Quality Italian

I had my joint birthday dinner at Quality Italian and I had a pretty good time! I was looking most forward to the famous chicken parm pizza but while it was pretty good I think it's definitely more of a gimmick. The rest of the food was decent as well but nothing mind blowing. I think this is a good spot for a group dinner and it is quite easy to get a reservation. Service was also friendly and professional. However, I think they overcharged us for a wine but this was corrected quickly. I would not say this is a must try in NYC, I have definitely had better steak elsewhere but it was still good here. The chicken parm is particularly good with the spiced honey to make sure to lather that shit on if you go!

Really yummy bread! 

57 W 57th St

New York

NY 10019

Keen's (Visit #2)

I haven't been to Keen's in a long time but W was craving prime rib and A was visiting so M booked a fun group dinner excursion for us. I liked my meal here so much more than when I had it the first time. I was just not super impressed the first time but really liked the prime rib this time. I was still pretty whatever about the mutton chop even though I know it's one of their most famous dishes. However, I went back to Keen's again a few weeks ago and once again was not blown away. I guess there are some consistency issues which is a shame but I do love the thick bacon and the creamed spinach.

Keen's Steakhouse

72 W 36th Street

New York

NY 10018

Quality Meats

All you guys know that I am a steak lover. Quality Meats has been on my radar for a while and I made a reservation for it a while back but I had to keep changing it due to scheduling conflicts. I finally managed to dine there last Friday and had a lovely dinner with my girlfriends with what felt like a never ending supply of gin martinis. The steak was good, but not the best I've had in New York. I absolutely loved the sides (especially the corn crème brûlée) and service was ok but not spectacular. We apparently arrived to our reservation more than 15 minutes late therefore they gave away our table. They were able to fit us into a small table with some kind of couch after a wait and our hostess seemed really hesitant to help us fit in a chair. She became nicer after (or I just became drunker) but overall the dinner was enjoyable but I don't think I would be returning anytime soon since there are many other steakhouses I want to try in New York.

Note: Special thanks to T for sending me some of her food photos for this meal!

Traditional Steak Tartare 
Whenever I see steak tartare, I must order it. This was a very clean tasting steak tartare and while I would prefer a little more kick to the seasoning the flavors were still good and the meat was extremely fresh and had the perfect consistency (slightly chunky and not too minced). The presentation was also lovely, so bright red with that decadent yellow yolk on top ready to be oozed all over. 

Roasted Bone Marrow
This was some of the best bone marrow I've had in a while. It was incredibly rich and aromatic and I haven't had a bone marrow with such intense flavor in some time! 

Aged Rib Steak
This was a bit too lean for me especially since it was a rib steak I was expecting it to be slightly more fatty. However, the meat flavor was good and it also had a nice char to it. I also felt like it was slightly more on the medium side even though we ordered medium rare. 

Aged Bone-in Sirloin
I think this was actually more tender and juicy than the rib steak. If you can see the tiny bit of pink peeking out, the doneness looks extremely similar to the rib steak even though we ordered this to be medium since W does not like the bloodiness. 

Corn Crème Brûlée
Eeeee this was just dreamy. I love eating corn and this was such a luscious way to prepare it. The corn was enveloped in a custardy sweet concoction and went so well with the smokey charred flavor of the meats. I definitely want to recreate this dish for Thanksgiving! 

Pan Roasted Crispy Potatoes 
This tastes exactly how you would expect it to taste. Crispy slices of potato. This was not my favorite as I felt like it was some strange in between of a potato chip and a potato skin. However, it was not badly made and my companions seemed to have enjoyed. 

Overall the meal was enjoyable and I would recommend others going if they are in New York and want to try a new steak place. However, there are definitely better steak houses out there so I would not say this is a must try if you are only in New York for a short period of time. This is a good spot to go to for a weekend dinner though before going out.

Quality Meats 

57 W 58th Street

New York

NY 10019

La Vache

Steak, bearnaise sauce, and unlimited fries?! Sounds like heaven to me. La Vache has been super hot since opening 1-2? years ago and I've been DYING to try this place. They only take reservations for 5+ people and I tried to go once for dinner with 4 people but the wait was ridiculous so I had to sadly wait for another time. This time we went for lunch and although we did make a reservation I think it is much easier to get a table during lunch time. The tables were half filled when I first arrived at 12:30 and the place slowly filled up but it did not seem like there would be difficulty in getting a table if you just walked in. La Vache pays homage to the famous Relais de Venise in Paris which serves just one menu of salad, steak, and fries (with their special sauce). The atmosphere was cute and you will be greeted with a large red neon sign as you walk in. I liked the cute little drawings on the menu and the paintings on the walls with the wine bottles in front. Service was also friendly and prompt.

