The Kane salad was good. Fifteen dollars-good is debatable.
The following review was published in SunPost Weekly:
Salt Kane
Kane Steakhouse Has Opened with Much Fanfare, Even if a Particular Mineral is Overused
Having opened their doors in June, Kane Steakhouse is the newest restaurant in a genre that has stiff competition, especially in the cozy South Beach neighborhood South of Fifth. SunPost was graciously offered the opportunity to enjoy a hosted dinner for the purpose of reviewing.
The product of Mathew Galzier (NYC’s Strip House and Michael Jordan’s The Steak House) and Roman Jones, Justin Levine, and Eric Milon (the men behind clubs such as Mansion, SET, and Louis Bar-Lounge), the club feel is definitely in play with the elegant décor. Oversized white leather booths can easily accommodate four diners, with tables dressed in crisp white linen. Props, including framed photos of odd people and abstract images, form clusters of playful barriers between booths. Soft lighting highlights the mirrors behind the bar, along the opposing wall, and over the exposed wine wall of glass. Servers wear snappy black suits with white trim and diagonally striped, black and white ties. The upright posture of the staff is offset with a contextually whimsical selection of 90’s R&B.
Staff is quite serious, although sharply attentive. Upon placing our order, a bread basket of miniature salty baguette, miniature sweet cranberry baguette, bacon and cheddar biscuit, and sweet onion roll were brought to the table. The breads were warm, but lacked that out-of-the-oven heat, quality, and a soft, chewiness (or crustiness in the case of the baguettes) that you’d like to expect. The basket was accompanied by a ramekin of cold butter.
An amuse bouche of tomato gazpacho was served in an espresso cup. Two dots of truffle oil and two small bread crumbs accompanied a stream of diced red peppers. The sampling had a smooth, thick texture with strong spice and saltiness; a preview of what’s to come.
Off the appetizer section of the menu, the lobster bisque ($18) is presented as a Maine lobster and fingerling potato cake in the center of an otherwise empty bowl, finished off as the bisque is poured from a small silver pitcher. The bisque has a rich creaminess with an overpowering lobster scent that could be noticed as soon as the bowl was brought to the table. The bisque tasted best at first taste, while it was still hot, but lost its appeal as it cooled down and the pungent seafood flavor – that lingers in your mouth – became more apparent along with a staunch salty flavor. Also an appetizer, the Kane salad ($15) is simply chopped mixed greens with charred baby corn, gold beets, green beans, cucumber, and asparagus lightly dressed in a dijon vinaigrette; a welcome palate cleanser – even if that’s not the intention – following the bisque.
Tagged as a table share appetizer, the foie gras torchon ($24) is an exceptional slice of chilled terrine with good, tight form and consistency. With a butter knife presented slicing into it, the foie gras is a rich, buttery, spreadable paste. An arugula salad, soaked in a citrus dressing, accompanies on the wooden plate. Toasted slices of baguette, of which there are not enough, are laid out in a napkin with sides of chilled caramelized onions and apricot marmalade. Unfortunately, the baguettes are oiled and with a sprinkling of salt, adding too much seasoning to what should be an accompaniment for the foie gras. There is the added pleasure of enjoying your foie gras with LL Cool J playing in the background.
Kane’s steaks – which are cooked at 1700ºF in a Jade Double Broiler, a top-of-the-line piece of industrial kitchen equipment – include two sizes, each, of the filet mignon and New York strip, ranging in price from $37 to $51. A center cut chateaubriand for two is $86. The Wagyu dry rubbed skirt steak ($39) was ordered medium rare. With a hint of char, the meat was tender, moist, and well-seasoned; as one should expect. However, as the steak is cut in the kitchen, there was a pool of juices that spilled out over the plate. Had the steak been properly rested, the juices – for the most part – would have remained inside and made the steak even juicier. Bone-in ($41 to $84) choices include New York strip, filet mignon, rib eye, veal T-bone, and Porterhouse for two.
While Kane is not held to appeasing non-meat eaters, they don’t offer much – if anything – for vegans and vegetarians. For those whose preference isn’t flesh, there is a good selection of fish entrees including a good, although hardly outstanding, grilled branzino filet ($32) with a trace of Bulgar lentil tabouleh salad that quickly disappears as an accompaniment for the dried out fish.
The sides are where Kane’s servers can do some serious upselling. The lobster macaroni and cheese (market price) sounds indulgently tempting but lacks a smooth and creamy cheese sauce. Chock full of meaty pieces of lobster robust with the crustacean’s flavor, the final product is dry and salty. The Kane garlic-herb French fries ($12) were deep fried longer than they should have been and were too crisp and dry to appreciate any of the potato’s qualities. Both sides had portions suitable for more than two people.
As our dinner winded down, Kane seemed to just be taking off after 9 o’clock; finally having a dozen seated tables. Until that point, the energy was low with just a handful of tables seated and a couple bar stools occupied. It’s a late restaurant. With the bar is not separate from the dining room, and two televisions set to sports, the atmosphere is compromised.
For dessert, Kane’s grilled pineapple upside down cake ($9) is a good stab at an old, home style recipe. The crust was a bit dense, and the cake was a little dry. Neither flaw could be helped much by the slices of pineapple or the rum raisin ice cream, which quickly melted on top. The Kane fried s’mores ($15) are two fried balls of dough with the fixings for s’mores (graham, marshmallow, chocolate) muddled together inside. A small amount of honey white chocolate ice cream accompanies the fried balls of dough, and isn’t enough especially in relation to the two large s’mores. The desserts are $9 – $15 each.
While Kane has yet to establish themselves with the popularity of other South of Fifth steakhouses, they are certainly doing their part to stake their claim. This is Daniel Ganem’s first role as executive chef; having worked his way through the ranks in Bourbon Steak and BLT Steak. While the effort is strong, Kane has room for growth and the potential to set itself apart in the Miami steakhouse market.
Kane Steakhouse. 431 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. 305-704-2900.
Amuse bouche of gazpacho.
The lobster bisque.
The extraordinary foie gras.
Grilled branzino.
Wagyu hemorrhaging juices.
Super-fried fries.
Lobster macaroni and cheese.
Pineapple upside down cake.
Kane’s S’mores.
The 86 Board 