Brooks & Porter has been anchoring Merrick village for the last few years and turning out charred pieces of meat like a factory ever since it's inception. Upon a my first visit shortly after their grand opening I was surprised to find a pretty damn good steakhouse in an otherwise generic "main" street lined with stores perpendicular to Sunrise Hwy. That was then.
Since we have moved to the "outer reaches" of Suffolk, it had been awhile since we had been there. Some old friends of ours who still live nearby suggested we stop in and check it out for dinner. Without question, we agreed and met them for dinner last night.
To be fair, I know about as much about steaks as I do wine. If I like what I taste, then I'll go back for more. Hence, this was our second time back. Knowing I had been there before I suppose I spent a little time looking around and perhaps a bit more critical as well. The decor screams modern steakhouse with it's combination of simple lines, dim lighting & deep dark wood finishings. But oddly enough, the menu is framed as if the place were 100 years old and once called Ye Olde Meat House (i.e. a bit gimmicky).
The menu is what you would expect with the typical assortment of different cuts made to order, various offerings of fish, a raw bar & chicken for those who don't like beef. One item of note is that the restaurant offers various side sauces to "compliment" your steak. Maybe I'm old school, but to me a steak should be able to stand on it's own. But that's just me.
The wine list was pleasantly long and the waiters good at pretending to know a little bit about everything that was on there. In addition, they will serve a bottle in a decanter and single glasses in a mini-carafe. Did someone just say "gimmicky"? Ah yes, that was me in the last paragraph.
Having said that, I obviously ordered a beer.
Which brings me to me next point. I tried something I had never tried before and thought maybe the glass it was poured into was dirty. On the other hand, the beer might have had some depth and meant to possess that smokehouse flavor. Rather than send it back, I powered though and even ordered another. Let's just say that after trying the second beer, my instincts were correct. The smokehouse flavor was in fact not meant to be part of the brew master's plan...MMMmmmm.
Our waitress was great, but @ 8pm on a Saturday night
dirty glass - check
limited menu - check
I can't say that I've ever really not liked a steak. But I can say that I have had a few steaks that stand out above all the others. This was not one of those times. My sirloin was bit overcooked. Even I know enough about proper cooking times & temperatures. I would expect that for $50, my chef would know far more about that than me. But again, I powered through and moved on. I don't ever send anything back unless it might kill me.
dirty glass - check
limited menu - check
overcooked steak - check
Lastly, there was dessert. Let me say this, go for the pumpkin cheesecake if nothing else. I sincerely mean that. While the entire meal was forgettable with the exception of the company I was with, the cheesecake stood out above all else. It would seem that Brooks & Porter has a much more prosperous future as a dessert studio than steakhouse.
As previously mentioned, this place used to be pretty damn good. But that was about 3-4 years ago. Last night proved to me that Brooks & Porter has officially jumped the shark. If you're looking for a good steakhouse, this is a pass. On the other hand, if you're in the mood for an amazing piece of pumpkin cheesecake then by all means order two.
It is safe to say this was our final trip to B&P. If I want a piece of cheesecake, I suppose I'll have to spend some more time searching for a good bakery.
Until next time,
ES
Brooks & Porter Steakhouse
16 Merrick Avenue
Merrick, NY 11566
