STK (Steakhouse in Meatpacking District)

[Nathan]

although it is unfortunately located in the MP:

this steakhouse has an intriguing menu.

http://www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails...d=0&cuisineid=0

the "small" steaks and the decent looking (and decently priced) list of other entrees appear to be aimed at making this a date place.

the specialty cocktail list (although a little heavy on sweet drinks and vodka (again, think "date steakhouse")) is also of interest.

[slkinsey]

STK also has a web site with further information: http://stkhouse.com/

Apparently they plan to have a DJ for a "sexy vibe" and they say they are "a steakhouse with a conscience and sex appeal" I wonder what the conscience part is all about?

[raji]

I'll DJ for steak, if anyone knows them let them know!

2 Hours = porterhouse

[Eatmywords]

looks alot more like a club/lounge than a steakhouse

[oakapple]

looks alot more like a club/lounge than a steakhouse

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It looks very Meatpacking-esque

[tommy]

it would make a pretty good first-person shooter. (FPS)

Edited September 29, 2006 by tommy (log)

[Nathan]

I like the gender ratio in that shot.

This could be the first majority-female steakhouse in world history.

[jsmeeker]

Looks like they are going for the "not your Father's steakhouse" feel. Sort of like N9NE in Las Vegas (and Chicago and soon to be Dallas) and BOA in Los Angeles (and Vegas).

I've been to both, and actually think it's a good concept. (and they both served a really good steak). I am liking the idea of smaller cuts, too. Not only is it good for ladies (I assume that's who it's targeted at), it's also good for people like me that want a nice steak, but really don't need 16+ ouces of meat.

[phaelon56]

I'm in agreement with the notion that smaller cuts of meat are a great option - whether it's a "date place" or not. But I'm a bit taken aback by the price of sides. $10 for a bowl of soup and $9 for a side order of potatoes? I'll guess (or I would hope) that the side dishes are generous portions and will serve several people but isn't that a few $ higher than other higher end steakhouses in NYC?

[oakapple]

I'm in agreement with the notion that smaller cuts of meat are a great option - whether it's a "date place" or not.  But I'm a bit taken aback by the price of sides.  $10 for a bowl of soup and $9 for a side order of potatoes?  I'll guess (or I would hope) that the side dishes are generous portions and will serve several people but isn't that a few $ higher than other higher end steakhouses in NYC?

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If STK is following the normal steakhouse model, the sides will be enormous, and perfectly ample for sharing. I don't consider soup a side dish, though.

At $9, the sides are a dollar or two more than some other steakhouses, but other items are lower, and overall it evens out. Overall, this is a very typical steakhouse menu, except for the unusual option of offering smaller cuts at a lower price point.

Edited October 2, 2006 by oakapple (log)

[jsmeeker]

I'm in agreement with the notion that smaller cuts of meat are a great option - whether it's a "date place" or not.  But I'm a bit taken aback by the price of sides.  $10 for a bowl of soup and $9 for a side order of potatoes?  I'll guess (or I would hope) that the side dishes are generous portions and will serve several people but isn't that a few $ higher than other higher end steakhouses in NYC?

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Ouch! That does seem high. I guess somehow, I missed seeing an actual menu with prices.

[oakapple]

Ouch!  That does seem high.  I guess somehow, I missed seeing an actual menu with prices.

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I reiterate that $9 for steakhouse side dishes isn't all that outrageous. Side dish prices of $7 and $8 are fairly common these days. This restaurant is offering some other items at lower price points, and you have to look at the full picture.

[tommy]

the pricing on the sides is completely in line with other steakhouses in manhattan. no need for alaram on that particular point, even if there is a dollar difference either way. i'd be more concerned with the value offered overall.

[Malaclypse]

anyone eat here yet? The chef there is the old executive chef I worked under before he went to STK. Just wondering how the food was.

[oakapple]

The Meatpacking District is surprisingly light on the commodity it’s named for: red meat. There’s the Old Homestead, which has been in the nighborhood since the streets were lined with prostitutes, and Craftsteak, which technically is in Chelsea. That leaves the new STK (“ess-tee-kay”) as the only Meatpacking District steakhouse that actually feels like the neighborhood.

A look at the website will have you quickly doubting whether STK is at all serious about, you know, steak. The splash animation begins with the word “SCENE” in white letters on a fucsia background. The word “STEAK” fades in and out; then “SEAFOOD”; then “SALAD.” On the main page: "The bustling bar scene is the centerpiece, the menu is inspired, the DJ creates the sexy vibe and the atmosphere is relaxed."

Party rooms are called “Lillie St. Cyr,” “Do May,” “Tempest Storm” and “Candy Barr.” The design renderings suggest a restaurant with everything but steak on its mind. They feature lithe twenty-somethings in short skirts, in what appears to be a moody nightclub setting. From the pictures, it’s not even clear that there’s any actual dining tables. The opening invite does nothing to dispel this impression. It shows a leggy model in a red micro-dress, from behind, holding a cleaver and a steak on a meathook. The caption reads, “Not your daddy’s steakhouse.”

