Meat Market

The latest venture for chef HARLAN GOLDSTEIN is the Strip House, where steaks are served with a side order of 1940s nostalgia. helen dalley steps inside

HARLAN GOLDSTEIN IS a happy man. His luxurious restaurant Gold has proved that despite losing the rights to his name after a falling-out with his business partners (his former restaurant Harlan’s, now decamped to Tsim Sha Tsui, is run by the JC Group), the chef still has the Midas touch.

Gold’s popular weekend brunch is booked up for weeks, and the contemporary European menu has garnered quite a following with Hong Kong gourmands since opening in November 2010. Amid the glittering decor, diners dig into signature dishes such as slow cooked Wagyu beefcheek ravioli and char-grilled US steaks, plus bottles from his extensive wine cellar, which tops out with a 1971 Romanée Conti priced at HK$220,000.

Flushed with the success of Gold, Harlan recently opened a second restaurant, Strip House, a 54-seater inspired by the feel of a 1940s strip club that’s decked out in sexy black-and-red leather and sumptuous velvet. The nostalgic grill-house menu is headlined by contemporary cuts such as grass-fed Fiorentina rib-eye steaks and organic Japanese pork chops, which are eaten with old school US sides such as creamed corn or mac ’n’ cheese.

Erotically titled cocktails such as the Panty Dropper, Pole Dancer and Striptease play on the restaurant’s name, while a soundtrack of New York jazz, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra delivers a suitably retro vibe. Strip House is located in the Grand Progress Building, just down the hill from Gold in Lan Kwai Fong Tower, which means Goldstein will easily be able to keep an eye on both of his culinary ventures.

While a New York grill with a ’40s strip-house theme is undoubtedly a unique offering, there are countless steakhouses in Hong Kong. Is there really room for one more? “Absolutely,” says the chef in his self-assured New York twang as we chat amid the golden glow of his restaurant. “People love the steakhouse concept and there’s always room for something new if it’s good.

“There are a lot of steakhouses in Hong Kong for sure, but not many have really good beef. A lot of them are mediocre, but people go because they don’t have any choice. Plus many of the best steakhouses – like Morton’s at The Sheraton – are in Tsim Sha Tsui. I wanted to bring great steak to Hong Kong side.”

Goldstein is passionate about the imported US beef served at the Strip House, which he describes as “real New York-style steak.” But what makes the meat really special is his grilling technique. “I use this really high-powered grill that goes up to like 1,200 degrees, so the steaks become crispy, but not burned, on the outside and medium-rare on the inside.”

The chef is so confident of his new cooking style that he plans to patent and sell the concept to other restaurants. “I enjoy experimenting with things like grills in the kitchen and, who knows, I might sell equipment later,” says the entrepreneurial Goldstein.

New York beef prepared on a charcoal grill should be an easy sell to local diners, but Hong Kongers can be quite a conservative bunch. Is he worried that the playfully provocative vibe and sexy cocktail names might raise a few eyebrows, or even alienate those of a more strait-laced disposition?

“I think most people will get a kick out of it,” he says. “I’m stepping out of the box here to give people a good time, a bit of entertainment. I think you have to ask, ‘Why do you go out in the first place?’ It’s because you want to have fun. People say to me, ‘Oh, you’re opening a strip house. Where are the girls from?’ I get a laugh out of them, and that’s good. They’re thinking about what I’m doing and talking about it.”

Continuing with the saucy theme, Harlan’s ad campaign for his new eatery will feature a set of sexy red lips poised to chow down on a piece of steak, with the tagline, “Come and enjoy the best New York strip you’ve ever had.” But while Harlan is happy to capitalise on the erotic theme of his new joint, there will be no dancing girls – or any other entertainment for that matter. The focus rests firmly on the food and atmosphere.

So what are the differences between Gold and Strip House? “Gold features a lot of different food like Spanish ham and homemade pastas...it’s modern European cuisine, whereas Strip House is a New York steakhouse, pure and simple,” explains Goldstein.

The chef relished the opportunity to return to his New York roots in the name of research and eat at legendary grills such as Peter Luger and Spark’s, but he’s quick to point out that he wanted to tailor his new restaurant to the Hong Kong market. “There are smaller portions at Strip House than your average New York steakhouse. Eighteen-ounce and 20-ounce steaks are too big for Hong Kong diners, so I’ve gone for 12-ounce and 16-ounce – and even a six-ounce for the ladies.”

Gold regulars, including top-brass financiers such as Jason Boyer and Brad Ainslie, have already bought tables at Strip House to ensure they get their weekly Goldstein fix.

With two restaurants to his name, the ambitious chef is already thinking of opening a third, though it’s too early to confirm any details. But after running three before – Harlan’s, G Bar and The Box at ifc – managing another trio of eateries should pose no problem for the New Yorker.

Lovers of US steak will be happy to note that Goldstein remains as committed to Hong Kong as ever. “I’ve been here for almost 20 years and I’ll be here for a while yet,” says the irrepressible chef.