Over 650 eateries across 85 neighborhoods are participating in the 30th annual NYC Restaurant Week, and given that the promotion spans from July 18 to August 21, it’s more like restaurant month. TV and City sent a team to UN Plaza Grill, an upscale dining establishment in Midtown East, across the street from the United Nations. The kosher restaurant’s deal features a $60 prix fixe menu that allows you to select a starter, main, and dessert.
To begin our weeknight dinner, we selected the grilled steak tacos and fennel-citrus salad. Both dishes were serviceable, and while there were some nitpicks (the heaping of guacamole on the tacos was distracting, and the salad wasn’t bursting with flavor) it was hard to complain at the given price point. Keeping notes on each course, we collectively rated this first taste of Plaza Grill’s menu a solid 7.5 out of 10.
While many of the other entree options like pan roasted salmon or sauteed chicken scallopini sounded quite appetizing, our trio of critics ultimately all settled on the center cut rib eye. They’re glad they did, because their steaks single-handedly made the evening worthwhile. Delicious and delectable, the meat was truly tasty. The order came with great hand-cut fries and a selection of three sauces, all of which were great. We were in agreement on this one: 9 out of 10.
Dessert meant a classic molten chocolate cake, which left a lot to be desired.
The scoop of vanilla ice cream tasted stale, which you’d never imagine possible with ice cream. The cake too, seemed like a frozen pastry that had been heated up in the microwave. This might sound harsh, but we gave the treat a measly 4 out of 10. Maybe the other choices, apple tart and pavlova, a coconut and lemon meringue blend, would have fared better.
Where we split our opinions was on the ambiance of the restaurant. Two of us thought the “vibe” and indoor seating left a lot to be desired, while the third member of our party was adamant that the decor and lighting really worked for her.
While we did have some grievances, we’d still recommend making a reservation at UN Plaza Grill before their Restaurant Week deal disappears. It’s an unbeatable way to experience a restaurant that may very well be out of your price range, and gosh, we’re still dreaming about that steak.
TV and City 