Benchmark

• Cuisine(s): New American, Steakhouse
  Hours: Sun 10am-10pm, Tue-Thu 5pm-11pm, Fri 5pm-12am, Sat 10am-12am
  Price: $$$$
• Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards
  Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Private Party, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible
  Serving: Brunch, Dinner, Lunch
• Alcohol: Full bar
  Reservations: Accepted, Not Necessary
  Parking: Street

Description

The restaurant is tucked away off the street in a small, ivy-covered brick building that was used in the 1920s-40s as a way station and ice house for goods transported on the Gowanus Canal. The New York strip--dry-aged, bone-in--is a marvel of char and blood, the meat's minerality unfurling in your mouth as you chew. Cooked medium-rare and finished with a generous sprinkle of sea salt, it needs no adornment. A bowl of gazpacho ($9) topped with fried croutons and a bit of lump crab meat makes a sprightly seasonal appetizer. But a good rule for ordering at Benchmark is the simpler the better. If it sounds overwrought, it probably is.