Buenos Aires Restuarant -Switch Hit Home Run

The month of April found the Big PA in charge of choosing our destination. He has a pretty good batting average so we were a little surprised when he went off the standard NYC style steakhouse course when he picked the Argentinian style parilla, Buenos Aires Restaurant. I am a huge fan of Argentinian Parilla, but when we tried this at Azul Bistro, it didn’t receive winning results. None the less, feed me.

Even before we were all seated, the waiter brought over some cured ham and cooked eggplant, compliments of the house. That is a great way to start any meal! The ham was really good but I didn’t try the eggplant.

While we waited for the Jon and the Meat God to arrive we took the liberty of ordering empanadas for the table. We got beef, chicken, ham and cheese and my favorite, corn. Matt demanded his own plate and who are we to say no? GO MATT!  The empanadas arrived just after the other guys got to the table. They got devoured so quickly that we made a 2nd order. All of them were delicious but the meat empanada was far and above the favorite. These are the most authentic empanadas I have in NYC.

Next up, spicy chorizo sausage with peppers. Were they good? HELL YEAH THEY WERE AWESOME! Just like the empanadas, we ordered more. While we scarfed down the appetizers, we plowed through a couple bottles of one of my favorite wines, Trumpeter from Mendoza in Argentina. I have not seen this anywhere outside of Argentina, so I definitely took a couple of extra sips!

While we waited for the steak,  the Big PA and I took pleasure in watching the grill master cook all the meat as we had a perfect view from our seats. Every time a steak came off the grill, we were like 2 dogs waiting for a treat. Noses in the air, mouth salivating and eyes glazed over. Then the magic moment…7 bife de chorizos espcial (24 oz strip steaks!) arrived which marked a magic moment for SteakClub7, we all ordered the same steak!

Holy moses! This was the biggest strip any of us had ever seen! I kept thinking there is no way this is cooked correctly, which for me, was medium rare. It is next to impossible to cook a hunk of meat this big perfectly. I was betting it would be over done but then I sliced it open and much to my surprise, it was cooked perfectly. As was everyone at the table!

We all dove face first into our steaks. MMMM so good. I was just amazed. Then I tried a couple bites with the chimichurri sauce they had placed on the table. OH MY GOD! SO GOOD! The steaks were so big and so good but not a one of us was able to finish them.  CMoore’s dog cowboy was looking at one heck of a doggie bag!

Then it came time for dessert and right after I said “there is no way I have room for more food” I ordered a bowl of the dulce de leche ice cream. It was so thick, creamy and rich. I don’t know what I was thinking but damn it was good.

All in all, a great steak indeed and a fun departure away from the standard. Not only that but some of the most friendly and attentive service I have ever received at a restaurant.  I highly recommend this place!

Que bueno! 4 out of 5 knives!

-Rev

Christo’s – So Far, So Good.

We’re a large bunch of guys and pretty busy too, so when JoeC chose a Christo’s in Astoria, Queens, NY, I thought for sure there would be upheaval from the rest of the SC7. Of course when Jon offered to drive, that kept people quiet. I myself hopped the N train and rode out to the Ditmars Boulevard stop, the last one on the line. After an easy 30 minute ride later, I arrived in what is a very Greek section of Queens and walked the 10 blocks to Christo’s.

I was the first to arrive and could not have been more excited when I was greeted by a porch side view of what was in side. A Steak window display!!

Then you cross into the restaurant and are immediately met with a cold locker of the cuts.

Oh man! I knew we were in for something good. You have to have some balls to display the meats. Its like boasting about yourself. So bold, I love it. After a quick cocktail at the bar, we were sat a corner table and were immediately served grilled bread. Not just fresh, but actually grilled white and whole grain bread. What a move! It came with a delicious olive tapenade, which normally I would avoid but it was delicious. We also asked for some of the house made steak sauce which was really good due to a heavy hand on the horse radish.

After our very attentive and friendly server ran down a list of specials, we posted our well crafted attack of an order. All the standards plus some specialized Greek dishes and a request for the not-included-on-the-menu-bacon. Shrimp Cocktail, Boston Leaf Salad with Pears and walnuts, Sliced Tomato and Sweet Onion salad, Alaskan Jumbo Scallops, Loukaniko (Grilled Greek Sausage) Fried Calamari and some sort of bizarre lamb filled egg roll. I thought it was an overtly large salads and starters menu but the SC7 is a hungry bunch!

