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Monday, March 23, 2009

If you like steak, then you will love my new steakhouse food critic review

Hello and welcome to my first official food critic review for the spring of 2009. I know that some of you have been eagerly awaiting my next restaurant critique, so it is my honor to present:
Sparks Steakhouse
210 E. 46th St.
New York NY
4.1 out of 5 stars
I have been enthusiastic about going to this steakhouse for a long time. It is a top rated establishment and for a good reason. In addition, many people have told me of their high quality dishes. Although I was thoroughly impressed, I cannot honestly say that it is the best steak restaurant in New York City.
I was seated along with four other people; these were friends and friends of friends. The staff seemed nice enough, but the service was nothing more than above average. I ordered the filet mignon with a side of hash browns. Let me first say that this establishment is quite expensive, it requires the kind of money which normally only gets spent on very special occasions. However, I do realize that all of the top ten steakhouses here charge similar prices, so in that aspect, Sparks is not so unique. My steak arrived, and I remarked on the fact that it was a reasonably large cut of meat. It should be noted that Sparks only has one size for their steak, so you don’t select a small or large cut of meat. I found the steak to be well done on the outside but a little too undercooked on the inside, so I sent it back. (I ordered the steak medium, this was my fault, I should have and normally do order it medium well done). When it arrived, it was much hotter. It had a very nice flavor with a touch of seasoning. It cut very easily, however, not as smoothly as in other steak houses. It had a rich flavor, and was very filling. As a matter of fact, I took some home with me so that I could compare the food quality on the next day. I particularly enjoyed the hash browns: they were crispy (a must for me), and seasoned well with spices and a little salt. Furthermore, the next day I ate the rest of my steak, which raised the level of my rating because it passed the test for next day quality. (Yes, I do have a test, and no it is not multiple-choice, more of a pop quiz).
Therefore, the food part of my experience was very positive. The service, on the other hand, was spotty. Our waiter gave us a problem when we asked to pay for the meal with credit cards; he said two credit cards maximum could be used per group. I just found the staff to be adequately nice, but nothing that made me feel really welcome. Nevertheless, and especially if you have ever read my reviews before, you know that I value food over everything else including décor and service, so I mostly based my rating on the quality of the food.
Recommendations: Try it for yourself! As I said, it's pricy, I'm sure someone like the captain (Derek Jeter) could easily afford it, but for a colluge student like myself it really hurts your budget. I am still on a quest to find the best steak in the city, but I can only freach my destination by trying one place at a time.
Until next time,
Dan the food critic man

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