Vegetarians aside (no shade), everyone loves a perfectly cooked steak. Steakhouses in and out of New York are pretty common for us NYC and Long Island folk, yet a lot of them seem to echo the same type of menu without much differentiation. Well, that all changed for me last night when I tried a brand new location called The BBG, located in the heart of East Williston. The BBG, which is short for “The Butcher’s Bar & Grill”, takes the Steakhouse concept and elevates it to an entirely new level with its Mediterranean influence thrown in on the side. It makes for a duality that really sang to us when we stopped by there last night.
The BBG is helmed by head chef Oscar Martinez, who boasts an incredible resume to his name, prior to joining this fabulous establishment. With other restaurants that he has worked at such as Havana Central and Le Bernardin, it was pretty much a given that we were going to be treated with a meal that was top quality, given that the person making it for us had a pedigree that is unmatched to other chefs.
Upon arrival, the location surprised me as it was a lot brighter than I expected. When you think of the word “steakhouse” you assume it to be dark in a certain sense, especially with its design and lighting fixtures, but The BBG was bright and beautiful, with an amazing bar that had a wall full of some of the top wines this world has to offer. The restaurant is medium in sized, but I was happy about that as it makes the experience much more intimate for you and the people that you bring.
As for the food goes, it beyond exceeded what was already our high expectations from the minute we took our first bite. On top of the delicious steaks that they make, they also have a great arrangement of seafood and other delicacies available at your disposal. To start, their raw bar is top notch, with notable entries including their Colossal Shrimp, Clams on a Half Shell and Royal Miyagis. It is a fantastic way to begin a meal like this.
For their appetizers, they run the muck when it comes to value and taste. We recommend the Lobster Bisque if you are in a soup kind of mood, as it is perfect for the Winter weather we are currently having. With Fresh Maine Lobster and a delicious Sherry essence, it is a tasty soup that I know you will love & devour. Their Roasted Garlic Bread with Artisanal Cheese Fondue & Fresh Herbs is a great starter dish, especially if the bread itself is soaked in the fondue itself. Super tasty. Other notables are their Giant Meatball (it’s huge!), Thick Cut Slab Bacon and my personal favorite which was the Nantucket Rock Shrimp. This being Tempura fried just added to its deliciousness and with it having a green chili aioli on top just added to its already tasty flavor.
Up next was of course, the steak. The steaks that The BBG prepare are top quality, cooked the way you want them, and taste freaking delicious. There is no other way around that. They have options like a New York Sirloin, Cajun Style Sirloin, Rib Eye (Boneless as well), Center Cut and Porterhouse. So for all you steak lovers out there, it is a hard choice to knock this down to one particular to try but we can help you out with that. The Center Cut Filet Mignon, on the bone mind you, was a fabulous choice as it was cooked perfectly and had a ton of flavor bursting inside. You can pair the steak with some fabulous side courses including Mashed Potatoes, Mac N Cheese, Creamed Spinach and more and it will go perfectly well with the steak you are devouring.
Finish the meal off with their Chocolate Tower, and you will have completed what I like to call “Food Heaven”. They also bottle their own homemade sauce at The BBG, which had a great flavor and texture and paired with the steak very well. It is available for purchase should you like it enough, and you will. I’ve done a couple of steakhouses for Manhattan Digest, and I have to say this is the one I am most impressed with for so many reasons. Definitely worth the trip to see what it is so great. For more information, check out their official site.