This joint is home to some really excellent cocktails.
I had been eyeballing the place for a while, and when a buddy was in town and staying at a hotel nearby, we decided to go in.
Our bartender, Albert, mixed up the absolute, hands-down best Old Fashioned I have ever tasted. On the menu it is called a Winona, and is made with a few flourishes to the standard ingredients, the most impressive of which is its delivery in a smoke infused bottle.
Watch as the smoke billows out and creates a nose for the drink as you sip it:
I’m not big on the whole “mixology” thing. Mixing drinks is cool but I still call it bartending. Bartending with interesting ingredients doesn’t require a scientific-sounding name. It’s all about pairing flavors, and that’s what any good bar tender should be able to do. Albert is one of those people who takes pride in what he does. He isn’t afraid to try new things and come up with new drinks. I even told him about the Germain Scotsman. His initial reaction was “mixing peaty scotch with anything is blasphemy,” but he embraced the drink with an open mind and found that he actually liked it! It works on many levels.
Anyway, after another visit here for drinks with ANOTHER friend who was in town and staying in midtown, my wife and I finally made it over to try out some of the food.
We started with the scotch eggs. These seem to be made with quail eggs, so the ratio of egg to breading is a bit off. While they tasted really good, had good seasoning and crunch, the egg just got lost a little bit in the breading.
The dry rub chicken wings had nice flavor. If I had to guess, it was some kind of mild jerk spice rub. Very interesting. Good crunch on the outside and nicely cooked inside, and served with a celery and jicama slaw.
We also dug into the pork terrine. The meat was a bit more solid than I expected. When stuff like this is served with toast, I expect more of a spreadable texture. The taste was nice, however, and paired nicely with the mustard and jicama, pepper and cabbage slaw.
Our last savory course was the burger with blue cheese.
I ordered medium, and that seems about right to me on the inside. Perhaps just a bit over?
The pickles, bun, lettuce, tomato and cheese were all on point, but the meat was a little grainy in texture. I think maybe the beef was over worked after it went through the grinder to become a patty. It also could have used a bit more seasoning.
The new version of their burger features 4oz smoked patties and a red onion bacon jam. Way better.
Fries were shoestring style – like McDonalds (a good thing).
For dessert we tried the blueberry upside down cake. This was essentially three small muffin sized cakes served with fresh blueberries (both in the cake and as garnish), tangy orange/lemon curd, whipped cream and basil.
The flavors worked really well together, and the cake was warm and fresh. Even my wife, a baker, gave it her seal of approval.
I’ll definitely be back to try a few more items from the food menu, but it seems like the drinks are really the star of the show here. Nicely done!
UPDATE! IMPROVED BURGER & SECRET BURGER, SAME GREAT COCKTAILS!
I recently dined here for a fourth time, and I’ve confirmed that the wagyu long bone rib eye is by far the greatest steak I’ve ever eaten.
The quality of the flesh is just outstanding. Every bit of it is edible, juicy and savory. Del’s uses a lot of crushed pepper to get a good crust on their steaks, and that “rub,” so to speak, really permeates down to the center of the meat and imparts flavor from end to end.
Fucking unbelievable. I was even gnawing on the bone.
As you can see in the background of one of the other pics, there’s another chunk of steak on my plate. My buddy and I split both the wagyu long bone, and the boneless strip.
As you can see, it was also cooked perfectly, and crusted with that great peppercorn rub – the strip is on the left, and the wagyu is on the right. Although the strip can not hold a candle to that wagyu in terms of insane flavor, it was still one of the best strip steaks I’ve ever had. Del’s just really knows what’s up.
My wife ordered the special cowboy bone in rib eye that was on the menu. This, too was excellent.
You really can’t go wrong with any cut of meat here. Porterhouse is excellent as well:
My buddy’s wife ordered the 12oz filet, and that was great as well. Buttery, savory, peppery and juicy.
As you can see from the pics above, some of the plating wasn’t as pretty as in the past. It seems like Del’s got rid of their signature chopped parsley across the top and on the plate. They also failed to wipe up some of the juices from when they placed the steak on the plate and then adjusted the positioning. Not a big deal though, especially considering how delicious every cut of meat is at this joint.
The first app that we tried this time was burrata. I thought it was a little too light on the cheese and too heavy on the tomatoes, but the quality was excellent.
The escargot was nicely executed. While I’ve had better at French joints, this was served on toasted bread like bruscetta, and in a really nice buttery sauce.
The crab legs we ordered were super pricey, but super fresh. These are dangerous because you could really eat your entire paycheck in just a few minutes time.
After the crab legs, our awesome waiter Luke brought out some hot towels and a lemon wedge to clean up from handling the shells.
But in all honesty it wasn’t needed, because with the insane service you get at Del’s, the shells are already cracked, opened and easy for meat extracting.
The chateau potatoes we ordered on the side were a bit dry. They were skin-on mashed potatoes with garlic and some spinach greens. Perhaps if they were served with a gravy they’d be killer.
The pancetta is what made these brussels really great. I prefer a harder roast and some char on my brussels, in general, but they were nice and tiny so the surface area was coated nicely with all the seasonings and flavors. It didn’t get monotonous-tasting like brussels sometimes can.
For dessert, we tried the lemon cake, as it is a crowd favorite and secret menu gem, as well as the sweet potato casserole (with ice cream on top). I have to say that the version at Ruth’s Chris is better. That lemon cake, though, is wonderful. The cake is moist without being too heavy or dense. And while there is a LOT of frosting on this baby, it is really tasty and I didn’t think it was overly sweet.
The other cake on the plate there with the lemon cake is something that the staff sent out for us on the house, since it was my buddy’s birthday. It was a butter cake with caramel ice cream. That shit was the best desert of the night, and it’s right up there with my favorites of all time.
The outside held a nice crunchy sweet crust, but the inside was buttery sweet with a slight bit of savory to boot. Drizzled with a little bit of sweet caramel and maple syrup type of shit, it really hit the spot.