I got a drink since the rest of my lunch party was not here yet... although it's not like I ever really need an excuse to get a drink :p 

Salad with Walnuts
The salad was fine, nothing special but the dressing was tangy and was a nice start to the meal. The addition of walnuts also gave it a nice crunch.

Entrecote Steak - Medium Rare and Rare
The steak was very tender and quite fatty - just how I like it. I usually prefer fatter cuts such as ribeye so this was perfect. Entrecote is approximately the ribeye section and I got it rare because it sits on a metal plate with a candle under. I loved the char on the outside and the bearnaise sauce was also yummy. One piece of steak was leaner than the others so perhaps if you prefer that you can tell the server. 

DROOL

Unlimited Fries 
The fries were SO good. They are on the crispier side and they were so delicious and I inhaled my first pile in a heartbeat. The second serving of fries was less fresh which was unfortunate but they were still very good. I loved dipping them in the bernaise sauce, ultimate fatty indulgence (apart from my usual fries and mayo)

Profiteroles with Ice Cream
I heard that there is a dessert cart during dinner service but we were given these profiteroles during lunch. It was a rather large dessert but a nice end to our meal. I think maybe one profiterole would have been enough as a small sweet treat to finish off the meal. 

Overall I loved La Vache!! The food was delicious and it was a really enjoyable lunch! I would love to come again for dinner with a group and indulge in wine and cocktails. Unfortunately it was a weekday lunch so we kept the alcohol level low. I will definitely be returning!

La Vache

48 Peel Street

Central

Hong Kong

Benjamins

Peter Luger's is the most famous steakhouse in NYC and while I must agree that it is good, I wouldn't say it was the BEST and totally life-changing. I know some loyal fans will think this is blasphemy but I honestly don't think it's all its hyped up to be. Yes the steak was delicious but I think many quality steakhouses are able to deliver an equally delicious piece of meat without the hassle of frenzied reservations, traveling to Brooklyn, and cash only policy. However I do think that you should give Peter Luger a visit if you are in New York because it is a establishment and for the old school charm. Yet if you have already given it a try I think there are many other place in NYC that can satisfy that steak craving. A recommended Benjamin's and said that her father loves this place. T and I came here and LOVED it. The atmosphere was tasteful and welcoming, service was very friendly and helpful, and the food was delicious! We have already booked Benjamin's for the upcoming Valentine's Day and I am looking forward to another great night. Word has it that Benjamin's is opened by a former chef of Peter Luger's and therefore many of the items on the menu are similar if not identical. Another steakhouse we want to try is Wolfgang Zwiener's, who was formerly a head waiter at Peter Luger's.

Porterhouse for Two - Medium Rare
Oh my this was delicious. The char was just perfect and the meat was so juicy and flavorful. Excellent excellent steak. I think you could also order it rare because the hot plate will cook the remaining pieces later but the first few pieces were to die for.

Carrot Cake
T does not like desserts much but he munched away on this cake. This was one of the most delicious pieces of carrot cake I've had. It was the perfect ending to a lovely meal.

We also ordered sides such a asparagus and onion rings. The onion rings are a MUST ORDER. They are not like your usual onion rings but are much thinner and delicate. They are delicious.

Benjamin's Steakhouse

52 East 41st Street (Between Madison and Park)

New York
NY10017

Delmonico

Vegas has a plethora of steakhouses and it may be hard to decide which one to visit as many have impressive accolades. M highly recommended Delmonico and I was really impressed with my dining experience there. Delmonico is opened by famous chef Emeril Lagasse and has been known to serve very high quality steaks. This was the first proper meal after our 3 days of partying and it was definitely a satisfying one.

Steak Tartare 
This was a very well executed steak tartare and I liked how the meat is not too finely minced. The ingredients were high quality and I enjoyed how the tartare was already well seasoned but the other condiments were on the side so you could adjust the flavor to your own personal liking.

