GM Club Steak opens in Rockville Centre
The menu at GM Club Steak is divided into two categories: "small steaks" and larger "steak boards." Credit: George Martin Group
Long Island’s restless George Martin restaurant group launches a new concept with the Wednesday opening of GM Club Steak in Rockville Centre. It takes over the North Park Avenue spot that, since 2006, had been George Martin Grillfire (which has since spawned siblings in Merrick and Syosset).
Owner George Korten said that whereas Grillfire has broad appeal, the new restaurant would cater to the “stylish, youthful and sophisticated diner who appreciates being on the cutting edge and is current with urban food trends.”
He and group executive chef Frank Greco saw no reason why you couldn’t combine steaks with grazing. The center of their menu has two categories. Six “small steaks” weigh in at about 4 ounces and come with inventive garnishes. Among the steaks are porcini-dusted flat iron with caramelized shiitakes and Bordelaise sauce ($13) and filet mignon with a “bruschetta” topping of blue cheese, roasted tomatoes and arugula ($18). The six “steak boards” feature larger steaks — such as a 10-ounce espresso-rubbed hanger steak ($25) or a 20-ounce Certified Angus New York strip ($44) — that are sliced at the table for sharing.
On the non-steak front, there are more than three dozen on-trend small plates including cauliflower Cheddar tots ($8); sweet potato waffle with apricot-honey butter ($8); adobo-BBQ chicken street tacos ($8); upside-down onion soup fondue ($9); buttermilk fried wings ($10); avocado shrimp toast ($12); a salad of baby kale, beets, Gorgonzola and toasted walnuts ($12); loaded chicken paillard ($14); butternut squash ravioli with soft-cooked egg ($14); and cedar-planked salmon with creamed leeks ($17).
Of the 33 wines on the list, half are also available by the glass (in 3-, 6- or 9-ounce pours). There are 10 bottles of craft beer and a dozen house cocktails with inspirations ranging from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Jimi Hendrix to “Logan’s Run.”
Club Steak’s dining room seats 80 people, and designer Blase Gallo has outfitted it with an up-to-the-moment mix of reclaimed wood, rustic brick, antique mirrors, Edison bulbs and subway tile.
The bar opens at 4 p.m. every day, and the dining room is open Sunday to Thursday 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 11 p.m.
GM Club Steak is at 13 N. Park Ave., Rockville Centre; 516-678-1290, gmclubsteak.com
If you’re having trouble keeping all the George Martin restaurants straight, here’s a little primer:
Rockville Centre
George Martin The Original (65 N. Park Ave.), the group’s first restaurant, opened in 1989.
GM Burger Bar (209 N. Long Beach Rd.), opened in 2013.
GM Club Steak (13. N. Park Ave.), opens Wednesday, on the site of the first George Martin Grillfire.
Merrick
Grillfire (33 W. Sunrise Hwy.), opened in 2009.
Great River
Strip Steak (60 River Rd.), opened on the edge of Heckscher State Park in 2011.
Syosset
Grillfire (33 Berry Hill Rd.), opened where Mim’s was in 2014.
Massapequa Park
GM Burger Bar (4902 Merrick Rd.), opened in 2015.