Then the bad news showed up. DAMN! But worth every penny.
The bar here is still amazing, as I remembered. It was packed out all night, really great buzz. And the bread served at the table comes with a really soft whipped butter that has just the right amount of salt content.
So Del’s ended up remaining at a 97/100. I pulled one point for the apps/sides, since the burrata and the potatoes were both somewhat failures. I considered pulling a point for the plating since the plates weren’t as pretty as the past, but I reconsidered because that seems petty and retarded. I tacked on a point for price, though, since I really feel that despite the astronomical pricing of some of the shit here, it really is worth the money. If you’re going to splurge on a steak dinner, you may as well do it the right way. That means going to Del’s and being fully aware of the wallet rape that is to come.
Del Frisco’s Overall Score: 97/100 – price moved from 8/10 to 9/10, and apps/sides/desserts moved from 10/10 to 9/10. So we evened out and remained at 97.
Ever since I became obsessed with NYC steakhouses back in 2000, I have heard overwhelmingly great things about Del Frisco’s “Double Eagle” Steakhouse. I finally nailed down a time to go with a group of old friends and coworkers when one was back in town from California. A nice 25 second stroll from my office took me to one of the best steakhouses in the city. A second trip to this joint in December of 2012 solidified Del Frisco’s place in my top five. New info added on that trip is in italics. After a third trip, comments in BOLD, this place is tied for first.
Flavor: 10
I ordered the ribeye that they had on special; a 22oz bone-in cut of heaven. It had a nice seasoned crust, the kind of marbled fat that just melts away and gets really soft, and it was perfectly cooked. It could have rested another two minutes, but that didn’t alter juice or flavor qualities. My friend ordered the filet. I had a bite of that, and it was delicious and well seasoned too. Del Frisco’s certainly lived up to the hype for me in terms of flavor. On a second trip with a couple of buddies from Junior High, High School and beyond, I ordered the house special: the double eagle bone-in strip. It, too was cooked perfectly and tasted delicious. On the third trip I had the $94 wagyu ribeye, which was easily one of the best steaks I’ve ever had in my life (if not THE best). It was 32oz of pure heaven. Delicious flavor from end to end; juicy, tender, and cooked to a perfect medium rare. See the pic below:
rib eye, strip, filet
32oz wagyu ribeye
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 10
Everything on the menu is prime quality. They only have the four basic cuts (filet, ribeye, porterhouse and strip), but they offer several varieties of each, like the 38oz longbone American “wagyu” ribeye and some specials (see below). This makes up for the initial point I was going to take for not having anything outside the basics. Del Frisco’s shows that when you do the basics the right way, nothing else is needed.
Portion Size & Plating: 9
The filet comes in two flavors: vaginal (8oz) and quasi-manly (12oz). They also have 16oz strips and ribeyes (boneless) – a bit on the small side but not horrific. They also offer a signature bone-in “double eagle” strip at 26oz, as well as a 24oz porterhouse, and a special bone-in filet at 16oz. The relatively smaller sizes make it easy for the eye to wander to the 38oz “wagyu” ribeye at 2x the price, or the specials at 1.5x the price. Well worth the up-charge, in my opinion. The plating is super-basic. But for real men with balls swinging between their legs, plating isn’t really something you go yammering to your friends about anyway.
Price: 8 (now 9/10)
In my opinion the price was a bit on the hefty side for the size of the cuts, but relatively on par with other NYC steakhouses of even footing. What they lack in size is made up for in taste, so you kinda even out on price value. The filets are $40 and $47, ribeye $46, and strip $48. The porterhouse comes in at $58, and the wagyu at $92. The specials ran in the mid $60 range. The signature crab cake comes in at a pricey, but worthy, $21 (crab cake went up $1 since last visit, but I guess that’s just standard inflation). My martini at the bar was $18.50 (an incredible $20 when you leave a tip). The total bill for two appetizers, three beers, a vodka tonic, two steaks, two sides and a dessert was about $300 (tax and tip included). On my second trip, I took a photo of the elusive Mr. William Price, that way you scumbags can see just exactly what everything cost:
William Price
I HAD to include the bill from the third visit, simply because it oozed manliness (with the exception of the trio of filets that was ordered… and the patron cafe’s were also mocked as well):
Bar: 10
The main bar is really beautiful. Del Frisco’s has a wide open floor plan with a nice wrap-around bar internally positioned alongside the high windows in the corner of the restaurant. There is also a nice sized second bar on the second floor with a couple of flat panel TVs for sports. The martini could have used a little less vermouth, and was a bit pricey, but overall the bar experience was great. This is definitely an after work spot worth checking out after a hard day at the office, even if you don’t eat the meat. On my second trip, the martinis were made much nicer, our incredible waiter Tim introduced me to one of the most delicious, peaty scotches I have ever tasted (Ardbeg Corryvreckan), and we also ordered a wine from the extensive wine list. I also took note of an interesting passage featured above the bar: DO RIGHT AND FEAR NO MAN. The quote, as far as I can tell, dates back to a 15th century proverb out of England, and then later common in 18th century Scotland. On the third visit I had a chat with the manager about my score for the bar. I flat out told him that I just have a personal hold-out in giving this place a 10 because the martini is so fucking expensive. It really is an awesome bar though, and there are actually two bars (there’s one upstairs with a TV)… so… in the interest of making sure this place ties for first among NYC steakhouses, I am reluctantly giving full points here despite the cost of a martini.
