Delmonico's

Delmonico's has the kind of name that walks into the room ahead of you: an institution, one of the oldest fine dining restaurants in America. Only one of the diners had actually eaten there before, and that had been years earlier. The regular four came with a fifth this time, Stygs, and the extra seat suited the evening.

After the Council's opening night at Peter Luger, the contrast landed fast, and it started with the service. The server was genuinely great, and so was the service around the table. After a night when hospitality had been the missing ingredient, the difference was obvious. The cocktails were great too.

Then came the ordering, which showed very little restraint. A Seafood Plateau opened the meal and was really, really good, a generous start that set the pace for the night. From there the table went straight for the dishes the house is known for: the signature Delmonico ribeye and the Wagyu côte de boeuf, the cuts a first visit almost demands.

The steaks were cooked well and arrived hot, which sounds like a low bar until you have eaten a lukewarm one. The sides came out hot as well. Through the savory courses there was really nothing to complain about, and nothing that needed excusing.

Dessert brought the one real twist. The table ordered both the cheesecake and the Baked Alaska, a dish the restaurant's own history credits to Charles Ranhofer, named chef de cuisine in 1862. As theater, the Baked Alaska was spectacular when the flames were dancing. As dessert, it was merely okay: the banana gelato seemed too frozen, almost freezer-burnt, and Tree had enjoyed it more years ago.

The room did its part. Delmonico's has the pedigree and wears it comfortably: the vibe is good, the dining room is a genuinely nice place to spend an evening, and the location makes it an easy recommendation. It is also the kind of place that turns a first visit into a return one, ideally with someone new in tow.

What the night did not produce was the plate that rewrites the conversation. Nearly everything was great, but nothing reached the next level, the one that would push Delmonico's into the stratosphere. It was a thoroughly enjoyable dinner, and its place only came into focus later, once Gallagher's set a higher mark: a great steakhouse, with better out there. It is still a serious contender, and it makes complete sense that it is still around.

Five Council members scored the dinner independently, and Delmonico's finishes at 86.44, a clear second among the opening four restaurants on the Meat Hause Index. The hospitality that set the night apart shows on the card as well, with Service & Hospitality earning 10.88 of 12.