The sausage was fantastic. It wasn’t too spicy nor was it too mild but it was filled with taste. My Boston leaf salad was fresh and fantastic and lamb rockets were delicious. I thought the Meat God was going to make out with one of the shrimp the way he was smacking his lips while eating them. A brief pause in the meal and the main and side courses arrived. That’s when I realized just how much food we had ordered.

The hand cut fries were OK but honestly in the wake of all the other tasty sides, something had to finish in last place. In first place tie, the Au Gratin Potatoes and the Parmesan Risotto were hard to beat. The rice was cooked perfectly in the creamy sauce of the risotto was damn near magical. The Sauteed Broccoli with Garlic was really good as was the Rigatoni Al A Vodka. I didn’t have the Creamed Spinach or the Lobster Mash but they both looked great.

The evening was on a role, setting up what could be a big victory. Many of our recent visits to Steak Houses have ended in a fail due to a poor steak. Could Christo’s set themselves apart? The look and the smell alone shortly confirmed, yes, yes this was a good one. The Big PA, Meat God and I went in a on a medium rare Porterhouse for 3.

I dug into the strip side first. It was cooked to perfection and it tasted pretty good. Not too much salt, no overbearing spices, just a nice flavor filled piece of steak. With no hesitation and a lot of anticipation, I bit into the fillet side. Oh my god! It was so good. The taste, the texture, the temperature…it was all right on the money. The bite melted in my mouth and I ripped through the rest of the piece. Christo’s had done it. They held it together and made an all round delicious and tasty meal.

As we sat licking our lips, loosening our pants and sipping through a few after dinner coffees and cocktails, the waiter asked if we wanted anything from the dessert menu. That is the moment when I realized how much we ate. Not because I felt full but more so, the Meat God did NOT order his usual ice cream sundae. As we reveled in the afterglow of our meal, the waiter showed p with 3 dessert plates, compliments of the house! Wow. What are you going to do? Say no!?? Of course not! We dug right into the Filo Dough Tiramisu, Chocolate Bottomed Vanilla Creme Brulee and the Sheep’s Milk Yogurt.

The Tiramisu was the clear winner. Not that the other 2 were bad but the Tiramisu was phenomenal. The Filo was so light and crispy and the cream was decadent. I highly recommend it to anyone planning to dine at Christo’s.

And just when we thought we were having a night with no downers, Jon announced he would not be driving back into the city and the rest of us had to find our own way home. As the rest of the 5 of us live no where near each other, it was the N train back into the city. I would love to tell you we had a rousing conversation on the ride back in but I would be lying…

It’s too bad Christo’s is so far out because it was damn good and I would easily return. If they were on the island, or even closer in Queens, I would not hesitate to return whatsoever. The service, atmosphere, staff and food were all great. To prove my point, I got a call the next evening that JoeC had left his credit card behind. His response “too far out to get it.

4 out of 5 Knives
-Rev

The Strip House

There’s been a few months of disappointments for the boys of Steak Club 7.  Craftsteak was laughingly bad and Peter Luger’s (Freddie Kruger’s) just uninspiring and bland.

What a shame then, that a stunning return to good steak had to happen when we were light Salty Moore and The Rev.

So it was the SC5 that convened for February’s trip to the promised  land and Captain of the month Matty Winks took a slightly easy and surefire pick and went for the Strip House.   Glance to the top left hand corner of the page and you’ll see that the fellas rate this one highly and sitting there on that cold February night it was clear to see why.

It’s a cool looking joint is the Strip House, deep reds and old style photo’s on the wall bring a time long since passed to mind which would be better suited to some Sinatra and Dean Martin, maybe a little Tom Waits moreso than the dreadful dance music that they insist on playing.  I remember that from the last time I visited this spot, still as soon as the food starts coming you forget such shortfalls.

We all like a bit of bacon, as regular readers will attest so we ordered two helpings of their bacon served with a side of lettuce.  There was enough bacon to go around and while the taste was good, it was a little fatty for my tastes, in fact a lot fatty for my tastes, not that it stopped me tucking in though which it clearly didn’t.  As tradition would dictate, we also ordered some of the jumbo shrimp which we all had a go at.  I was a little so-so on the shrimp although I seemed to be the only one so perhaps it was just my excitement for the main course.

As is usual, I opted for the porterhouse for two, which I shared with the Meat God.  In New York steak houses the porterhouse is usually delivered to the table cut into somewhat thin slices.  At the Strip House though the whole plate was delivered to the table uncut for us to approve before being taken away again to cut.  Whilst this was a nice touch, it did contribute to the steak finally being served a little colder than I’d have liked, something the Meat God commented on too.

