Malgorzata Gosia Citko-DuPlantis

Review of Jeffrey's Restaurant

It was a confusing and surprising experience. The ...

It was a confusing and surprising experience. The location doesn't speak fine dining at all, but the atmosphere is high class. Seating outside looks nice but it's off a busy street with housing across, so I wouldn't want to sit there. A lot of additional treats like pop-corn and bread which tasted like something in between souffle, crepe, and croissant; very tasty. Appetizers intriguing and their presentation impeccable. Beef tartar bites were served with radish and the smoky interpretation of the foie gras served warm was worth trying. All of it was very high class; and then we got our steaks (ribeye and NY strip) and I suddenly felt like I'm in a backyard steakhouse; how confusing and inconsistent! Flavor-wise the steaks were actually disappointing: cooked a bit under medium, and not enough salt on mine! Even the way they were served is so different from the appetizers; they look boring and almost unappetizing on that old-school plate. Outdated steak menu, although I suspect the waguy-style dishes were better. However, in a place like that, where service was close to perfection and the waiter advised us on an excellent red Italian wine, I'd expect them to give a consistent fine dining experience on all of the items on the menu. Does that mean their chef doesn't understand that we expect something more than a steak I can make better at home?! Chocolate souffle was cooked to perfection though, very good espresso (not from the machine which is rare and a nice surprise; that's how I make it at home too), and they make their own chocolate truffles. Decor and the place itself was cozy, but feels outdated. Overall, inconsistent, and the steak that should have been the highlight of the evening was subpar, but I'd like to return and try other items on the menu.