Oops forgot which cut
The steak here was excellent. The flavor of the meat was heavenly and it was incredibly tender and juicy. The boys enjoyed the steak here more so than they did at Mastros (WHAT!). But I must agree this was a extremely delicious piece of steak, definitely up there with some of the top steaks I've tasted. 

Creamed Corn Gratin
This is AMAZING. Possibly the best creamed corn I have ever had. The panko crust on the top is absolutely genius and goes perfectly with the luscious cream sauce which is smothering the sweet and juicy corn kernels. I still dream about this cream corn all the time and hope to recreate it myself but I probably do not want to know about all the butter and cream which makes this so divine. 

Chocolate and Peppermint Ice Cream Layer Cake
I am not the hugest fan of chocolate and mint but this was definitely a delicious dessert. Hence I can only imagine how amazing this would be for someone who did enjoy this flavor combination. I would say that the presentation was not that desirable (poop).

The Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas
NV 89109

Steik World Meats

As you all know, I am a steak kind of girl. Give me a huge slab of meat medium rare and I'm a happy happy child. My classic favorite is Bistecca but I've also recently discovered the amazingness of Blue Butcher. I have always utilized food blogs but with the rise of Instagram I am now always finding delectable new dishes and openings through Instagram accounts. One picture that particularly caught my eye was a US prime rib of beef on the bone from Steik World Meats in TST. H and I decided to give it a try as reviews were quite decent and it would also be nice to get out of the central bubble since going across the harbor is such an adventure (haha).

Unfortunately, the meal was a sore disappointment and I would not be returning anytime soon. I don't think the food was terrible, just very sub-par with a pretty hefty price tag.

Crab Cake 
I thought this crab cake was not too bad but H really disliked the addition to carrot which I must admit is a bit strange. The crab cake had a significant amount of shredded vegetables and although the amount of crab was also decent and the execution of the dish was done well it made the dish less enjoyable. 

Foie Gras and Assorted Pate
The foie was not fragrant at all and the other meat pate was not particularly enjoyable either.

Actually forgot which soup this was... but it was also just normal.

Dry Aged US Prime Rib of Beef on the Bone
This piece of meat was what I have been waiting for. I will admit that the flavor of the meat was quite nice but the texture was really just all right. The flavor was good but not spectacular either enough to make up for the texture. It was not juicy or tender enough. Definitely not something I would trek to TST for.

Service was also absolutely off the mark. Dessert was plopped on our table when we were not even done with our steak. We were also the last ones at the restaurant and servers started clearing away other tables noisily and was also starting to chat casually amongst themselves... That is completely unprofessional behavior and H and I were pretty annoyed at this point. 

It's actually lucky for them that this dining experience is quite old so I have forgotten some other agitating details which made the dining experience less than enjoyable. Do yourself a favor, stick to Bistecca or Blue Butcher next time if you are looking for some amazing steak.  

Steik World Meats

Shop 314

K11

18 Hanoi Road

Tsim Sha Tsui

Carnevino

After the glorious steak at Bistecca, I was keen to try out more steak houses in Hong Kong to see how they measure up to each other. Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich’s restaurants are well known across the globe and they made their first mark in Hong Kong by opening their highly anticipated Italian restaurant Lupa. Lupa has been opened since April and have been generating a lot of buzz. I have been hearing mixed reviews about the place from absolutely mind blown to meh. Lupa is definitely on my to-try list but before I even got around to trying it I heard that a second restaurant was already on its way! Carnevino is Joe and Mario’s award winning steak house at the Palazzo in Las Vegas and opened its second branch a couple floors above Lupa in Hong Kong. As the name suggests, Carnevino aims to bring its customers top quality meats and wine. We decided to have a girls dinner there and was all super excited to dig into this meat and wine haven. Unfortunately our high expectations were not met and a couple of us actually went to a Japanese eatery after the meal because we were still hungry and were not satisfied by the meal at all. The ambience and service were all very good, but the food was an utter disappointment!

Lamb Sweetbreads with Fennel: Crispy Fennel Dusted Sweetbreads with Lemon

The sweetbreads were quite rich and had a nice crispy crust. Although the first couple bites were not bad, the crust was a little but too grainy and dry. I felt that the taste was a little one dimensional and it would have been much better if there was a creamy sauce to go with the sweetbreads such as aioli. 

