Bobby Vans – A Traditonal Christmas Shot

I love Nick Tieder. Nick is a dear friend and someone who let’s his passions fly unbridled to ensure maximum enjoyment. His teenager like appreciation for music, events and people is admirable. So when Nick asked me if I wanted to join him in planning another holiday steak-out for our friends, I undoubtedly said “HELL YES!!” Traditions are good, well at least the ones that don’t cause harm to others, but it gives people a reason to spend time together. Last year at this time I planned and holiday outing for our friends at Peter Luger’s Steakhouse. A grand time was had by all and it was well worth resurrecting once again.

Bobby Vans has several locations but this fantastic, NYC style steakhouse is best enjoyed at their Broad Street location, right across the street from the New York Stock Exchange. Diners have the option is sitting upstairs in the formal dining room, at the bar or in the more laid back atmosphere in the downstairs grille that still sits in the 1898 built vault room of the J.P. Morgan bank that was formally located here. Try booking a table for on Friday and Saturday nights when their ENTIRE wine list is half price. Traditional in every way, this formal dining room, covered in rich mahogany wood, chandeliers,  white linens and operated by well dressed and very courteous  staff. The regular menu has a selection of steaks, seafood, salad veggies and of course, potatoes. Everything at Bobby Vans is done with class and quality but don’t think for a second that it creates a stale atmosphere. Bobby Van’s knows how to make your dining experience fun and delicious.

If you’re going to stop in for a fantastic meal experience, please ask for Vincent and tell him Rev from Burger Conquest / Steak Club 7 sent you. It was absolutely the right choice for the Rev & Tieder Annual Holiday Steak Off!

We started off our meal test tasting the latest creation from GiddyUp! Sauces, a NYC Steakhouse style Steak Sauce on the Bobby Van’s bread basket. I wish I could tell who they were for but trust me, they are FANTASTIC.

HEYOH HEYOH! A surprise for the table, an order of the secret menu Chef’s prepared bacon. It was grilled to perfection in a balsamic reduction and it was spectacular.

We also got an order of calamari and baked clams, neither of which I tried because seafood is YUCKY.

Ahhhhh! The apex moment of excitement, the arrival of the porter house steaks, ordered for the entire table (that’s 4 porter houses for 2 between friends.)

Watch the magic happen, listen to my reel of clichés and see what everyone had to say about the PERFECTLY prepared medium-rare porterhouse for two.

Add in some tasting veggies and potatoes on the side and you have one fantastically traditional NY Steakhouse style meal.

It was at the monumental celebration that the “shot of steak fat” had its public debut. (See video entry here.) It’s taken from the juice of a porterhouse, poured into a glass and shot like one would liquor. It sounds disgusting but trust me, it’s AWESOME …

…and now it’s a holiday tradition!

The official “change the gloves” sign of Steak Club 7, the upright t-bone.

As always, I polished off my steak meal with a black Sambucca and espresso but at BV’s, espresso comes with rock candy on a stick!

Until next year, happy steak eatin’ all

4.5 out of 5 knives
-Rev

Bobby Vans – Back with a Vengeance

Seeing as you rely on Steak Club 7 to be THE authority on NYC Steak, it’s our duty to try them all. Once in awhile though a steak is so good, it needs to be revisited. Other times, it’s so bad that there is no chance of redemption. Bobby Vans was on that list.

Home of the 2nd ever official SC7 gathering, the Bobby Vans, downtown location (across from the NY Stock Exchange) had a very poor showing. To be very honest, we have dogged it for years. With the addition of our newest member, The Big P.A. also came a request to return. Being believers in 2nd chances, we granted the Big P.A. his wish, knowing that his new membership could fall into question. We’ve seen this cow and we didn’t like the way he looked at us.

On a day where the Dow Jones drops more than 500 points, the worst drop in 7 years, Lehman Brothers announces its filing for bankruptcy and the Bank of America makes a move to purchase Merrill Lynch, walking down Wall Street is anything less than a horror show. Sullen looks, news cameras balnketing the area, empty restaurants and and overall feeling of gloom started tonight’s Steak Club 7 gathering off on a rather bleak note. … In other words, this had better be good.

Let’s be honest, any meal that starts with the “chef’s specially prepared bacon,” is going to be one not soon to be forgotten. It was grilled to perfection in a balsamic reduction and it was spectacular. What is that on the specials menu today? Is that a cheese steak? Why yes it is Steak Club 7 and you can order it however you want! We did – fillet medium with fried onions and cheese. Another home run hit.

The boys shared some shrimps which they said weren’t too amazing but I think Bobby Vans just needed to control our excitement and threw a little sand bag in there for good measure. A wedge salad covered in chopped onion rings, bacon and a Roquefort dressing? You bet and it tasted as amazing as it sounds.

Then the steaks…oh my the steaks. They were big, succulent, prepared perfectly and served up just right. I think we all agreed, Bobby Vans was back and back big. We eat a lot of good steaks but this was near perfection.

Side wise, the green beans were crunchy and delicious while served in a tasty sautee. The browns were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside for an amazing but difficult mix to achieve. You can skip the macaroni and cheese, it wasn’t very good unless you’re into Velveta. It didn’t detract from the meal.

Just as we all slowed down to take a break and breath in the amazing meal and not to forget, the amazing service, the waiter showed up with “The Big Finish” which consisted of creme brulee, carrot cake, berries and 2 other amazing pastries. It was so rich and fulfilling. The Meat God was served his very own hot fudge sundae in an edible custom made chocolate bowl! I wanted to stop eating and did not have the will power but that didn’t stop the sambucca!

Just as we were saying our good byes and thank yous to the fine folks at Bobby Vans, they offered us a private tour of “the vault.” Before the restaurant occupied the space, it was originally J.P. Morgan & CO’s bank vault in the early 1900s. (Check out www.bobbyvans.com for the full story.) It was through the kitchen and located in the basement. The original 7000 and 2000 LB vault doors were still in tact as well as the bronze safety deposit boxes. Of course we pick one of 2 nights a week that the vault area is closed for dining.

The Rev gives this Bobby Vans visit a perfect 5 out of 5 knives . With extra props to the staff for being so friendly and allowing us to act like this.

Guys – Do I hear an instant entrance into the SC7 Top 5?

Big Props to SteveyT