Before reading this post, please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
Following the review of
Empire Steakhouse few weeks ago, we have been invited by the owners, the Sinaraj brothers, to try their sister restaurant, Ben & Jack's Steakhouse, located in Murray Hill. I was for sure excited: steaks are for me what shoes are for Jodi!
I was also curious to see what the difference would be between the two Steakhouses. Well, Ben & Jack's has definitely more a steakhouse feel than Empire Steakhouse: dark wood and dimmer lights were no stranger to that feeling. We were greeted by Jack Sinaraj who chatted a bit with us. He told me that the two restaurants share the same menu, so I asked him why they did not call Empire Steakhouse, Ben & Jack's and his answer was so true: calling it the same would have made it seems like a chain and they consider they are more a family restaurant, "hard working family". I understand the thinking as I never went to The Capital Grill because it is a chain and its name makes it look like it, although I heard several people talking about it very positively. I think that, when people think about chain steakhouses, they do not associate them with quality.
When we sat at our table, we recognized certain items, such as the bread and butter:
Or the Steak sauce with the name of the restaurant on it:
I decided to drink a Pinot Noir, my favorite wine with steak:
As an appetizer, Jodi ordered the Caesar salad that she liked last time:
The salad was again delicious, with lots of parmesan cheese and crispy romaine. It was also not overdressed.
I decided to go for the Jumbo Lump Crabmeat Cocktail as I tried the Maryland Crab Cake last time:
The crab was on a piece of lettuce presented on a bed of ice.
They also brought some tabasco and horseradish with crackers, to get some kick. The crab was fresh and well cooked. I preferred this appetizer over the crab cake as the lump meat is more delicate and tastier than the claw meat.
Then, we got our steaks!!! Jodi ordered her filet mignon, medium:
And I ordered a Ribeye, medium-rare:
These pieces of meat were huge: the filet mignon was 14 to 16 ounces and the Ribeye between 29 and 32 ounces. The Ribeye, served bone-in, had this delightful meat smell and a nice char on the outside. It had a nice amount of fat that I did not neglect, as well as the meat next to the bone that had a bolder taste...It was perfectly cooked, juicy and tender (the knives they give you are not these heavy steak knives some steakhouses use, but the meat was so tender that it was not a problem!).
The filet mignon, although tender, was slightly overcooked and not very juicy. Between the two, the ribeye was clearly the best!
To go with the steaks, we ordered some mash potatoes:
And the sauteed mushrooms that we liked last time:
Both were excellent: the mash was light and well seasoned; the mushrooms were perfectly cooked and tasty, with some pieces of onions here and there. Last time, we tried the onion rings and cottage fries, so I have to say that they offer nice alternatives for sides (although I still missed my Mac & Cheese...).
Then, came the time to order dessert...Believe or not, after this feast, we still had room to have dessert! We ordered a tiramisu:
And a Crème brûlée:
The tiramisu came with the fantastic homemade whipped cream we had last time:
We definitely enjoyed the tiramisu: very good and light, it paired well with this heavenly delicious whipped cream (there was a lot of it). However, I did not like the Crème brûlée that had not set properly.
To accompany our desserts, we got some tea and espresso:
We definitely had a good time at Ben & Jack's Steakhouse and here again, the service was exceptional. If you go there, I definitely suggest the ribeye that was spectacular!
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
