By Barbara Brewer La Mere
Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouses is adding a location in Clifton Park to its group of restaurants founded in 1998 by owners John Wade, John Wade Jr. and Jim Monte.
Monte, vice president of the ownership company, said he and the Wades prefer not to think of their steakhouses as part of a chain, but rather more as “a mom and pop deal with the organization of a chain but the feel of a mom and pop.”
He described the look of the establishment as “a look of long ago” with a lot of dark wood, pictures of “larger than life” famous Italian characters, and rooms with themes associated with various members of that group.
Every restaurant features a Sinatra room and the music played in them features Italian singers along with Italian-American ingers like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and and Tony Bennett, among others.
“Polished casual” is the way Monte described the feel of the Delmonico’s restaurants. All locations offer the tender 24- ounce Delmonico certified Angus ribeye steak, ordered by 30 percent of the steakhouses’ customers, he said.
The 3 Northside Drive location in Clifton Park will be the sixth Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse, with sister establishments in Utica, Rochester, Syracuse, Orlando, Fla., and Albany.
Bonaquisti Brothers Construction of Cohoes is expected to complete work on the Clifton Park location in time for a June opening.
Monte said the steakhouse will accommodate approximately 200 people at tables in addition to featuring a full-service bar. When the restaurant is completed, patrons will have the option of calling to be placed on a list for priority seating, which can cut their waiting time for a table approximately in half.
Monte said the management of Delmonico’s has been pleased with the reception of Delmonico’s in Albany and is excited to have a new location in the Albany area.
The appetizer menu features shrimp cocktail, bruschetta, and calamari, among other offerings. Beyond the many steak possibilities offered, prepared in various ways with sides of pasta ( for which potatoes may be substituted) the menu includes chicken, pork chops, veal, seafood and pasta entrees.
Serving sizes are generous (The smallest steak is 9 ounces), but for those who have room, homemade desserts include cannolis, cappucino pie, cheesecake, tiramisu, and a tartufo that features chocolate and vanilla ice cream, a chocolate shell and both chocolate and raspberry sauces.
Delmonico’s offers banquet menus in three price categories for rehearsal dinners, bridal and baby showers, birthday parties, or other similarly-sized gatherings. A large party carry-out menu is also available, featuring half-pans of various salads and side dishes as well as such items as chicken rigatoni, chicken marsala, sliced sirloin, and pork chops, as well as pasta entrees.
A menu for kids under10 offers chicken fingers, steak with pasta, and pasta with meatballs, along with macaroni and cheese. For those with gluten intolerance, gluten-free penne may be substituted in many pasta dishes, and customers may request exclusion of bread crumbs, soy sauce, or blue cheese from dishes where they are indicated.
A martini and wine list carries 12 different martini flavors and a variety of domestic and foreign wines.
To request priority seating at the Albany Delmonico’s Steakhouse, to sample the offerings while waiting for the Clifton Park location to open, call 456-5656. The website is delmonicositaliansteakhouse.com.