NYC: Porterhouse steak at Smith & Wollensky

I don’t eat steak very often, but when I do, I want something nice, and Smith & Wollensky is always a safe bet. Smith & Wollensky is an old school steak restaurant in a corporate part of Midtown, so the restaurant mainly attracts the busy business crowd, especially during the weekdays.

The steaks at Smith & Wollensky are dry-aged USDA Prime (the highest grade of American beef), and they are amazing. Most of the steaks are around $78, and you’d probably also want a side or two, so a meal at Smith & Wollensky doesn’t come cheap. Though for steaks in New York, I would consider the price level reasonable, and fairly affordable, even for those of us without an expense account.

The restaurant dates back to 1977, and I suspect some of the employees have been around for almost as long. They are experts when it comes to steak, so when they talk, you listen. On the staff’s recommendation, we had the porterhouse steak with béarnaise and pepper sauce, mac and cheese and sautéed spinach. One side dish would have been enough, because the portions are huge, but I can never say no to mac and cheese, so hooray for doggie bags. Another thing I rarely say no to, is dessert, but this time I had to pass. One more bite, and I wouldn’t have been able to walk out from the restaurant, but what a wonderful meal.

I love a good steak, but with more and more friends going vegan or vegetarian, finding someone to join me for a steak dinner Friday night was not an easy task (thank you April, for coming along), and just writing about steaks almost feels controversial. I’ve been playing with the thought of giving up meat myself too, but I’m far from there yet, and in the meantime, I will allow myself to fully enjoy my porterhouse/ribeye/New York strip.

Smith & Wollensky, 797 Third Ave (crossing street E. 49th Street), Midtown, New York