New York City – a favorite destination among the foodie crowd -- boasts many of the world’s finest restaurants. Here you’ll find anything your palate desires, including innovative dishes that dare to challenge traditional cuisine.
In order to stand out among a sea of fine dining establishments, a restaurant in New York City must excel in four areas: Location, Ambiance, Cuisine and Service.
When Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House first opened its doors 15 years ago on 1221 Avenue of the Americas -- one of the most coveted locations in the city -- a local tabloid questioned its decision. After all, occupying 18,000 square feet with a three-story restaurant can be considered extravagant even by New York City standards. However, transforming this former bank building into one of the city's most lavish restaurants has proven to be pure genius as witnessed by the wall-to-wall customers each night of the week. It was recently voted as “the best steakhouse for a Wall Street power lunch” by readers of Business Insider.
Former bond trader Scott Gould, general manager of the Steak House, was bitten by the restaurant bug while working on Wall Street and decided it was time for a career change. “You need to love what you’re doing,” he says. The affable Gould has served in every front-of-house role and was promoted to general manager in 2007. In addition to his day-to-day responsibilities, he supervised the development of the first Del Frisco’s Grille in NYC along with overseeing their Boston, D.C. and soon to open Orlando locations. There are Del Frisco’s scattered throughout the country.
In New York Gould oversees a bevy of nightly activity with meticulous attention to detail, and manages to ensure that everyone around him has as much fun as he does. It’s evident from the smiles on the staff and the boisterous laughter of the customers that people are enjoying themselves. This is a party of the grandest scale.
Not only does Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House excel in the four important areas necessary for a standout restaurant, it actually exceeds expectations.LOCATIONSituated across from Rockefeller Center, the Double Eagle Steak House occupies a prime piece of Manhattan real estate. Also nearby are the iconic landmarks of Times Square, the Theater District and Radio City Music Hall. Such an idyllic location exudes energy and excitement, which carries over from the streets into the restaurant. The restaurant is within walking distance of many luxurious hotels, including the New York Palace, and the ever popular tourist attraction, Trump Tower.
AMBIANCE
Not too many New York City restaurants can claim three expansive stories. Few, if any, contain an escalator to the cellar level – which formerly housed the bank’s vault -- where an impressive collection of over 1,200 of the world’s finest wines is stored. It’s the perfect location for intimate gatherings.Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows with breathtaking panoramic views of Sixth Avenue, the Double Eagle Steak House is a magnificent piece of architecture that sparkles with elegance. A striking custom fabricated banister leading to the second floor resembles a bridge cable in homage to the importance of the country’s waterways.
CUISINE
The cornerstone of the extensive and creative menu is aged USDA Prime Beef prepared specifically to your taste by Executive Chef Brian Christman, who serves only the best hand-cut steaks. A 22-ounce Bone-In Prime Ribeye and 24-ounce Prime Porterhouse are two of the house specialties. A 14-ounce Veal Tomahawk Chop is delectable, as is the freshest seafood available, including Australian coldwater lobster tails. Appetizers constitute a meal by themselves and include succulent Crab Cakes with Cajun Lobster Sauce and Tuna or Steak Tartare. Decadent desserts vary each night but often include a moist lemon cake with creamy icing.
STAFF
A happy staff is a productive staff, or at least that appears to be the mantra at the restaurant. Our server, Amy, not only possessed an unobtrusive, friendly demeanor, but took the time to patiently answer all of our questions in a thoughtful, well-informed manner. The other servers, while busy as bees, treated their guests in a similar fashion.Wine Director Jessica Certo began as a waitress for the restaurant (while she studied for her Master’s degree in Opera Performance) and discovered her passion for wine. She worked her way up and now leads a rare all-female sommelier team, curating the wine list. She is currently studying for her Master Sommelier certificate, a distinction currently held by only 23 women.