We also felt that the whole porterhouse looked a little small, but I must admit, by the end of the meal I no longer thought we’d been shortchanged on the size.  The meat was cooked perfectly to our medium-rare specification and the taste was simply wonderful, actually, I’d go as far as to say it was spectacular.   I don’t know what they do to the meat before cooking but there is a crust which is out of this world taste-wise.  You simply must go and try it for yourself.

Enjoyed with the steak were goose fat crisp potatoes which were about as close to the traditional has browns you’ll get at this place.  Very tasty indeed and I’m a big fan of using goose fat to crisp up yer spuds as my folks have been doing that for years.  We also went for Potatoes Romanoff  whcih were quite delicious.  On the green side we went for superbly prepared broccoli and the ‘black truffle’ creamed spinach which all felt was a little too heavy on the truffle oil.  Added to that we also went for some creamed corn which I really enjoyed.

Did I manage to convey how good the steak was?  Good, then I’ll move onto the deserts.

Another win on this score I’m happy to say.  I had the caramelized banana tart which I though was lovely but for some reason none of the others fancied trying.  There was also a couple of orders of their brownie which again was better than your average.

The service was certainly up to scratch but as the place is small and a little noisy I never felt like the service was that personal.  Don’t get me wrong, very efficient and friendly but I don’t this this place is going for the same kind of waiter that a place like Bobby Vans has.  There’s not enough room between the tables for that to be any different really.

All in all, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Strip House and I’d say it’s a worthy inclusion on the Steak Club 7’s NYC top five.

9 out of 10 knives, could have been higer save for the dodgy shrimp and fatty bacon.
- The Big P.A.

Peter Luger – The King of Steak Wears a Hollow Crown

It was cold out, but the walk to meet up with the Meat God for my ride to Williamsburg, Brooklyn had a spring in the step because it was steak night, and I was gonna eat right.

For the first Steak Club 7 trip of 2009, January’s captain The Rev had decided on a place with a long tradition of serving prime porterhouse to a packed house of satisfied diners.

I remember my first time at Peter Luger, I’d not long been living in New York and with cash in my pocket (they only take the Peter Luger credit card or cash) I jumped in the cab and headed over the bridge to the promised land. You could say that was the night I had my first proper steak, coz they don’t serve it this way back in jolly ‘ole England and boy was I not disappointed. Luger’s had since become the place I’d take out of town friends to show them how steak is done in New York City.

So fast forward a few years and here we go again. There had always been somewhat of a reluctance shown towards Peter Luger by my colleagues in the SC7, something I’d never understood so I was keen to dine there with the boys so we could all see just how great the place is.

Luger’s is known for it’s slightly snobby approach to its clientele and unlike other places we’ve been recently I think they greeted the concept of a steak club visiting their restaurant with some amusement. Once we were seated the waiter walked over with menu’s and pulling his face somewhat and shaking his head asked the assumed question of “you don’t need menu’s do you”?

You see they’re famous for their porterhouse at Luger’s, and by being there you know that right? Right?

We knew we were in for a big night so to kick thinks off right a massive order of twelve pieces of bacon was conveyed almost immediately, actually, scrap that, it was for eleven as the Rev had a plan in mind, bacon AND a burger before the porterhouse. Alas it wasn’t to be as the burger is a strictly lunchtime item so the Rev was left thinking what might have been.

The bacon was incredible, served up with some of the Luger steak sauce rarely have I seen (heard) the boys of the SC7 so quiet. Just typing these words is making me hungry for some more of that pork goodness.

Two huge plates of tomato and onion were ordered which I didn’t partake in as they’re two things I just don’t like raw but I did rock some of the shrimp which was certainly above average, fresh and tasty.

And then ladies and gentleman in attendance and the millions reading around the world, the main even of the evening, porterhouse for five, two helpings of hash browns, creamed spinach and broccoli too.

As is tradition the waiter put two slices of the porterhouse on to each of our plates although I thought it curious that both were from the same side. I usually like one slice from the strip and one from the fillet to begin with but it wasn’t to be. Potatoes were heaped on to the plate as was the creamed spinach. We’d all agreed on medium rare for the steak which was all good with me. I like to enjoy my steak without sauce but I applied generous portions of the sauce on to my hash browns, yum, just the way I like it.

I tried the potatoes first which were superb, a wonderfully crunchy texture to them and you could really taste the crisp. The spinach was also delicious although a little runny perhaps. And then the steak, ah, that first bite, always so satisfying.

