Russell's Steaks, Chops & More

Steak. Nothing makes modern man's mouth water quite as much. A perfectly cooked blood red steak with a beautiful charbroil on it. Juicy, succulent and vibrantly tasteful. Now one would presume with a name like Russell's Steaks, Chops & more that you would be more than satisfied here. You would be correct my friends.

The restaurant is decorated in a modern twist on the 1940's supper club. Dark cherry wood works it's way around the elegant dining rooms, reds and whites in different splashes and blue accent lighting in the recessed ceiling. Red velvet drapes adorn the wall and the areas around the view out booths inset into the walls, which over look the room. Modern art seemingly hovers on the walls.

An experience which trust me, was an unexpected departure from Salvatore's former over the top establishments.

Over the top? Yes.

Russell Salvatore over the over the top? No.

The elegant interior of the lobby, Bar room and Dining room reminded me much of the Wynn in Las Vegas. Reminiscent of Harry's Bar in Venice or a modern Tuscan villa. The ambiance set by the low lighting along with the dark woodwork and wrought iron railings were unbelievable. Mark Croce will have a run for his money at the Chophouse.

The large leather menus feel heavy in the hand. Inside were some exciting possibilities for my gastronomical delight. We began as one usually would with an appetizer. It was a toss up between Oysters on the Half Shell and Fried Calamari. As it often times usually happens the Fried Calamari won out.

I have had the pleasant experience of having Calamari in numerous places. However it has never been cooked as delicately and perfect as this. Fried Calamari is a difficult thing to cook. You see squid cooks like pasta. It continues to cook even after being removed from the heat. Normally one would submerge cooked squid into an ice bath to arrest the cooking process, preventing it from becoming rubbery and tough. Hard to do when you deep fry and bread something. Mmmm soggy bread... you get the point...

This however was something magnificent and soft. The squid melted like butter in my mouth. Touched with a squeeze of lemon and one of our two sauces it made for a wonderful treat. The remoulade was your standard variety but the red sauce was something different. The diavolo sauce let me know that my mouth would be in a for a nice spicy kick. It was a nice departure from the typical marinara you see served as a garnish.

A nice airy crusty Italian bread arrived next with offerings of roasted garlic, fresh whipped cream butter and a home made whipped honey butter. The bread was airy and soft but the crust was unfortunately too hard making it difficult and at times painful to eat.

Our servers (and trust me there was an army of them) rushed around silently like stealthy assassins. Refilling glasses seemingly every time we took a sip.

The Caesar salads arrived next. Fresh romaine hearts tossed in what tasted to be nothing more than mayonnaise. A lone crouton hid beneath my bed of greens and fresh grated parmigiana with two very fresh very sweet cherry tomatoes.

Finally the piece de resistance. A two inch thick, masterfully cooked NY Strip steak. Now the menu said this was a 12 ounce steak. I would honestly be willing to say that it was more in the neighborhood of 16-18 ounces. Easily. My beautiful medium rare steak had an amazing charbroil to it. This my friends is an art. It is the perfect combination of a hot flame and excellent timing.

The monster steak stood towering over the bountiful portions of mashed sweet potatoes and snap peas with carrots sauteed in a simple butter sauce. The steak was knowingly and intelligently rested by the cook before being plated as to avoid the loss of juices when the steak was cut. Every bite was full of flavor. The peppercorn sauce was artfully constructed and used as a compliment for the natural flavor of the aged steak.

having left nothing but what little sauce I couldn't manage to mop up with my remaining bread we gazed in wonderment at our desert options. Canoli Foster garnished with caramelized bananas, a trio of creme brulees (made fresh to the chefs flavor mood every day I'm told) a variety of gellatos and sorbets all garnished with fresh berries.

Deciding on the fresh Mango Sorbet was a great choice. A light sweet desert garnished with fresh (yes, fresh!) strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, whipped cream and a wheel of ribbon cookie. This was certainly the best possible choice after such a rich filling meal.

This subtle desert allowed me to relax and unwind while not filling myself up. The tart acidic berries worked well with the sweet sorbet. The ribbon cookie had the distinct flavor of butterscotch and the whipped cream was fresh.

All in all the restaurant was a pleasant and amazing experience. The food was artfully cooked and as skillfully served. Without a doubt Russell Salvatore at the prime age of 75 years old has made yet another successful interlude and contribution to an industry he has been at the forefront of for a better part of his life. Not only should Russell Salvatore receive credit for what he has done, he deserves credit.

Russell Salvatore is a humble Buffalo legend. He started with humble beginnings. He took a gamble and turned an unsure investment of a hot dog stand into an iconic Buffalo establishment; known for its needless to say, over the top decoration. From there his second business opened up with that same lavish Russell Salvatore style. What we wound up with are Salvatore's Italian Gardens and the Garden Place Hotel.

Salvatore was rumored to have been forced out of his business after he turned over ownership to his son Joe nearly three years ago for estate purposes. Although Salvatore denies this he has admitted in an interview with the Buffalo News that perhaps he was too hasty in walking away from a business he built 40 years ago.

The true story may never be known.

What is known however, is that despite what Salvatore may claim, He will be in direct competition with his son and in some ways himself. Going head to head with the historical establishments he pioneered into empires only a few miles down the road.

Russell Salvatore is known as a hardworking entrepreneur with a business mind that would rival J.P. Morgan himself, Salvatore is a testament to the iconic "American Dream," proving that hard work is truly rewarded.

At 75 years old to be greeting guests, supervising his own dining room (yes, from what I was able to notice he was there for almost all of the dinner service... This was a Sunday!) and ensuring every bit of quality he expects from an establishment bearing his name is not only admirable but amazing. A firm force proving that despite what anyone may have thought, Russell Salvatore still has it and probably always will.

Finally the ultimate proof that this will be Russell's legacy is the name; Russell's Steaks, Chops & More. This is not a family business. This is Russell's, and he deserves it.

Until next time my friends... Dont drink anything I wouldn't...

Mac the Bartender