Specials and Other Meats: 10
Aside from the “wagyu” ribeye, the other carcasses were on the order of lamb chops, veal porterhouse, pork porterhouse and roasted chicken. That covers the whole basic range. Those are all standard menu items, so it is a good selection for people who don’t feel like being a man. On special there was the 22oz bone-in ribeye, which I had ($65). There was also the conundrum 16oz bone-in filet ($68) and trio of filets (also somewhere in the low to mid $60s range). They also had some seasonal shellfish special appetizers too.
two 8oz lamb chops – fantastic
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 10 (now 9/10)
I had been told – no ORDERED – by a friend to get the crab cake, so I did. It was a succulent 4oz ball with mostly lump crab meat and a bit of breadcrumb for texture. It sat upon a nice spicy lobster-based, peppery sauce. The creamed spinach, called “spinach supreme,” had bacon folded into it, perhaps cheese as well. Delicious. My friend recommended the skillet potato dish as well – which was like fresh homemade potato chips topped with sauteed caramelized onions; not too greasy, not too salty. Really tasty. For dessert, we ordered a massive slice of lemon cake that was not on the menu (a secret item they don’t generally offer – you have to know about it). To quote one friend, it was WAY more moist than Starbucks’ lemon loaf, that is for damned sure. I’m generally not a cake person but it was yummy, even if rumors say it is made from four boxes of Duncan Hines cake mix. On a second trip, we had a dozen oysters, lobster mac & cheese, steak tartare, and the obligatory crab cakes and creamed spinach. I must say, the lobster mac & cheese was freaking delicious. It was nice and creamy, it had great crunch for texture, and the lobster bits were pretty good too. The oysters were perfect, but the steak tartare was one of the best and largest orders I’ve ever had. It had to be a solid 2-3 inches high, and 3-4 inches on each side. A nice brick of raw meat. What better way to prime the gullet before a nice steak dinner?
tartare & oysters
special burrata app
Seafood Selection: 10
An impressive selection of caviar graced the appetizer menu in addition to the delicious shellfish selections. On the entree menu was sea bass, scallops, salmon, tuna and a special catch of the day, as well as lobster. They also offered some special seafood items on the appetizer angle that weren’t on the menu. If you have a bleeding vagina, these might tempt you to not get steak.
Service: 10
Our waitress may have forgotten a water here and there but it was busy. She was very nice though, thorough, and wanted to personally thank us and email us deals and things. She certainly presented the specials in such a way that they were deemed much better than the regular menu items; perhaps looking for that up charge? Hey, if she did, then it worked on me… but it was worth it. I asked her about the differences between the standard 16oz and special 22oz ribeyes. She showed a well-versed meat lingo, but essentially said that one was bone-in and one was boneless. When our steaks arrived, the server asked us to cut into the center so he could make sure it was cooked properly. There was a warm sesame bread loaf and soft whipped butter as well. Our service was excellent on the second trip. Our waiter Tim went really above and beyond expectations. Before we could even remind him that we had ordered two plates of oysters, he came by with the second. He offered great insight into our scotch selections at dessert, and he helped us navigate the extensive wine list when picking a bottle to drink while eating our steak. He certainly knew his meat too, so I am giving the full 10 points here. While settling up the bill, I handed Tim one of my cards to let him know that I’d be giving the joint a great review and adding some points on his account. After that, Scott, the regional manager of the Del Frisco’s restaurant group, came over to greet us and thank us for our business. This is the kind of top notch service that really makes me smile, and want to go back for thirds.
Ambiance: 10
Del Frisco’s is set up with a nice, classy open design. It is semi-corporate in feel, simply by virtue of the surrounding neighborhood, but it still feels like old, art-deco New York. Despite its vastness, it manages to be really warm and inviting. There are floor to ceiling windows 30ft high. Beautiful views. This place would be amazing around the holidays. There was a bathroom attendant, but otherwise it was a normal style bathroom, nothing fancy. Just clean.
UPDATE 7/23/17
Dry Aged Strip: 10/10
This baby is delicious. A bit pricey at $70 for the special “up-charge” steak, but the flavor was excellent.
I’ve updated this review here in the top portion of the entry. I’ve indicated below where my older reviews begin, for ease of reading. I’ve also indicated below which scores have changed, by how much, and why.
This recent update is based on my 3rd visit to the restaurant for steak (I’ve been to the bar a few times other than for meals). I was fortunate to be invited to lunch by Ruth’s Chris’ marketing and public relations execs. They brought me in to get to know me, know more about my blog, my plans, etc., and to talk about and try some new menu items they are rolling out, or have already rolled out.
A testament to the customer service here, and the type of people who work with and for Ruth’s Chris, I felt comfortable and at home with these folks. We DO share a profound love for meat, after all…
We started off with some really great appetizers. First was this New Orleans style BBQ shrimp dish. Laz, a really friendly and knowledgeable waiter who’s been with Ruth’s for 15+ years, explained how the sauce was made and how it brings in the traditional Louisiana flavors you might associate with a roux or something similar. Typically when I see something labeled “BBQ shrimp” on a menu, I shy away from it. For some reason I think “BBQ sauce,” and I’m generally not a fan of BBQ sauce (or buffalo sauce) with my seafood. But as soon as I heard Laz explain that it was NOLA inspired, I was intrigued.
My curiosity paid off. The sauce was buttery and had great soulful depth to it. You could taste the shrimp essence throughout, as if they simmered the shells for hours to make a perfect reduction.
Next was this spicy lobster app. It was lightly battered with a crispy, golden coating that grabbed hold of the lightly spicy, Asian-flavored and southern/vinegar-tinged sauce.
The meat was cooked perfectly. So tender and flavorful. The briny yet sweet pickled onion, cucumber and cilantro plated in the center paired perfectly with the buttery lobster meat. The crunch from the breading gave a nod to the classic Louisiana specialty known as the “Po’ Boy,” and the asian flavors were a tribute to the vibrant Vietnamese community in NOLA (just go visit Cafe DuMonde, or a shrimp boat operator on the mighty Mississippi – it’s almost all Vietnamese people working there). I loved it.
Why all the NOLA flavors? If you didn’t know, Ruth’s Chris began there, when a woman named Ruth struck out on her own to start this incredible brand of fine dining establishments. You can watch/read all about the rich history of Ruth’s Chris on their website. Ruth was a woman of many important “firsts,” especially in the restaurant biz, breaking down all sorts of social barriers, whether it was race, gender or just good old fashioned entrepreneurship and culinary ingenuity. Fascinating stuff, actually.
