives
NYY Steak – 4 out of 5 knives

-Rev

P.S. Order your very own “official” SteakClub7 Yankee’s Photo here;

Big Apple BBQ Block Party / Old Homestead – Solo Mission

This weekend in NYC was the infamous Big Apple BBQ Block Party. Held once a year in New York City’s Madison Square Park, the event hosts a dozen or more BBQ masters from around the country serving up their specialties.

With so many to choose from and lines as long a 90 minutes, especially for the Salt Lick, from Driftwood, TX, the event offers up a “VIP” skip the line option for $100. If you aren’t into the investment you can  get their early to beat out some of the crowd. If you aren’t made of money bags and are a late riser, you can go our route; put a few people in line for the Salt Lick and send others to wait in the shorter lines and bring it back to those in the Salt Lick line.

Each BBQ location brings their own cooking method, 1 or 2 of their signature dishes and their pit master. It’s quite and event, even for a city like this. We got there around 1 pm and instantly get in line for some of Michael Rodriguez’s Salt Lick.

While we waited, Chuck and Molly ran out and got us some brisket from Fairfield, CT based Wilson’s Barbeque. The brisket was really good, especially the burnt ends. Some of the cuts were a little fatty and the sauce was a little too heavy on the tomato for me but overall pretty good. It just made me want the Salt Lick Brisket even more.

The Salt Lick line reached from their tent all the way around the park and past the line for Blue Smoke. The restaurant from Robert Callagahn is located exactly 1 block from where the Block Party happens so even though the line was very short and their ribs looked great, we opted not to get any.

While still in the enormous line for the Salt Lick, Chuck and Cara ran off to get us some baby ribs from Rack and Soul. Normally I wouldn’t suggest getting in line for something located in NYC but the line seemed short and baby back ribs sounded like a great idea. Let me tell you and moreover, let me tell pit master Charles Gabriel, they were the best damn ribs I have ever eaten in my life! The sauce was so sweet that it made the perfectly cooked ribs taste like peppered candy. I couldn’t get them in my mouth fast enough!!

Just as we were polishing off 4 orders of Rack and Soul ribs, the bad news came down the line. Even though we were only about 15-20 people away from being served at the Salt Lick, they had run out of brisket. What is a Steak Club 7 member supposed to do? Stand in line and get some of the tasty Salt Lick sausage! I had them hold the coleslaw and added extra of the mustard base Salt Lick sauce. Good, God almighty, they make some damn fine sausage.

That was it. I couldn’t eat anymore. Nona, Cara, Tina and Aaron all said the same. Chuck and Molly on the other hand, went back for some more ribs at Rack and Soul. Can you say MVPs? While we’re dolling out the awards, how about “Mom of the Year,” or “Best Use of a Stroller” for this lady?

We met up with some other friends for a few afternoon beers and baseball. A few hours later and someone made a dangerous suggestion; let’s go get the bacon at Old Homestead. A few drinks in and one quick visit to www.opentable.com and we were on our way to bacon!

The plan was for each of us to get a slice of bacon, a cocktail and that was it. Of course as soon as host Michael D. Florea sat us at our seat in the newly refurbished 1st floor dining room, the plan instantly changed. Molly and Chuck both got a slice of Kobe bacon and a Classic Homestead Burger while Rob, Kris, Cara and I split a burger and a porter house for 2. Now if you know anything about the SC7 (or our sister site Burger Conquest) you know that the Old Homestead is ranked #1 on both sites. If you don’t know us that well, it’s right there at the top of the page. How the hell am I supposed to go in there and not order a burger or a steak, let alone both? Clearly I can’t!

We started off with an appetizer of the Chef’s Special Bread Preparation; garlic bread in a Parmesan sauce. We ripped through 2 of those suckers as the hunger built in our stomachs for more meat. Along with the bread came the prized Kobe Bacon Slab. It is the best and biggest piece of bacon any where in the world. If you haven’t had one, get your behind to the Homestead with out delay! Admittedly, mine was cooked slightly less than I prefer but it was still darn tootin and don’t think I didn’t dip it in the Parmesan cheese!!

The steak came out and it was still sizzling. I couldn’t wait to sink my toofusess into it’s juicy fillet and sirloin sides! The burger sat high on it’s plate with a wooden steak to keep it together. Once the burger was divided into 4 parts, the destruction began. Even though both the steak and the burger (much like the bacon) were just a tad undercooked, they were still amazing. You just aren’t going to find better than this! The meat at Old Homestead is bursting with flavor and with it’s own unique taste.

Add in a side of broccoli sauteed in garlic, creamed spinach and their amazing pot of mac and cheese, and you have one super deluxe food feast. I’d love to tell you that I feel like more of a man after eating BBQ all day and beef all night, but I actually feel like I might need to go on an all grapes diet for a month.

