BROOKLYN CHOP HOUSE

A New World of Steak

By Patricia Canole

One thing you can guarantee in New York City is that you won’t find a shortage of American steakhouses. While the serving of steak in restaurants originated in French-style eateries in mid-1800s, today’s venues are American through and through and hold on to their heritage, places such as Brooklyn’s Peter Luger and Manhattan’s Keens Steakhouse, both dating back to the 19th Century.

And like serious carnivores, we will go to the ends of the earth to seek out a perfectly marbled, expertly seared steak. We’ve tried dry-aged and wet-aged beef from corn-fed cattle, and grass-fed pure-bred organic cattle raised on small farms. The cuts may vary, but they have one thing in common—they are deliciously superb.

A NEW BEGINNING
Fast forward to 2020: Steaks turn international with Korean and Greek steakhouses, and what we think is the most creative of them, all sitting in the shadow of the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge.

If one defines a steakhouse by a combination of high-quality cuts, contemporary aesthetics, and knowledgeable service, the Brooklyn Chop House certainly sets the example in the new wave of multi-cultural steakhouse restaurants.

Nestled in a Beaux-Arts building at Nassau and Spruce Streets, a block away from City Hall, the 150-seat restaurant offers a traditional ambiance, along with a hip industrial look of exposed ceiling duct work and brick walls, with the clientele nearly as well-dressed as the California Lobster Avocado Salad.

The brainchild of restaurateur Stratis Morfogen, entrepreneur Dave Thomas, and music industry leader Robert “Don Pooh” Cummins, the restaurant offers New York City a unique appetizer menu of dishes that would easily fit into any Chinese restaurant. At the same time, the entrees exemplify the best of steakhouses.

Brooklyn Chop House started as a summer pop-up restaurant in the Hamptons and debuted last year in the Financial District, its name a play on both a meat chop and chopsticks. “There might not be a restaurant around that will serve a 4 lb. lobster, 3 lb. dry-aged Porterhouse steak, and 7 lb. Peking duck carved tableside complemented with lobster and chicken fried rice, French fries, onion rings, and wok onions and mushrooms,” Morfogen told us. He calls this divine trio his LSD.

Morfogen, whose other investment ventures include Phillipe Chow and Jue Lan Club, is passionate about offering an East meets West menu with panache. His Chinese dumplings take on new meaning with such fillings as Philly Cheesesteak, French Onion Soup, and Bacon Cheeseburger, to name a few. Also order the addictive Peking Duck Tacos.

With the popularity of his dumplings, Morfogen has authored a book due out in October, Damn Good Dumplings: 60 Innovative Favorites for Every Occasion (Page Street Publishing). In it he shows just how easy it is to merge American flavors with the classic dim sum favorites.

THE MAIN EVENT
Now to serious surf and turf pleasures. Our table enjoyed the flavorful 16 oz. Filet Mignon grilled medium rare with a side of onion rings. For fish lovers, The Drunken Branzino came with a savory broth and bite-sized bits of fish done to perfection.

Other popular entrees include Kung Pao Chicken and the 48 oz Prime Dry-Aged Porterhouse for two. Finish off your meal with Vanilla Ice Cream served with Crispy Apple Wontons.

In this trendy neighborhood, a bar crowd is a given. Brooklyn Chop House assures this lively crowd top-shelf drinks (try the Smoked Boulevardier, made with Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Campari, and Sweet Vermouth). The restaurant also offers an excellent choice of wines as well as a variety of craft beers.