Steadfast

Steadfast Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: The stately Gray Hotel marks the home of this Financial District all-day-dining restaurant. While elegant in stature, stuffy it isn’t. Inside, off-the-clock traders and other professionals meet for approachable fare, cozying into roomy club chairs along a long industrial bar, two- and four-tops or a curved leather banquette. Dark beams and columns, and recessed lighting set the handsome vibe.

Likes: The bread program and the in-house charcuterie.
Dislikes: None.

Food & Drinks: Executive chef Ender Oktayuren devises an approachable menu with rich flavors and seasonal ingredients. A must for sharing: a large order of artisan breads, which might include an Old Bay Parker House Roll, lavender pretzel and baguette complemented by butter, from honey Oaxacan to herb. A foie puff is delicate and sweet with rhubarb and strawberry, and country pâté meets slight tart with blueberry and port. Artful mains are thoughtfully presented; the 14-day aged duck arrives sliced on an oversized platter next to house-made bread and pickled cauliflower. Meaty halibut is flaky, light and earthy with its gremolata, Romanesco and foraged mushroom pairings. Dessert is neither too rich nor too sweet; finish with the Chestnut & Vanilla, a crème fraîche mousse with chestnut cake. A French and Californian-influenced wine list boasts some standouts, such as the big and bold Domaine Pierre Guillemot, Savigny-lès-Beaune, ‘Vieilles Vignes’, France 2014.