However, I regret nothing!!! At least what I am telling myself in the gym

Tell em Rob!

Big Apple BBQ + Old Homestead:
4.5 out of 5 knives

-Rev

Pietro’s – Entrees Before Appetizers

The anticipation and excitement that kicks up on the day of an SC7 gathering is like waiting for Santa to come on Christmas day. With a few of us having a difficult week, this one couldn’t have come at a better time. CMoore came with the suggestion to try Pietro’s Restaurant in East Midwtown. This Italian-leaning steak house opened in 1932, this restaurant passed hands when original owner, Pietro Donini passed away. In 1984, Pietro’s moved to it’s current location on 43rd St.

The SC7 rode with out the Meat God or Jon this month so we were only a table of 5. After a quick beverage at the bar, we were shown to our seats. As we passed a table next to ours, we saw a gentlemen about to dig into one of the most tantalizing chicken parmesans I have ever seen. I looked at Paul and without missing a beat, he exclaimed, “mate, we’re getting one as an appetizer!”

As soon as we sat down, before we could even ask for water, Paul looked up at the waiter and asked “Can we please have an order of chicken parmesan and an order of spaghetti of meat balls as an appetizer?” The server, a little taken back, took the order and walked away. Before we had even placed an order for wine and appetizers, the said entrees arrived. The waiter divvied them up and we dove right in. The chicken parm was certainly out of sight! Just slightly crispy on the outside but still tender on the inside. I would normally expect more sauce but the flavor was just right. The same went the spaghetti. The meatballs were excellent and honestly, I would’ve been happy just eating a whole plate of them. They were both so good and only made me hungrier!

I skipped on a salad but the other guys got some and 2 orders of shrimp.

Paul and I split the “steak for 2″ which was essentially a bone-in strip. The steak arrived at the table, but only for a moment. The waiter just wanted to show it to us before he took it to their preparation table where he cut it up and arranged in on our plates. He placed them down in front us of and I began to salivate as I saw it was perfectly cooked. Juicy, tender, flavorful, hot, seared in butter – it was amazing. I had to get my picture with this unbelievable piece of beer. I was having a straight up meatgasm.

The other guy’s steaks arrived as well. Everyone’s entree looked just so good. The “oooohs” and “ahhhs” were a plenty and I knew everyone was really happy with their steak.

For sides we got brocooli and green beans served ailoi along with lyonnaise, home fried and au gratin potatoes. The lyonnaise I could’ve done with out but everything else was delectable. I especially enjoyed the green beans. You almost never get them as an option at a steak house so this made me really happy.

Take one look at this work of art and tell me if you aren’t about to call in a reservation yourself!

We made short work of the meal, finishing nearly every bite of food on the table. The review feeling pretty damn positive. The waiter came by and rattled off a desert list that felt longer than Santa’s naughty list. We all exclaimed how full our belly’s were and that we couldn’t eat another bite.

So Paul and Joe, in an effort to keep it easy, ordered chocolate cake, tiramisu and sorbet! Keep it light and easy my behind!! Admittedly, they were all rich with flavor and damn good but I was about to pop.

Definitely mark this one off as a place you should try. The food was great, the atmosphere was friendly and good times were had. It’s an older crowd though, so if you like it a little more personal and quiet, go after 8 pm.

4 out of 5 knives
-Rev

Smith and Wollensky Grill Solo Mission – 1 Adventure with 2 Ratings

Not to brag, but we have 2 blogs. We eat steak at www.steakclub7.com and we eat burgers at www.burgerconquest.com. Sometimes we do both in the same blog. Some call that gluttonous but we call it righteous.

I recently received a suggestion from loyal follower, Herman T., who was praising the burger at Smith and Wollensky Grill in Manhattan. Smith and Wollensky, a famous chain steak house, first opened at their New York City location in 1977. Since then they’ve expanded to Las Vegas, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and more. This location in particular received a spot of fame from a scene in the movie “The Devil Wears Prada” starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway.

Steakhouses are notorious for having tasty burgers, so who am I to say no? The Grill is located in the S&W building but the entrance is around the back on 49th St. No reservation needed but host extraordinaire, Tim Dufffy will set you up with a nice table, just like he did for my wife and I.

Scattered around the walls of the restaurant are these little gold plates with people’s names on them. They really had no rhyme or reason to placement or significance. I later asked our server and he confirmed, they just get put up. Hmmm. Steak Club 7 plague in the future? It would be our first! I’m just sayin…

We started off with the Smith and Wollensky Special Salad which has mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, grilled potatoes and chopped bacon in a vinaigrette dressing. The bacon was thick and flavorful, although a little chewy. The slightly grilled potato really didn’t add anything, maybe if it had more flavor. I felt like I was eating salad for the sake of having some greens, not because it was delicious.

