Flames Steakhouse — Restaurant in Town of Greenburgh

Tagline: They are trying. Or are they perhaps denying? Updated with exact location so the executive chef will know that no mistake was made.

The gruesome details for this restaurant on Route 119 in Elmsford NY are a tour of the good, the bad and the ugly. If you have heard that “… the sizzle is in the steak” then you know that particular adage fits with nearly anything but a steakhouse. The sizzle is in the side dishes at a steakhouse, unless of course the steakhouse doesn’t know how to obtain, temper, prep and prepare an outstanding steak. These fine folk do meet that minimum standard, the steak is worth the money and your time.

However, a good steak does not a meal make. (That’s all me if you want an attribute.) I judge a steakhouse on four pillars (after the steak which I honestly wish went without saying): Roquefort dressing, creamed spinach, some sort of signature potato and service.

So let’s work backwards and cover the service. In a word competent, but they are pricing themselves in with Barclay Prime, Luger and CUT. Have you ever witnessed a server reverse the place setting when they realized a diner is left handed? I have, and the food was less expensive.

Their signature potato was so forgettable that I honestly don’t remember it. I make notes about food, and the potato dish was so translucent that there aren’t any notes on it, nor do I remember it.

I liked the creamed spinach until it had to be paid for. At that point it became superfluous.

Now on to the Roquefort dressing. This cost them a star and frankly it ought to have cost them two. When I asked the server if their Roquefort was house made he said yes. When I pressed him by asking if a quart of danish blue cheese crumbles folded into a gallon jar of Sysco blue cheese salad dressing constituted “house made” he smiled sheepishly and said, nearly in a mumble, yes. It’s glop. It’s so inedible it gives glop a bad name. An uncommonly good wedge salad is part of the steakhouse mystique. A BLT without the bread. Hard to make well, not something you can whip up at home from refrigerator dreck, it’s a traditional fanfare heralding the fine, decadent meal to come. Fail. Epic fail.

Bottom line: Not worth the money and God, please merciful God, do not order anything with the blue cheese dressing.

Post script: I offered to show the chef how to make real Roquefort dressing. Or if we prefer blue cheese then real blue cheese dressing. They declined, which speaks volumes beyond their mediocrity. Recent evidence suggests the wait staff may not have presented my generous offer to the chef, who seems insulated from the truth by his front of the house staff, and...

With increased prices comes the necessity for excellence and although I had previously held Flames in high regards amongst the finer steakhouses it did not live up to my memories or expectations this visit.

Some of the food lacked any foreseen effort at all, ie a $30 tomato and mozz salad for two which simply had four slices of tomato and only two slices of mozz with a basil sprig on top. Simply cutting the two pieces of mozz in half at least each piece of tomato could have been enjoyed with it. And a little drizzle of olive oil or balsamic, maybe just even cracked sea salt or pepper would have shown some effort.

I would say that the baked clams were excellent. And the calamari as well. Very tender and the marinara had a little spice to it which was nice. Portion on the calamari was on the smaller side though.

Overall the food was good but once again the sides were very lackluster. Garlic mashed which were basic and you questioned if there was garlic, and Brussel sprouts with bacon which once again didn’t seem to have any effort other than frying the sprouts and adding some chopped bacon on top. Plus for $17 each the portions were minuscule.

The service was also not up to standards in my opinion for any price range. Throughout the evening everything was ok with the exception of being brought the dessert tray before our entrees arrived. But come after dinner things began to slip. Coffee order was taken before the dessert order, yet didn’t come out until we had finished our desserts. No utensils when the desserts actually arrived. And a missed birthday recognition of some sort.

With everything considered, although the food was good, I unfortunately would say it’s not worth the premium prices. There are other private, non corporate steakhouses in the area that produce the same level of food and...

My wife and I had a spontaneous dinner at flames. About 10 minutes before the end of our meal I had to leave so I left my wife to pay the bill. My wife does not usually have to take care of the bill when we go out so she is not accustomed to the standard tip percentage. She left some tip and left the restaurant to her car. While at her car the waiter came to her and told her the tip was not enough. She then went into her purse and handed him an additional $20. He took the $20 then told her she should not come back. I do not know what type of establishment shakes down customer for tips which is at the discretion of the customer. My wife told me about this the next day. I called the restaurant because I was appalled after hearing what happened. The manager in his own words said they should not have to hassle customers for tip. Understand that tip is based on the service and in the event you are not satisfied with the tip you do not have a right to shake down a customer then in addition tell them they are no longer welcome. What type of business does this especially after not knowing the circumstances. Rest assured I will not be returning and will spend my money else where and I trust that others will do the same after. I wonder if we were not minorities would we have had the same experience. Flames should be called Flicker!!! Horrible! Rude! Unprofessional! and...