Arrive Magazine - November/December, 2011

Chef Spotlight

The main dining room at Del Frisco’s Grille.

Down Home at the Grille

Since 2000, Northeast Corridor travelers and steakhouse aficionados in
New York, Boston and Philadelphia have been discovering the impeccable
cuisine, voluminous wine lists, and unparalleled hospitality on offer at the
Del Frisco’s family of Double Eagle Steak Houses. With origins that hark
back to Dallas, these restaurants have made
a name for themselves as grand settings for romantic dinners, business
meals and special occasions.
This August, Del Frisco’s brought its commitment to exceptional food, drink
and service to Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center with Del Frisco’s Grille, a bar and
grill with steakhouse roots. It’s a recipe for exciting dining and serious fun.
As anyone who’s set foot in a Del Frisco’s will attest, the restaurant is as
much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palate. Del Frisco’s Grille, in the very
heart of Rockefeller Plaza and in view of the iconic ice rink and Christmas tree,
is no exception: warm, inviting and at once modern and rustic. Visitors are wel-
comed by the sight of the gorgeous, brass-topped bar–an echo of the plaza’s
Art Deco architecture–that’s already become the centerpiece of a vibrant scene
where New Yorkers and tourists from around the world mingle and meet.
As you watch chefs bake the grille’s superlative flatbreads fresh in the bar’s
wood-burning oven, you’ll want to sip on Del Frisco’s signature take on the mar-
tini, the VIP, named for its distinctive vodka-infused pineapple–or sample one
of the dozens of fine wines available by the glass.

The lively atmosphere carries over into the lush dining room and, most
importantly, a menu that can only be described as bold and thoroughly mouth-
watering. As one would expect given this restaurant’s lineage, steakhouse
classics are well represented: Del Frisco’s
prime New York strip, prime ribeye and
filet are all here, in cuts every bit as suc-
culent as you’ll find at the nearby Double
Eagle. But it’s in the eclectic new dishes
on offer that Del Frisco’s Grille really sets
itself apart: ahi tacos with tuna tartare,
avocado and spicy citrus mayo make an
ideal starter. White clam flatbread with
garlic, parmesan and chili pepper bal-
ances the light and the hearty. And veal
meatloaf with hand-mashed potatoes,
wild mushrooms and bordelaise sauce is
comfort food at its most opulent.