Club A

Club A overall score: 79

As nearly all NYCers know, Club A has been running an enticing promotion on the groupon/livingsocial/deal-a-day type websites since the Spring of 2011: $80 four course dinner for two, with a bottle of wine included. Here's my review, though I kinda wish my wife stopped Geoffrey Zakarian on the street and begged him to cook us a private meal. She passed by him on her way to meet me.

1) Flavor:6

The choice of beef cuts with the special deal were either a 10oz filet or a hanger steak. Naturally, I chose the hanger cut, because I think it shows more finesse and skill to prepare a good hanger steak that it does to whip up a filet. Also, the hanger generally has more flavor and character than the monotonous and generally same-at-every-place-you-go filet can have. Well... My steak was just okay. It had decent flavor, but it was not tenderized or aged in any noticeable way to enhance it. Parts were stringy, which means the fat was not allowed to break down in the aging process. It came to me a little under how I ordered. I asked for medium/medium rare, but I was given more like rare/medium rare. No biggie - for this cut you can go under, and kinda should go under. This cut has a tendency to be tough, so a fast cooking approach with a slice on the bias or a slow, long braise is generally best. I think the meat quality was just lacking; perhaps because so many people took advantage of the deal, they did not share the quality cuts. I don't know. I was hoping to be wowed by the hanger so that I would come back for the ribeye. Oh well. I've had a better hanger steak at non-steakhouses like Kefi. My wife had the veal shank osso buco, which was better than my steak.

2) Choice of Cuts & Quality available: 9

Club A has the standard selection of steaks on their regular menu, plus some special cuts and high quality meats like Kobe ribeyes and prime aged stuff. Perhaps my flavor review would be higher if I had ordered off the regular menu, but this was a test visit, and they didn't pass with flying colors for me to want to go back. Perhaps if someone insists, I will try it again.

 

3) Portion Size & Plating: 8

The portion sizes were good, and the plating was above average. The veal osso buco came with a mini fork to get the marrow out of the bone - nice touch. The hanger was pre-sliced, properly on the bias, and served with a watery gravy (but good). The bacon appetizer was a generous half-inch thick slice of heaven.

 

4) Price: 9

The price was great - $80 for four courses each. The quality didn't quite exceed the value, but I guess they have to draw the line somewhere to distinguish between the bargain menu and their regular menu. Prices for regular items are standard NYC steakhouse prices.

 

5) Bar: 7

There is a small bar in the front of the restaurant - not impressive. There is also a larger bar upstairs splitting the front and rear dining areas, but these spots aren't the kind of place you go to hang out. The martini was nice, but the atmosphere pales in comparison to other steakhouse bars. This is a neighborhood joint though, not a major steakhouse attraction, so allow some leeway. The waffle cut potato chips on the bar were a nice snack.

 

6) Specials and Other Meats: 9

I must say, the menu is full of meatery. Aside from the special beef cuts, they also have a prime pork chop, veal, chicken, sausage, and lamb. They've covered all the bases with various sizes as well.

 

7) Apps, Sides & Desserts: 7

The bacon app was fantastic - best I have ever had. The steak tartare was sub-par: over cut with capers, red onion and other doo-dads; it tasted yummy, but it seemed short on actual meat. Also, some of the consistency was chewy, like they didn't trim the fat off before chopping. The sides were nice - I liked the creamed spinach but my wife didn't. The mac & cheese was delicious. As for dessert, the tiramisu and cream puffs tasted homogeneous. Similar textures, similar flavors... dull. That bacon though... mmm... I'd go back just for that - 5 slabs please! No need to order from the entree menu. Not too salty, good amount of fat balanced with the meaty parts... But why was it served with ketchup?  One will never know.

 

8) Seafood Selection: 9

Decent selection of seafood, even a manly fish like swordfish made its presence known on the menu. Good sounding alternatives for the vaginal.

 

9) Service: 8

Good service, attentive. There was an assortment of room temperature table breads that were nice to snack on. They ranged from sweet to salty. Butter was still cold.

 

10) Ambiance: 7

At first I hated the place. Dimly lit with red tones all over, typical framed photos of celebs on the walls, a cheap looking but pretty gas fireplace on the back wall of the first floor dining room, and cheese-bag electronic lounge music playing like we are at "Centro-Fly" from a decade ago. But then the music switched to instrumental funk, jazz and crooner.. and we went upstairs... WOW - Beautiful view of the lit trees out the floor to ceiling windows in the front of the building. Non-traditional and small, but stunning.