Any word on Emeril’s Chop House yet?

I went on opening night and left slightly disappointed.

The complimentary bread was rock-hard, although the butter was phenomenal.

My wife and I both ordered the lobster bisque as an appetizer. While the flavor was good, we were disappointed that each bowl contained only one small piece of lobster knuckle meat.

For our entrées, I ordered the 6 oz. Wagyu strip, and my wife ordered the 9 oz. filet. I also added the Au Poivre sauce. While the sauce was good, I think charging $14 for a sauce is absurd. We both ordered our steaks medium, but both arrived blue-rare, with the centers still cold. I understand some people prefer their steaks that way, but that's unacceptable when medium was specifically requested. After sending them back and having them cooked to our requested temperatures, both cuts of meat were fantastic.

For sides, we ordered the lobster mac and cheese and creamed spinach. The lobster mac was better than most we've had elsewhere, with a unique Creole twist to the cheese sauce that we really enjoyed. Unfortunately, the creamed spinach was practically inedible. The spinach was undercooked, the dish was extremely watery, and it was overwhelmingly seasoned with black pepper.

We finished with a slice of Emeril's famous banana cream pie, which was easily the highlight of the evening. Without exaggeration, it was the best dessert I've ever had.

Lastly, while the service wasn't necessarily bad, I do think there is room for improvement. At a restaurant where guests are likely spending $250 or more on dinner, I believe servers at high end restaurants should be responsible for no more than two tables at a time to ensure an attentive, high-end dining experience. Our server was juggling our table along with four others, and it was evident that he was overwhelmed. While he did his best, the level of attention simply wasn't what I would expect from a restaurant at this price point.

Overall, there were some genuinely excellent dishes, but the inconsistencies in food preparation and service made the experience fall short of expectations, particularly given the price and reputation of the restaurant. I'm hopeful these are simply opening-night growing pains that will be addressed as the restaurant settles in.

Lobster Bisque

Sides

Filet

Wagyu Strip

Banana Cream Pie