Creating a Nick & Sam's Food Baby

The appealing nature of Nick & Sam's depends on who you ask. For the mid-50s divorcee sitting at the end of the bar in a leopard print dress, it means grabbing just enough martinis to slide into the leather passenger seat of one of the luxury cars valeted outside. For the group of executives on their 5th round of Glenlivets in the center of the dining room, it probably means throwing around that corporate Amex like any other weekday night.

The sultry, dark atmosphere of the bar never disappoints. I send just about everyone here when asked for a recommendation. For example, say it's your girl's Terrific Lady Day but it also happens to be Monday Night Football. Romo is throwing against the Redskins and you don't want to miss the rant with your boys the next morning over his interceptions [Cough. Cough.]. Which was just the case last night. Nick & Sam's it is!

We saddled up to a booth in the bar around 7:30pm, just in time for kickoff. My manly fiance ordered up a Midori Ball Martini (hey, I never said he was Mike Holmes), so I couldn't help but join him. This was the only mediocre part of the meal. At $13 a pop, I expected the vodka to singe my throat - as all martinis should. I guess the price tag was all about presentation and less about the liquor. Shame.

We began with an appetizer on special - the seafood platter for 2. The platter arrived smoking of dry ice and covered with shellfish. The bevy of jumbo shrimp, lump crab, clams and oysters was accompanied with four separate dipping sauces. At $15 per person, I hope this makes a regular appearance on the specials board in the kitchen.

Of course, my filet arrived just as ordered - a perfect medium rare. Presentation to the table was seamless, and I appreciated the quick flick of a small flashlight to aide us in checking our steaks. As much as I would like to say the steak stole the show, the mushrooms were the real winner on the table. If only I could figure out how in the hell they are able to slice them so thinly...

The damn good fries were just that. Damn good. I'm convinced they double fry them for extra crunchiness. And if you've never had their award-winning (no, they aren't making that up) Caesar salad, you're missing out on a serious plate of lettuce folks. I order it every time without fail.

We also found room to stuff their infamous lobster mac-and-cheese into our bellies. What's that? A dessert menu? Sure, we'll take your molten chocolate soufflé with chocolate chip gelato. Separate stomachs here, people. Completely separate.

I walked in feeling quite sexy in my skinny jeans. However, I'm sure my not-so-lady-like departure indicated I consummated with Nick & Sam's to form a perfectly healthy food baby. Sorry honey. I was thinking about you the whole time, I promise.

-Nikki Bonds

Nick & Sam's

3008 Maple Avenue