We ordered the Smith and Wollensky burger, the same way we ordered our bone-in NY Strip: medium rare. They arrived together along with the french fries, creamed spinach and hash brown potatoes we ordered on the side. Everything looked and smelled great. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into all the delicious beef!

First bite of the burger had me intrigued. Something was different about this one. Although it looked like your traditional old-school burger, that I like to call “Dad style” but it had a secret I could not pinpoint. The steak on the other hand, not so interesting. The cut was fatty and served just above room temperature which is a huge let down when you are spending that kind of money on an entree.  Steak should be served hot and cooked just slightly under how you ordered it, sitting in a bath of it’s own juices. That way it stays hot, juicy and cooks up just right. No juice, no hot and lots of fat.  The fries were delicious and the wife claimed to love the creamed spinach. The hash browns were pretty good but needed some oomf like grilled onions or some paprika, but overall good.

The burger was a winner and so was the service. Tim came over several times to check in with us. On one such visit, Tim solved the mystery of the tasty burger; they combine ground beef along with trimmings from the cuts of steak to make the Smith and Wollensky burger. You can definitely taste the Fillet cut in the burger and it is darn tootin’!

I polished off my meal with my favorite after dinner drink combination, black Sambucca and an espresso. It’s a great way to round off a large meal.

We made friends with the table next to us and promised to put them up on the blog. Of course we didn’t exchange any contact info, so who knows if they’ll ever see this but at least I am good to my word!!

STEAK CLUB 7
2 out of 5 knives

BURGER CONQUEST
7 out of 10 ounces

-Rev

P.S. Thanks for the recommendation Herman.

Strip Club Solo Mission – Meat Revenge

Twice now, the other 6 lumps in the SC7 have chosen New York’s Strip House on days I wasn’t available.  So when Tom D, a mutual friend of Steak Club 7 included me on the following email, I thought to myself  “Ahhhhhh! Sweet Revenge!”

**
Gentlemen – would you all be available for an intimate Peter Luger’s dinner on Thursday, May 28?
**

But wait, I just said Strip House above…Tom suggested Luger’s WTF?? What do you expect out of a guy that lives in LA? Luger’s had no reservations available (thank god. The place might be fun but the steaks are about as mediocre as you can get) Sam threw out the Strip House suggestion. Was it a random idea? Me thinks Sam knew it was not only an SC7 top 5′er but only 2 blocks my office and wanted me to make him Steak Famous. Or it could be because the Strip House is amazing and on the same block as his office, but I really think it’s the former.

With the anticipation building, Adam and I left the office and scurried to meet Tom for a pre-dinner bevvy. Balvenie Rocks, thank you. One thing you should know about Tommy D, he is the original inspiration of the original Steak Club (there is no blog) so he kind of sort of maybe but not really is like an honorary member of the SC7. Despite his many short comings, he’s a pretty damn great guy and it was good to see.

Shortly the guests started to arrive and the very attentive staff took us to our table. While everyone was busy with the “hey how are you’s,”  “it’s nice to see you’s” and the “so tell me what you do’s,” I was secretly plotting to take over the the table’s order. Several appetizers were ordered but only those that know, got the Kobe bacon appetizer. Look at this, would you?

Now look at the beets and shrimp appetizers.

Now look at the Kobe Bacon again! Who won in that battle?

Soon the steaks started to arrive. Me and Tommy D split up a Porter House for 2 AKA having your steak and eating it too with a Strip and Fillet all in one. One bite confirmed, this is one of the best steaks in existence. Each one comes with a clove of roasted garlic. It’s enough to make a grown man cry. Cooked to an absolute perfection, juicy, melts in your mouth, full of flavor and just as heavenly as the matrix could make it be.

Onto the sides, where the Strip Club really pulls out some punches. Sure we got some Steamed Broccoli and Asparagus but that’s for health and / or digestive reasons and they are done up right. We also ordered the Goose Fat Potatoes, Garlic – Herb French Fries, Fried Onions, Black Truffle Creamed Spinach, Creamed Corn with Bacon and the coup de grâce; Warm Garlic Bread in a Gorgonzola sauce, or as I call it, the Garlic Cheese Jenga house! Not a loser in the bunch.

A little shot, a little wine, a little after dinner beverage and we were ready to plow face first into a Caramelized Banana Tart and a Brownie topped with Hot Fudge and Ice Cream.

It’s so good in fact, that I am considering walking over for lunch today just to have some more. JD, Sam, Adam, other Adam, Tom, Brent, Jodi, Bill, Rhett, Tommy D — who’s with me?

