I was excited to try NYY Steakhouse not only because I have heard great things about their Yankee Stadium location but because I was anxious to see the new Hard Rock Hotel in Midtown. The steakhouse, like the hotel, was created in a sophisticated style with high ceilings and modern fixtures but it is not intimidating. It is still in the classic dark and “clubby” look with dark wood paneling, white tablecloths and leather booths. The special Yankee touches besides the giant color photos of many legendary players on the walls are adorable silver baseball candle holders on each table and plates with three numbers on them inside a baseball motif: 3, 5 and 7. (Other legendary Yankees players’ retired numbers are on the plates at the other NYY Steakhouse locations.) I guessed that these numbers correspond to famous players and I got two out of three correct. (I did not cheat by Googling, LOL!)
I heard so much from fellow foodies about the mushroom appetizer at NYY Steakhouse that I had to try them. This is a variety of a few different types of mushrooms actually sautéed in a mushroom reduction, placed on a large bed of lentils and then topped with roasted hazelnuts. It is a unique dish for sure–and quite filling. This could actually serve as a satisfying entree for a vegetarian and it is very nutrient dense. I would definitely go back to NYY Steakhouse for this dish alone!
People in the marketing department at the Hard Rock have raved about the meatballs appetizer, so my guest and I had to share a portion. You get two large meatballs in a world class house made tomato sauce and there is a super large piece of incredible ciabatta to sop up all the sauce when you are done with the meatballs. There is a dollop of homemade ricotta making this a remarkable example of “Italian soul food” brought up to high end New York steakhouse standards.
Both my guest and I were mesmerized by the extensive list of steaks and how the menu states where the cattle was raised. Local sources of meat, poultry, seafood and produce are used which I have to commend NYY Steakhouse for. The fact that everything is local makes them super “farm to table” and fresh tasting. The steaks come with a small wild greens salad topped with a citrusy vinaigrette dressing. We both had the well-season 8 ounce filet mignon which is charcoal grilled and extra tender. We did not even need steak knives. This filet is as “classic New York steakhouse” as it gets and we were blown away! I feel that it was very fairly priced at $56 which is about the going rate at most New York steakhouses. Many larger cuts for sharing are available with the most popular being the 28-ounce Porterhouse.
You can’t go to a great NYC steakhouse without getting a side or mashed potatoes. These come in a cute metal mini pot and are smooth, buttery and creamy. They are topped with fresh chives and the portion is just right for two generous scoops on each plate.
Our second side was the carrots which are special because you get mixed orange, purple and yellow whole mixed carrots that still have the greens attached. These greens are tender enough to eat (there is no need to cut them off). The carrots are special because it tastes like they were lightly pickled before being sautéed in EVOO. The sprinkling of fresh herbs is a flavorful and classy touch.
A good Pavlova is hard to come by and I will be perfectly honest and say that the version at NYY Steakhouse might just be the best in town. The secret is to make the meringue very crispy but not overly sweet. The homemade strawberry sorbet and vanilla gelato inside are unforgettable. There is a certain lightness about this dessert that makes it perfect to have after a “rib sticking” steak entree. The sliced strawberries on top and both chunky and smooth strawberry sauce in dollops randomly placed on the plate are nice touches. One of the next desserts I would like to try here is the highly unique peanut butter mousse with flourless cake, berry jam and blackberry sorbet–it is just referred to as the “PB&J”!
The cocktails are unforgettable at NYY Steakhouse and both my guest and I had to try the Tokyo Night which is a dream drink for peach lovers. Ingredients include Suntory Haku vodka, peach nectar, simple syrup, lemon juice and gin and you probably could drink a few of these are they are light and fruity. There are numerous creative cocktails at NYY Steakhouse and they keep adding new ones every month or so.
There are special touches provided for diners–you can get steak bones personalized as shown above. This is the first time that I have ever seen such a thing at a steakhouse and it has me wondering if people take these bones home as a souvenir of their memorable dinners! NYY Steakhouse is a crowd pleasing resto that works for everything from date night to just hanging out with co-workers at the end of the day. You will be wowed non-stop! For more info, go to NYYSteakhouse.com.
