Delmonico Steakhouse

Bam! Kick it up a notch. Gah-lic. How about a little essence?

You’re not going to hear any of the above at Emeril’s Delmonico Steakhouse. In many ways, there are really two Emeril Lagasses. There’s the guy we know from television, shouting onomatopoeia and throwing spices into saucepans as if they “had it coming.” Then there’s Emeril the highly regarded chef, who owns 10 restaurants, all of them critically acclaimed.

This steakhouse showcases the latter.

Entering Delmonico’s is like entering a vast wine cellar. The vaulted ceilings look like an old-world cathedral basement. The restaurant itself is divided into several dining rooms, a detached bar and lounge, a chef’s table, and copious wine storage.

Neutral tan tones dominate the restaurant, with dark mahogany accents. The seats are generously spaced apart, with a single spotlight shining down from the high ceilings. Contemporary instrumental jazz plays in the background, the volume constantly adjusted throughout the evening depending on the ambient conversation.

Delmonico’s is unfettered by distractions. Although adjacent to the Blue Man Theater, the restaurant is laid out so that the casino crowd is obscured by a wall of wine bottles. You could be dining anywhere. That’s one of this restaurant’s charms.

Service here is first rate. Our waiter, Lamont, knew the menu backwards and forwards. He also makes great table-side Caesar salad and chateaubriand. I’ll bet he could do a great Bananas Foster, if it were on the dessert menu. Watching the other waiters and waitresses moving around the restaurant, it was abundantly clear that this is an experienced crew, and that Emeril takes training seriously.

Nina and I arrived in the early evening, met our serving team of Lamont, Josh, and Ramon, and began perusing the menu. Chef Sean Roe made everyone a little appetizer as a menu-reading nosh. First was a walnut blue cheese chicken salad over puff pastry. The salad featured Fiji apple and a port wine reduction. Alongside sat a blue cheese steak potato cake. It was a mini croquette drizzled with a sweet and spicy Creole tomato glaze.

I also scanned the wine list during this time. Delmonico’s is as well known for their wines as they are for their prime beef. Master Sommelier Kevin Vogt is one of only 158 master sommeliers worldwide. There are only 86 other master sommeliers on this continent. The wine list is fascinating reading. One notable is Vogt’s own label “Cuvee Delmonico” that is only available at this restaurant.

While there were at least a dozen wines Nina and I wanted to try (including the nebuchadnezzar of Veuve Cliquot), we opted for one of the budget reds from “Kevin’s Selections.” The big syrah paired well with all the beef we ordered.

Nina started out with an order of Emeril’s Barbecue Shrimp. I’m fairly picky about shrimp, having lived in the Caribbean for so long. The gulf shrimp were tender, moist, flavorful, and had a wonderful texture—just like gulf shrimp should. The shrimp were then sautéed in a Creole barbecue sauce that featured a lot of Crystal hot sauce with a smoky molasses tang that went well with the shrimp.

I started with the steak tartare because I’m a sucker for raw beef. Put a tartare or a carpaccio on the menu and I’ll order it every time. This tartare was very generously portioned. The beef was slightly more roughly chopped than usual (which meant a more interesting texture), and was bound together with a Dijon emulsion. Traditional condiments ringed the mound of tartare: egg yolk, capers, onions, and egg whites. This is a dish I’ll return for. In fact, I could see myself sitting at the bar and having a glass of Cuvee Delmonico and an order of steak tartare.

The Lobster Bisque came at exactly the right time, as did all of our dishes. Timing is important in any meal, and can make or break the experience. There’s nothing worse than feeling rushed or waiting an eternity between dishes. Lamont and his team did a great job in this respect. But they certainly weren’t alone. The entire restaurant had a good vibe and the waiters, managers, and bussers were busy but not hurried.

Back to the bisque. The broth was poured over croutons and bits of lobster. The broth itself was more honey color than pink, and the mirepoix and lobster broth really stood out. The bisque was absolutely luxurious with cream and just a hint of sherry. Nina described it as silky.

Usually, Nina and I order different entrees in order to showcase multiple menu items. This time, we both zeroed in on the Bone-In Rib Eye steak, and neither of us would budge.

So we both ordered it. I like mine rare. Nina ordered hers medium. We could smell the steak before it even arrived. Thiswas a serious cut of beef. Hand cut, dry aged for at least three weeks, dusted with essence, and topped with maitre’d hotel butter, the steaks were perfect in every way.

The steaks were served with a trio of sauces: béarnaise, a homemade Worcestershire, and “A-Ok,” which is an interpretation of a popular steak sauce with a similar name. Nina and I lucked out, because she preferred the Worcestershire and I have always been a béarnaise freak.

We only ate half of our steaks (I had the rest the following day with two eggs, cooked over-easy with a little goose fat). I probably could have finished, but I wanted to try dessert.

While we waited for dessert, Lamont was asked to make a Caesar salad at the next table, so we watched him prepare the salad table-side. Lamont whisked up an emulsion and had two perfect Caesars ready in a matter of minutes. Later he carved a chateaubriand for the same table.

Bob’s Butterscotch Creme Brulee was a dessert for the kid in us. The butterscotch sweetness was offset by a heavily caramelized sugar topping. The dish was served with macadamia cookies and whipped cream.

If Delmonico’s is to be summed up in a single word, that word is “precision.” The saying goes, “An amateur practices until he gets it right. A professional practices until he cannot get it wrong.”

This is a group of seasoned veterans who have practiced their positions so long that it seems as natural as breathing. If you are looking for a superb meal and wish to leave nothing to chance, put yourself (and your guests) in the very capable hands of Emeril’s staff. Just refrain from yelling “kick it up a notch.” That’s his job, after all.