Rothmann's Steakhouse

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00 By Barry Kay Monday, 12 October 2009 21:14

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A Long Island Classic

Having lived on the North Shore of Long Island for over 25 years, I was quite familiar with Rothmann's Steakhouse and its reputation for fine food and a celebrity following. Rothmann's first opened its doors in 1907 in East Norwich under the stewardship of Charles and Franziska Rothmann. They offered their guests and clientele a charming old-world atmosphere and delicious comfort food. Rothmann's drew a diverse group of patrons including local politicians, traveling celebrities and Gold Coast socialites. Renowned singer and songwriter Burt Bacharach was the owner for a brief time during the '70s, during which Rothmann's continued its fine reputation for food and ambiance.
On  a recent early summer night, I visited Rothmann's and found a beautifully redecorated and refreshed restaurant offering warm earth tones, dark wood and ivory linens. The restaurant pays tribute to its illustrious history with historic framed photos on the walls of the four main rooms of the restaurant: the saloon, pine room, library and main dining room. There are also three private dining rooms which can accommodate parties from 15-240 guests.
Executive Chef Roy Bruce has created a contemporary American menu with a depth and breadth not typical of most steakhouses. Although Rothmann's is famous for its array of mouthwatering steaks and chops, I was pleasantly surprised to find outstanding seafood selections on the menu including Seared Sesame Tuna, Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass, Crispy Tuna, Ginger Crusted Salmon and my favorite, Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, all with a Rothmann's touch.
  On this evening we were treated to a beautifully prepared special tasting menu with accompanying fine wines. Our menu began with a Georgia House Salad accompanied by Brut Champagne, Nicolas Feuillate, France NV. Next up was a Lobster Cocktail made with plump pink and white lobster meat and accompanied by a special cocktail sauce and served with Albarino Martin Codax, Rais Baixas, Spain 2006.  Braised Kobe Short Rib with Baked Potato was a truly unique dining experience, as the meat was cooked to perfection and virtually slid off the bone. I was first introduced to genuine Kobe beef in Kyoto, Japan, and had never again experienced a similar taste sensation in any steak or beef dish until this evening. Kobe beef cows are raised from birth like bovine royalty and nurtured throughout their lives with massages and special feed to make their meat indescribably delicious. The price of this type of beef is commensurate with its status and rarity. The Kobe was complemented by Cotes du Rhone, Domaine de L'Almadine, Rhone Valley, France 2004. We next  tried the 35-Day Dry Aged Reserve Sirloin with Creamed Spinach. It was a magnificently aged marbled steak, among the finest steaks America has to offer and a pleasant contrast to the elegant Kobe. It was set off by a beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon, Silver Oak, Alexander Valley, California 2003.
For dessert we were offered a Chocolate Creation, which turned out to be a chocoholic's dream, a delicious rich dark chocolate plate topped with homemade whipped cream. Our fine wine finale – Bracheto D'Acqui, Rosa Regale, Castello Banfi, Italy 2005.
Dining at Rothmann's provided an exceptional evening of fine food and elegance that will long be remembered. The wait staff, maitre d' and sommelier were knowledgeable about the items on the menu and friendly and gracious in their hospitality.
Rothmann's Steakhouse is located at 6319 Northern Boulevard, East Norwich, NY. For information or reservations, call 516-922-2500.