200 E 54th St (between 2nd and 3rd Ave, Midtown East)
Fatty Kat Eats: Sizzling Canadian Bacon, Porterhouse (Steak for 2/3/4), Lamb Chop, Creamed Spinach, Fried Onion Rings, German Potatoes, Key Lime Pie
Let's play a game of Never Have I Ever. Never have I ever been to Wolfgang's Steakhouse. Never have I ever eaten so much steak. Never have I even eaten steak this good. Never have I ever passed out so quickly from a meal.
On New Years Eve, all those "never have I evers" vanished into thin air! Our meal was certainly the most rewarding work lunch fathomable and not without the guidance of my boss, Howard. Fun fact: Howard is "President for Life" of his monthly Steak Club, which recently celebrated it's 20-year anniversary. What?! I know...that's a lot of steak. He proudly claims Wolfgang's as the best steakhouse in New York, while Prime and Beyond wins for best steak (I must agree). And look out! Howard is going to be famous for his perpetual hunger in Gotham Magazine pretty soon.
So we started our fateful meal with appetizers galore. I enjoyed an absurdly thick and juicy slab of Sizzling Canadian Bacon. It's really a steak in itself! As you can see, this is not the kind of bacon you'll ever find at brunch. This is strictly steakhouse bacon. All business, baby!
My compadres enjoyed a host of other apps, such as Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and Lobster Cocktail--all reportedly fresh and delicious! The lovely bread deserves special mention in that you're meant to devour it with butter and house steak sauce, which is oddly similar to cocktail sauce. Not a huge fan of this combination...I'll just have the butter, thank you very much.
Enough fluff. Let's get down to business. Steak. Excuse me, The Steak. With each sizzling bite, you understand why cows were put on earth. And for every bad thing in life, there should be a piece of Wolfgang's Porterhouse (aka Steak for 2/3/4) to make up for it. The meat comes out on a plate so hot it continues to cook the steak for 5-10 minutes at the table. There are no words to adequately describe how amazing this steak tasted, but it seemed like I was biting into chunks of melted butter in steak form so perfectly seasoned with salt and a side of old-school attitude.
The Lamb Chop (lower left) was also phenomenal, and I would say so for those not keen on lamb as well. It's hard to find lamb like this anywhere, so incredibly tender and juicy. No shame in gnawing at the bone, and yes, I'm saying that for my own benefit.
Wolfgang's is a traditional steakhouse, and the same can be said for its sides. No frills--just really, really good sides. My favorite one was easily the Creamed Spinach. I usually don't eat my greens slathered in cream and butter (defeats the point, right?), but this is a fine exception. Spinach so decadent it hurts!
I also loved the Fried Onion Rings, which were definitely the best I've had in recent memory. So large and in charge. The Steamed Asparagus was what it was...steamed asparagus. But the German Potatoes were pretty bangin'! Howard thinks they're the best potatoes in the world, but he's more of a steak expert than a potato expert.
If you go to Wolfgang's, don't forget you're in a traditional steakhouse (ahem, ex-Luger), which means you don't dare serve yourself anything! You will be served by the old-school servers, or you will be scolded. Unfortunately, I was victim to the latter. When it comes to seconds (and thirds and fourths), you might be allowed to serve yourself.
Dessert was good, but nothing to write home about if you have an adventurous sweet tooth like me. The Chocolate Mousse Cake, Key Lime Pie and Tiramisu were great versions of Steakhouse staples, but the Schlag (whipped cream) was the star of the show. Whipped cream for whipped cream's sake. I approve!
Our lunch was ridiculously good on all fronts, but The Steak was obviously the star of the show, as it should be. I think every dish came out perfectly because the chef used just the right amount of salt. Maximum flavorage (I'm copyrighting that).
Although there are a few locations throughout the city, Wolfgang's is by no means a chain. According to Howard, all 4 New York City locations are equally good, but Tribeca has the most beautiful atmosphere.
To finish the game: never have I ever worked with a group of people who love food as much as I do! Fingers crossed that NYE lunch becomes an annual tradition!
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