Okay so now on to the meat! One of the most important additions to the Ruth’s Chris menu (just a month ago) is this psychotic looking 40oz tomahawk rib eye.
I mean, holy shit… come on…
All the meat here is prime caliber, and wet aged for at least 28 days. At $115 this tomahawk may seem expensive, but it will definitely fill up two guests, especially if indulging in all the other great offerings when it comes to apps, sides and desserts.
The tomahawk was a clear 10/10 for flavor. It was cooked perfectly to medium rare. The fat content was all edible, melty and savory. Simply seasoned with salt and pepper, and cooked with butter, this steak truly hits the high mark for me, and is possibly one of my favorite steaks in town.
The chef even carved it up and portioned it out specifically for five diners right there at the table. I’ve posted a quick video of that below. If you pay attention to the audio, you can hear him explaining how the eye portion of the steak differs from the cap. That kind of interactive and knowledge-imparting commentary is what I want to see more of in my dining experiences in general. If I were the owner of a dining establishment, I would want my diners to know as much about what they’re eating as possible, to immerse them in the “insider knowledge” about the food they’re eating. At least that’s what I like, anyway, as someone who is obsessed with food. Okay so here is that video:
As you can see from the close up here: perfectly pink all the way through. That’s the fat cap on the left, and the eye on the right. I absolutely destroyed the cap in about 20 seconds.
We also shared a porterhouse, which, as you should by now be aware, is a NY strip on one side of the bone, and a filet on the other.
In these pics, the filet is on top, and the strip is on bottom.
I’d say the strip side came in at about a 7/10. The center of the meat tasted slightly under seasoned. It was thick, however, and the crust had good seasoning on it. My trick to getting even seasoning flavors in each bite is to cut the meat both latitudinally and longitudinally, if that makes sense. Essentially that means each slice is then cut so that the steak goes from, say, 2in thick to 1in thick, with seasoning on one end, and pink center on the other. That tends to maximize the surface area of the seasoning, especially if you can wipe up a little bit of juice, butter and other goodies from the plate before each bite.
The filet side was an 8/10. Everything about it was exactly the way it should be. If you’re a filet person, you’ll probably want to go with their signature “bone-in filet” though. It’s a much more dedicated cut for filet lovers. In the shots immediately above and below, you’ll see the strip portion on the left, and the filet portion on the right. Both perfectly cooked to medium rare.
So taking all things together, I’d say the flavor averages to about a 9/10. That’s an improvement on the score from the previous visits. This is a great sign. Each visit is a better experience than the last. That means I will be back again and again. For the choice of cuts and quality category, my score moves from an 8 to a 10, given the special new additions to the menu in the meat department. In addition to those points, a tacked a point back onto the plating section. As it turns out, this visit produced no problems in the sizzling plate department. In fact, the sizzle was subtle and enjoyable, as opposed to blazing hot, loud and obnoxious. Plates come out at 500 degrees, and they cool down relatively quickly, so there isn’t much of a danger in the overcooking department. The sizzle is done correctly here. By the way, here’s a nice shot of a plate with all the cuts on it:
So in addition to menu additions, this NYC location of Ruth’s Chris is going to get some upgrades in decor. There will be a stainless steel wine display case to replace the wood. The bar will get some new finishes, some tile work and a new backdrop. Last, the dining rooms will see new wallpaper, updated finishes and even a grand fireplace. I’ve tossed another point to the bar category here, because the place truly is an awesome spot to hang out. It’s big and beautiful.
The bar is also street side, and lively most nights of the week. I’ve been in for drinks a few times since my previous reviews, and I always love the atmosphere. A quick note about the bar at other Ruths’ Chris locations: they’re running a Happy Hour deal where everything is $8. That’s a steal! I don’t think it is available yet for the Manhattan location, but if you’re in Jersey, the Weehawken location will have it, and they just expanded their bar area from 9 seats to something like 62!
On the side we had some brussels sprouts with bacon, mushrooms, and garlic mashed potatoes. I found that mixing the potatoes with the mushrooms was the best way to go at those bad boys. Its almost like mashed potatoes with gravy when you eat it like that.
For dessert we had two items. First was another new menu feature: white chocolate bread pudding served with spirit reduction sauce.
You can choose from four sauces: Grand Mariner (citrus/orange), Chambord (berry), Kahlua (coffee) or Amaretto (nutty). The original bread pudding came with a pecan sauce and lacked the white chocolate. I’m generally not a white chocolate fan, so I think I might like the original better than I liked this dish. However the sauces were really great. I kept going back for the Chambord and Kahlua.
This next dessert is actually a side item, but since it has a sweet flavor profile, it goes really well with desert: sweet potato casserole. The secret to this is to order it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. That is absolutely KEY. Don’t question me on this.
I first have a confession to make: I am NOT a fan of sweet potato. But I am now a converted man. Most places try to pretend that sweet potato is some kind of savory item. They make sweet potato french fries, trying to pawn it off as some kind of healthier alternative. Or they serve it like a baked potato. Fuck that. I love the fact that Ruth’s Chris embraces the sweetness and goes full bore into what this tuber actually is.
While this is listed as a side item to have along with your steak – like you would have, say, a sweet potato pie on Thanksgiving – I firmly believe that people who dine here should consider ordering this for dessert. I highly recommend… No… I DEMAND that you order this in lieu of your regularly scheduled programming of creme brûlée, pecan pie, tiramisu, key lime pie or whatever other boring-ass nonsense you were thinking about ordering. I’ve gone on tirades, and so has my wife, about being sick and tired of restaurants throwing in the towel when it comes to dessert. It’s like they just fucking give up! But with this sweet potato casserole + ice cream, dessert is exciting again. It has a sweet pecan crust that’s almost like a graham cracker + brittle mixture. That’s the only spot that contains any savory element. The sweet potato itself is soft like a mashed potato, with no grainy texture. It’s creamy and velvety, without being overly sweet. The ice cream on top of this hot dish turns it into a riff on pie a la mode. Delicious. Needless to say, I gave another point here.
