All posts by Johnny Prime

Midtown East, Porterhouse, Press Reviews, Rib Eye, Steakhouse Reviews

Tudor City Steakhouse

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Tudor City Steakhouse overall score: 86

My wife and I came here to shoot photos for Instagram and try out some of the tasty cuts of beef they have on the menu. Here’s what we thought:

Flavor: 8

Rib Eye: 9/10

This baby packed the most flavor and tenderness. They nailed the cook temperature as well, and it had a great crust on the edges.

We left nothing behind. This came out with a truffle butter “sauce” that was really decadent and flavorful. More like drawn butter than a sauce, but either way it was not needed due to the greatness of the beef. Their standard steak sauce is like a very good cocktail sauce (tomato- and horseradish- based).

Porterhouse: 7/10

This baby came out at a solid medium as opposed to medium rare, but it still had great flavor and a really kickass crust.

I think this steak would have tied or even perhaps overtaken the rib eye had it been cooked properly.

We ordered the cherry peppers and onions “sauce” for this, but it turned out to be regular bell peppers, and not much of a sauce (more like a side item). Skippable.

Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 8

You’ve got all the basic steakhouse cuts here, plus a few budget steaks. Nothing too complicated. All steaks are dry aged in house, and USDA prime grade.

Portion Size & Plating: 10

Portions are large, and especially bountiful given the price point. Our ceviche appetizer was pretty big considering some of the dainty portions we’ve been seeing lately for nearly anything that isn’t an entree.

Price: 9

The prices here are considerably less (by $5 to $10 per steak) than most midtown rival steak joints. Our bill would have come to about $250, which I thought was fair for two drinks, an appetizer, a rib eye, a porterhouse for two, a side, two desserts and two coffees. In fact I’d say that’s a steal.

Bar: 7

The bar here is small, but it greets you warmly as you enter the joint. The bartender mixes a good martini and there’s a healthy selection of nice, affordably priced wines.

Specials and Other Meats: 7

There were no specials read to us, but, then again, I didn’t ask since I knew what I wanted before I even entered the joint. They do offer veal, lamb and chicken by way of alternative-meats.

Apps, Sides & Desserts: 8

Ceviche

This Peruvian mixed seafood ceviche had a nice squid ink and citrus base that really made it stand out from other ceviche dishes I’ve had in the past. It contained shrimp, mussels, fish and scallops.

Truffle Creamed Corn

Sorry, no pic. This was tasty, and had a nice bread crumb crust, but it was light on truffle flavor compared to the butter sauce mentioned above, and the cheese baked into it was a bit grainy at times.

Banana Cream Pie

This was great. Smooth, creamy, not too sweet, and just the right amount. I really liked this.

Chocolate Cremeaux

This dessert, on the other hand, didn’t quite deliver. The chocolate was a bit too dense overall, and I was expecting something more creamy and mousse-like. To their defense, I do not really know what a “cremeaux” is.

Seafood Selection: 10

There’s sushi, sole, salmon, tuna, sea bass, shrimp and trout on the seafood entree menu here. That’s pretty impressive! From the ceviche that I tried, I would say that these guys know their way around fish. Perhaps ordering a seafood entree to share as an appetizer is a good move.

Service: 10

The service here is fantastic. The waiters are attentive but not in your face all the time. The food is paced out properly and no one is waiting around or rushed.

Bread is pretty standard; sliced baguette or Italian bread style, with regular butter.

Ambiance: 9

The space here is beautiful, and the dining room has a few nooks and crannies where you can achieve a more private feel if needed.

The entrance on Tudor City Place is very quaint and welcoming, and it feels like you’re stepping into someone’s apartment building.

TUDOR CITY STEAKHOUSE
45 Tudor City Pl
New York, NY 10017

Lower East Side/Chinatown, Restaurant Reviews, Vietnamese

Nam Son

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I dropped into this Vietnamese joint for a quick bite when I was on my way to pick up a Christmas gift for my wife. I was wearing a nice shirt, having just come from work. Naturally, as a stain-magnetic asshole, I was worried about splashing pho all over myself. So instead of ordering soup, I went with egg rolls and banh cuon.

