Smith & Wollensky

Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Review:

Though Smith & Wollensky has become a national chain, the New York branch is the original. The restaurant is huge and retains a men's club vibe that gives but the slightest nod to décor. What theme there is focuses on Americana: ornithological prints, duck decoys and weather vanes. The most popular items on the menu are the sliced steak, the sirloin, the filet mignon, the prime rib and the triple lamb chops or veal chops, with hash browns on the side. If you've sworn off red meat, try one of the large lobsters. For dessert, in addition to the cheesecake, there's a terrific deep-dish apple pie. The wine list distinguishes Smith & Wollensky, which boasts a 50,000-bottle cellar, and from the prices it would seem that people who enjoy expensive steaks drink expensive wines. There are great old vintages of Bordeaux and California Cabernets, and plenty of oversize bottles, too.