Not only am I excited to go back and get this again, but I am going to try making it at home, because Ruth’s Chris actually provides the recipe for this dish online (along with the original bread pudding, the BBQ shrimp and crab cakes). Pretty cool.
While ambiance and service are already at top marks here, one thing I’d like to mention was this new thing they’re doing where you get to choose what knife you want to use for eating your steaks:
Essentially you can choose a super sharp French knife, or the larger/thicker serrated knife that we New Yorkers are accustomed to seeing here in our fine steak joints. I tested both of them out, and the small straight edge works much more efficiently. Since it is super sharp, it works like a filet knife. It requires fewer strokes to separate the flesh, which means less work, less time cutting and a much faster delivery into your mouth. HA!
So we have a total of 6 points of improvement, taking us from 87 to 93. I’ll be back in here very soon, because my wife absolutely must try some of these things. My guess is that this location will climb yet again on that visit.
Thanks again to John, Amy, Cory and Mikella for this great experience, and for the confidence you place in me as a steak authority. I look forward to future visits: I’ll be eating through my leftovers very soon, and will need a Ruth’s Chris fix, posthaste!
To my loyal meat minions, if you’re still interested, you can see how my opinion of Ruth’s Chris evolved by reading on below, to the older review(s) which I’ve preserved here for your edification:
RUTH’S CHRIS NEW SCORE: 93
OLDER REVIEWS BELOW (from two separate, earlier visits)
Ruth’s Chris is a well known steakhouse chain across the US. I took my buddy there for lunch because he scored me an interview which eventually landed me a new jobby job. That said, this review should be taken with a grain of salt since we dined from a low cost prix fix menu. REVISED: On the second trip here, things have improved. See text in italics for new additions to the review. First, some commentary about this place being a chain: Many people would frown upon the chain aspect. But I disagree. A chain of this caliber allows the large company making big money to spend a little more and go that extra mile. With places like Outback or Fridays, they often cut corners to keep more profit… but a place like Ruth’s Chris is putting the extra $ into their decor (it looks nice regardless of whether it is “authentic” or not), into the quality of the product, and into the service. I have to say – I like this place. And if the food is good that is all that should matter, right? Right.
Flavor: 8
The steaks were good: tender, well seasoned, and a slight gamey flavor that was JUST the right amount – enough to remind you that you were eating a quality piece of meat, but not too much to the point where you feel like you are licking the peri-anal area of a barnyard animal. Downside? They overcooked both of our steaks; I ordered a 12oz strip, medium rare, which was surprisingly thick for a small portion. It was medium in parts, medium well in others, and medium rare in other parts. UNEVEN! Hey – what can you do – it was lunch in midtown. My buddy ordered the petite filet with shrimp, medium, and it was medium well to fully well. What a shame. The meat was good though, so I am only taking off three points. Butter. BUTTER is the secret here. Everything is soaked in it. I ordered the ribeye and the fat cap on it was delicious. The cut was nice and gamey from the aging process, just like last time. There was a strip or two that I couldn’t eat, but for the most part this was a great experience. My wife loved the flavor too. They serve it on a hot plate, which I dislike in general, but I ordered my steak a bit under just to be safe. As it turns out, they cooked it just right regardless of the hot plate. They’ve got the system down.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 8
The lunch menu had tons to choose from. Ribeyes, cowboy ribeyes (bone in), porterhouses for multiple diners, t-bones (which I think they call their porterhouse for one), strips, several portions of filets, and lamb. They did, however, stick to the basics. No skirts, flanks or anything like that. The quality is all prime and aged. Very nice.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
We ordered from a prix fix menu: soup or salad; petite filet + shrimp or strip; creamed spinach or mashed potato; strawberry shortcake with hazelnut truffles. Even this lunch special had great portions, at 6 and 12 ounces for filet and strip. Their regular menu items are average to large sized, but I took points off for the “hot plate” style of plating that I despise. It ruins meat, and it MAY be why our meat was overcooked. Meat, after cooked, needs to rest! The size of the cowboy ribeye was probably about 20oz.
Price: 8
Ribeyes are mid to high $40s, which is normal for NYC steak joints. Our meal was $75 total with tax and tip (the prix fix is $28.95 for soup (gazpacho) or salad; petite filet + shrimp or strip; creamed spinach or mashed potato; and strawberry shortcake with hazelnut truffles). Total meal for two on the second visit was $243 including tax and tip, which was with several apps, sides, drinks, etc. Not bad!
Bar: 9
The bar is nice looking – dark wood, fancy looking. I’d definitely hang here for a martini, which they make well. And wine – WINE – everywhere. It is part of the decor, since almost every wall in the hallways are also wine racks, you can’t miss them. The collection is beautifully encased in glass and wood cabinetry throughout the entire restaurant.
Specials and Other Meats: 9
This is tough to rate on a lunch meal, but they do have chicken (for pussies) and lamb (for half pussies). As for the prix fix – it was awesome for the price. Well worth it. This place has some really great specials on and off the EXTENSIVE menu. Really take your time to poke around, because there are nice surf and turf combos and price fix deals. Also they will pretty much accomodate anything you ask for.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 9
The creamed spinach and mashed potato were basic – nothing fancy – but when you combined a fork-full it was spectacular. The salads were basic, but my blue cheese dressing was top notch, with real chunks of blue cheese and a nice cream. The dessert, also, was basic, but the flavor of it surprised me in a good way (strawberry shortcake with strawberry whipped cream and hazelnut chocolate truffles). We had some new items on the second trip. The mandarin arugula and crispy prosciutto salad with shaved parmasean cheese was excellent, and a big portion. The sweet yet peppery, bacon-scented dressing was a great way to open the meal. We also had the spicy lobster plate, which was essentially a lobster tempura with a spicy kick to it. Yummy! Last, we had the amazing crabtini. Get it. Big juicy lumps of crabmeat dressed in a nice aioli. Totally worth it. My wife had a price fix deal that came with a side of broccolini. It was essentially steamed but then topped with a savory parmasean cheese crumble. Not too bad. For dessert we had some vanilla ice cream (rich and creamy), and our anniversary plate had some fruit + cream, a bit of ice cream, and a thick, rich, coffee-flavored chocolate cake.