I think JoeC was the first to say what we were all thinking, “is it me or is this steak a little tasteless” and he was right, it was. To say I was disappointed was an understatement but this just wasn’t how I remembered it. Joe was right, the steak was, well, a little tasteless. We talked about why we all felt this way, perhaps our pallet is just finely tuned now, perhaps we should have ordered three porterhouse for two rather than one for five but the bottom line is this – Peter Luger is no longer the king of steak in New York City.

There are places that take more pride in what they’re doing and want to fight harder for your buck. Maybe Luger’s has become complacent, I don’t know, but as I commented to the Rev as we were walking out, this ain’t the place I’m taking my out of town pals for steak any more.

Dessert was nice, three of Luger’s special “Holy Cow” hot fudge Sunday’s and I went for the pecan pie which was up there with the bacon in terms of how tasty it was. Of course I covered the pie in a massive amount of their homemade schlag (whipped cream for the uninitiated) which put a huge smile on my face.

No Salty Moore tonight which was a shame for the first visit of the year and we lost Jon at half time (before the porterhouse) as he had to go to work, but it was another fun night for the boys despite the mediocre steak.

6 out of 10 knives
-The Big P.A.

Sing It Loud, It’s Steak Night!

That’s right J.D. and Turk …. It’s Steak Night!!

The SC7 is very excited for their first outing in 2009. Peter Luger’s here we come!!

You know you love bacon!

I advise all bacon lovers to click this link.

This is not spam (it’s bacon)!

Free yourself from web 2.0 and try web B.O!

- SC7

Meat Box – That’s Jody said …

Are you familiar with the statement “have your cake and eat it too?” The basic premise is that one can have 2 things when being asked to choose only 1. This dream is made reality by the porterhouse steak. The porterhouse, also sometimes wrongly accused of being a t-bone, is a cut of beef that has a portion of fillet and a portion of sirloin, separated by a bone. The t-bone, for the sake of reference is not as thick nor as marbled as the porterhouse. A real steak eater goes for the “PH” as we call it in Steak Club 7.

The porterhouse is a cut made famous by the city we call home, New York and no steak house is more famous for the PH than Brooklyn’s Peter Luger’s. In our humble opinion, don’t bother to pay them a visit unless you are in for the PH. You can order by the number of people at your table.

However, what you can’t order, at least to our knowledge, is a tour of the Peter Luger’s “Meat Box.” Thanks to a recent article in the NY Times, we are now aware of its existence.

Peter Luger's Meat Box from the NY Times

According to the NY Times article; “A 2,000-square-foot industrial walk-in cooler, the meat box is larger than many city domiciles, and is equally congested, packed from floor to ceiling at any given time with 30,000 pounds of raw, aging meat.”

Be sure get dizzy and click the for a panoramic view of the meat box. Once you’re done wiping the saliva from your mouth, marvel at modern technology and it’s ability to put you in face first in the world’s most exciting fridge.

Wow! It’s like the Willy Wonka chocolate factory is real! Now, if we can only get them to issue 7 golden tickets, of course all of which the Steak Club7 deserves, we could be invited in to see the inner workings of the “Meat Box.”

With that in mind …

Dear Jody Storch,

We here at Steak Club 7 wanted to make you aware of a few things about our unique group.

1. We love Steak
2. We love porterhouses
3. We love you
4. We love Peter Luger’s
5. We especially love Peter Luger’s bacon
6. We would LOVE a tour of your meat box
7. We would love to write a story on the SC7 website about your meat box
8. We would love to come dine with you and share it with the world in attempt to spread the cheer and joy of the Peter Luger legacy with all of the world

Thanks and love

Steak Club 7
P.S. Peace and joy to all this holiday season. May Santa, Hanukkah Harry, Papa Noel, Jack Skelington or Peter Luger’s bring you good tidings of steak to you and your family!

Better Living

Steak Club 7 exists as a quest for great steak but it’s also a service. We are here to help you. You want a great steak and wonderful experience, we want to help you find what you need. The SC7 do the work so you don’t have  to and you’re very welcome. It’s a professional service that we love to offer.

It’s good to know the experts and with that in mind, we would like to introduce to a friend, Better Living Through Travel.  Need to find a cute place to get away for the weekend? Need the real deal on an ideal getaway? No time to wade through the thousands of hotels listed on travel commerce sites? THESE ARE YOUR PEOPLE!! Just like the Steak Club 7, they will give you the real low down.

BLTT recently conducted and in depth interview with the Steak Club 7. Learn all about what makes us do this for you!

