Like a well-kept secret, this cavernous steakhouse is fronted by a rather clandestine entrance. Walk too quickly and you might just miss it so here’s a tip to avoid going around in circles: look out for vibrant posters with bowls of Vietnamese pho. Here, founders Keith and Jeanne set out to impress with Peter Luger-inspired steaks. Driven by the sheer obsession with steaks and perhaps a life-changing dining experience at – one of Brooklyn’s finest – the legendary Peter Luger steakhouse, the PL steak is birthed. But it is not without passing through rings of fire.
Properly incinerated on a salamander under ultra-high heat of 1000°F, this secret butter-soaked steak is a love letter to all steak lovers. Just like how the Brooklyn OGs do it, the entire hunk of meat is served – still sizzling, mind you – on a ceramic plate right in front of your eyes with the aroma soon hugging the room. As you cut into the mildly charred exteriors to reveal a rose quartz pink in the middle, it is wiser to lubricate your meats with a liberal splash of butter and steak juices – found at the bottom of the plate – before sinking in. The result is nothing short of rich beefy umami followed by a faint sweetness that intensifies with each clench of the jaw.
Of course, there are other juicy cuts such as the affordable New Zealand or Argentina grass-fed ribeyes (from $50 per 400g) to a well-marbled 45-day dry-aged Tasmanian Gallican style rib ($23 per 100g). But the PL remains our firm favourite. The clever use of the Fiorentina porterhouse cut ($179, 1.1kg) features two textural cuts: lusciously marbled striploin and a succulent heft of tenderloin. But if you prefer other cuts, you can choose either the leaner Argentina Angus ($119, 700g) or the USDA Prime ribeye ($144, 700g) – the latter being founder Keith’s guilty pleasure.
As guilty pleasures go, the steakhouse doesn’t slap the wrist if you wish to indulge. Instead, it offers up a series of luxurious sides to pair with their steaks such as buttery Hokkaido uni (seasonal price) – completing the ultimate surf and turf, and unctuous scoops of silky bone marrow ($29). We enjoyed other sides of crisp hand-cut fries ($13), spicy kimchi ($9), sweet buttered white corn ($9), and a medley of roasted veggies ($14). Though we also couldn’t resist slurping down a couple of those fresh creamy Japanese Murotsu oysters ($48, half dozen).
The 75-seater steakhouse also makes a quaint spot for a plethora of occasions – it is fitted with an air-conditioned main dining room, two private rooms and an al fresco outdoor seating area. While it’s no surprise The Grandstand enclave isn’t really the most convenient of locations, at least you won’t have to suffer back-breaking flights and jet lag just to savour legendary steaks a la Peter Luger. Heck, it may also very well be the reason we’d ever make a trip down to The Grandstand ourselves again.