Both were decent, and it’s funny how similar both the menu and restaurant set up is to Thai Son, which I believe is a sister restaurant to this joint down by the Civic Center that my wife and I used to frequent when we lived nearby. In any case, not a bad spot, but also not an amazing spot. It’s good for a Viet food fix.

Recipes

Szechuan Strip Steak

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A few months ago I had this wild idea that I would like a steak with an aggressively spicy Chinese flavor profile of chili oil, Szechuan peppercorns, cumin and garlic. Then suddenly I saw a menu item pop up at the Lobster Club with a strikingly similar list of ingredients, and the steakhouse Blu on Park is closing, making way for an Asian steakhouse which, perhaps, will feature something similar. Without wanting to wait for the new restaurant, and without having to drop bank and fight for a table at Lobster Club, I struck out to make my own, to turn my dream into reality.

I started out with one of my Piedmontese strip steaks because (1) they’re not dry aged, so I’m not competing with any other flavors, and (2) they’re cheap enough so that if I fucked it up, I wouldn’t feel so bad about it.

So what the fuck did I do?

Marinate the shit with chili oil, garlic oil, minced garlic, Szechuan peppercorns, Szechuan pepper oil, cumin, Chinese five spice and sesame oil.

After a few hours (or a few days if you want the flavors to really penetrate the meat), and after allowing your meat to get up to room temperature, dry off your steak with paper towels and season it all over with kosher salt, cracked black pepper, garlic powder, a touch of Chinese five spice and cumin (those last two ingredient are potent, so a little goes a long way). If you have fresh chilies, cut up a few and toss those in as well.

Pour the marinate into a pan and start bringing the fucking heat. Once the pan is screaming hot (but not smoking up the joint), toss that steak in. Now throw in some duck fat (or butter if you don’t have duck fat, but tracking down some duck fat is 100% worth it to bring home all the flavors).

Once the steak sticks to the bottom of the pan, tip the pan and spoon the liquids over the top of the steak as the bottom side cooks up to a nice brown crust. After three minutes of this, flip and repeat. Once finished, remove the steak and let it rest before slicing. Here’s a video of the process:

Now throw a pint of leftover rice from your Chinese take out into the pan. You know – the box of shit that’s been in the back of your fridge all week. Mix all the oil and duck fat into the rice, and spread the rice out across the pan. LEAVE IT. Let it get crispy as fuck on the bottom without burning.

Once that’s done, plate the rice, slice up your steak, and top your rice with the steak. I did a fancy slicing technique for presentation, but you don’t have to get all crazy with it.

That’s about it. Enjoy, assholes! Oh and pro-tip: you can remove the peppercorns before frying up the rice. I didn’t do this because I like the numbing quality to them.

American, Full Points for Flavor, Japanese, Midtown West, Non-Steakhouse Steaks, Other Cuts, Restaurant Reviews, Upper West Side

The Aviary

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I took my wife to The Aviary as an early Christmas present. I booked the five course “Cocktails & Canapes” tasting menu dinner about two weeks in advance with a $100 deposit. The cost is $165pp, with an 18% gratuity added at the end (and tax, of course).

That’s crazy expensive, but this is truly a unique drinking and dining experience. I drank and ate things I never would have even thought about. In hindsight, five cocktails was aggressive (but awesome). I think when I go back, I will just order a la carte.

Here is the entire menu, but I will highlight what was selected for us below in the review:

AMUSE

The first thing to come out was an “amuse” drink – a small shot of tastiness that involved lime, rum, and mint.

A few moments later, our first round of cocktails came out with the first course of food.

COURSE ONE

Drinks: Micahlada (left – and yes, that is spelled correctly) and Zombie Panda (right)

Of these two, the Micahlada was my favorite. This is The Aviary’s take on a michelada (beer, spices and tomato juice), made with soy, coriander, Japanese whisky and Evil Twin beer. The Zombie Panda was tart from the lemon, lychee and pisco, and filled with frozen spheres of raspberry juice to sweeten it up.

