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.
Photo courtesy of Employees Only Photo courtesy of Employees Only
I returned to Employees Only for my birthday last year and, rather than sitting at the bar, I was tucked away into the small but impressive dining room that features a beautiful skylight. Out of nostalgia, I ordered the steak tartare. Sure enough, the server came with the same setup: Roasted tomatoes, capers, shallots, and sauces added with a flick of the wrist at top speed. It transported me to another era, one in which I was young and giddy to be in a jam-packed room with drinks being passed over my shoulder as the bar would get two to three patrons deep and I could barely hear myself speak. Our bartender friend (who was a groomsman at our wedding) eventually stopped working at Employees Only, so we found a new watering hole, but it seems as if the rest of New York never did. When we left our dinner, the bar was as busy as ever.
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.
