At Monterey, an opulent New York City brasserie that opened in October, prime rib au jus is flambéed in front of your eyes. Martinis are shaken tableside. Diners can choose from a prolific raw bar, featuring king crab, among other coveted crustaceans.
“The dining experience is…a show,” says chef and partner James Tracey, who works the culinary magic at this retro-chic haven. Monterey comes from the powerhouse team behind other NYC hotspots including the modern Israeli stunner Dagon on the Upper West Side and Isabelle’s Osteria, a seasonally driven Italian restaurant in Gramercy.
“[Monterey] is an American brasserie, a meritage of different cultures,” Tracey explains, referring to a type of blended wine to describe the restaurant’s ethos. “Our kitchen makes classic French red wine sauce, uses fish sauce, gochugaru (Korean chile powder), and turnip tops,” he adds, hinting at the various players across New York City’s dining scene, from swanky omakase spots to regionally specific grocery stores, that influence Monterey’s multicultural sensibilities.
Monterey’s menu is heavy on decadent brasserie faithfuls such as raw-bar seafood and dry-aged steaks; a roving cart serves carved-to-order prime rib. “I want diners to see familiar dishes, but you can also have something different and fun,” Tracey says.
A pasta section tips a hat to Tracey’s other restaurant, Isabelle’s; highlights include a porcini lasagna with a crispy top, swimming in black truffle fonduta. Like many dishes at Monterey, it’s rich, attractive, and ready for social media—but the flavors come first.
Some of the chef’s most favorite dishes are the least popular, he admits. Tracey’s Japan-inspired ode to chicken nuggets—crispy sweet breads served with pickled daikon and caviar—are aimed at more adventurous eaters.
In addition to the prime rib cart, desserts also get the trolley service treatment at Monterey: bananas Foster are fired up tableside, releasing a heady, caramel scent.
Build-your-own martinis, another nod to yesteryear glamor, are central to Monterey’s bar menu. Though Tracey’s platonic ideal of the classic cocktail is extra dry and served with a twist, he’s aware that not everyone agrees. Enter Monterey’s martini cart, stocked with various base spirits, vermouths, syrups, and bitters.
Spritzes and highballs feature prominently on the drinks lineup, as do French and Californian wines (some are sourced from a private collector). Amari, sweet wines, and locally roasted Kobrick coffee are served with dessert.
Monterey’s dramatic interiors pay homage to all things Art Deco. Designed by Scott Kester and Dudi Sasson, the lofty, bilevel space is a far cry from a typical steakhouse, sans low lighting and dark leather.
Instead, the main dining room is decked with blue banquettes and terrazzo floors. The bar is undoubtedly the focal point at Monterey, all oval shelves and towering overhead lights, drawing attention to the restaurant’s extensive liquor collection. A single chef’s table gazes into an open kitchen.
For those seeking more privacy, a staircase leads to a hushed, atrium-like space upstairs, lined with pink velvet booths and a speakeasy. No matter where you’re perched, you’ll be shuttled back to a bygone New York era.
Monterey is open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner from 11:30 am to 11 pm and on Saturdays for dinner from 5 pm to 11 pm. Weekday breakfast service will start in 2023.
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner is a writer based in Brooklyn, where she lives with her wife and rescue dog. You can follow her on Instagram @melissabethk and Twitter @melissabethk
