Bavette's Bar & Boeuf

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: Exuding sultry, jazz-era charm, Brendan Sodikoff’s sexy steakhouse is more than the sum of its parts. It’s also a departure for the restaurateur (also of Gilt Bar, Maude’s Liquor Bar, Au Cheval, et al). From its leather booths to its zinc-topped bar, it’s an equation that works.

Food & Drinks: While the 22-ounce dry-aged rib-eye is a thing of great worth, it’s the other options that linger in your mind for days. The bone-in filet is an investment, but it cuts like butter. From the hors d’oeuvres, the Chicago-born shrimp de jonghe is a "wow" dish. Still, it’s the short rib stroganoff with hand-cut noodles and mushrooms that we’ll allow to warm us up any day. Beautiful shellfish platters and fresh-shucked oysters are options, too. Finish with a rich gold-brick sundae or a slice of carrot cake, chocolate cream pie or lemon meringue pie. Bourbon is big business here, though craft beers, creative cocktails and a thoughtful wine list add to the appeal.