Bogie’s Place 

This post may be unlike any that we have written thus far. We don’t have any accompanying pictures, so we are going to try our utmost best to describe in detail and give our dinner at Bogie’s Place the justice it deserves. Now close your eyes and let’s begin. On second thought, open them because this isn’t a narration.

The walk into Bogies Place was unique in itself. First, you have to stroll through a bumping JM Curley while doing your best not ordering a round of drinks. When we reached the far end of JM’s bar, we were immediately greeted by a couple of familiar faces, Patrick and Kevin, who whisked us behind a curtain to a small room in which we have been before, but somehow the space felt transformed. The whole entrance reminded me of the movie Swingers, when the guys walk through the kitchen to the club. The walls inside Bogies are a dark velvet-esc color evoking a feeling of an old jazz club. There are only three tables, a high booth, and a few bar seats (12-14 seats total), so we suggest making a reservation early.

Once seated, it’s easy to notice how far apart the tables are spaced to create an intimate dining experience. We were quickly greeted by our server and bartender, Tracy, who has served us before and we love. The jazz music fit the room and vibe perfectly. The volume was low enough to hear your dining companion but loud enough to drown out the tables next to you. In the background, you hear a bustling jm Curley, which compliments the ambiance nicely.

The menu boasts of mainly steak entrees and a la carte selections for very reasonable prices. There is also “Bogie’s Seven” dishes that will rotate monthly to keep things fresh. For starters, you can also have soup or salad.

Like JM Curley, the cocktail menu at Bogies is divine . The drink menu echoes the dinner menu with an al a carte martini menu and also has other delicious, classic libations. Lin ordered a Plymouth martini with Boisserie vermouth and blue cheese-stuffed olives. She said it was the smoothest Martini she has ever had. True to form, I tried to recreate it at home, but Lin still says Tracy’s was better, to which I am comfortable admitting that it was. I started with the Remember the Maine cocktail and it was equally amazing. The absinthe was a refreshing flavor to start the meal and cleanse my palette.

We ordered the arugula salad to kick things off. The salad was the perfect size for sharing. It was dressed with apple cider vinegar, walnut oil and fiddlehead tomme, which gave it a nice sweetness as well as a hint of nuttiness. This dish was a great way to begin a heavy meal to-be.

For dinner, we ordered steak, obviously. Lin went with the NY Strip, which is dry aged for thirty days and added the Hudson Valley foie gras butter. I decided to go big and saddle up with the Cowboy steak (USDA Prime). I took it even further and hooked up my steak with the house rub, which is similar to a Montreal seasoning. We also ordered a side of their shoestring fries that was a huge portion, perfectly seasoned and crispy. You can’t have steak without some kind of potato.

I say this without any hesitation… both steaks were absolutely amazing and as good, if not better, than some of the bigger known steak houses in the city. The two thick pieces of steak were cooked perfectly to a medium rare and were also timed just right between courses, which seems to becoming a lost art at restaurants. My Cowboy steak, which earned me a “You’re my hero for ordering this” from Kevin, was so succulent and full of flavor that I immediately stated that we need to come back ASAP.

My nightcap for the evening was the Old Fashioned. One of my all-time favorite classic cocktails. This one was money. I even mentioned to Tracy that it was the best Old Fashioned I have ever had in a restaurant. It was exactly the way I make it, the old, old way.

One of our favorite aspects of this dining experience was the “Adults Only” concept, prominently displayed on the wall just as you enter Bogie’s Place, as well as their no cell phone policy. Imagine no luminous cell backlight next to you, no errant iPhone-ography flashes, no obnoxious guest talking at twice the volume of normal dinner conversation because he/she is on a cell phone. Here, you only focus on your dining companion, the drinks, the food, the ambiance. You get all of that at Bogie’s, and it is pure magic.

So grab that special someone or anybody you can stand being around, pocket those phones, arrive with an empty stomach and treat yourself to an era of jazz and supper clubs, classic cocktails and a perfect steak at Bogie’s Place…the bar behind the bar.

Menu Items We Want to Have Next Time:

• Caviar: I don’t love caviar, but I am dying to try this. If you have a party of 4, definitely consider ordering this. The price may seem high, but it’s really a bargain. The chilled vodka is a great touch.
• Improved Champagne Cocktail: I let Kevin down by not ordering this, but I plan to remedy that the next time we are in. This champagne cocktail is definitely unique with the dehydrated Aperol “pill”.
• Pork Chop and Roasted Chicken: I love roasted chicken. It’s simple and delicious when done well. Knowing how good our steaks were, I foresee this chicken kicking ass. Same goes for the pork chop.
• Don’t forget dessert – Molten Chocolate Cake: If or when I get the chicken, I will end the meal with this decadent sounding pastry. And perhaps some whiskey neat.

Bogie’s Place is located inside jm Curley at 21 Temple Place, an easy walk from both Park St and Downtown Crossing T stations.

Where’s your favorite spot to enjoy a nice steak? 

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