Food: Pineapple Two Ways

This was a nice way to get the taste buds popping. That brown stuff at the bottom was a mole sauce. I liked it a lot, but my wife wasn’t too taken with it. The black mint garnish was tasty and went well with the watermelon radish and passion fruit.

COURSE TWO

Drinks: How Does Snoop Dog Use Lemongrass (left) and Mimosa (right)

The mimosa was nice because the fruit juice was frozen into ice cubes, so the drink becomes sweeter and more smooth as it sits.

The idea behind the Snoop drink is that Snoop Dogg ends everything with “-izzle” when he talks/raps, so there is a “swizzle” made out of lemongrass, which is used to mix the drink together:

Food: Kampachi Ceviche

This was bright, light and savory, pulling in southeast asian flavors from Thai green curry, heart of palm and coconut. I really enjoyed the briny broth and the coiled peels of red pepper for spice.

COURSE THREE

Drink: Heart of Stone

This was the best drink of the night, and you get about six glasses out of the container. That container is filled with bourbon, tea, Fresno chili, pistachio and peach. As it sits there, the flavors infuse deeply into the bourbon, so each time you refill the glass it tastes a little different. More spices come out, more sweetness too. Amazing.

Food: Pork Belly Curry

This dish was really good, but it could have been excellent with a crunch element. I think the iceberg lettuce discs were supposed to be that element, but they fell short just a bit. Perhaps a fried shrimp chip or crispy egg roll wrapper would do the trick. But the pork belly curry itself? Awesome. The banana and cashew are excellent compliments to the savory.

FROM THE CHEF

Chawanmushi

They’re experimenting with “all times of day” food here at The Aviary, so this is meant to be a breakfast item. It’s velvety smooth, and the smoked abalone within makes you think you’re eating bacon. The pops of flavor from the pickled huckleberries really brighten and balance this seafood porridge custard dish.

COURSE FOUR

Drink: Memphis Half Step

These glasses come to the table upside down on a charred piece of oak cask, filled with smoke. The aroma is awesome. This absinthe and rye cocktail is super smooth with a hint of sweetness.

Food: A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Rib Eye

Clearly my favorite food item of the night. The meat was buttery soft, and the grilled romaine with puffed rice was a great textural pop to go with it.  That yellow sauce is a yuzu mustard. Possibly the greatest mustard ever. 10/10. Wish I had 16 more ounces of this.

COURSE FIVE

Drink: Boom Goes The Dynamite

This was sweet and warm, almost like a port or brandy. It was made with rum, vanilla, violet and rooibos…  and dry ice for the smoke.

Food: Blueberry

Milk chocolate, violet and buttermilk sorbet make this dessert extra decadent. There were some more spheres of raspberry ice on the plate too, rounding out the meal with a call back to the very first cocktail (Zombie Panda). Really nice.

THE OFFICE

After dinner, our waiter Preston took us on a short tour of The Office, the speakeasy behind The Aviary bar staging area (which looks more like a kitchen than a bar).

Here’s what the inside of The Office looks like:

They have a cabinet filled with really old spirits that you can order as well. Super rare.

I will definitely be back to try this place, as well as the Aviary again. So many interesting sounding drinks and food items to try, like the “Science AF,” which looks like a chemistry set, or the “Wake & Bake,” which is a pillow filled with smoke and a drink made with orange, everything bagel, coffee and rye. I snapped a photo of it before they opened the bag filled with smoke:

THE AVIARY
Mandarin Oriental
80 Columbus Circle at 60th Street
New York, NY 10023

Product Reviews

Momento Air Fryer

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CHECK OUT MY NEW BUTCHER SHOP!

My wife and I picked up a Momento air fryer from Groupon. We are really impressed with how it works.

There’s no permeating smells throughout the apartment, no greasy end products on the food, and overall a really great crisp on everything we’ve tried so far.

My wife made egg rolls in the fryer first. They came out perfectly. Again no grease, as it only uses about a tablespoon of oil.

Next up we took some floppy leftover turkey skin from thanksgiving and crisped it up for a pasta, spinach and turkey dish.. Crunchy like potato chips!

Then we tried tots (along with some duck skin that had been refrigerated overnight after cooking). The tots went directly from frozen to crispy in just 20 minutes. Awesome.