Click here to read and learn.

Thanks Better Living Through Travel, we’ll see you over a steak soon.

craftsteak – A Titanic scene for the cutting room floor

It’s been exactly 1 month since the last official gathering of the SteakClub7 and the anticipation has been growing. This month’s selection of craftsteak new york, courtesy of birthday boy; CMoore. We’ve been taking quite a bit of heat for not having tried the place out yet and with branches in Connecticut and Las Vegas, it was long overdue.

Appropriately located in Manhattan’s meat packing district, this new school, artisanal and hip steakhouse has been attracting attention for years.  The excitement was building for 7 hungry men who like their beef. Once settled in we were greeted by Jason, the very charming and friendly host of craftsteak. We were seated in the restaurant (there is also a very plush lounge next to the bar) at a large round corner table along side of the 2 story hall of wine and were immediately aghast at the wide array of cuts available.

The order was placed and the meal began. The service was impeccable. The entire wait staff were cordial, informative, attentive and never over bearing.  I had the Arugula and Fennel salad and it was delicious. Other appetizers included Shrimp, Onion Rings, Edwards Country Ham with Pickled Pear & Almonds, Pork Belly, Smoked Coleslaw  & Tomato Marmalade, potato chips and more. The Country Ham was delicious, the fat back was amazing and the onion rings were damn near perfect.

But even with great service and tasty appetizers, the night was already taking negative turn. No Amstel Light for the meatgod, no Porterhouse for 2 option, they had run out of 2 cuts of the Wagyu and only had 1 T-bone available which sent the Big PA to choose a different cut. It didn’t end there, they were out of the Chocolate-Pecan tart and did not have Black Sambucca available at the bar. Far are we to dictate what should be served but there are a few items that make the SC7 contented and none were available.

But let’s be honest, sides, drinks, apps, service…while all very important, it’s all about the steak! With 3 choices of NY Strip, it was my duty to choose not only the biggest (18 oz) but also the oldest (aged in house 56 days) which if you know anything about aging, is almost unheard of. The taste was unlike anything I have ever had in my mouth before. The cut was succulent and rich with flavor but that is where it ended. My cut was undercooked, barely room temperature and left me unhappy having to pay so much money for such a mediocre presentation. My feelings were mirrored around the table.

The sides were good, especially the au gratin potatoes but the portions were incredibly small. It made them almost impossible to share with each other.  The sauces available were decent, especially the chimi churri but again, SC7 advises you, do not taint your dinner, other than a bite or two, with sauce. A good steak needs no sauce.

The desserts were tasty, especially the “Monkey Bread” (Toffee, Pecans, Rum Raisins & Crème Fraîche) but with the disappointment hanging in the air from the steaks, it was impossible for them to gain any ground. Even an appearance of actor Leonardo DiCaprio 2 tables away didn’t help to make the evening special.

Then the bill landed on the table and congratulations craftsteak new york, you are officially the most expensive meal we have ever had as SC7. In the end, craftsteak new york did not hold up to the hype. The blondie to go on the way out the door was a nice touch though.

Great service, great apps, great sides, great menu but the steak just wasn’t good and for the price, it wasn’t worth it either.

craftsteak new york – nice try but no dice
2 out of 5 knives
-Rev

P.S. Sorry about the broken glass. Our bad. Mazel Tov.

STK from ARG at EZE – Solo Mission

After 10 beef filled days in Argentina, it was time to return home. As I approached my gate, blissful thoughts ran through my mind of all the delicious steak I had eaten while there but honestly, I really wanted a piece of broccoli or a nice salad. All beef and no play, makes Rev a fat boy.

I normally stroll through duty free like I am a ghost town as I know the prices are over inflated and its generally items I have no interest in purchasing what so ever but when I saw the ARG stand, I stopped dead in my tracks. Then I saw it. It was right there in the Duty free section. Right between the perfumes, candy and local wines…a fresh beef shop. God bless you ARG Natural Beef, don’t let travelers out of your sights without spreading the word of your steaky goodness.

Fresh cut, raw steaks, right there in duty free. All cuts and sold custom freezer packed to survive those long flights. Unfortunately I live in NYC which means almost no kitchen to speak of and certainly no grill or backyard situation. As much as I wanted the victorious feeling of travelling with steaks as my companion, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It would just be too disrespectful to the steak to bring it home and fry it up in a 6 inch pan in the closet that is supposed to be a kitchen.

I soon shant forget you ARG at EZE and we will reunite and it will be glorious.

- Rev