Company description
Steel House Restaurant & Bar offers Restaurants services in Kingston NY, NY area.
More details
- Editorial Text 1
- Is it a bar, a nightclub, a country line-dancing joint, a marina or a restaurant? In the case of the Steel House in Kingston, it's all of the above and then some. The 19th-century building on the Rondout Creek was formerly the Millens Steel and Manufacturing Service building and sat vacant for years. A few visionaries saw the potential of the site, and, after much work and millions of dollars, the place opened in summer 2004. Since then, it's quickly become one of the most popular spots in Kingston. First, this large brick building is attractive. The main dining room is huge with a high, soaring ceiling crisscrossed with sturdy wooden beams. A raised bar area to the left is filled with lots of TVs and sports a spacious balcony. The room is divided into a few different sections by brick walls and wrought-iron bannisters. Beautiful, immense windows let in lots of light, and outside there's a small dock and nice-sized deck with another bar. Though it sits on the water, the views of the Kosco storage facility and rusty oil tanks across the water are not the most attractive in the world. Still, this place has enormous appeal. For this hazy summer evening we grab a tall table outside on the packed deck. The menu is fairly large and features a nice selection of appetizers, soups, salads and entrees. There's even a burger offered for more casual diners. We start with a waterside standard, Steel House Steamers ($9.50). This plate includes littleneck clams and cultivated Prince Edward Island mussels in a broth that combines chardonnay with fresh herbs, mostly basil, tomato and an assertive dose of garlic. The shellfish are well cooked, still tender and full-flavored, and the broth is delicious, perfect for sopping up with the warm rolls served with dinner. A cup of Clam Chowder ($3.99) arrives with the requisite oyster crackers. This is a soup that every chef wants to individualize, and the kitchen here uses lots of bacon in the recipe, along with potatoes and lots of chunky pieces of clam. The result is a smoky, creamy soup that is most alluring. Waterside dining means seafood to me, so we first sample Pan-seared Atlantic Salmon ($24). When we order, the waitress correctly asks us how we'd like the fish cooked, and the large filet arrives a perfect medium as we requested. The exterior has a nice sear, and the sauce, a chili-lime toasted butter, is overwhelmed by the assertive use of black pepper, not necessarily a bad thing. Hearty brown rice and just-cooked asparagus round out the plate. Bluefish is, in my opinion, an underappreciated fish. Many people consider it too oily and fishy, but the preparation offered as a special tonight, Bluefish With Orange Ginger Reduction ($15.95), is perfectly clean-tasting. The too-sweet sauce, however, overwhelms just a bit. Overcooked, mushy mushroom risotto and snow peas aren't what they should be. Dessert is a large, thin slice of Chocolate, Peanut Butter Marjolaine ($7) that alternates layers of chocolate ganache, peanut butter cream and peanut meringue and is drizzled with chocolate sauce. It's crunchy, creamy sweet and salty and as delicious and evil as it sounds. The wine list here is a varied and intelligent collection of gently priced wines from around the world. With dinner we drink a Riesling Kabinett ($18) by H. Schmit Sohne from Germany. Riesling is not the best-selling wine in the U.S. but is appreciated in Europe for its versatility and ability to pair well with a large range of foods. This light and simple wine works well with our seafood fête. Service is friendly and attentive. Our waitress is happy to work here and it shows. Dinner comes to a very reasonable $78.40. The Steel House surprised me in some ways. It's a gorgeous place, both inside and out on the deck, despite less than wonderful views. And it has pretty good food. While there were some details that were not perfect, you still get the feeling that the kitchen is both creative and motivated. Service here is congenial and attentive, and prices are mostly reasonable. If you're into food, line dancing and partying, or just want to relax and have a drink on the water, the Steel House has it all. Restaurant critic Bill Guilfoyle has more than 25 years experience in the restaurant industry as a sommelier, manager and chef/owner. He is an associate professor at a local college. The Dish rating Decor: **** Service: *** Food: *** Value: *** Overall: ***
- Cuisine
- Pub Food
- Neighborhood
- Kingston
- Web Site
- http://www.steelhouse.us/