Next up we “fried” some frozen dumplings. Another success.

Finally, we tried chicken wings. All I did beforehand was thaw them out from frozen, and toss with some flavored oils and spices. These took just 20 minutes in the air fryer, and they came out perfectly cooked, tender inside, crispy outside, and juicy as fuck.

I highly recommend this item.

American, East Village, Restaurant Reviews

Prune

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My wife and I went to Prune for brunch. We started off with some nicely crafted Bloody Mary drinks (which come with a Red Stripe beer back).

Mine was made with gin and garnished with a pickled egg, and my wife got a vodka based one with some southern spices, caper berries and pickled beans. I actually mixed my beer into the bloody when I was about halfway done, to make what was almost like a michelada.

For my entree, I had the famous fried monte cristo sandwich (ham, turkey, and cheese, breaded and deep fried). It was amazing – like a French toast sandwich. It came with two eggs and a berry jelly.

That coil of sausage we ordered as an extra side. Home made lamb sausage to be exact. It was incredible.

While the bill was a bit steep, we were satisfied and the food was delicious.

Incase you’re wondering, those are little licorice schnauzers that come with the bill.

PRUNE
54 E 1st St #1
New York, NY 10003

Brooklyn, Full Points for Flavor, Other Cuts, Porterhouse, Press Reviews, Steakhouse Reviews

Salt + Charcoal

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Salt + Charcoal overall score: 85

A food Instagram buddy of mine, @NYCFoodFOMO, set up an “influencer” dinner here, so I was able to try a bunch of stuff. I was really impressed with the meats. It was difficult to fit this review into my standard 10-category format, as some sections just didn’t pan out like they would for a larger steakhouse. With that in mind, you should focus more on the flavor category, as well as the specific notes I made about other food items. Base your decision to go here on the substance and “meat” of the review, as opposed to the total number. I really loved every single item that I ate here, and I will definitely be back again. Anyway, check it out:

Flavor: 9

Porterhouse: 8/10. This baby is dry aged for 50 days, so it eats really soft with with a nice outer crust texture for contrast.

The aged flavor was on the milder side, but I really enjoyed it.

Both the tenderloin side and strip side were perfectly cooked and tender.

Miyazaki Sirloin: 10/10. Look at this gorgeous slab of beef.

I mean, it’s rare that you find beef that’s really from Japan, so this is a special situation. They cook and serve this very simply – almost like a sushi dish – with ginger and wasabi.

It packs a lot of flavor, and is incredibly tender. A really nice treat.

Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 7

You don’t have the biggest selection here (porterhouse, strip, off-menu filet, and wagyu sirloin), but the sirloin is highly marbled Miyazaki; the filet is topped with tons of uni; and the other two cuts are dry aged for 50 days. They are in serious need of a rib eye, however.

Portion Size & Plating: 9

Portions are fairly normal here for the pricing, but the plating is gorgeous. Dishes are served in a Japanese aesthetic.

Price: 8

The prices can get steep. This surprised me for a steakhouse outside of midtown Manhattan. That’s the price you pay for high quality beef, though, and the Miyazaki is actually pretty fair compared to other places I’ve seen it.

Bar: 6

There’s not much of a bar scene to speak of, but the cocktails are certainly well crafted. I had a spin on an Old Fashioned, and I loved it.

Specials and Other Meats: 9

They offer an off-menu filet mignon that’s topped with tons of uni. I didn’t try it, but I’ve heard mixed reviews. I did, however, try their lamb and duck. Both were excellent, and some of the best I’ve ever had. No shame in taking a break from beef to indulge in these two dishes. Hell, they even work as shared apps if you want.

Apps, Sides & Desserts: 10

We tried a delicious trio of apps. First was the wagyu and uni roll. This is similar to the item served over at Takashi, with the accompanying shiso leaf and nori paper.

Next up was the uni shooter with poached egg, salmon roe and truffle oil. Delicious, smooth and decadent. I could slam a dozen of these no problem.

Last but not least, the crab cakes. These were generously meaty with a nice lightly breaded crust. Lovely.

