Smith & Wollensky is the latest of the upmarket American steakhouses to cross the Atlantic
WHAT? Renowned for its USDA Prime slabs of cow, Smith & Wollensky is the latest of the upmarket steakhouses to find its way across the Atlantic.
WHERE? A ground floor and basement inside the historic Adelphi building, this spot looks for all the world as if a small chunk of 1930s New York has been shipped over brick by brick. Presumably on some kind of time travelling boat.
WHO? Martin Brudnizki designed the restaurant’s handsome art deco interior, which is festooned in green leather and dark wood panelling and overlooked by a stylish mural depicting the restaurant’s Manhattan heritage.
The gigantic chocolate cake dessert, Smith & Wollensky
ORDER THIS… The jumbo lump crab cake is a physics-defying entrée, compressing an improbable quantity of crabmeat into a fist-sized seafood starter. But the steaks are what you’re after, and these cuts have been dry-aged on-site, melting fat into evenly marbled meat over 28 days. You could cut through the tender 14oz sirloin just by looking at it.
BUSINESS OR PLEASURE? The Teddy Roosevelt Room downstairs is a space for private dining, and comes with its own bar and dedicated bartender.
NEED TO BOOK? The place was almost empty on a weekday afternoon, so expect to be able to stroll straight in for a bit of lunchtime sirloin. Bookings can be made at smithandwollensky.co.uk
THE VERDICT… Three-courses for two with drinks came in at just under £280, which suggests you’re paying a premium for these glorious and transportive art deco surroundings.
ONE MORE THING… The gigantic chocolate cake dessert is a big brown brick of regret. Eat it, make it become a part of you, and for one fleeting moment feel alive and untouchable.