Seafood Selection: 8
I have to be honest, I didn’t even look, but I will leave the score as a default 8. Some fools behind us ordered salmon – assholes. May as well order a plate of grilled veggies or a tofu steak, as my buddy said. They had an almond crusted seabass and some scallops on a price fix special that looked really enticing. My wife had a special seafood plateau that came with pre-cracked Alaskan king crab, a half lobster, and shrimp. The lobster was a bit over-boiled, but all else was good. They also have a good deal of other seafood items on the regular menu by way of apps, but not much in terms of mains. As such, I am keeping this as an 8.
Service: 10
Service is good here. They have male and female servers, but all wear the classic white button down with a tie of some sort. I didn’t quite get into it with the waitress about the meat, and she almost brought us a plate of fries on accident, but I can tell they know what they are doing. Warm crisp bread with spreadable, home-made whipped butter, and nice tables, etc. They pay close attention to the notes you add when you make your reservation online. They wished us happy anniversary multiple times, and they even created a special seafood plateau upon request, even though they don’t have one on the menu (though it was a bit pricey). They also brought out a special dessert plate with “happy anniversary” written on it in chocolate. Nice touch.
Ambiance: 10
Going into a chain steakhouse, I was expecting much less than what I experienced. This place is fantastic inside. Really beautiful, elegant, dark, woody, manly, fancy, and comfortable. Nice mural paintings of old style urbanites adorn the walls, which are half dark wood wainscoting on the bottom and half elegant patterned wallpaper on top (where there are no paintings/murals). An elegant stairway leads up from the entryway to an unknown dining area of further fancifulness. I didn’t use the shitter, so I don’t know how good it is. The shitter is nice. They have green marble tiles, dark wood trim and thick disposable hand towels. The place is also pretty big, with multiple seating areas for dining.
In need of a fried chicken fix, and with no real deal fried chicken joints in my area, Fuku+ became the spot to hit on a Sunday evening.
My wife and I tried the “mini me” sandwich and some bites. All of the chicken is dark meat, so you’re getting good flavor and tenderness each time you sink your teeth in. One thing to note: the green sauce that comes with the bites is fucking incredible. It’s a jalapeno jelly of sorts. Spicy, sweet, thick and the heat stays with you a few minutes.
Each item was $6, so reasonably priced. I just feel that the mini me sandwich needs lettuce, tomato and mayo and it would be perfect. All that comes with it are two slices of pickle. But the breading and crisp are nice, and the potato bun rocks.
While we were there we ordered some fried chicken from Ma Peche to go; their famous habanero fried chicken. Kind of a let down, in my opinion. The batter was overcooked and slightly burned, and it lacked seasoning. The habanero kick was barely present at the aftertaste mark. Also one of my drumsticks was not fully cooked on the inside. Bummer. At $30 per order (pictured below are two orders), this is simply not fucking worth it. You’re better off going to Fuku+ for a few orders of the bites if you need your fried chicken fix.
On a second visit to Fuku+ with my friend Matt Bruck, we sampled a few other items. First was the “Juicy Lucy” burger, which is made with a cheese-stuffed Niman Ranch patty, topped with grilled onions and special sauce, and slapped between a nice, soft, supple-yet-strong potato bun.
This fucker was cooked to about medium well, despite the waitress warning us that it would be “cooked through,” presumably to well done (so that all the cheese inside adequately melts down). Some reviews online reported that this was a rubbery, overcooked burger. We didn’t have that experience, though I do sympathize. The all-natural burger, being cooked and formed a bit differently than a traditional patty, certainly has a different texture than you might expect. The flavors smack of teriyaki or some other Asian influence. It reminded me a bit of the burger I had in Maui at Bully’s (the roadside joint I will mention in my forthcoming Maui blog post).
Next we had the mission Chinese chicken fingers. These are nice and spicy, and it’s the only white meat chicken you will find here at Fuku+. These were breaded with a crispy crust that was steeped in chili and five spice. Really nice, and I highly recommend it.
Last was the pickled mussels. These were okay. They were a little bit unwieldy, being served in a jar and meant to be eaten on the provided toasty slices of French bread. They were definitely pungent and had a touch of spice from the pickling process.
FUKU+ / MA PESCHE
Chambers Hotel
15 W. 56th St.
New York, NY 10022
This joint ran a Groupon special that got you two burgers, an order of tries, and two cupcakes for $15. Not bad.
I went there with “Chicken Sandwich Sam,” a buddy of mine who insists on getting grilled chicken sandwiches on many occasions when we are going out for cheeseburgers. His looked good, but mine looked better:
That’s beef, baby. With American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion. While the bun was small, the burger packed a good amount of flavor. It was fired up correctly to medium and had a good crisp to the patty edges.
The fries were natural cut steak fries. Not too doughy or greasy, with a nice crisp given the style (these usually aren’t as crispy for some reason). Course salt was a nice touch:
For my cupcake, I went with marble cake (chocolate and vanilla) topped with a peanut butter frosting. The cake was dry, but the peanut butter frosting was nice, even if it was only just a smear of Jiffy. Not even close to Cake Dealer quality, but the place makes for an interesting concept.
Braai means BBQ in Afrikaans. And South African food is something I’ve never had before. So naturally I had to try this joint. I walked by this a few times and the menu looked really good. So tonight my wife and I gave it a try.
