A true testament to how delicious a steak dinner can be when done right
Last week we attended an intimate tasting at one of the premier steakhouse restaurants in New York City, Empire Steak House. We dined at the Midtown East location where the restaurant is nestled in on the ground floor of The Kimberly Hotel. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by friendly staff that showed us to our table that overlooked the entire restaurant. And one thing we have to mention is how beautiful the décor is. With plush booths, white tablecloths, and amazing wooden finishes, Empire Steak House ensured that every little detail was done elegantly. And the pièce de resistance was the glass wall in the back of the dining room that showcased over one hundred bottles of wine that they store.
As for the person behind the menu, Jack Sinanaj is the Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Empire Steak House. Jack’s culinary journey began years ago, rooted in a deep appreciation for fine cuisine and a desire to bring exceptional flavors to discerning palates. Through his relentless pursuit of culinary excellence, Jack refined his skills under the tutelage of renowned establishments, including the iconic Peter Luger Steak House. This invaluable experience provided him with the knowledge and expertise to elevate Empire Steak House’s offerings to new levels of perfection.
As for the drink menu, Empire Steak House boasts an impressive selection of spirits, wine and cocktails. The cocktail menu is a true testament to the art of mixology, featuring an array of expertly crafted drinks, from classic favorites like the perfectly balanced Old Fashioned and the refreshing Mojito, to unique creations such as the Empire Martini. For our meal, we opted for a classic old fashioned which ended up being one of the best old fashioned we have had. The cocktail was spirit forward with a bit of sweetness from the sugar. But what made this drink stand out the most were the notes of cinnamon that played beautifully with the caramel flavors from the whiskey.
For our first course we chose a classic Caesar salad. In our opinion, a Caesar salad is something that seems simple but hard to perfect. And this salad was excellent. The lettuce was dressed perfectly where the Caesar salad dressing coated each piece but didn’t leave the lettuce soggy. The dressing was incredibly creamy and had the perfect balance of salty and savory notes to it. And the sheets of parmesan on top added a sharp salty dimension to the salad that complimented the dressing.
For our main we ordered the filet mignon with a side of creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. When we were served the steak, off the bat we were surprised at how thick this piece of filet mignon was. And with our first slice we could see that this steak was cooked to a beautiful medium rare as the juices oozed out and we saw that perfect rose colored center. Each bite of this filet was tender, juicy, and the crust added a nice texture to the dish as well. Paired with the mashed potatoes added a lovely creaminess to the dish and made each bite more savory and sumptuous. And the addition of the creamed spinach was a must. This side was one of our favorites. The spinach was cooked down where it was creamy but not too heavy. There were notes of garlic and pepper throughout the dish which stopped it from being one note. We would come back for this main course selection alone.
And lastly, we had to try some of their dessert. We opted for the Tiramisu for this meal and we do not regret this choice at all. The dessert was so light and fluffy. The bitter notes from the espresso was married perfectly to the sweet decadent soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone.
All in all, we loved every bite of this meal. Some people say that all steakhouses are the same. But Empire Steak House proved that wrong with their attention to detail, quality ingredients, and finesse that is put into each dish. We highly recommend dining here and cannot wait to come back and try some more of their dishes.
