Top Chef, Low Cost (pt. 2)

Way back in February, I posted an article that I wrote about "Halfsteak": Tom Colicchio's recession version of his trendy steakhouse, Craftsteak. Well, the piece has been revised over and over again thanks to my professor Betty, and I am now posting the final piece which I am quite proud of. Enjoy!


HALFSTEAK: Half the Price, Half as Filling

At last, I made it to Craftsteak, one of the trendiest steakhouses in Manhattan. Normally my roommate and I would never consider a restaurant as expensive as this one, but tonight was different. We were here for “Halfsteak,” the scaled-down, recession version of celebrity chef Tom Colicchio’s Chelsea restaurant.

And unfortunately, “Halfsteak” left us half-full.

Last month, Colicchio turned his popular and pricey restaurant into a casual dining experience with a cute name. It’s cute in size too, seating only 44 with 12 additional spots at the bar. The most expensive entrée on the menu is the $15, 6-ounce New York strip steak. It’s cute too. Cute – and way too little.

You can get the “Halfstreak” treatment each Wednesday, in the front section of this two-star eatery at 10th Avenue and 15th Street, while the high ceilinged main dining room with enormous windows overlooking the West Side Highway is still full price. On the particular night that I was there, “Halfsteak” was jammed while the big room was well, slightly more than half full.

That should be no surprise, given the economy. In fact, the city’s top restaurants are all in a panic. It’s gotten so bad that New York magazine’s “Grub Street” dining blog has gained attention with a game they play called “Two for Eight” – calling the most exclusive restaurants at 4 p.m. to see which ones can squeeze in a last-minute reservation. Guess what – almost all of them can.

With “Halfsteak,” Colicchio joins a host of other celebrated chef s who are going discount. First, it was Jean-Georges Vongerichten; six of his Manhattan restaurants now have both a $24 three-course lunch menu and a $35 three-course dinner. Then came Mario Batali, offering a “bargain” nine-course tasting menu at $125 a head (formerly $175.) Next, Colicchio stepped in – Craft, his flagship, cut its $185-a-head, eight-course dinner to $150, and added a Friday night, $10-a-plate tapas menu.

And as of last month, there was “Halfsteak.” Like the regular menu, Chef de Cuisine Shane McBride stays close to his Southern roots with everything from smoked chicken wings in a white BBQ sauce ($6.50), to chicken fried cod with hash browns ($9.50), and a brisket sandwich topped with sauerkraut and provolone ($11.50). Appetizers and salads all cost between $6.50 and $9.50, while sandwiches and entrées costing $11.50 to $13.50. While each dish was beautifully presented, I felt like I had just sat down for a meal with the Keebler elves.

Now what about that halfsteak? I had the same cut as Craftsteak’s $50,12-ounce high quality, dry-aged strip of perfection. But at half the size, it was merely a high-class McDonald’s Kids Meal – and even with the signature hand-cut fries thrown in I started drooling the leftovers at the table next to mine.

But there was still the hope of filling up over dessert. At $4 apiece, the red velvet cupcakes and an ice cream sandwich of the day are a third of the cost of a normal Craftsteak dessert, but they resemble the sweets my niece adorns her doll tea party with.

The half-size, half-price concept also extends to cocktails which all cost less than $9, and half-pints of small, artisanal beers which all cost less than $4. But who want to pay $4 for a half-pint of beer when a full pint only costs $7?

While on the outside this appears to be a good deal, it is just another gimmick from the Craft restaurant family. With Colicchio’s restaurants, the quality of the food is never an issue – it is always solid, delicious New American cuisine. The issue with “Halfsteak” is whether or not it is actually worth it. My visit cost around $80 with tax and tip for the two of us, which is not bad for a steakhouse. But the rumbling in my stomach was a clear sign that I would need to pick up a slice of pizza on the way home. Craftsteak on the other hand is more expensive. The price limits customers on a budget from trying a wide variety of food, but at least they leave without a lingering hunger.

In the end, the choice is yours: would you rather a wide variety or full belly? It’s up to you to make the decision (but I would personally recommend hitting up Craftsteak).