Hubby Corner: Primehouse

Primehouse

(27th Street and Park Avenue)
 

Hello A Manhattan Food Story readers. I am the “hubby-to-be” and part-time blog correspondent for this exceptional website. We thought it would be a good idea to add a man’s perspective every once in awhile, especially when we visit a restaurant that serves lots of beef!

My first dispatch comes from the steakhouse hot-spot known as Primehouse on 27^th and Park Avenue. We paid a visit to Primehouse with another couple during the summer of 2009 and I have been plotting my return ever since. It turns out due to a reservation snafu at another restaurant (Gilt - which we will be dining at later this month), my fiancée and I were making a mad scramble to find a destination for Saturday evening. Luckily, we both decided Primehouse would be a perfect place for an upscale evening and we were not disappointed.

 

We arrived promptly at 7:30pm and were seated immediately. The restaurant décor is very trendy with high ceilings, a black-and-white color scheme, and slate walls which add a nice touch. The restaurant was mostly full with an upscale crowd of all ages. The general attire was casual, no need for anything more than jeans and a dress shirt. Now onto the best part, the food:

I have to admit we cheated and viewed the menu before we left our apartment. We had our eye on the chateaubriand for two, which also came with two sides. After briefly glancing over the menu at the restaurant, we put in our order as planned. We were pleasantly surprised by the bread which soon followed, especially my fiancée. The bread reminded me of a bagel, but sweeter. Throw in some whipped butter and you are good to go! I also ordered a beer. The wine selection was obviously much more expansive than the beer selection, which although moderately priced was rather narrow in scope. While my fiancée and I engaged in pleasant conversation, our chateaubriand was cooking to perfection. A few minutes later our main dish arrived. The meat (cooked to medium) was a beautiful sight. The pinkness in the middle made my jaw drop (I am being a little dramatic) and the combination of the smell and the sheer size of the portion made me smile. The waiter’s assistant cut the meat tableside in fine cuts, and also dropped off our two sides, steamed asparagus and truffle asiago fries.  A quick note on the sides: The asparagus was huge. I have no idea where they grow these vegetables but they were big and covered in butter. The asiago fries are highly recommended. They are big steak fries with cheese on top. We soon dived into our meal and I couldn’t have been happier. The beef was mouth-watering good, a must have for any meat enthusiast. The sides were a nice addition and complemented the beefiness of our meal. We finished strong with a bananas foster sundae, which in true steakhouse fashion was humongous. By the end of the meal I must have consumed an unspeakable amount of calories, with my fiancée not far behind. 

M-Stars:
Decor/ambience: 4 out of 5. Décor is excellent, location is relatively trendy, and the crowd is a mix of young wall street types paired with older no doubt well to do New Yorkers.
Food: 4.5 out of 5. The beef is simply outstanding. I have been to a fair share of steakhouses in the city and Primehouse’s steaks can compete with any of them.
Service: 4 out of 5. Certainly no La Grenouille, but our waiter was prompt and courteous. No complaints in this department.
Value: 4 out of 5. The Valentine's Day menu was a fairly good deal ($78 for the chateaubriand for 2 people), but otherwise, be prepared to pay anywhere from $35-50 for a steak.
"It" factor: 4.5 out of 5. Primehouse is a great destination for a date, a dinner meeting, or taking out-of-town guests out for a New York City night.
M&M's overall satisfaction: 4.5 out of 5. A wonderful night of meat eating at a great restaurant. I withhold 0.5 stars only for the lack of 5 star service. But overall I cannot recommend this place more!