Keens Steakhouse

When we first moved to New York, we used to go to Keens fairly often. It was a good place to stop on the way to the D train at Herald Square (the block between 5th and 6th may be the longest block in the whole world).

But once we changed jobs and commutes, the place dropped off our radar. For some reason we headed there around the holidays -- the line at the TKTS booth was impossible, the city was packed, and we wanted to do something before we turned around and went home. The cold weather wasn't conducive to a long walk, and it was way too early to hit a club for some music. We started heading south from Times Square and somehow ended up seated in a cozy booth in front of the fireplace in Keens Pub Room.

The food menu offers standard steakhouse fare -- but the Scotch menu has hundreds of entries. I chose an Auchentoshan 3 Wood, which I enjoyed very much.

We both started with lobster bisque, which had a beautiful golden color and smooth texture. It had the kind of complexity that made me want to savor every bite, to enjoy the seafood, sherry and veggie flavors. The Grumpy Diner treated himself to prime rib and I chose a tuna steak. Both arrived on the rare side, juicy and piping hot. My tuna came with a delicious creamy, mildly spicy chili sauce, the combination was new to me and very much to my liking. Sides included mashed yukon gold potatoes, creamed spinach and steamed veg. For some reason, we had no room for dessert.

This was a real four-star meal, and we were happy to take home leftovers to enjoy over the next couple of days. The price puts Keens in the splurge category for us, though the Pub Room has a reasonable "light dining" menu. The atmosphere is very pleasant, I prefer the Pub Room over the bar or the larger dining rooms. We were able to talk and enjoy our time together without straining to be heard. The service was excellent -- attentive, welcoming, nonintrusive.

Hmmm ... maybe the Grumpy Diner would like to go there for his birthday ... I certainly want to go back!