Filet-o-Heaven
I love meat. In fact, strike that. I am a carnivore.Having grown up in the Midwest with a deer-hunting/fishing/duck shooting father, I was pretty much raised on “the hunt.” Breaded and fried perch from the lake out back. Venison chili. Roasted duck. Hickory smoked turkey (out of his very own smoker). And his specialty…grilled steak.
I’ve always said, no matter what restaurant in which my dad has a steak, he will always criticize the cut and the flavor of the meat that is put in front of him...all in comparison to his own talents. Well, I think I found a place that he may be impressed: Sparks Steakhouse on E. 46th St.
Yes, it is the restaurant of the infamous John Gotti mafia plot, and I will say that the clientele was definitely not absent of Vitto-esque characters. We were definitely the only table that was predominantly women, and we felt slightly naked without a large man in a silk suit sitting at our table. But no matter.
As for the ambiance, the scene felt quite dated. The china looked like it belonged in your grandmother’s hutch, the paintings on the wall were cheesy and old-looking, and the carpet looked like it was stripped from a local VFW and pasted to the floor. However despite it all, I think this is what gives the place that certain old New York feel.
Regardless of the scene, I must get back to the meat. The steak was phenomenal. 8 ounces of filet mignon, broiled to perfection. There was not an ounce of fat to slice off, not a portion was overcooked. I tend to like my beef still kicking…not mooing outright and definitely not dead, so it was just the way I like it.
A perfect steak must be paired with perfect wine, and the list we could choose from was a who’s who of wineries featured in Sideways and Wine Spectator.
All in all our meal was spectacular. Sparks is not a place to go for post-work happy hour or even to have a casual steak dinner with friends. It's a place to go with a client, your carnivore father on a special occasion or your friendly, local Mafioso connection.
So go, enjoy it to the hilt, be shocked into cardiac arrest by the bill, and enjoy the rest of your evening knowing you just ate the best slab of meat money can buy.
posted by Lisa @ 10:08 AM
7 Comments:
I shouldn't have read this before lunch. I am starving now.
I could never be a vegetarian.
I do not think canivore means what you think it means.
Anon...I know what carnivore means. I was embellishing for emphasis...
Does it matter?
i'm so glad i read this ...but not late enough for dinner.
ah, meat. i had, for a brief nanosecond, considered being a vegetarian, to which my mom said, "but you like the taste of meat!"
and elle, anon was "paraphrasing" from the princess bride....but i think you knew that.
Pookalu - I don't have the best movie-quote-recall rate unless I've seen the move more than 20 times...unfortunately Princess Bride doesn't fall into that category...
Thanks for clarifying. Sometimes my sarcastic nature turns literal...:-)
i always say i'm a meatasaurus. 2 reasons i could never be vegetarian... chicken and beef haha!
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