The prime grill goes prime time

Eliot Harary and Joey Allaham, co-owners of The Prime Grill, a hot Manhattan restaurant that serves oversized glatt kosher cuts of fine, aged prime beef, duck, and veal, as well as sushi and other high end specialties, have announced plans to open a South Florida version of their restaurant in March 2003. Located at the Shoppes at the Waterways, in Aventura, the 375-seat restaurant, is expected to be a magnet for observant - and non-observant - food and wine aficionados in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

The Prime Grills flagship restaurant, located at 49th Street and Madison Avenue, is one of New York Citys most acclaimed steak houses. Its rated number 24 (excellent) in Zagats 2003 restaurant survey and 23 in Zagats 2002 edition, which says this new midtown steakhouse serves excellent beef, so good you forget its kosher, and delicious sushi, too.

Promising to spare no expense in bringing the highest quality dining experience to the community, Harary, a restaurateur/antiques dealer with a keen interior design sense, is elegantly transforming the 12,000 square foot indoor/outdoor waterfront space. In establishing South Floridas first upscale kosher dining destination. Harary and Allaham are confident that The Prime Grill will draw an eager audience. They also plan to position The Prime Grill as a meeting place for professionals such as doctors and lawyers and a gathering spot for a younger crowd, appealing to this rapidly growing segment of South Floridas Jewish community with live music, deejays, and exciting special events.

We had a runaway success with our New York operation, simply because there was and is no other restaurant quite like The Prime Grill, Harary offered. It has become the restaurant of choice for a very savvy business clientele. I think the situation is similar in Aventura; we expect to see many of our New York clients with homes in South Florida at the restaurant and we look forward to getting to know the local community and cultivating a whole new clientele.

The Prime Grill will feature a wide-ranging menu showcasing the finest choice cuts of Orthodox Union approved glatt kosher beef, butchered daily on-site and dry aged for a minimum of 21 days for ultimate tenderness and flavor. Co-owner Allaham, a fourth-generation butcher, whose family has been in the business for over 300 years, oversees butchering and the daily selections, ensuring the consistent quality of the beef.

Executive chef David Kolotkin will travel to Florida to oversee operations. Kolotkins prior culinary experience transcends the world of kosher fine dining. He garnered kudos during stints at Windows on the World and New Yorks elegant hotspot Patroon. The extensive menu will include plenty of alternatives for those who eschew red meat including local and imported fish, a sushi bar offering delicious ultra fresh sushi and sashimi and imaginative rolls, such as the Jerusalem salmon skin inside, smoked salmon, avocado and mango on the outside.

Starters will include a variety of items from the sushi menu, flavorful soups and a delicious assortment of appetizers including BBQ duck spring rolls, house smoked salmon served with a phyllo wrapped knish, and house made sausages served with red bliss potatoes and mustard sauce. Just off the open kitchen, a central sushi bar and salad station jut out; with fresh made to order salads and sushi platters assembled right in diners midst. In the center of this buzzing activity, a power chefs table seats 10-12.

Steaks and other meats from Prime Grills private dry aging room receive star billing here and are served with choice of biarnaise or red wine shallot sauce. Favorite cuts include the New York Rib, Prime Grill filet and the Prime Reserve Cut aged 45 days. Daily specials include juicy T-bone and Delmonico cuts, low fat Buffalo steak and prime rib roast are bound to be popular with diners. Other entrees also arouse interest, ranging from Chilean sea bass; herb crusted lamb roast, pastry encrusted Scottish salmon and Long Island roast duck. The wine list features a wide variety of kosher vintages including Herzog French wines. Desserts will be heavenly, including chocolate praline dome, chocolate expresso cake, cinnamon apple tart and great strictly kosher crhme brulee, mango ice cream. Dinner is expected to average about $45 per person, excluding wine and gratuities. Value-oriented diners will be able to enjoy a complete early bird dinner, from soup to nuts, priced affordably.

Replicating the sophisticated look, level of service and quality of cuisine that has made Prime Grill a favorite of New Yorks power elite, the Aventura restaurant will seat 250 inside/125 outside. A private dining room with retractable glass sliding doors can seat 60; with doors opening onto the waterfront terrace, the private party can grow to 150.

Harary, who designed Prime Grill New Yorks warm, clubby interiors will also oversee the new restaurants design. The look for the restaurant will be modern steakhouse with rich, cherry wood paneled walls, comfortable oversized banquettes and sleek handblown glass tortoise shell patterned lighting shades with stainless steel wraps. The open kitchen will feature a backlit onyx wall and extend out to sushi and salad stations. The bar, which will boast a delicious cocktail menu as well as wines and beers by the glass, will be carved from Andes black granite and seat 40 on stools and at a scattering of cocktail tables. Architect Charles Benson is overseeing the restaurants reconstruction.

With plans for special events, dining for Jewish holidays, and a full catering menu for both onsite and offsite functions, Prime Grill is destined to become more than just a terrific steak house for the observant Jewish community. It has the potential to become the destination for all of South Floridas power elite.

Also see: philly cheese steak

About The Author:

James Sparks is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-steaks.com. Great tips on buying top quality meats, steaks and seafood from the finest ranchers and butchers.