Keens Steakhouse
Until the latter part of the 20th century, Keens, which was established in the same location in 1885, referred to itself as a “chop house.” They are now known as a steakhouse, but I wish they had remained true to their roots. To their credit, they are a steakhouse in name only. They serve the basics of a steakhouse—the porterhouse for two, aged T-bone, and filet mignon with requisite sides such as creamed spinach and hash browns—but they still serve chops: lamb chops, prime rib, short ribs, and most notably, mutton chops. It is the mutton chop that has made Keens famous. The monstrous cut has two flaps of long, thick, rich, subtly gamy meat on either side of the bone that look kind of like mutton-chop sideburns. So which came first, the sideburns or the chop? Keens is no gussied-up remake of old New York: It’s the real thing, from the thousands of ceramic pipes on the ceiling (regular diners were given their own personal pipes, including such celebrities as Babe Ruth, George M. Cohan, and Albert Einstein) to the series of rooms on two floors with wood paneling, leather banquettes, fireplaces, a clubby bar with a three-page menu of single malts, and even the framed playbill Lincoln was reading at the Ford Theater that infamous evening in 1865. Keens has been there, done that, got the playbill.
Two tips: The portions are humongous, so don’t be afraid to share. And spend some time simply wandering around this museum-like eatery. You go here as much for the experience as for the food.
Until the latter part of the 20th century, Keens, which was established in the same location in 1885, referred to itself as a “chop house.” They are now known as a steakhouse, but I wish they had remained true to their roots. To their credit, they are a steakhouse in name only. They serve the basics of a steakhouse—the porterhouse for two, aged T-bone, and filet mignon with requisite sides such as creamed spinach and hash browns—but they still serve chops: lamb chops, prime rib, short ribs, and most notably, mutton chops. It is the mutton chop that has made Keens famous. The monstrous cut has two flaps of long, thick, rich, subtly gamy meat on either side of the bone that look kind of like mutton-chop sideburns. So which came first, the sideburns or the chop? Keens is no gussied-up remake of old New York: It’s the real thing, from the thousands of ceramic pipes on the ceiling (regular diners were given their own personal pipes, including such celebrities as Babe Ruth, George M. Cohan, and Albert Einstein) to the series of rooms on two floors with wood paneling, leather banquettes, fireplaces, a clubby bar with a three-page menu of single malts, and even the framed playbill Lincoln was reading at the Ford Theater that infamous evening in 1865. Keens has been there, done that, got the playbill.
Two tips: The portions are humongous, so don’t be afraid to share. And spend some time simply wandering around this museum-like eatery. You go here as much for the experience as for the food.
Details
Bookstore
Available as paperback
and as e-book.
