Bergen County is home to many fantastic restaurants. I just wish more of them would serve up a 360-degree dining experience like the one I had at Roots Steakhouse. Newly opened in Ridgewood, this place gets it right. Classic steakhouse fare at reasonable prices, outstanding service, and more ambiance than you can shake a cattle prod at. Outfitted with a comfy bar area, large leather booths, coffered ceilings, and beautiful hand-painted murals on the walls, the spacious dining room sets an appropriately masculine tone without crossing over into man-cave territory (shout-out to the owners’ wise wife, who made it clear that televisions and fine dining don’t mix).
Now, on to the food. Opting for evening’s appetizer special—perfectly prepared scallops ($14.95) drizzled with a nice light sauce—and the Arugula Salad ($9.95), which was sprinkled with spicy candied walnuts, crumbled blue cheese, shaved apples, and a crisp cider vinaigrette, the evening was off to a strong start.
Emboldened by the kitchen’s culinary prowess, we moved on to the main courses. My husband, Bob, ordered (what else?) the 16-Oz. Prime NY Strip Steak ($39.95). Roots prides itself on providing the BEST cuts of prime aged beef, and Bob said it more than lived up to his expectations. Meanwhile, I took a pass on the Red-Meat Express and selected the Mint-and-Sesame-Crusted Tuna ($28.95), which came with a mandarin orange and cucumber salad tossed in a wasabi-honey vinaigrette. It was beautifully presented and also very good. The mix of sweet and spicy was very unique.
This being a steakhouse, all the meals come a la carte, so we also dug into a few sides: creamed Brussels sprouts served with apple wood smoked bacon and pearl onions (OFF the charts!), sautéed spinach and garlic, and, of course, french fries.
We’re confident our next experience at Roots will also be worth writing home about. Just as long as it’s not on a paper napkin.
Carla Sullivan is the Dining Editor for Bergen Mama and the creator of the website MiniMunchers.com, a guide to family friendly dining in NYC. She lives in Bergen County with her three kids (who also love to eat!)
Roots Steakhouse
17 Chestnut Street, Ridgewood (201) 444-1922
Serving Lunch Monday-Saturday, Brunch on Sunday and Dinner Nightly
Harvestrestaurants.com
