A visit to a Classic New York Steak House @ Keens Steakhouse, NYC

Before leaving NYC we had to have a meal at a Classic New York Steak House. With so many around we decided on Keen’s which was featured on my favorite eating program “No Reservations: Manhattan Episode”.

Entering Keen’s we were awed at the hundreds of cigar pipes that were on the walls and roof of the reception area. We soon came to realize that back in its heyday Keens was also Pipe Club whose members included General MacArthur, President Roosevelt and many other important and famous figures in American History.






We were led to the relatively small dining area that was dimly lit with dark wood walls that are lined with newspaper clippings probably dating back since its opening more than a hundred years ago.




We were handed a one page menu that included different cuts of USDA House Aged and the usual Surf and Turf combination. This time round we did not ask the waiter for any recommendation because we knew exactly what to order.




Carrot, Pickle, Celery and Olives with Blue Cheese Dip and Bread Basket


This is the first time I was served Raw Vegetables as a complimentary starter in a Steakhouse. I'm not a big fan of Blue Cheese but the dip here was relatively mild. The Dinner Rolls were actually quite good. It was crusty and was served slightly warm


Maryland Crab Cakes

Delicious. The Crab Cakes had the right amount of seasoning and had a lot of chunky crab meat compared to many others I've tried that usually has more bread crumbs than anything else


1/2 Dozen Fresh Oysters

According to our Waiter we were served three types of Oysters; Malpeque, Kumamoto and Bluepoint Oysters. All three types of Oysters were fresh with my favorite being the Kumamoto which taste the sweetest during the Summer Period


Keen's Legendary Mutton Chop



Keens make good steaks but their Legendary Mutton Chops is really something else. Don't expect to see any Rack of Lamb that is fancily plated, at Keens you are served a huge saddle cut that is juicy, tender and very well seasoned. The meat was grilled to give a nice crust and was well marbled with a layer of fat on the side.


Prime Rib of Beef, King's Cut



This was what Zhao Kun ordered. The size of the Steak was definitely for a really big King! It was well seasoned and cooked medium rare as ordered. The only issue we had was that the Steak wasn't as tender as we had expected.


New York Cheese Cake

We had to have this before leaving New York. The Cheese Cake was surprisingly light in texture and had a hint of Citrus Flavor. I would have preferred the crust to be thicker which would have given it a better crunch.


Comparing with other Steakhouses I've had, the Steak at Keens was very good but not the best I've had. The Legendary Mutton Chops however is a "must eat" if you're visiting Keens. Further research into their Mutton Chops has also led me to discover that despite it is called Mutton Chops, it is actually from a mature Lamb because it is hard to source for good quality Mutton.


Food: 4/5
Service: 3.5/5
Ambiance: 3.5/5
Price: $$$$$ (Approximately USD $70 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 72 West 36th Street New York, NY 10018, United States
Tel: (212) 947-3636
Web: www.keens.com
Map:

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