First Impressions: Dylan Prime

Dylan Prime booths2“I’m a supporter,” said Adam halfway through our steak. “I endorse this.”

He hadn’t really been looking forward to dining at Dylan Prime—which reopened in December after a nine-month hiatus and refurbishment—if only because he thought of it as a steakhouse, and as someone who works in finance in midtown, he goes to steakhouses more than he would like. (Also, we’ve really cut back on the amount of meat we eat.) I had already had dinner at Dylan Prime 2.0 once with my friend Michele—I forgot my camera, so I had to go back—and I told Adam at least twice that the restaurant is less steak-focused now and that Michele and I had enjoyed a rather good fish dish. Evidently, he hadn’t listened. Did I mention that we’re married?

At that first dinner, Michele and I had been impressed by the Arctic char—which comes with several vegetables, each prepared independently—and also the room: It’s more contemporary, but still the kind of place you could have a business dinner. Whoever designed the dining room used different techniques—a dropped ceiling here, a line of booths there—to make the large space more welcoming. (There are also now three private dining rooms.) Tables are nicely spaced, and you can hear your dining companion and the server, even when there are big groups nearby. Michele and I had planned on having a drink first in the lounge, but it was a bit too after-work for me; working at home has left me somewhat anthrophobic. I was pleased to discover that Dylan Prime’s dining room has its own small bar. And the bartender now knows what a Boulevardier is.

The other night, Adam and I had a bumpier start to our meal. First, I had to shut down the server in the middle of his raw-bar upsell (to his credit, he adapted his style accordingly), and we both snapped to attention when we realized that of the seven red wines available by the glass, one was $30 and another was $62. On the other hand, I was delighted that the cocktail menu notes whether each drink is served up or on the rocks—ever since Weather Up served me a metal cone filled with rabbit-poop ice, I’ve learned to ask before I order.

Because I had fish the first time, and because Michele and I had coveted our neighbor’s fries, and because the menu isn’t particularly vegetarian-friendly, Adam and I split the 16-ounce ribeye and chose three sides: braised escarole (fine), sauteed mushrooms with marjoram (good), and those fries (excellent). We also got salads to start and horseradish cream to accompany the steak, but we actually used the sauce for the fries. The steak was cooked so perfectly, charred outside but tender inside, that it didn’t any help. One demerit: I want plates that my knife will rest on! When will this reign of terror end?

Dylan Prime is at 62 Laight (at Greenwich), 212-334-4783; dylanprime.com.

Dylan Prime loungeDylan Prime steak2Dylan Prime friesDylan Prime dining room barDylan Prime private room3Dylan Prime private room1Recent New Kid on the Block/First Impressions articles:
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1 Comment

  1. ….”a metal cone filled with rabbit-poop ice”. You are so on target and just too funny! HAhahahhah.