Worth noting here: two of the dishes came with these amazing potato cake sides made of dozens of thinly sliced potato. It was buttery, salty and delicious.

Seafood Selection: 9

There’s a healthy amount of seafood on the menu here, as this joint also serves up some killer sushi. We tried a few rolls and loved them all. No pics though.

Service: 10

The service here is outstanding. Everyone is attentive, yet respectful of your space and privacy.

Ambiance: 8

Beautiful rustic wood tones make for a very cozy, warm and inviting atmosphere. I really liked the open view into the kitchen on the main dining floor. While the restaurant is long and narrow, they make good use of the space. And like a traditional steakhouse, there is a private dining room available downstairs, which is where we ate.

SALT + CHARCOAL
171 Grand St
Brooklyn, NY 11249

Midtown West, Ramen

Yama Ramen

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I stopped into Yama for their big bowl, which is a tonkotsu pork broth with tons of super tender braised pork belly and pork jowls.

While pricey at $20, it’s very big. The egg was an extra $2.

There’s a sweetness in the broth from the corn, so extra spice is recommended. I really enjoyed this, and will definitely go back (probably for the normal sized bowl, since I couldn’t finish this bucket).

YAMA RAMEN
60 W 48th St
New York, NY 10036

Commentary

Top 5 NYC Steakhouse Table Breads

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If you’re like me, bread is something you love to eat, but you try your hardest to ignore at restaurants. You don’t want to “fill up on bread” when you’re about to sink your teeth into a massive hunk of delicious beef.

But sometimes the restaurant gets you. The bread is so good that you just can’t fucking resist. I always like to mention the bread in all of my steakhouse reviews, just out of habit. As a result, over time I’ve come to really respect the effort that gets put into this unassuming meal opener. Who does it the best? See below.

1) BLT Prime

Hands down the best, because it’s a double whammy. Not only do they give you a few slices of country style bread with a jar of velvety chicken liver pate, but they also bring out hot, fresh-made cheese popovers with a recipe card for how to make them at home. That’s pretty incredible. I mean, honestly, if you eat all of that, you and your date can go light on the rest of the meal. But why would you? Everything else they serve is fucking great!

2) American Cut

Iron Chef Marc Forgione has created one of the greatest biscuits known to man: the everything biscuit. That’s everything seasoning, as in “everything bagel.” This biscuit has gotten such praise that he even used it as a vehicle for a delicious fried chicken sandwich.

3) Peter Luger

The simplicity of their onion rolls is mind blowing. They’re warm, soft, incredibly aromatic and tasty as all fuck. Go for lunch. Eat the bread basket and dip the rolls into their steak sauce while you wait for one of their incredible burgers to come out. Then wash it all down with some schlag.

4) Quality Italian

There are a lot of great versions of these fresh-made dinner rolls (aka Parker rolls or “pan bread”) floating around in the steakhouse sphere, but no one quite nails it the way Quality Italian does. Similar to monkey bread or pull bread, these babies are perfectly sized bites of buttery, warm, herby, garlicky, soul-fulfilling carbs that will have you craving more and more.

5) K*Rico

I always have to do something wacky when I make these lists, so I’m including K*Rico’s fried pasta snacks here. They’re spicy and perfectly crisp. Really unique. I’ve never seen this at a steakhouse before, let alone anywhere else for that matter.

NON-BREAD HONORABLE MENTIONS

When you want to say FUCK YOU to bread, check out Keens’ crudite with pickles, Bob’s Steakhouse’s jar of half-sour pickles and red peppers, or Arthur’s Tavern’s tray of pickles and cherry peppers.

Another alternative is Gallagher’s Steakhouse’s homemade potato chips at the bar. They serve bread at the table, so if you want the chips – which are fucking incredible – you have to ask the waiter and be extra nice to get them. Otherwise just be a man and sit at the bar for a bit before you dine. Have a fucking drink.

Burgers, Midtown East, NY Strip, Press Reviews, Rib Eye, Steakhouse Reviews, Upper East Side

Chimichurri Grill

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NOTE: THE CHIMICHURRI GRILL EAST IS CLOSED, BUT THERE IS A CHIMICHURRI GRILL WEST LOCATION THAT’S STILL OPEN

I was invited to Chimichurri Grill East by the restaurant’s PR specialist to try a special five course tasting menu (with wine pairings and dessert), and to write a review. Let me get right to it!

