Carnivores Only!

A wise man once said, "Some people live to eat, while others eat to live." Eating is a funny thing; we all do it every day and each of us has a particular food of interest. All (kosher) foods are of particular interest to me. Some maybe more then others, but I have extensive experience across the board. When I was told of the Wolf & Lamb Steakhouse, a new restaurant that has just opened up, I immediately called Information for their phone number because of my carnivorous instincts.

Upon entering the restaurant on 48th between Madison and 5th, I noticed few people dining in what was a long dim lighted room with a high ceiling and a country atmosphere. I was seated and handed a menu with the hashgacha of the OK. The table was set plainly with CLEAN silverware and glasses, a basket of rolls which must have been sitting out all day, and a pitcher of ice water ready to be poured.

I started my meal with a cup of the "soup of the day," cream of zucchini, which was sprinkled with garlic croutons and sprouts. It was just the right texture, which isn't easy when making a soup like this.

Now for the main entrée. The top of the list was a 24 oz. steak, the pride of the establishment. (It better have been for the price they charged.) I ordered it immediately, but knowing it takes quite an amount of time to grill a steak of that size, I decided to order some appetizers. I ended up ordering a side of chopped liver and some crispy chicken fingers. The liver was served on an oval plate and was flanked on each side with a scoop of egg-salad and a scoop of coleslaw. I wondered why it was served this way, until I tasted the liver plain. The whole idea is to dilute a little of the liver flavor with the egg salad, (and believe me it needed it). The chicken fingers were served on a circular plate with a mayonnaise-and-dill dip planted in the middle. Fresh lemon wedges provided a pleasing look to the array. I found the chicken with the dip, along with some lemon a great combination.

Finally the moment I was waiting for - I was served my STEAK on the bone (also available off the bone) with a side order of string fries. The steak was served with lettuce, tomato and onion, which I asked the waiter to throw on the grill for me as well. The steak tasted great, however, let's face it, how bad can a 24 oz. piece of meat thrown on a grill taste? It did lack a little flavor, and the restaurant, not having a variety of sauces ( such as Tabasco) didn't help much either. All they had was A1 or ketchup. Let me remind you that it was still a 24 oz. steak, and hey! A steak is a steak. Still, I can't decide which part I enjoyed more, staring and smelling it when it was placed in front of me, devouring it, or pushing my chair back a few inches and looking at the monstrous bone lying on my plate.

I did mention earlier that the steak alone cost a pretty penny, but there were plenty of other dishes on the menu that were reasonably priced. This hearty 24 oz.'er is not for your everyday take-out. I feel it is something that is great for a birthday, another special occasion, or for you steak-lovers out there.

I ended the meal with a slice of cake, which was your average restaurant cake. The waiter told me I was getting a walnut cake with caramel; instead, it turned out to be Mocha.

In general, I recommend the Wolf & Lamb Steakhouse for anyone who is looking for a quiet relaxing place to eat offering plenty of meat and in the Midtown area. Although I wouldn't call it a family restaurant, there is still plenty of food on the menu that would be perfect for any age.

Here is my rating chart:

Ratings reflect my personal reaction to food, ambiance, and service with price taken into consideration. (Prices subject to change.)

Lamb & Wolf Steakhouse

* * *

ATMOSPHERE: The main dining room is fairly large, and there is plenty of space between tables for privacy or to get up and walk around without disrupting or bumping into anybody. Wooden floors and wooden chairs (comfortable) with brick walls and scattered checkered tablecloths give a nice country/home feeling. It was, as I noted, clean.

SERVICE: Helpful and very polite, but it would help if the waiters knew more about the food on the menu.

SOUND LEVEL: Thanks to high ceiling, it holds noise levels down, however I was present when there were only a few customers there. There was pleasant music with no lyrics being played in the background.
TASTE OF FOOD: I have to admit that food was merely simple tasting. Nothing stuck out with a unique flavor to grab the taste buds, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
PRICES: Unless it's your B-Day and you order the 24 oz. HEARTY STEAK, you'll find that the prices are extremely reasonable considering quality and quantity.
CREDIT CARDS: All major credit cards excepted.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY: Very accessible, only one floor.