Prime Spots for a Great Night Out

New School Boys Night was a hit. Although we visited several places, I want to specifically call out two of our stops last Saturday night. First, dinner at New York Prime. This top-of-the-line steakhouse is located in Monarch Plaza in the Lenox area of Buckhead. You may have passed the sign across the street from Lenox Mall on Peachtree. It’s a very fancy sign with one problem…its nowhere near the restaurant. After walking through the back door of the Ritz- Carlton and walking through the buffet line of a very elegant wedding reception, we made it out into the parking lot and onto Lenox Road, where Monarch Plaza is located.

So with the first challenge met, we sat at the bar and waited for our seat. And waited. And waited. As it turns out, there was some confusion with the reservation and the number of people in our party, and no one was leaving from a table that would seat 4. I mean in the course of 45 minutes, no one left (if you don’t count the table right next to the jazz player). But as with any customer service issue, it’s not whether the issue exists, it’s how you respond that makes or breaks places. And with two shrimp cocktails and a lobster remoulade salad on the house, this place responded well!

Our yummy appetizers aside, it was time for steaks and man were we hungry! It was by now close to 10:30 and I had been in this steakhouse for 2 hours. Enough, already, I needed food! As has been my MO lately, I went with the bone-in ribeye steak, which came as a very generous, thick cut. The steak did not disappoint. But let me tell you, I ordered wrong. My friend SB ordered the 14-oz filet and it was OUTSTANDING! First, you could have cut this with a butter knife. Second, the flavor absolutely exploded out of this cut of meat. Probably the best tasting filet I have ever had.

The evening then went to Beluga on Piedmont. I want to call this place out because not only it is a very cool martini bar, but they have the neatest lounge singer in Atlanta. Named Claiborne, she sings with full gusto various hits off the 50s. She has tremendous energy and the crowd loves her. So for the grade for this evening, I give it all high marks. The steaks. The music. And in general a very enjoyable night out. Grade: A.