Grae Gram

Restaurant Week is back in NYC! For those of you who may not know, the concept of NYC’s Restaurant Week started in 1992 as a one-time culinary program for the delegates of the Democratic National Convention, which was held in NYC that year. At the same time, budding foodies and self proclaimed gourmets discovered that they, too, could enjoy a prix fixe lunch for the low price of $19.95. Over the years, the program expanded to include dinner at prix fixe rates, and Sunday dining options. Though the cost of lunch has risen over the years, you can still enjoy a great meal for under $25 for lunch and $35 for dinner. (Please note: this does NOT include drinks, tax, or gratuity.)

As a chef/ex-foodie/person that likes to eat (:o) living in the same recession as everyone else, Restaurant Week always gives me an opportunity to try out fine dining establishments and revisit old favorites without feeling utterly irresponsible. So last week, at the onset of Restaurant Week, when my home girl had to cancel our weekly spades game (gasp!) because she and a friend were heading to Smith & Wollensky, I, after much lamenting about the spades game, agreed to go with them. There’s nothing better to cheer you up than good wine and a good steak, right?

Smith & Wollensky is one of the country’s most renowned steakhouses, located in Midtown East. The franchise high end restaurant began in 1977, and has since expanded to include urban metropolises such as D.C., Columbus, Boston, and Houston, to name a few. Upon arrival, there is a sprinkling of the average working Joe, but overall, the crowd consists of corporate types fresh from work and the older crowd that can only be described as “having old money”. However, the staff was friendly, courteous, and made you feel a part of the upper echelon environment.

Our server, J.R., provided for us both the Restaurant Week menu as well as the regular menu. I am not ashamed to say that we glanced at the other menu and quickly reverted to the Restaurant Week menu. LOL. We started with calamari fritti with homemade marinara sauce and Caesar salad with fresh parmesan. Something that I noticed that struck me as a bit odd was that whereas we were served our meal already plated, the table next to us, who ordered from the regular menu, received the customary plating and service tableside. I was tempted to say something, but opted against it, choosing to observe the remainder of the meal to see how it went.

Regardless, the calamari was tender and flavorful, and the Caesar salad was well dressed and appetizing.

All of us opted for the filet mignon as our main course, with varying degrees of doneness, accompanied by sides of sautéed spinach and asparagus with béarnaise sauce. The cut of meat was perfectly done, the sides accompanying the meal perfectly, and the service timely yet courteous and catering. Perhaps the earlier tableside service was simply an oversight. Dinner ended with a delectable trio of desserts: decadent chocolate mousse cake, bourbon pecan pie with freshly whipped cream, and tenderly spiced apple brown Betty. The whole meal came to exactly $35 per person, not including our sides, the drinks, and of course, tax and gratuity. Overall, the price was significantly less than what we might have paid on a regular nice, and the food was tasty, well prepared, with good service and a smile.

As we rolled ourselves (sigh) out of the restaurant, my mind was already on the next stop on my Restaurant Week tour. Shall it be French next? Hmmm…stay tuned next week to find out!

Smith and Wollensky – 49^th Street & 3^rd Avenue, New York, NY 10022 (212) 753-1530 (reservations required)

Restaurant Week runs from July 19 to July 31, 2009. Over 250 restaurants are participating this year. For more information, visit www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek.