Smith & Wollensky’s – A return to the scene of the crime
For the July Edition of Steak Night we returned to the scene of the crime committed by the Sommelier at the direction of Mr Holingwa that resulted in a loss of much hard earned currency many, many years ago. S&W is a Chicago classic steakhouse with a great location along the river, yet it has not been in regular rotation. I was unaware the lower level bar existed luckily Conway knows all the caverns and taverns of Chicago like the back of his hand. Far more spacious and with a great view we were seated at the bar and had about 30 minutes remaining to try to run up the bar tab on Glick.
Back upstairs on the main level we were guided to a round table along the front windows. Our waiter Lee was attentive without being overbearing. We regretfully did not inquire if the Sommelier was on duty as Crenshaw took the initial lead. I fired in the app order quickly as I had arrived ravenous. The Rib Eye Carpaccio was very good despite many of the salad dodgers in the group complaining of the massive amount of arugula spread over the top. The rib eye was flavorful and the combination of the lemon oil / parmesan was perfect. The Tuna Tartare served in a bowl full of avocado seems to be a staple in steakhouses these days, it was okay. I give top marks to the simplicity of the Beef Bacon app which is served in a jar and accompanied by a bleu cheese dip. No frills, no giant slabs, no brown sugar glaze, just some damn fins bacon strips in a jar. The Burrata with Speck Ham was also fantastic, however I think you could put burrata on just about anything and it will be delicious.
For the steak I opted to split with Glick which in the past has been a mixed bag. This time around I think it was the way to go. Perfectly cooked and seasoned, nice marbling, a very good cut. The sides included beef rib cap mac and cheese, szechuan green beans, au gratin potatoes, and the creamed spinach. The creamed spinach was a classic preparation, the way it should be and by far the best of the lot. I don’t know why restaurants keep putting more things into their mac and cheese, totally unnecessary. We closed out the meal with cheese cake, something else that I didn’t try and as a steak night first, a bottle of port.
Overall everything was very good and if it wasnt for the following two slights I would put this edition among the best. The first one demonstrated the shady side of the restaurant biz. We ordered a specific bottle of wine from a specific year and were sent the bottle but from a different year. Lee then went on to claim that just because it says something on the menu they arent obligated to give you that or notify you if there is a substitution being made. Utter bullshit. While you are at it try to tell me that lamb chops are suitable for steak night. Crenshaw will surely elaborate on this incident. The second, which to me is of greater significance, S&W apparently took the carrot cake off the menu a year and a half ago. My soul was crushed by this revelation, they had one of the best in the city.
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5 Responses to “Smith & Wollensky’s – A return to the scene of the crime”
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As far as that downstairs bar, Johnny Ola showed me that place, Old man Roth would never go there, but old Johnny knows places like that like the back of his hand.
We tried to punish Glick for his obstinence in his tardy posting with a punishing bar tab, but the bar list was surprisingly economical downstairs. Good booze at a tasty price. Glick was classy about it too, even ordering another round shortly before we were seated. Another thing about Jon Glick is he always makes money for his partners. One by one, our old friends are gone. Death, natural or not, prison, deported. But Jon Glick has always made money for his partners.
The Bacon app deserves another mention. The bacon app at steak houses has become en vogue and over time the bacon app has really morphed into a pork belly. But this was good regular bacon in a nice dipping sauce. It’s also a touch healthier. Good health is the most important thing. More than success, more than money, more than power.
I had the 14 oz. NY Strip and loved it. Good level of salt, which I always appreciate. Love the salt on a steak, which I’ll cut back on at some point. I’ll change, I’ve learned I have the strength to change.
I also saw this issue with the wine. It’s amazing the last two places have been so flippant about vintage. I mean sure, my uneducated, uncouth pallet probably won’t tell the difference, but he doesn’t know that. I didn’t ask him where this little rule on vintage came from, because it had nothing to do with business!
I told the waiter at the end, “I am going to go take a nap, if I come out and the carrot cake is on the table, I know I have a partner. If it isn’t, I know I don’t.”
I would also have hoped that the carrot cake came in the shape of Cuba. In which case, I would have made sure saw the cake first and then requested a smaller piece.
The check also was not bad for a steak night. As a retired investor living on pension, I appreciated that.
Crying shame Brad Ray won’t get any of this post. We’re bigger than U.S. Steel.
I was running late to the July Edition of Steak Night and didn’t arrive until 7:30, this is unfortunate because cocktail hour was being sponsored by Glick. I did manage to grab two complimentary Tito’s & soda but let’s be honest those are not doing any major damage to the bill, I’m sure Glick’s wallet was happy that those that prefer 16th century scotch were absent tonight. The downstairs bar is a great setting with large windows overlooking the river, I had no idea it existed until tonight, a pleasant surprise.
The dining room was not too crowded and we were seated at a round table by the window. I usually try not to fill up on bread at steak night but I was starving and indulged more than usual, I must say it deserves a mention, the bread was fantastic. Bacon is the best, it’s so good you put it on other foods to make them better, if someone doesn’t like bacon you question everything about them and wonder if they are a little off. So obviously the bacon was good because it’s bacon but it felt like bacon you get at a diner. At a steak place I prefer the fancy thick cut, pork belly esq bacon. I went with the bone in ribeye and it was really disappointing, not a very good steak .It was cooked ok and had decent seasoning but it just didn’t feel like a great piece of meat, kind of tough and chewy. The au gratin potatoes and mac and cheese sides were both good because cheese much like bacon makes everything better.
The recent trend of waiters trying to pull a fast one is disappointing and complete bull shit. The “just because it says it on the menu we are not obligated to give it to you” explanation was ridiculous. You mean I can order a prime cut and you can bring me ground chuck, give me a break. In hind sight I wonder if we caused enough of an uproar regarding this. What’s up with all these servers trying to hustle you instead of add to your dining experience.
Conway won at credit card roulette which is appropriate since it was his last steak night for like 9 months, he will be missed but we will keep his seat warm. The group all agreed that he would be back at steak night before Don. After dinner drinks were at Sienna Tavern which is not a rule but feels like one. Another tremendous evening.
Ahh back to S&W – seated in the same seats as where Holinger famously filched the secret wine list out of the sommelier’s pocket and our bank accounts have never been the same since.
Pre-dinner drinks were great – total tab was $200 for those scoring at home (and if you’re scoring at home – I must be the Barry Bonds of pre-dinner tabs).
Rick was excited for the 4th and brought out his stars and stripes pants. The ones that are usually a big hit at all the yacht club parties he goes to on the 4th. He didn’t, however, bring out his captain’s hat, that must be reserved for the special occasions.
Apps were solid – and I thought the highlight of the food. The bacon solid, the carpaccio great, the burrata – well as they say about empanadas – its hard to f up burrata.
Steak was a disappointment – not because I shared w bubby – but we were led astray on the cajun spice. Steak was so oily we asked for clean plates to move the steak onto to get away from the cajun juices.
Wine has been hashed – steak night first of popping bottles of port.
Chicanery in the CC roulette has been discovered – unusally high % of cc’s staying to the end that do not have protruding #s. The new heavier sleek cards fancied by Rick Ray and Bill have become the juiced up baseballs of CC roulette. We’ll see if this streak continues as I have gone 0 for the 2010s.
Overall: 8.5
Side note: Conway will be missed. He gave a touching speech and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. I had to ask for Rick’s pocket square as the dust got in my eyes.
After an early summer dry spell of steak night attendance, I got back in stride and thoroughly enjoyed a fine night at Smith & Wollensky. The downstairs bar carries a country club vibe that when paired with the river view creates a fantastic setting to imbibe.
The lightly populated dining room was a small tax on the ambiance of the night, as most of the guests had been seated outside. The waiter was a little forced in his delivery and presentation, and the justification of the incorrect vintage of wine being delivered was absurd at best, grounds for termination at worst. In hindsight, I agree with Rick that we did not raise enough of a stink about that one. Let’s not let that one by again.
The bacon and carpaccio were impressive highlights. My steak got me home with a full stomach but not more than a foggy memory of what cut it was.
Conversation was excellent as usual, and the fates gave an apt send off to Mr. Conway as he heads overseas.
I think Smith & Wollensky and I will meet again soon: for a boozy, steak-free lunch in that wonderful downstairs bar.
-I don’t know who you are.
-We’re the steak club
-I don’t know what you want.
-We want steak.
-If you are looking for ransom I can tell you, I don’t have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills.
-Do you have grilling skills?
-Skills I have acquired over a very long career.
-A career of cooking steak?
-Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.
-I’d prefer a ribeye.
-If you let my daughter go now that’ll be the end of it.
-Wait, what?
– I will not look for you, I will not pursue you, but if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you.”
-Check please.
Smith & Wollensky. Good sides. Bad steak. 6/10