For my (super belated) birthday, Brian took me to Gotham. Because I had some health issues during my birthday (I had a gallbladder attack, was supposed to get it removed but then ended up getting pancreatitis – still need to get it removed soon) – it was postponed until just a couple days ago. I figured since I was going for surgery soon, I might as well enjoy a nice steak dinner before it (probably not the best idea for a gallbladder that has a stent keeping it from giving me another attack, but que sera sera!).
What I like about Gotham is that they still have that old world style to them without being too stuffy and old school. The service is fantastic, our server was super friendly and joked with us the entire evening. Everyone who made contact with us from the restaurant were friendly and not at all pretentious. That being said, they do still respect many steakhouse traditions and if you’re looking for a luxe experience in the city, look no further, fam. The decor is very vintage glam (art deco, if we’re being picky) with lots of moody dark reds and burgundies. The lighting is dim and you’ll find so many different walks of life enjoying a good steak here.
They have a nice list of wines, mostly by the bottle but there is a smaller menu by the glass. They also have a nice list of different cocktails.
To start off the evening, I ordered the Lotus Blossom cocktail ($15). It’s made with Sobieski vodka, lychee liqueur, lime and grapefruit juice and Domaine Chandon sparkling. The cocktail is a nice, light bubbly that has a clean, slightly sweet flavour to it. Perfect way to start off the evening.
For starters, we ordered the Crab Cake, Onion Bread and Fried Calamari.
The Crab Cake ($23.50) is made with fresh crab, pickled cucumber and roasted jalapeno tartar sauce. I loved that the crab cake was entirely crab throughout – there was no room for filler. The flavour is nice, not too briny from the crab and the jalapeno tartar sauce is mild and creamy.
The Onion Bread ($5.50) is a half loaf that’s baked fresh and served hot. The exterior is soft and the inside is pillowy soft. It’s got a good flavour of onion without it being overpowering. It’s served with butter.
Finally, the Fried Calamari ($17.50). The fried calamari is a good portion and it’s served with hot pickled banana peppers, chopped red onions and chipotle aioli. The calamari is nicely breaded, not overly so and the texture is still quite soft for the calamari which is nice. I’ve never thought to have pickled banana peppers with calamari but it helps cut the heaviness of it overall.
For dinner, I ordered the Porterhouse Steak, along with their Gorgonzola Macaroni.
The Porterhouse Steak ($88.50) – the Porterhouse steak consists of the tenderloin filet and a New York Strip steak. Because of it’s large size and because it essentially is two steaks in one (two of the better steaks too), justifies it’s price tag. This really should’ve been shared between Brian and I, but he wanted to get his own steak. Nevertheless, I endured and enjoyed every single bite (and had leftovers for lunch the next day). The way that Gotham prepares their steak is with simple – salt, pepper, sear.
I ordered my steak rare-medium-rare and it came exactly how I had asked for it – on both sides. I’d have to say that this is the best steak I’ve had in a long time.
Finally, our Gorgonzola Macaroni ($14.75). This high end mac and cheese is made with Gorgonzola, a nice, slightly salty and buttery tasting blue cheese. Gorgonzola is famously paired with steaks, so it wasn’t a surprise to see it with the macaroni. It paired beautifully with my steak and I would definitely get it again – the portion of the mac was perfect for Brian and I to share.
I enjoyed my time at Gotham and we’ll definitely be back to conquer the Tomahawk steak (sold out when we were there unfortunately) and the seafood tower!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Value: 4.5
Ambiance: 5
OVERALL: 5
