New York’s Top Tartares

You could argue that the best steak is one that’s not cooked at all.  We really owe France a debt of gratitude for delicate, spreadable raw steak.  Afterall, a good steak tartare can be a spiritual dining experience.  But almost every country has their own version, from the Lebanese lamb tartarte called kibbe to the classic Korean dish yook hwe, a tartare that’s made with partially frozen beef and Asian pears.  These days, chefs around the city are putting their spin on the dish, using everything from steak to tuna, Sriracha to Asian pear purees.  Here’s a round up of where to go to find New York’s best tartares, from Balthazar‘s iconic Filet Mignon Tartare to Morimoto‘s melt-in-your-mouth Toro Tartare…

Gotham Bar and Grill

Neighborhood: East Village | Cuisine: American, Seafood | Featured in: Tartare | 0 comments

Talk about a classic New York dish: The tuna tartare at Gotham Bar and Grill has been around since the late 80’s and it’s still going strong.  (Eater recently featured it as one of it Untouchables.)  Chef Alfred Portale dreamed up the dish while sitting at a sushi bar, which is why he uses sushi-grade yellowfin tuna (his purveyor is the same as the guy who use to deliver fish to his favorite sushi spot, the late Sushi Hatsu).  Portale likes to build food vertically and his tower of tuna is visually captivating.  He makes his tartare with...

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Balthazar

Neighborhood: Soho | Cuisine: French, Seafood | Featured in: Tartare | 0 comments

Balthazar is one of New York’s great French restaurants. People come here for the scene and to eat classic French dishes, like Steak Au Poivre, French Onion Soup, and Apple Tarte Tatin. So where else would you go for a classic French-style Steak Tartare than to Keith McNally’s Paris bistro-inspired masterpiece?

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The Roebling Tea Room

Neighborhood: Brooklyn | Cuisine: American, Seafood | Featured in: Tartare | 0 comments

The Roebling Tea Room is not a quiet tearoom as its name might suggest. In fact, it’s not a tearoom at all. It’s a bustling restaurant with high quality comfort food. They’ve got everything from Beef Brisket to Macaroni and Cheese and Cheeseburgers. And then, there’s the Steak Tartare, made with lean top round meat, capers, chives, and leafy greens. It’s different, taking just enough creative license to enhance the already delicious dish.

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Do or Dine

Neighborhood: Brooklyn | Cuisine: American, Seafood | Featured in: Tartare | 0 comments

The guys over at Do or Dine don’t do normal. That’s just not their thing. But while the vibe here is playful, the guys at Do or Dine don’t mess around in the kitchen…especially when it comes to their steak tartare.

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Morimoto

Neighborhood: Chelsea | Cuisine: Japanese, Seafood | Featured in: Tartare | 0 comments

There’s tuna tartare and then there’s Morimoto’s version. Considering his love for luxury ingredients, we should’ve expected something decadent, but this Toro Tuna Tartare takes the cake. It’s extravagant, expensive, and worth every penny.

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Ilili

Neighborhood: Flatiron District | Cuisine: Lebanese | Featured in: Tartare | 0 comments

Despite the fact that New York is a melting pot of cuisines, good Lebanese is not as easy to come by as you might think. Ilili breaks the mold by combining traditional Lebanese flavors with more modern Mediterranean ones. One of our favorite finds at Ilili is the kibbe naye beirutieh, the steak tartare.

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