For all that, STK’s menu offers much to be thankful for. Steaks come in three categories: small ($18–26), medium ($29–59) and large ($49–74). It’s a welcome change from the typical steakhouse, where your choices are limited to large and humungous. There’s also an ample selection of non-steak entrées ($24–46). By far the most expensive of these is a funky-sounding dish called Surf, Turf & Earth, which includes tuna, black truffles, and foie gras. Salads ($10–18) and appetizers ($11–20) include most of the usual suspects, but foie gras french toast ($20) and shrimp rice krispy’s ($14) sure seem worth a look.

I ordered the bone-in rib steak ($36). It had a strong flavor and was cooked perfectly to the medium rare I’d requested. If it wasn’t the best rib-eye I’ve had, it was certainly superior to the one I had at Porter House NY last week. You can choose from among six steak sauces, such as salsa verde and blue butter, but I chose the house STK Sauce, which added a commendable bit of spice to an already good steak. Although listed in the menu’s “medium” section, at 24 oz. this rib-eye is an impressive hunk of meat. You had better be hungry if you order the Cowboy Rib-Steak (36 oz., $49). The hefty steak knife, by the way, is one of the more impressive specimens I’ve seen. “Be careful,” the server said as he dropped it off.

Side dishes ($9) include many of the usual suspects, but Parmesan Truffle Fries were intriguing enough to be worth a look. They came stacked like lincoln logs, with each fry about half-an-inch square, and about four inches long. I thought perhaps they’d be better if they weren’t quite as thick, but I suspect they’ll be a hit with many diners.

The wine and liquor list is very reasonably priced, with an ample number of bottles under $50. A glass of 10-year tawny port was only $10.

I would normally end my review here, but I want to report on the drama that took place a couple of tables away. A married couple that looked about twenty years too old for the restaurant had both ordered the sirloin ($38). They asked to speak to a manager. “This is the worst steak I’ve had in my life,” the man said. His wife concurred. They practically shoved their plates in the manager’s face, declined her offer to re-do the steaks or send out something else, and asked for the check.

I assumed that was the end of it, but a few minutes later out came the chef, Todd Mark Miller. He introduced himself, explained that he was “new to the project,” and did all but get down on bended knee and beg the couple to allow him to re-do their steaks. Miller also offered to comp a foie gras appetizer, which the couple would not accept. But they did finally agree to accept new steaks, which Miller said he would cook himself.

A short while later, out came Miller with a parade of busboys, with two freshly cooked sirloins (which he again reminded them he cooked himself) and extra side dishes. Miller insisted on waiting till the couple had tasted the steaks, to ensure they were done correctly. For the first time, the man smiled and nodded his head. His satisfaction must have been sincere, because he did finish the steak, and his wife left only a little behind.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a chef do more personally to try to please two difficult customers. It impressed me even more because—well, it seems indelicate to say so, but this couple seemed so out-of-place in the neighborhood. They could tell all their friends to avoid STK, and it wouldn’t really make a difference, insofar as the management’s intended demographic is concerned. But the restaurant was determined to make it right, when they could just as easily have given the couple their check, and forgotten about them.

As the publicity photos suggest, STK does have an unusually large bar space, but there are also two dining rooms and an upper level with four private rooms and a private cocktail area. A rooftop café with a separate menu will open next summer. The rock music sound track is not unreasonably loud. The clientele is generally young. The two women at the table next to me, both about 30, each ordered a blue iceberg lettuce salad and steaks from the “small” portion of the menu. They’re the kind of diners who will love STK, but probably wouldn’t choose a conventional steakhouse.

If my dining experience wasn’t transcendent, it was perfectly solid. Much more of the menu looks to be worth exploring. The scenery is easy on the eyes, and the service is just fine. I suspect I will return.

[Sneakeater]

The Meatpacking District is surprisingly light on the commodity it’s named for: red meat. There’s the Old Homestead, which has been in the nighborhood since the streets were lined with prostitutes, and Craftsteak, which technically is in Chelsea. That leaves the new STK (“ess-tee-kay”) as the only Meatpacking District steakhouse that actually feels like the neighborhood.

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I've got one word for you, oakapple:

Frank's

[oakapple]

I've got one word for you, oakapple:

Frank's

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I forgot Frank's. I have eaten there, actually. I must have blocked it out of my memory, because it was rather unimpressive. Like Old Homestead, Frank's is a Meatpacking restaurant that pre-dates the neighborhood's current vibe. Except it's not as good as the Old Homestead. Also, its 16th Street location is technically Chelsea. Edited October 11, 2006 by oakapple (log)

[Sneakeater]

Also, its 16th Street location is technically Chelsea.

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Ummm, then so is the Old Homestead's.

(That was actually the ridiculous post I deleted above. But I can only hold myself back so long. I sincerely apologize, oakapple.)

Edited October 11, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

(To forestall a debate -- on the off chance that oakapple isn't more mature than I am, although I'm pretty sure he is -- I know the Homestead is between 14th & 15th. But Chelsea technically reaches down to 14th, and the Meatpacking District -- at least as I've understood it -- traditionally starts on the south side of 14th.)

(I'm pathetic.)

Edited October 11, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sethro]

Out of all the new arivals, for some reasone STK's menu appeals to me very highly. I think it'll be my destination the next chance I have to eat out.