They say old traditions have already died along with chivalry, fine-dining, and dancing while out on a date. Nowadays, couples prefer to stay in or chat when trying to communicate or worst, if they wish to go out, they find a great bar and drink the night away. While these activities may be great for Friday nights or friendly dates, what about on special occasions like an anniversary, meet the parents, or marriage proposals?
This is where restaurants like Smith & Wollensky comes in, to help men try to create an illusion of romance and passion not just through the ambiance but most importantly, to the foods that are served on the table. Luckily, this famous restaurant knows that people eat in their restaurant to celebrate life and love thus they make sure that what they offer in their menu are able to entice appetites and manifest memorable events. To ensure proper dry-aging and cutting, they are the only national steakhouse with an on-site butcher and dry-age process facility.
Their menu boasts of a wide array of USDA Prime steaks, premium fresh seafood, and an impressive selection of imported and classic wines that were carefully selected by their Master Sommelier to pair with their delicious meats. Furthermore, the restaurant’s wine list has graced the Wine Spectator Magazine’s top honors for the last 27 years.
The signature dishes are different yet vaguely the same in their seven locations, primarily because the ingredients in each city are varying. However, their best sellers are typically similar so it will be easier for the customer to decide on what to order for her date if he is trying to impress her.
Here is a list of the Smith & Wollensky Signature dishes that can impress any date, if you are having a 5-course meal.
Starters
If you wish to start the evening right and to avoid any mishaps like too garlicky breath or oily fingers, try ordering the restaurant’s Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail for $22 or their Signature Crab Cake with cognac mustard and ginger sauces for $19. If you are feeling a little adventurous or your date is okay with a little meat, try eating their Scallops & Bacon with sweet potato and chipotle puree for $20 or the Steak Tartare with homemade potato chips for $18.
Soups & Salads
After the appetizers, move on to the soups and salads with the Wollensky’s Famous Split Pea Soup for $7, Wollensky Salad for $12 or the Smoked Clam Chowder for $9 and a Zesty Mixed Greens for $9.
Entrees
After the soup, you and your date may enjoy an entree first before proceeding to the main course. An entree is comparable to the main course nowadays but in the olden days, it is served before the main course or dish of the dinner. In this restaurant, most of the entrees are the other than steak choices like chicken, fish, shrimp, and veal so if you and your date are hungry, you may choose to get the Pan Seared Salmon with garlic kale, mushrooms, and onions in a beurre rouge for $39 or be adventurous with a Veal Rib Eye with fennel pollen in lemony, olive oil for $49.
Filet Mignon (Main Course)
If you truly wish to make your date swoon with pride and happiness or be really impressed with your fine dining know-how, order the Filet Oscar, a 10-oz filet mignon that is paired with a gigantic serving of crab meat and paired with asparagus and hollandaise sauce. This may be the next most expensive menu item, next to another best seller, the Bone-In Filet for 16 ounces with roasted garlic and cippolini onions, but it will also be the best dish you’ll ever taste.
Dry-Aged Steaks (Main Course)
The star of the dinner, you and your date will truly enjoy the night with a hefty serving of Signature Bone-In New York Cut Sirloin weighing 21 ounces for $55 or a Porterhouse for Two weighing in at 48 ounces with roasted vegetable in red wine glaze.
Side Dishes
The restaurant offers great side dishes to accompany your steak which can be eaten by two people so you might want to ask her first what she prefers. If she thinks you’re currently doing a good job or was impressed by your appetizers and soup selection, go ahead and order the Truffled Macaroni & Cheese for $13 or the Pan Roasted Wild Mushrooms for the same price.
Wine & Cocktails
Certainly, a glass of red wine is the best accompaniment for the meals you and your date are enjoying. While red meat requires red wine, you may opt to choose a cocktail for the lady instead. Ask her what she likes as it’s polite to do but if you are given the opportunity to suggest, get her a glass of Manhattan or a concoction of Jack, vermouth, Angostura, and orange bitters with Luxardo Cherry for $14.
If she prefers the wine which is extremely better, get her a glass of Pinot Noir, either a Russian River Valley’s The Calling for $20 or a Willamette Valley’s La Crema for $16. As for yourself, it’s best to get something from Napa and that may be a Red Blend like The Prisoner for $24 or a Merlot like the Clos du Val for $18.
