Letter of Recommendation New York
There’s Much More Than Just Cocktails at Employees Only
Published:
I moved to New York in 2009. I met “the one” in 2011.
I thought he was so cultured. He had traveled across South America and Europe, ate raw oysters, and drank ice-cold martinis up with a twist, just like James Bond. Better yet, he personally knew the head bartender at Employees Only, one of the hottest spots in town at the time. We were both working at a travel magazine, and after many friendly group outings, we finally gave in to our shared attraction and started dating. We got married in 2016.
One such early group outing was held at Employees Only. Knowing nothing about New York nightlife at the time, I wasn’t expecting what I encountered: There was a bouncer. There was a velvet rope. There even was a tarot card reader. The bar room was electric, and filled to the brim with thirsty New Yorkers, but knowing the bartender, we were able to snag some space at the end of the bar.
Back then, when I could still tolerate sweet, booze-forward cocktails, I ordered their classic Fraise Sauvage, a cocktail that has been on the menu since 2004. It is a concoction of gin shaken with strawberries and Tahitian vanilla, topped off with their house prosecco. At the time, I was more accustomed to gin-and-tonics on the Lower East Side, and this was definitely a step up. After a couple of rounds, it was time for food.
When you order food at the bar at Employees Only, they set out a crisp white napkin, folded into a triangle, and place it in front of you. So classy, I thought. First, I tried buttery bone marrow poppers that just melted in your mouth. I ate oysters, filling each shell with zippy mignonette to counteract the brine of the sea snack I slurped up with delight. But what I really recall about that night at Employees Only was trying steak tartare for the first time.
I had studied in Paris in college, but couldn’t afford going to French bistros. Most of my money went to croissants and gin and tonics. But I was trying to be sophisticated now, and when the man who would become my husband suggested we order the steak tartare — an Employees Only specialty — I acquiesced, even though I was terrified of the idea of consuming raw minced meat. I was too proud to admit I’d never tried it before, and so in went the order to the kitchen.
What is so fun about the steak tartare at Employees Only is that not only is it unconventional (the French would balk at the number of ingredients), but they make a whole production out of it by preparing it tableside. They present you with a mound of hand-cut filet mignon and to it, they add roasted and chopped tomatoes, finely minced shallots, parsley, capers, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, and a dab of the bar’s own housemade hot sauce. It all comes together with a local farm egg yolk, and the bartender puts on a delightful show mixing it all together at top speed. Once plated, I gingerly placed a small spoonful of this concoction onto my olive oil crostini, took a bite, and experienced a flavor explosion. It was nothing like I had ever tasted before. It was rich and creamy, but had some heat and acid to it, too. It was the perfect bite. I wanted more.
I have had many incredible renditions of steak tartare since then — in fact I often seek it out on restaurant menus now. Of course, there is the Balthazar classic of finely minced and perfectly seasoned meat. The Bar Room at The Modern serves a delicate take made with wagyu beef and served alongside crispy potatoes. But I still think back to my early days living in New York when my week’s wages as a lowly assistant editor would go to fancy cocktails and the steak tartare at Employees Only.
I have since returned to Paris as an adult with an actual income and had steak tartare at a French bistro, one decidedly more classic and made with cornichons, capers, shallots, and some Dijon mustard and an egg yolk to bind it all together. It was delightful, and I certainly didn’t mind the frites that accompanied it, but I will always remember my first bite of steak tartare at Employees Only.
Employees Only is open daily starting at 6 p.m.
Jetty-Jane Connor has spent nearly 15 years in New York’s hospitality industry, working for groups that include David Chang’s Momofuku Group and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. She has also written for outlets that include Travel + Leisure, Eater, Condé Nast Traveler, and Food & Wine. In addition to working in the restaurant industry, she is a dachshund mom and is always seeking out the best sweet treats across the U.S. Currently, Hani’s Bakery + Cafe, Masa Madre, and Arsicault Bakery are top contenders. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
