Sunday, January 5, 2014

Old Homestead Steakhouse: Atlantic City Review

This is for a series of posts for the Borgata Hotel & The Water Club including: Bobby Flay SteakWolfgang Puck American Grille, Wolfgang Puck American Grille [2], The CafeteriaTony Luke'sN.O.W.N.O.W. [2]MetropolitanSun RoomSun Room [2]Old Homestead Steakhouse, Old Homestead Steakhouse [2], Fat Burger28 WestGelato, the Borgata BuffetIzakayaBread and Butter, and Fornelletto

Old Homestead is known for great service and massive steaks. And having been to the century-old restaurant in NYC, I was excited to take the GF to the outpost at the Borgata.


Executive Chef Romeo DiBona and his staff execute their dishes to perfection. I'll admit, I've had meals at many Atlantic City restaurants and there's always something that's amiss. But I can easily say that Old Homestead's execution is up to snuff.


So enter into this bastion of beef and admire the massive two-story dining room. 


But before you head in, be sure to drool at the bottles of aged Macallan that line the walls.


Strawberry Rum-Aid [$12]
Bacardi dragon berry rum, lemonade cranberry juice, 7-Up


The GF started off the night with this slightly tart, yet smooth concoction. The 7-Ip added that effervescent sparkle, which was a refreshing foil to the subtle saccharinity of the rum and lemonade.

Captain's Coconut Mojito [$12]
Captain Morgan spiced rum, Malibu rum, fresh lime, fresh mint, pineapple juice, 7-Up
  

Old Homestead's take on one of my favorite cocktails was definitely enjoyable. The sweetness was not over the top and mellowed out by the smooth coconut and rum. The bright flavors of lime and the freshness of the mint came through, with a bit of carbonation from the 7-Up.

Bread Service
 

Large walnut raisin and onion rolls came served with two pats of room temp butter. Nice.

Heavy Cut Bacon [$12]
Vermont fancy maple syrup


If you see thick-cut or cured bacon on a steakhouse menu, it's almost guaranteed to be a must-order. Old Homestead's heavy cut bacon is no different. In fact, I can easily say that Old Homestead's bacon is better than Peter Luger's bacon. Deliciously cured, juicy, and moist - the ends are crispy and almost reminiscent of burnt ends. The pecorino offered a sharp, nutty contrast with the heft of the maple-glazed bacon.

Fresh Mozzarella & Roasted Peppers [$14]
Fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar


This dish came with 3 huge slices of fresh mozzarella, topped by about a pound of roasted peppers. As expected, the unctuousness of the EVOO, the rich, acidic tang of the aged balsamic, and the fresh basil offered a great bite. The fresh ground pepper helped to bring this dish together nicely.


Before our entrees were served, our waiter brought out Old Homestead's steak sauce. I normally stay away from any sauce when eating steak, but our waiter swore by it. It's a sweet, somewhat thick glaze and seems perfect for a BBQ marinade. 

Petit Filet Mignon [$46]
10 oz, hash brown, demi glaze


The GF went with the 10 oz petit filet, ordered medium. All the steaks at Old Homestead are wet-aged and this filet was aged for 28 days, cut from a 6lb tenderloin. The demi-glace offered even more heft to accentuate the tender beef. The hash brown disc was comprised of cubed potatoes and was nicely roasted, with a crispy outer crust. 


Gotham Rib Steak [$54]
34 oz rib-eye 
  

But for the showstopper, order the Gotham rib steak. We're talking about 34 ounces of ribeye - what more could you possibly ask for? This is touted as Old Homestead's signature steak and for good reason. It's a behemoth and definitely the biggest steak I've consumed, other than a few porterhouses. This is USDA prime, with a 28 day wet age and is cut in-house daily. 


Cooked to a perfect medium-rare, each bite melted in my mouth. I'll admit defeat with this one, but only because I knew this would be just as good the next day (it was!).

Baked Mac n Cheese [$14]
Bacon tomato jam
 

Mac n cheese was on the menu, so naturally, it was ordered as well. Perfectly creamy with a crispy upper crust, the sweet tomato jam melded nicely with the caramelized bacon.

Onion Rings [$11]


I didn't stop there - crispy, crusty, onion rings were in order and more important, were delicious. Yum.

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie [$12]
Vanilla ice cream, crushed heath bar, chocolate sauce, whipped cream
  

Lastly, being that is was the GF's birthday, the staff brought our dessert with a candle - always a nice touch. Gobs of fresh whipped cream covered sweet and salty heath. And of course, we can't forget about the huge chocolate chip cookie underneath! 


So if you're in Atlantic City, and certainly at the Borgata, be sure to plan a meal at the Old Homestead. It may be a bit pricey, but it's nothing comps can't take care of! You might be too full to go to Mixx to dance your butt off, but perhaps a trip to the blackjack tables are in order or if you've got a room at the Borgata Hotel or The Water Club, it's nothing a quick post-meal nap can't cure!


Old Homestead Steak House on Urbanspoon
http://www.theborgata.com/dine/fine-dining/old-homestead

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