<< previous review   next review >>

reviews

“Primehouse”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	New American	Flatiron	Break the Bank	Good

One of my favorite meals is quite a simple one. It’s made up of two, maybe three courses. It starts with a dozen freshly-shucked oysters and is followed up with a well-seasoned steak—charred-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside—preferably a rib eye or a NY strip. The third component might be creamed spinach, onion rings, or French fries, depending on my mood. It’s a bit decadent, but it’s not overly fussy, and that’s what I like about it. Curiously though, it’s rare that I ever have this meal. Since I’m often reviewing restaurants, my dinner choices are beyond my control. I don’t necessarily eat what I’m craving. Rather, I eat what’s on the menu that will give me the best idea of a chef’s talent and range. But once in a while, my perfect meal is actually in line with judging a chef’s talent. That’s the case at Primehouse, Steve Hanson’s cool and contemporary steakhouse in the former Park Avenue Country Club space. The restaurant is named for Prime, Hanson’s Black Angus stud bull, who lives on a farm in Kentucky, where his main job is to knock up all the cows he can find to make great beef for all of us. Thanks, Prime.

Designed by Yabu Pushelberg, Primehouse is grand in scale, with triple height ceilings, and tall, smooth stone walls that reminded me of the Temple of Dendur room at the Met. The floors have a sexy La Dolce Vita vibe—oversized ovals of black tile on a contrasting background of glossy pearly white. The black and white motif extends to the tables. Extra-deep banquettes are fashioned from smooth black leather and tufted with white buttons, while cushioned armchairs are covered in crushed black fabric dotted with white. The bar area has a couple of flatscreens showing local games and high-top tables with banquettes for comfortable bar seating. While it’s a steakhouse that any guy would feel good in with his buddies—and indeed most nights the place is filled with dozens of guys with collars loosened and ties tossed back over their shoulders leaning into steaks the size of textbooks, the design is feminine enough to appeal to the ladies as well, who show equal passion for their meat.

The night of my oyster-and-steak dinner at Primehouse actually took place during Passover, when Craig and I observe the Jewish version of the ... [more, click below]

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  

 Make a reservation

<< previous review   next review >>

Posted: May 25, 2008

Other restaurants in Flatiron :
+ Suenos   + Amuse-- Closed   + Dos Caminos   + Lucy-- Closed   + Gramercy Taver   + Veritas   + Fleur De Sel   + Bolo -- CLosed   + City Bakery   + Shake Shack   + Kalustyan's Cafe   + Devi   + BLT Fish   + Sugarcane   + BLT Prime   + Barca 18-- CLOSED   + Beppe   + Barbounia   + Boqueria   + Eleven Madison   + Lonesome Dove-- CLOSED   + Hill Country   + Olana   + Wildwood   + Primehouse   + Allegretti   + Bar Breton   + Aldea   + SD26 by Bao Ong   + ABC Kitchen   + Ciano   + The NoMad   

Share ! Post a comment