In college, I had the pleasure of working as a hostess in a premier New York City steakhouse known as much for its baby-sized gruyere popovers, served warm at the start of each meal, as its extravagant cuts of dry-aged black angus. At a media preview of SEAR, downtown Buffalo’s newest restaurant concept, I was surprised to find the popovers, and the refined steakhouse concept of which they were emblematic, had made their way to Buffalo by way of Chef J.T. Nicholson’s menu.
Lest anyone be wary of a steakhouse modified by the word refined, rest assured the menu doesn’t wander too far from the classic formula of big, rich cuts of meat; shareable sides; and chilled shellfish towers. But there are some surprises peppered among the steakhouse stalwarts, for good measure.
On the 14-item small plates menu, wagyu beef carpaccio ($16) plays canvas to dollops of black garlic aioli, segments of roasted cippolini onions, and scattered foliage, composing as elegant a meat tableau as one could expect a meat tableau to be.
Lacquered, cider-braised pork belly ($16) likewise gets the artistic treatment with a broad stroke of vibrant English pea puree, delicate crisps of dehydrated apple, and caramelized fennel.
Among the five available salads at dinnertime, guests can go traditional with a smoked blue cheese and bacon-topped wedge ($10) or the more artfully composed roasted beet salad ($12) redolent with floral St. Germain, which is a pleasant foil to the root vegetable’s signature earthiness.
The steak at SEAR falls into the classic and straightforward camp, and rightfully so. Diners can choose from house prime, waygu, and standard or dry-aged USDA prime cuts, including a 34-ounce, long-bone ribeye ($95) served with those gruyere popovers I (and everyone else) used to be so fond of. They are smaller than the hulking ones I remember, but that just leaves rooms for more ribeye.
For guests who shy away from steak, SEAR offers fresh seafood like seared ahi tuna accompanied by coconut black rice and accented by a miso glaze ($34) and Faroe Island salmon with black pearl lentils ($32). Alternative proteins also include farm-raised USDA lamb rack ($50), Berkshire pork chop ($32), and a free-range chicken dish featuring dueling pieces of roasted breast and fried legs ($22). Casual entrees like SEAR’s signature burger topped with slabs of pork belly and fontinella cheese ($17), steak frites ($22), and a steak sandwich ($18) round out the extensive menu.
As to be expected, steak-friendly vegetal and starchy sides are served family style for the table. Among them, roasted Brussel sprouts, garlic parmesan spinach, “millionaire” mashed potatoes, and truffle fries. Most are priced at $8—an exception being the $16 lobster macaroni and cheese, which is not lacking in meat or lobster flavor.
SEAR is the latest project from restauranteur Dave Schutte, who also owns and operates Oliver’s in Buffalo and Creekview in Williamsville. Along with his six business partners and investors—former Bills players Terrence McGee, Fred Jackson, and Brian Moorman; HealthNow president and CDEO David Anderson, LoVullo Associates president David Pietrowski; and ADPRO Sports owner Ron Raccuia—Schutte worked closely with Chef Nicholson to design a menu to rival the brash, contemporary steakhouses commonly found in larger markets.
With Chef Nicholson at the helm, the team’s long-term goal is to earn a reputation as a top-five U.S. steakhouse. In the short-term, they just want to be your new favorite restaurant in Buffalo.
SEAR opens for lunch and dinner starting Thursday, November 17. Complimentary valet parking is available.
SEAR | Avant Building | 200 Delaware Avenue | Buffalo, NY 14202 | (716) 319-1090 | 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. | 7 Days a Week | Facebook | Menus | #searbuffalo