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Zylo Steakhouse at the W Hotel
08
May
(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)You need to be a registered member to rate this post.
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5/8/2009 Review:
More to life than politics
Political zealots and conspiracy theorists in Hoboken often spend time guessing how Hoboken411 operates (all without ever asking me personally) – meanwhile, I’m out doing and creating things, talking about ideas and concepts – and just experiencing life (i.e., “evolving”).
Yesterday, after attending an informative juicing seminar (i.e., for an upcoming feature about “The Master Cleanse”) – I met up with a Hoboken411 reader for the first time – to review the new Zylo Tuscan Steakhouse at the W Hotel!
I put 411 reader “JJ” in charge of writing today’s guest restaurant review!
Zylo – A positive addition to Hoboken
“Along with the new W Hotel on the waterfront comes Zylo, an upscale Tuscan steakhouse. Only open a month or so, the initial comments I’d read on the internet were decidedly mixed; however after visiting several times I profoundly believe some of those comments were decidedly unfounded.
See the outcome of our review after the jump!
(Zylo Tuscan Steakhouse, first review, continued…)
“On my previous visits I was accompanied first by clients and then by family, and both times a member of our party said that one of the dishes they had was the best preparation of that item ever; both of those times it was the lamb ragu over homemade gnocchi which one of my companions said was “the best mouthful of lamb” she’d eaten, and tonight’s visit was no exception; this time it was the calamari fritti which got my companion to say it was the best ever!
To Start
The calamari fritti was part of our appetizer course, but before we get into that – a word about the menu: though it’s billed as a “Tuscan steakhouse,” and there are four steaks featured, the menu offers a good bit more than that. Really, the antipasti, pizzas and homemade pastas shine a bit more brightly than the steaks; even if you’re not a die-hard carnivore this place is well worth a visit. Besides the calamari (a generous portion, perfectly fried very lightly and slathered with a creamy lemon vinaigrette), we also has the Al Prosciutto pizza, an oval flatbread topped with fontina, arugula and a generous amount of prosciutto; while all that might sound a bit haughty and high minded for a pizza, it was actually earthy, honest and delicious. Best of all though, are the homemade pastas, available as an appetizer portion or entree. The aforementioned lamb ragu is gone from the menu for now, but it’s replacement is just as good; the gnocchi are now served with morels (nice big pieces, no skimping here) and peas and is so good I would have licked the plate had I been alone. Without question every pasta I’ve tried here has been excellent, and this one was no exception.
The Entrees
Moving to the entrees, both my companion and I had steak – mine an 8oz flat iron, his the 12oz bone-in filet mignon, along with a variety of sides. And here comes perhaps the biggest caveat of a meal at Zylo: it’s safe to say that the kitchen has a slightly heavy hand with the salt, so be wary. In general the steaks were both good quality and ate well (although the filet mignon might have been just as good without the bone), but definitely on the salty side; an while you won’t run screaming from the table – you’ll definitely reach for a glass of water. As for the side dishes, the asparagus was good and roasted to perfection, but had a noticeable sea-salt crunch on top; the creamy polenta was luscious but very, very buttery (not a bad thing at all). There’s nothing wrong with the Tuscan potatoes, if you must have a potato with your steak then by all means go for it, but by far the best side was the creamed black kale, served in an absolutely delicious, perfectly smooth sauce with mascarpone and garlic, this was by far a standout and another dish that can’t be recommended enough.
I hadn’t been overly impressed with the desserts on my previous visits, but tonight was a big step up. I had the gelato trio, consisting of mini-scoops of chocolate, orange and mascarpone; in general I love all things chocolate but in this case the other two flavors easily eclipsed it, especially the mascarpone. The real star of the dessert course though was the square of ricotta cheesecake, which my companion couldn’t stop raving about, in his words: “not heavy, not overly sweet, fantastic.”
For being open only a month, Zylo is a home run. The wait staff is on point and very friendly and the space itself is beautiful; come early and get a table by the window. There’s always kinks to work out, and really it might be more accurate to not emphasize the steaks but promote the rest of the menu just as loudly.”
(411 Note: Big thanks go to Brooke and Eliza for making us feel welcome – and allowing us to get a taste of Hoboken’s newest restaurant! We will be back!)
Original preview – below…
2/18/2009:
Meat Lovers rejoice
The W Hotel, set to open a month from today (March 18th, 2009) – will be home to a new Tuscan-style restaurant called Zylo Steakhouse.