First some cocktails: a bourbon julep and some South African wine. It’s important to note here that they also offer Tusker beer, from Kenya, which I like very much.
Braai has a bunch of tapas for $9 each, or you can man the fuck up and get five for $42 and save a few bucks. That’s what we did.
Top left is sausage, polenta (pap) and tomato. It had a nice pork and beef flavor to it, with a little spicy kick.
Center was deviled chicken liver. I was expecting something whipped and spreadable for some reason, and spicy. These were some more traditional styled liver items… cut up and sautéed in a hearty sauce. Very iron flavored but not grainy or snappy at all.
Top right: meatballs with tomato sauce. The sauce was tangy, and the meatballs were spicy and tender.
Bottom right was fried chicken wings with peri-peri sauce. The wings were crispy and nicely battered, and the sauce was spicy and herbaceous – almost like a salsa. Very nice. I was putting it on everything!
Bottom left was grilled octopus. This had less of a char flavor than I expected, but it was very tender.
At this point we were pretty full, but we kept pushing on. We ordered the ribs (ribbetjies); baby back ribs with a rooibos chocolate glaze (a legume, often used in teas), sautéed spinach and creamy polenta.
This was really good. The meat was tender and flavorful, and the sauce was sweet with a little spice to it at the end, and some depth.
We had to try dessert, seeing as though this is one of the only places that doesn’t just offer creme brûlée, tira misu and cheesecake (though they do have cheesecake). Love those when they are good, but come on! Anyway this place gets it. We ordered something called “koeksisters,” which is pretty much thin, braided fried doughnuts or funnel cake with ice cream and honey on top. Awesome.
This joint used to be on the east side, but that spot closed. It recently reopened with a revamped menu on west 55th near 8th.
We started with some pork items. First was the not-so-awesome “grilled” bacon with blue cheese. An odd item to grace the menu of a Japanese joint, granted, but we were hoping for more crisp and less stringy/rubbery texture.
The better pork item was the yongen-ton kakani, which was silky simmered pork belly. This was fucking delicious, and reminded my wife and I of the clay pot casserole style Vietnamese dish from Cha Pas. This is a definite must-order for any of you bacon heads.
For my ramen, I ordered the nagahama fu tonkotsu. It is pork-based, with good firm alkaline noodles (LOTS of noodles – like an extra kae-dama amount), some pickled ginger, sesame seeds, scallions and one very tasty piece of pork.
I liked it very much. It was moderately robust without overwhelming the taste buds. And for $11 it is fair, though I wish there was at least another piece of pork in there.
My wife ordered the onsen tamago sukiyaki udon, which was gingery and nicely cooked udon noodles in a sweet broth that had beef and a poached egg within. Nice, but the ramen was better.
Groupon recently had a sweet steakhouse deal: $49 steak dinner for two that covers $18 worth of apps, $114 worth of steak, and $18 worth of sides. That’s a steal! It turns out the restaurant was The Statler Grill, a joint I had wandered past a few times near Penn Station and always wondered about.
Flavor: 8
I had the ribeye, which was partially boneless at about 22oz. Nice and flavorful, cooked perfectly through the whole way, nothing uneven, nice and tender and juicy, well seasoned, well rested… It didn’t need anything, yet there was just something missing that I couldn’t put my finger on; maybe it was the atmosphere (see below)? Whatever it was I couldn’t give it the full 10. My wife got the lamb chops, which were amazing; nice crust, not too gamey, but full of great flavor.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 7
The menu has the basics: strip, filet, ribeye, and porterhouse. All seem to be prime quality. No specials, but they did have lamb chops and a veal chop to mix it up.
Portion Size & Plating: 7
We were full, so the size was good; I estimate the ribeye to be about 20-24oz (there were no numbers on the menu), and about 3-4oz for each lamb chop (with six chops per order). Plating is basic; white plate with meat + a little green garnish. Nothing fancy.
Price: 8
I wanted to give this place a 9 or 10 for price, since we paid so little for our meal, but the menu prices were high for dining without a sweet groupon. The ribeye was $54, lamb chops $48. Kinda pricey for a place like this. The lobster cocktail was $18, and the smallish sides were $9 each. If the atmosphere was a little different (see below) if might be worth it at full price, because the food WAS cooked properly and tasted great… but for that price, head over to Keen’s, Wolfgang’s or Delmonico’s for serious atmosphere. That said, our meal, with drink, tax and tip included, was $42 over the initial $49 I paid for the groupon.
Bar: 6
The bar is kinda small and junky. It probably gets some customers who are awaiting their LIRR train, so it’s not empty. They do offer some interesting beers and wine selections, and their martini was made properly, but this isn’t really the kind of bar I’d want to hang at for too long. Contrast with Delmonico’s or Keen’s and you see what I mean.
Specials and Other Meats: 6
No specials! That’s fine; after all, it is a steak joint. The basic cuts are all that is required. Other than that they had veal and lamb, a good deal of seafood and chicken as well, for the wimps.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 8
We started with the lobster cocktail; nicely cooked, accompanied by some dipping sauces: a kicked up, horseradishy cocktail sauce, and a spicy mayo type sauce. The lobster was split in two long ways to split the tail meat, and the claws were pre-cracked and ready to devour. The creamed spinach was certainly creamy. What it lacked in salt and savory it made up for in cream, so it served as a good cut to the well-seasoned meat. I found myself dipping fork fulls of meat into the spinach with every few bites. Only bad thing: the size was a bit small. The order of fries was good too; crispy ribbons, well salted. About two potatoes worth, so also a bit pricey for $9. We skipped dessert. If I was still hungry, I probably would have rounded off the meal with some oysters. One thing looked particularly interesting on the menu: the Dr. Olsen Salad – basically a cobb with a seafood twist.
