New York Style Steak and Burger

What: Steaks and burgers, New York style

Why: Because carnivores need affordable eats too

How Much: Steaks RMB 148-248, burgers RMB 38-65

Where: No. 22, Lane 155 Jianguo Lu, near Ruijin Lu. Tel: 5465 1676

New York Style Steak and Burger is the second eatery from the restaurateurs who brought you New York Style Pizza. So it’s not surprising that their new joint in Tianzifang shares some resemblance with its big pizza brother, serving up beefy burgers and American-style steaks at an affordable price.

The restaurant’s décor is warm and casual, with three floors of modest-sized tables, yellow walls, and a large window into their first-floor kitchen allowing guests to watch some live action cooking and grilling. New York style tunes fill the air and put you at ease in the restaurant too, making for a comfortable setting in which to chow down.

If first impressions counted for everything, the Brooklyn BBQ burger (RMB 55) would be a definite winner. With its tasty and generous toppings of bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, crispy onion strips and smoky Jack Daniels BBQ sauce, this burger is massive in both size and deliciousness.

But when it comes down to the heart of the Brooklyn BBQ burger – the hamburger patty itself – it’s surprisingly bland and boring because of its mediocre seasoning.

The 12 ounce rib eye steak (RMB 168) was nicely char-grilled but in the end, our plate was not licked clean because of its disappointing bits of fat. Steaks are served with a choice of sauce (peppercorn brandy, wild mushroom, béarnaise, truffle butter or a house steak sauce), vegetables, and either French fries or our favourite – fluffy home style mashed potatoes.

New York Style also offers big steak cuts, which includes a 12 ounce filet mignon (RMB 228) or a hefty one pound New York strip (RMB 248).

As for desserts, it’s hard to figure out why the restaurant’s apple strudel (RMB 35) is called ‘Linda’s famous recipe.’ The pastry was dry and not very flaky, and definitely not worthy of being called famous.

To complement its red meat-dominated menu, New York Style Steak and Burger has a decent list of red wines. On the night we visited, the restaurant didn’t have any of its listed white wines in stock.

And, more shockingly, a group of guests at a neighbouring table were told that their hamburger would have to be served without a bun because the restaurant just ran out – a strange predicament at a place specialising in steaks and burgers.