NYC — Spring 2013: Wolfgang's Steakhouse

After our lunch at Eataly, my mom and I walked from Flatiron down to Union Square and then even further down to Soho to do some shopping. Suffice it to say, walking 40+ blocks gets tiring. Add to that with massive bags of shopping, and you've pretty much got a full day's worth of exercise (that whole "shopping is my cardio" thing is totally true here). By the time we got back to the hotel in the evening, we were ravenous. Upon deciding what to eat for dinner, my brother suggested steak because where's a better place to get a classic American steak than in New York? So, he made reservations at his favourite steak place in the city, Wolfgang's Steakhouse.
Fresh mozzarella and beefsteak tomatoes
To start, we decided to share the fresh mozzarella and beefsteak tomatoes, topped with a flurry of basil leaves — their version of caprese salad. Simple, tasty, addictive, and so perfect for warm weather. You can choose between three dressings, but we opted for their classic house dressing, a nice light vinaigrette that compliments the cheese and tomatoes perfectly; they also offer a choice of Russian or Roquefort dressings, but we thought they were too rich and would overwhelm the freshness of the ingredients. The beefsteak tomatoes (how appropriate for a steakhouse) were thick, juicy, sweet, and perfectly crisp. I didn't think a tomato could get better than that, really. This really might be my favourite "summer salad" — it's nothing fancy, but the combination just doesn't get old.
U.S.D.A. Prime dry aged steak
Steak cooked medium rare
When shipments of steak come into the city, there are a few restaurants that get first picks, and Wolfgang's is one of them. We ordered the steak for three, which includes two massive steaks featuring two cuts, filet mignon and sirloin. Served on a massive platter, it is rested on a small plate so that the drippings gather at the edge of the plate. The waiter serves each person one piece of filet mignon and one piece of sirloin and then drizzles the fat drippings onto the pieces, ensuring the most optimal way of eating their steak. Now, imagine the best steak you've ever had. Chances are, the ones at Wolfgang's are better. No fancy adornments or additions or sauces, just perfect slabs of meat. The filet mignon is so soft and so tender that you don't even need a steak knife to cut into it. Seriously. It is pure unadulterated meaty bliss (that's what she said). The sirloin, on the other hand, has the most perfect fat-to-meat ratio so that each piece is oozing with incredibly flavourful, juicy deliciousness. It is best eaten with a rare centre, a little bloody. Having this steak cooked more than medium rare would seriously be a crime. And even though steak sauce is provided, it's really unnecessary — the fat drippings are all you'll need. Seriously, this is by far the best steak I've ever had in my life, and I don't say that lightly.
Creamed spinach
Sautéed mushrooms and onions
To round out our meal, we decided on two sides to accompany our steaks: creamed spinach and sautéed mushrooms. In Toronto, it's common for steakhouses to have side dishes that actually come with your steak, but I have found that in New York, sides are almost always ordered separately. Knowing that we'd be eating copious amounts of meat, we decided that anything starchy (read: carbs) would be way too filling, so we decided on the vegetable sides. Now, I don't know how anything that looks so much like baby poop could be so divine, but creamed spinach is always a must-order for me at New York steakhouses. It's not exactly healthy since it's made with a lot of butter and cream, but it provides a fantastic textural and flavour contrast with steak. I honestly prefer this to mashed potatoes as a side dish; if only more places in Toronto served it. The mushrooms, on the other hand, were sautéed perfectly so they had a nice crispness to them instead of being too chewy or rubbery. Again, they're probably not that healthy, as they're likely cooked in a lot of butter, but at least they're vegetables, right? 
There are three locations of Wolfgang's in New York, but the one we went to in Midtown has a great old school vibe to it, all dark mahogany and Art Deco-style tiled ceilings — a seriously classic New York steakhouse. The service could be a bit better, though. The hostess seemed very indifferent and unconcerned, and actually left her station to go to the bar to get some chips, which she then proceeded to eat in front of us. And even though we had a reservation, we still had to wait ten minutes before getting seated even though the restaurant wasn't packed (it was a Monday night, after all). Our waiter seemed very brusque and impatient, especially when we were deciding on what to order (he did not seem pleased when my mom and I didn't order any wine, as if that were a crime), and even though he was efficient, he didn't make regular trips back to the table to see if we needed anything else or to ask how our meal was. Considering that our dinner totalled over $250 plus tax and tip, I expect better service than that. However, I would visit this place again, because their steak? Is really that good.

Wolfgang's Steakhouse 4 Park Avenue New York, NY 10013 (212) 889-3369