Sarah Obraitis and Hugue Dufour, the couple behind the fabulous M. Wells Dinette within MoMA PS 1, took a big, ambitious leap and opened a full-on steak house in late 2013. The 70-seat, concrete-floored space is a rehabbed auto body shop with enough extra room for the proprietors to build a catamaran in it on their days off. The dining room is dressed up with red paint, a wallpapered ceiling and an open kitchen, breaking the mold of how steak houses are traditionally outfitted. On the menu are a bevy of playful touches, like the "dog bowl," an iced platter of a dozen oysters, six clams, lobster tail and an additional chef's-choice seafood pick. Pretzel rolls come warm in a cinched linen bag, and desserts are wheeled around on a trolley, oftentimes requiring a "beep, beep!" to clear through the crowds. Dufour's cooking is audacious and unabashedly luxuriant, and his wife's welcome is warm and genuine, making Long Island City really, truly an eating destination.
Features
Reservations Accepted