Seafood Selection: 8
Chilean sea bass, grilled salmon, shrimp scampi, crab cakes, and seared sesame tuna graced the seafood menu. That covers most bases, though there was no lobster aside from the cocktail. They also offered oysters AND clams on the half shell as apps (oreganata clams too – and nice move offering both clams and oysters), as well as fried calamari, shrimp cocktail, lump crab meat, and app sized portions of scampi, crabcakes and tuna.
Service: 9
Our waiter was really friendly and outgoing to all his tables – an older man – and the waiters were dressed in the classic shirt & tie manner. Crusty bread was hot when it came to the table, and served with a nice basic whipped butter that wasn’t cold and solid.
Ambiance: 6
This place could use a makeover. It is not BAD inside, but it doesn’t have a steakhouse feel (see Lugers) OR a fine dining feel (see Mark Joseph). It feels more like a Heartland Brewery, yet at least in Heartland Brewery you know you have a kickass bar/beer/drink selection. The floors are nice; dark wood, Ceilings are high with the exposed warehouse look, and tables are what you would see in any regular restaurant. Walls are covered with random stuff like trumpets, artwork, etc. I think they need a new space, or a new decor. Even the doorway seemed cheap; more like a bar door or a standard storefront shop. It could be the location – it is directly across from MSG and Penn Station, down 33rd street about halfway to 6th Avenue, so it lacks a certain character or uniqueness trait. The bathrooms, cleverly marked “Joseph” and “Josephine” for men/women, were standard bar bathrooms – not dirty, but not the kind you expect in a fine steakhouse.
UPDATE AS OF 7/27/15
So Statler Grill now has a different deal, and it isn’t quite as awesome as it used to be. It’s still a good deal, don’t get me wrong, but you need to know up front that the menu is very limited. There are only two cuts of steak available in the “steak dinner for two” Groupon deal. You can either choose a strip/sirloin, or the porterhouse for two. They also limit you on your selection of apps, they choose the sides for you, and you are limited to two desserts. The good thing is that you can swap wine for beer or cocktails with no extra charge. Anything else that you might want to swap will cost you big time. Like $15 extra if you want a filet instead of the strip. Or $5 extra if you want chocolate ice cream instead of cheesecake or bread pudding. Some of the substitution fees are ridiculous considering that the actual menu prices are the same if not less for the substitutions.
Anyway, the deal is $99 for two apps, two entrees, two desserts, two coffees and a bottle of wine. It’s really not that bad of a deal if you happen to want what is on the limited menu. So I stress that you look before you leap.
We had the caesar salad and friend calamari to start. Both were small portions. I’d say half size from what you might expect.
We went with the porterhouse for two. Although it was a bit light on the ounces and seasoning, I didn’t mind so much because it was cooked properly and the flavor was decent, though not as good as last time I came (maybe 7/10 for this porterhouse).
The sides were both excellent, and were generously portioned given the deal.
Since the manager was aware that we were a bit unhappy with the Groupon fine print, he went out of his way to make sure we were happy come dessert time. He gave us the chocolate ice cream substitution for free, and also threw in a creme brûlée on the house. Good man.
The real star of the show at dessert time was the bread pudding, though. It was awesome. It tasted like warm fluffy French toast cookie dough.
That about does it. Overall the meal was satisfying and we liked our food. We were just a little let down over the seemingly deceptive wording in the Groupon ad. Hopefully this gets rectified in the future, so that others don’t get let down upon ordering time. We were actually going to leave and eat elsewhere when we learned that the deal was not what we expected, but we were told that the Groupon had already been redeemed. Essentially that meant we were stuck eating there or else face a loss of the Groupon value.
This little Hell’s Kitchen joint offered up a decent Groupon that made it worth while to try. An app, two entrees, two drinks and a bread for $30.
I had a banana lassi. It was good, but I wish it was colder. Drinking room temperature banana yogurt isn’t that appealing. My wife had a pistachio shake, but it was more like a lassi than what we expected a shake to be (cold, creamy, ice cream-ish). They both looked exactly the same, so here is a generic shot. Can you guess which this is?
For the app, we shared some lamb kebob, which came to us plated and un-skewered. This was deliciously spiced lamb that was minced into a sausage-like texture.
I ate a biryani lamb and spicy rice dish, and my wife had a lamb curry that was mild and creamy.
As you can tell, this was a lamb-centric meal. The biryani was a bit dry and oddly spiced, but tasty nonetheless. In hindsight I probably should have gone with my staple Indian food order to test the waters, chicken saag.
My wife’s lamb curry was the winner on the day. It was creamy, mildly spiced, and mildly sweet from the presence of pineapple.
Our bread selection was a naan that was filled with coconut and pistachio. Really nice.
BOMBAY GRILL HOUSE
764 9th Ave.
New York, NY 10019
My wife and I ordered some stuff here for delivery. I was excited at the prospect of eating roasted chicken from a place that specifically deals in such an item and nearly nothing else. I was expecting one of the best roasted chickens in my life. If that’s all you really do, as a restaurant, you need to excel at it. Unfortunately Poulette failed to deliver good roasted chicken. We ordered a half chicken. It was pretty dry and the flavoring on the skin had a bitter component that I wasn’t too fond of.
The brussels side was cooked with a vinegar and mustard base that really ruined the flavor of the sprouts. All you really need to do is roast them with some seasoning and chicken drippings from the roasting process for a really successful item. What a failure.
On the bright side, the french fries were good, as were the salt and pepper chicken wings. Both remained very crispy despite closed-container transport. The wings were expertly seasoned and cooked to a beautiful golden brown. They consisted of drumettes and wings with the little wing bone still attached, for extra nibbling. Sadly, the sesame glazed wings were a let-down. They were overly sauced to the point of undesirable sogginess. Good flavor in the sauce, but executed poorly. Perhaps that sauce needs to be in a container on the side rather than drenched all over the wings.
Apologies for the lack of photos. I was too hungry to whip out the cell phone this time. Take my advice though: if you come here, stick to the salt and pepper wings and the french fries. If roasted chicken is what you are craving, I say go to Inti.