The restaurant is an elegant, modern and fine dining Argentinian steak house. This is somewhat of a rarity here in the city, as most Argentinian places that I know are more on the pub atmosphere end, and don’t serve actual Argentinian proteins. Argentinian beef is something that people clamor for, so it’s good to know that this place serves the real deal.

Moreover, Chef Carlos Darquea uses family recipes to create the dishes he loves and grew up with. Everything is authentic and from the heart.

His wife Alicia is the wine director, and together they own a sister restaurant, called Chimichurri Grill West (a theater district mainstay for nearly 20 years), which serves the exact same menu but in a different atmosphere.

Here’s what we had:

Course 1: Sweetbreads (Heart)

This was really nice. These veal heart sweetbreads are sliced and grilled, served with a red pepper, parsley and garlic sauce, and featured on a slice of crispy purple potato. Very pretty and delicious. This was similar to something like foie gras.

Note: this is a smaller portion than what is served if you order from the menu.

Course 2: Beef Tongue Stew

I really loved this warm, hearty and delicious dish. It was reminiscent of homemade beef barley soup. The tongue was diced into small cubes and braised to tender perfection.

Note: this is a smaller portion than what is served if you order from the menu.

Course 3: Grilled Romaine Salad

The feta, buttermilk and dill dressing makes for a nice creamy compliment with the grilled greens. And the crispy bacon lardon is just perfect.

Note: this is a smaller portion than what is served if you order from the menu.

We had a scoop of homemade passion fruit sorbet to cleanse the palate. Very nice!

Course 4: Pasta with Seafood

This house made pasta is served with a chardonnay and basil sauce that gets added to a roux and the various seafood juices that Chef Carlos extracts from the seafood used to make the dish; clams, calamari, prawns, mussels and halibut.

Note: this is a smaller portion than what is served if you order from the menu.

Course 5: Grass Fed Argentinian Rib Eye

This was great. It’s wet aged for 32 days as it travels from Argentina to the US. Chef Carlos finishes this Black Angus steak directly on wood charcoal to develop a great crust on the outside of the meat. It’s even plated with some charcoal, and when you pop the rosemary on top, it smokes and gives off a great aroma.

It was cooked to a perfect medium rare. It had a huge outer cap and a lean eye, likely due to the grass fed nature of the beef.

You’re in for a really nice bite when you combine the caramelized vidalia onions and sauces that come to the table with this dish.

The steak (which was a full sized portion, FYI) also came with French fries. These were perfectly crisp and deliciously seasoned.

Dessert: Dulce de Leche Creme Brulee

Wow. What a great dessert! So flavorful, smooth and unexpected. A great Latin twist on the classic French custard.

That about covers it! I really can’t wait to go back and try some more cuts of steak. The menu here is new/fresh, exciting, and completely outside the box.

They even have nice happy hour specials from 4-8pm, and a great express lunch menu for all you midtown power lunchers. Get on it!

UPDATE: 12/22/17

On a subsequent visit, I tried a few more delectable items.

La Suprema Burger

Veal sweet breads and caramelized onions on top of a 6oz grass finished filet patty. Very nice. The sweetbreads almost act like a cheese, adding that creaminess and fat content to the lean beef.

Clams with Chorizo

Perfection. Just order these and you’ll thank me later.

Bife Con Fritas

Strip steak, perfectly cooked, with those delicious fries. Can’t go wrong with this bad boy. I liked this better than the rib eye, and at just $42 for 12oz, you’re saving some cash in the process.

Special Off Menu Bone-In Rib Eye

Similar to the boneless cut I tried during the multi-course tasting, this lean rib eye backed a great flavor with a robust char from the on-coals cooking process.

Empanadas

Albondigas

Charred Cauliflower

CHIMICHURRI GRILL EAST
133 E 61st St
New York, NY 10065

CHIMICHURRI GRILL WEST
609 9th Ave
New York, NY 10036