The restaurant, which was designed by architects Bentel & Bentel (out of Locust Valley, NY), will feature blackened steel and bronze with nautical accents like basalt planks recalling the shipbuilding heritage of Hoboken. The 50+ seat restaurant also features a wide sunny outdoor patio. (Where you can watch the economy falter first-hand).
Zylo’s menu was created by Chef Nicholas Ciccone (known from Fifth Floor, Asia de Cuba, Soho Grand, and had a stint at the Harbor Bar in Weehawken) who merged traditional Tuscan cooking with a modern steakhouse. The menu will be a combination of traditional Italian fare (standard pastas, pizzas, salads, antipasti, seafood and the like) as well as testosterone-filled cuts of prime, organic and grass-fed beef.
The joint will have a large bar and lounge as well as an “on-site salumeria and artisanal cheese bar and boasts an Italian-driven wine list and signature cocktails utilizing fresh juices.”
Need a job? Come to the open house!
In case you’d like to work at the anticipated high-end restaurant, check out this listing on Craigslist – as they’re having an open house through February 20th. They’re looking for cooks, waiters, hostesses and more.
Just swing by 225 River Street to find out more!
June 27th 2009 - 08:37:14 |
For what it’s worth (and not sure if this has been mentioned prior), Zylo will be participating in Hudson County’s Restaurant week which starts towards the end of July I believe. Menu hasn’t been published yet. Great time to check it out!
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August 4th 2009 - 16:59:12 |
I had an amazing dinner here on Saturday. Food was amazing and the service was above and beyond. I can’t say enough good things about management and the treatment my friend and I received.
One thing to be aware of though with the restaurant week special, they nickle and dime you. So they advertise $35.00 however if you had pasta it’s an extra $10.00 and if you select certain entrees there are additional costs as well.
Being unemployed with a baby on the way, I walked out spending a bit more than I had anticipated but it was worth the bread and water I’ve been eating all week.
Just be forewarned…..
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August 23rd 2009 - 11:41:45 |
One word to sum up dinner at Zylo: Disappointing.
The calamari was fantastic, perhaps some of the best I’ve had. But the steaks were flavorless and lacking.
Dino and Harry’s is still the best in town.
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August 23rd 2009 - 11:49:53 |
Yes – my steak was flavorless as well (although that was months ago). The appetizers were out of this world, but the steaks disappointing.
In response to panicmule who said:
The calamari was fantastic, perhaps some of the best I’ve had. But the steaks were flavorless and lacking.
Dino and Harry’s is still the best in town.
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August 24th 2009 - 08:58:03 |
I think Zylo is the best restaurant in Hoboken, although I’ve never ordered the steak. The appetizers, including the grilled octopus, are amazing. I usually order fish, which I’ve found to be excellently prepared – cooked perfectly, beautifully flavored. Good attentive service. It’s expensive but worth it. I probably will pass up the steak, though, in the future since others find it not to be their best dish.
In response to jdross19 who said:
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December 22nd 2009 - 23:15:20 |
Not sure what happenned to this place. Ate there over the summer and the meal was enjoyable. Not fantastic. Went tonight, and the food was seriously disgusting. My colleague practically spit the pureed cauliflower out. The calamari had a strong fish odor. I had a better meat and cheese platter prepackaged at Trader Joes. My seared tuna was more than 3 days old and cold. The brussel sprouts were old and nasty as well. The dessert was good around the horn. Maybe it’s Wednesday and they were stretching the food’s life line out. They should be absolutely ashamed of what they served. Will never return.
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December 22nd 2009 - 23:25:49 |
Maybe call the manager and explain your thoughts? They might ask you to come back on them for a 2nd opinion? Worth a shot. I have been to the W myself a few times. Hit or miss for me and I would think with their bankroll it should be hit hit hit. I have had miserable experiences in the chandelier room. I don’t like to bad mouth people locally, it is not of me to do it but my credit card has been overcharged many times and this has happened to many people I know too. I’ll leave a card and pay cash and i find charges on my card days later
In response to bandit who said:
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January 5th 2010 - 09:48:54 |
Mediocre at best. They took more than an hour to serve us and the waiter did not even stop by to mention that there was a problem or a delay. They finally showed up with 2 platters of meat and cheese apologizing that the food was delayed. Steaks were flavorless and warm. They were not bad but for a restaurant at the W which also charges you a 20% gratuity by default and calls itself a steakhouse it was poor. There are many smaller restaurants in Hoboken which can serve you a better steak and better food overall. If you care to just pay for the glitz then it’s the place to be.
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