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| - I had a great experience here - only one so far - but it was so good it's worth sharing.
Truly nice environment. Comfortable, large tables. Nice linens and exceptional lighting. Food servers who are knowledgeable, professional and have an eye on detail. Exceptional food and execution. A wine list that goes beyond competence and delivers some challenges.
For me, the attention to details here are what makes dining at Delmonico's a rewarding experience.
To start, cocktails are well made - shaken to the appropriate stage - and not meager. Appetizers (I stayed in the seafood realm) were wonderful. Warm scallops, perfectly tender, wrapped in a thin round of crispy bacon. Crab cakes - though not of the Maryland substance - still delicious and married with a lovely mustard aioli.
Known for steaks, there are some rather standard choices that joyously expand in nightly specials to include bone-in options and a Porterhouse. Opt for the rib-eye. Excellent flavor. Juicy (meaning properly rested) and executed to temperature. Crispy skinned cod, moist without failing to cloying, mushroom saute and a (somewhat bland) carrot ginger puree. A bacon-infused mac and cheese that delivers on the cheese-creaminess so many others fall short of.
I dug the creme brulee - accomplished but not eye opening. The chocolate cake lacked something for me in the texture, but the cocoa flavor and the frosting all scored high.
Dining in a restaurant is more than just eating food. It's about service, it's about atmosphere, and - in the right hands - it's about inspiration. Delmonicos puts together a well rounded experience. Places like the Tornado club offer great to superior food - they should let their steaks rest longer - but the environment can be a bit too funky for a nice evening out, and the service can be a bit too junior varsity to really propel the overall experience into "special". No stumbles on that front here.
I will point out that the open room with high ceilings can get noisy fast, but it didn't detract from the experience for me. A pleasant "event" type memory of bigger city dining. Your mileage might vary.
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