Calamari with Spicy Tomato: Crispy Calamari with Pickled Chilies, Lemon, and Spicy Tomato

The calamari was sliced too thinly and this resulted in pieces that were not meaty enough and felt over-fried and dry. I like my calamari to have a nice crispy crunch with a nice chewy interior. The bits of pickled chilies and tomatoes also did not provide much of a flavor profile and the dish was just uninspired and quite subpar. It wasn’t disgusting or anything, but just nothing special either. I feel like I can find calamari in some random places in the States better than this! 

Carne Cruda alla Piedmontese: Chopped to Order Steak Tartare with Mushrooms and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The steak tartare was really bad. The flavors were not robust at all and the presentation was actually a bit disgusting. The meat does not look fresh at all, why are there little brown bits?! The white wrapper was not anesthetically appealing and the mushrooms were raw and did not go well with the tartare. I don’t really understand why there were mushrooms there in the first place. Especially if they were raw! The taste was much too grassy and unrefined and the tartare was bland and boring. 

Bone Marrow with Preserved Lemon Gremolata: Roasted Bone Marrow with Preserved Lemon and Parsley

This dish was actually decent. The presentation was a bit plain thought, just two bones plunked on a plate. The bone marrow was roasted well and had decent flavor. Although this dish was fine, it was definitely not the best bone marrow I’ve had. It would also be nice if some freshly toasted bread was provided. Instead we used the bread that was given at the beginning of the meal.

Creamed Corn with Lime Salt: Local Corn with Pickled Cherry Peppers

As you all remember the creamed corn at Bistecca is to die for, it’s creamy, decadent, and sweet. This creamed corn however, was running and slightly undercooked. The kernels were quite crunchy and did not result in a lovely slightly mushy concoction which I think creamed corn should be like. I am no expert on creamed corn, but this just wasn’t that yummy. Also, the pickled cherry peppers did not provide any special flavor to the dish and I wondered if it was really even in it (I guess you can see tiny flecks).

Guanciale Mashed Potatoes: Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes with Pork Jowl and a Poached Duck Egg

The mashed potatoes sounded very delicious on the menu, but in reality it was just quite normal. It also wasn’t bad, but I did not really notice any special flavors with the extra pork jowl and poached duck egg. If anything it seemed like it would have been better if Carnevino just concentrated on making quality traditional mash instead of adding these superfluous extras that don’t really compliment the dish.

Dry-Aged Fiorentina (for 2) 38oz 

Finally the star of the show arrived. The giant steak was set down amongst many oohs and ahhs but these excited sounds of anticipation soon died down. I also wanted to point out that the suggestion that this serves two people is a bit insane. We shared this amongst 7 girls. I guess it could be plausible if it was shared between two men but I think 38 oz for two people is a bit overkill. The steak looked amazing, a nice char and a juicy red center. But this is truly a case where looks can be deceiving. The meat did not have a rich meaty flavor at all, it was rather bland and the texture was also disappointing. The meat was quite hard and some pieces were only soft because it was so rare. There was not a lovely amount of marbling and it was actually quite lean. The meat lacked flavor, tenderness, and juiciness. Also, I requested for the steak to be medium rare but this steak was most definitely a rare. I don’t mind rare steaks but these kinds of mistakes are unacceptable at an institution such as this.

I understand that Carnevino just opened and many restaurants need a few months to iron out a few kinks. Yet I feel that the steak really revealed a lot about the place, apart from the wrongly executed cooking, the fact that the steak lacked so much flavor and texture revealed that the low quality of the ingredients. If it was service or reservations that were a bit spotting I would find that to be slightly more forgivable, yet the majority of the dishes were unimpressive to say the least. I don’t doubt that Mario Batali is a great chef, but if he plans to expand, he truly needs to ensure that the quality of the food is kept up to standard and that he cannot simply rely on his name to attract customers. Carnevino claims to take a unique spin on classic steakhouse dishes, which is why I guess there are all those little add ons such as ducks egg and pickled chili, but these "reinventions" did not enhance the dishes at all. I doubt I will be returning to Carnevino unless new reviews are truly mind blowing. Next steak stop: Edo and Bibo Oyster and Steakhouse!

Carnevino 

5/F

LHT Tower

31 Queen's Road

Central 

Hong Kong