Pure decadence from start to finish, the Strip House never let’s you down. But be careful, it’s easy to go over board!

4.5 out of 5 knives
-Rev

Knickerbocker Bar and Grill- Alec Baldwin and Patricia sitting in a tree

Welcome to May, month of the Meat God! When he picked the old school Knickerbocker Bar & Grill, we thought it was a very interesting choice. Old school restaurant, not exactly a steak house, live music…not exactly our norm. But when I saw they had Amstel Light on tap and the words “Everyday is Sundae” on the menu, there were no more questions!

The Knickerbocker, located in NYC’s Greenwich Village, right near NYU, has been in operation since 1977.  It’s 300 year old marble bar has become a favorite hang for celebs like Rachel Ray, Paul Sorvino, Alec Baldwin, Richard Gere and more (or so says they’re website!) With a grill that stays open until 2 am and an actual piano bar, the Knickerbocker has definitely carved out it’s place in the myriad of NYC restaurants. Serving a slightly older crowd, you can tell it has stood the test of time.

After selecting a tasty Balvenie 12 year old scotch from the piano and a bottle of Penfold’s “Bin 32″ Shiraz from the wine menu, I was ready to be fed! Kudos to the BIG PA for suggesting a Burger for an appetizer, seeing as he wasn’t a part of the SC7 when we used to do that every time. In fact, my love for burgers grew into it’s own website! Check out our sister blog; Burger Conquest.

We nibbled on the warm and delicious cornbread that our fantastic server, Patricia, placed on the table while we perused the menu. The rest of the guys ordered up a shrimp cocktail as well as some salads and we were off to the races.  Awwwww yeah! My favorite salad – Frisee with roasted garlic, pancetta and blue cheese, I was so excited. The other guys all went with the traditional wedge. My salad could’ve used a little more garlic and pancetta but really I would just be asking to push the envelope.

The “black angus” bacon cheese burger arrived and we split it into 6 pieces (I took 2!) so we could all share. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare and looked amazing with the cheddar and bacon cooked on top. One bite, 2 bites, give me another piece…yeah looks are revealing, this was a great burger. It was full of flavor with a nice juiciness to greasiness balance served on a toasted brioche. A clear winner.

Known primarily for their t-bone steaks, the Knickerbocker serves them for 1-4 people. As the Meat God, the Big PA and I asked for a t-bone for 3 served medium rare, Patricia let us know that it isn’t on the the menu, but they do offer porterhouses if you know to ask for them. With our newly gained knowledge, we asked for a porterhouse for 3! Joe went with the tenderloin and Matt asked for his standard, the filet.

The steaks arrived and we’re looking pretty good, especially the PHF3 as it bathed in it’s own juices. The macaroni and cheese, another off menu secret, loaded with bacon and peas, arrived along with the steaks. While Patricia kindly served up slices of the strip and filet sides of the PHF3, we passed around the mac. One bite revealed it’s rich and delicious flavor. I definitely had to go in for a 2nd helping.  The steak, served with mashed potatoes and onion rings was calling my name. A few naked bites of steak were followed by a few bites accompanied with the smokey burnt teriyaki tasting house steak sauce. It had an interesting flavor and certainly wasn’t bland but something about the Knickerbocker secret Porter House tasted different than most. Was it their seasoning? Was it their aging process? Was it their preparation? I couldn’t really place it.

As we asked Patricia for a 2nd but different bottle of wine, she quietly helped us around the wine menu between the good, the bad and the ugly until we ended up with a Grand Reserve Malbec from Argentina. The mashed potatoes were thick and creamy. The onions rings were string style and were a savory addition to the meal. A few more bites of steak and we killed the PHF3. Matt, never getting enough food, god love him, placed an order for the truffle bleu cheese fries. Bursting with salty flavor, the fries were good (as noted by a happy thumb buddy) but a little too much for my tastes, especially after all we had just eaten.

Up next, the Meat God’s favorite part…dessert! He and Matt went with hot fudge sundae and the Big PA ordered up the banana pudding in his best English born accent, to which we asked Patricia to say it back trying to imitate him. “BUH-NAH-NAH” we all said together and laughed. As Joe was about to order up his own sundae, Patricia looked at him and said “you look like the kind of guy that might like our special off menu dessert, the cappuccino pie.” Joe looked at us mouth agape and then back to Patricia. “You definitely know who you’re dealing with. I’ll take it!” The sundaes were good, although not really my thing but the banana pudding and the cappuccino pie were so good. Patricia gave us a little cup of dolce de lecehe sauce which I gladly took advantage of.

All in all, a good time, a good steak, good sides for a good value but the real outstanding part of our experience was the great service. Just one question, what the hell is a Knickerbocker anyway!?!

3 out of 5 knives
-Rev