We were very excited to get a last minute reservation for four at Flames. It is supposed to be the best steakhouse in Westchester among the cognoscenti. It is a bit out of the way in Briarcliff, towards the end of what seems to be a fairly residential street.
When one is in the northern area of Westchester, one tends to think of the Clintons (that is, if "one" is my husband). So he asked our waiter if the Clintons had eaten at Flames. Our waiter was proud to tell us that the Clintons had been turned away. How could this be? Well, it wasn't as if they came all dressed up for dinner and were shown the door. How embarrassing would that have been! No. One of their people called first, to see if their party (them and their entourage) could be accommodated that evening. No, they couldn't. They didn't have that many tables available!
There has been a heated discussion on Chowhound about the inability to find great steaks in Westchester. And this place was recommended. Apparently, dry-aged steaks are the thing that foodies love. Most of what passes for great steaks in Westchester (at least I think they are great) are inferior. The Chowhounders didn't like Willets House (I love it!), nor Ruth's Chris (I love it!), and had especially horrible things to say about Mighty Joe Young's - whose steaks my entire family salivates over.
So back to Flames. We started with shrimp cocktail, which came with three enormous shrimp. They were good, but not outstanding. For three of us, we ordered the porterhouse for three. Sorry to say, after all the build up, it wsa very fatty, and gristly throughout. If that was dry aged, I'll take mine wet! The waiter asked how we liked our steak. We showed him all the fat and gristle. Yes, he agreed, it was fatty and gristly. This never happens! But sorry as he was, he didn't offer to get us another steak, or even comp us for dessert. Yuri ordered pasta with seafood, which she often does. It was not an impressive dish and she tired of it quickly.
That was it for Flames.
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