[REVIEW] Dolcetto Kosher Steakhouse, Monsey, NY Yes, it\’s Kosher

Not many people outside the area would know where to find Chestnut Ridge. The suburb of Monsey is located in the hills of Rockland County just north of the New Jersey border. It\’s quiet, it\’s beautiful, and it\’s home to Dolcetto.

While some rave about the food, others have hardly ever heard of Dolcetto\’s existence. After opening last year, Dolcetto isn\’t the biggest restaurant. In fact, they are expanding to include more seating both indoors and out to accommodate patrons arriving with their recent popularity. With as intimate a location and ambiance as can be expected anywhere in the tri-state area, that popularity feels justified before you even open the menu.

When I was invited to try the Dolcetto, the first thing I noticed was the elegant yet rustic look of the building. The exterior exudes a farmhouse feel, but with the kind of distinguished class you\’d find in a manor house transformed into a luxury private wedding hall. Entering adds to the same feeling of being greeted by an ornate bar that sits in a dining room with subtle, well-placed equestrian accents adorning the walls.

With many interesting choices on the appetizer menu, you may decide to go for something a little more classic. In that case, I suggest you try the BBQ Ribs. Made with a traditional Texas barbecue rub and barbecue sauce, these are smoked for six hours and are just as good as they sound. With two pairs of ribs on the plate, this is a great option for two meat lovers to share. The ribs are topped with some crunchy onions to give a nice crunch to the dish, which is a great contrast to the tenderness of the meat.

Speaking of those interesting choices, my top appetizer recommendation is the Tongue Buns. The homemade bao buns are suitably thick and spongy, and the tongue is tender and flavorful. The savory flavor profile of the char siu (Cantonese barbeque) style works well with the bao bun to offset it, some pickled red onions provide a tart punch and the garlic aioli brings a creaminess to the table. It all really comes together to make this a great starter for any meal.

A growing opinion in the world of kosher food is that high-end restaurants are much better at creating great appetizers than they are at serving entrees of the same quality. At Dolcetto, I found the main courses to be up to the challenge. Even something as seemingly standard as Whole Sea Bass is definitely worth your time. Perfectly filleted whole fish is grilled over high heat and seasoned just enough to bring out its intrinsic flavor. The result is a gorgeous piece of fish draped over a bed of white beans that makes for a deliciously light option for the health conscious.

But if you\’re looking for comfort food, take a trip south and order the NOLA CHX Sandwich. Served on a huge brioche bun, this fried chicken sandwich is topped with a house slaw and pickles, and comes with a huge mound of fried nuggets. The taste and texture of the chicken will impress you and this sandwich could be love at first bite.

The chicken itself is juicy on the inside (achieved by being pickled before coating), but the outer layer is a very impressive accomplishment as the coconut-based pareve buttermilk works perfectly with the batter it\’s fried in. The brioche bun, slaw, and pickles add to the texture of the sandwiches and are a great choice for the restaurant. The same can be said of the side dish of the fried croquettes; You will eat one and never want to stop. And while it seems crazy to go to a high-end restaurant and order a fried chicken sandwich, you\’ll be telling your friends about it for weeks to come.

With so many types of steaks on the menu, you may find it difficult to choose. The signature steak is the Dolcetto steak of the same name, but you should know that it is not the same thing as ordering any steak. Yep, you\’re getting a delicious cut of prime rib that\’s as soft as butter. It\’s topped with an assortment of wild mushrooms, roasted garlic, and cherry tomatoes, all of which are noteworthy. But the dish is completed with two potatoes au gratin. A recent trend in the restaurant world, this potato preparation involves cutting a potato into a bar before passing it through a potato peeler to be made into thin layers. These layers are then spiced before being pushed back together and fried on all sides to create what looks like a brick but is actually a rectangular stack of chips. Dolcetto may be the only kosher restaurant to do this, and the effort shows in the delicious end product.

But there are many who may crave meat and potatoes of a more standard variety. If that sounds more like your style, order the 20 oz Dry Aged Bone-In. This was the best steak I\’ve had in quite some time. The character on the outside was absolutely perfect while the inside was the desired medium rare (for me). This is the kind of steak you take a bite of and immediately admit to yourself that you really can\’t duplicate this kind of quality at home in your kitchen, and not just because you don\’t usually age the meat for 45 days.

When they ask what side dish you want with your steak, go with the Pomme Frites. Not only is it a classic pairing, but these fries are house-made, skin-on, and served with freshly minced garlic. They are simple but spectacular.