"Ah, The Met. This Downtown velvet-wrapped legend has been around since 1983, and it still holds up. Think of any steakhouse prerequisite, and they’ve most likely surpassed it. Service is attentive without being smothering. Steaks are cooked so well (in quality, not temperature) that you’d be in good hands choosing a humble sirloin over flashier wagyu. You’ll get delicious free bread in droves, roasted garlic mashed potatoes in a massive mound, and a skyscraper-sized carrot cake with an entire pint of ice cream. The whole to-do works well for those times when you’d like to wear a fancy outfit and up your iron intake. Food Rundown Caesar Salad They're not reinventing the wheel with this classic caesar, complete with a creamy dressing, breadcrumbs, and fresh anchovies. The differentiator here is a charred lemon, which imparts more complexity when squeezed over the leaves. Order it for the table, and swipe bread remnants through leftover dressing swipes. Crab Cake A very pleasant crab cake, which is a real compliment in this town. Add it to your steak with confidence. Top Sirloin Sure, mess with fancy Japanese cuts if you want to—but there's no need when The Metropolitan Grill already nails the sirloin. It's great by itself or doused in demi-glace. Mac & Cheese The Met's only significant miss. It's clear that the cheese sauce and cooked macaroni are kept separate until the last possible moment, so that key mingling never happens. Just order mashed potatoes instead. Carrot Cake It's excessive, and that's why it's good. At least this towering wedge dripping with crème anglaise contains vegetables." - Aimee Rizzo
