Dylan Prime

[Fat Guy]

I'm clueless as to its origins and a quick online search didn't turn anything up.

[Rosie]

More info on the food at Dylan Prime here.

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...=13262&hl=dylan

[Simon Majumdar]

Oysters were often used in Victorian Britain as a poor man's food and to eke out the more expensive meat portions

In trad recipes for Steak & Kidney pudding, there is a call for a large number of oysters and in Yorkshire it was often the way that a plate of oysters was eaten before the sunday meal ( usually Roast beef and yorkshire pudding ) to make it go further. Likewise, they would serve the pudding before with gravy, during with the meat and afterwards with jam , all to stop them eating so much meat

I wonder if the origins of the Carpetbagger are similar?

S

[Holly Moore]

In Yorkshire it was often the way that a plate of oysters was eaten before the sunday meal ( usually Roast beef and yorkshire pudding  ) to make it go further.

For which we will always be greatful if that led to one of the most sensual of movie food scenes - Tom Jones and Mrs. Waters sharing a plate of oysters at a roadside inn.

[Liza]

Food Lovers Companion:

"Although claimed by many to be of Australian origin, an Australian cookbook, The Captain Cook Book: Two Hundred Years of Australian Cooking, declares that the carpetbag steak came from the United States..."

[Jinmyo]

I'm always confused by what is meant by the word "stuffed". Was the steak butterflied and stuffed with oysters? Was it atop oysters? Were oysters set atop the steak?

[Wilfrid]

Unless the filling is inside, it surely doesn't count as "stuffed". I think this was Bill Clinton's view.

Moving swiftly on, I wanted to say that I am currently making arrangements to sample a "tucker bag" steak next week, the key factor being that a kangaroo rather than a cow will be providing the filet element. Will report back.

[pjs]

The 1941 version by chef Louis Diat of the Ritz used--according to Molly O'Neill--a 3 lb boneless sirloin butterflied, seasoned with Worcestershire and S&P, stuffed with a dozen, sewn shut and broiled. It was sliced for serving.

PJ

[ranitidine]

Sandy and I just looked through our decent collection of history of NYC books, but could find no reference to the dish.

[Damian]

Wilfrid - you are, indeed, a jolly swagman. Are you eating this meal near the New York municipal billabong under the shade of a coulibah tree perchance?

[Stone]

Is this place any good? I'm dining there this evening.

[Stone]

Well, I went last night. It was o.k., not great, not bad.

The room is more downtown-trendy than mid-town steak house. Rather youngish crowd.

They stuck 8 of us at a small round table that could have held 5 comfortably, but in their defense, we didn't make the reservations until about 4 p.m. that day. The server looked like Fred Savage, all growed up from the Wonder Years and had an attitude I didn't appreciate. Then again, we were all quite drunk, so mayhaps we deserved it. Much of my memory of the evening is fuzzy due to the most beautiful woman I've seen in ages sitting at the table directly across from me, unfortunately enthralled with some bozo.

For apps, we all had a caesar salad. It was good, though the dressing could have used more punch. Some thought it was under-dressed, but I though it was fine. The individual salads were all topped with a large, fairly thick slice of crisp, baked parmesoan, about the size of a paperback book page. That was a good touch.

It had a large menu, not at all focussed on steaks. But we all had steaks anyway.

I ordered the 12 oz NY strip. It was small, but very, very good. Excellent charring on the outside, the inside was a uniform bright pinkish red. Tender and flavorful. The 20 oz t-bone was also quite good from the bit I tasted, although a tad thin, which made it all a tad overdone. The filet to my right was odd. It seemed to have been roasted or baked instead of grilled. It was a greyish color. This resulted in less flavor for an already lower flavored cut, although it was very tender. Some folks had surf & turf, and the lobster portion looked adequate.

For the sides we had mashed potatoes, asparagus, brussel sprouts, and Mac & cheese. The Mac was quite good, very strong cheddar flavor, and a good amount of crisp cheese crust. The sprouts were cooked in, I think, a balsamic something. I didn't love it, but others did. The asparagus were straightforward grilled asparagus, which is always good in my book. I didn't taste the mashed.

Desserts came and were eaten, but I was way too drunk to remember that. Wine was drunk throughout.

Id say this is a good place if some of your party wants a good steak, but others want more options. If you wall want steak, I'd stick to the usual suspects elsewhere.

We went to Samovar afterwards for a little Ruskying.

And what the hell is Tommy talking about?

Edited December 20, 2003 by Stone (log)

[alacarte]

We were too full for dessert but did try a few after dinner dessert drinks that will be on the menu soon. My favorite was the key lime pie with the rim of the glass dipped in graham cracker crumbs.

Thanks for the mouth-watering description, Rosie. The key lime pie martini has fast become my favorite cocktail (so far I've tried it at RARE and at Link) but I've never seen it with the graham-cracker rim. Sounds fun.

[picaman]

Dorothy Parker got the martini just right:

"I like a good martini,

One or two at the most.

After one I'm under the table,

After two, I'm under the host."

Jamie