Last Saturday night, my girlfriends father took us and her sister to Cortese in Binghampton. I was told we were going to “cor-tees,” which I thought was spelled “cortiz” thinking it was Spanish. But no, we found ourselves, after a beautiful drive through the countryside, at an unsuspecting restaurant with a white stucco finish and neon signs. Upon entry, the dimly lit restaurant was abustle with customers, always a good sign, and we were promptly shown to our seats.
Looking over the menu, I found your stand Italian favorites, including veal and a surprisingly large selection of fish. However, I was informed by my dining companions that this restaurant is known for its steak because it comes with specialty sauces. These include:
After inquiry from both our waitress and consent from my girlfriend, I ordered the Milanese Style, packed with garlic. All sauces come either on the side, or poured over your steak table-side on a sizzling platter and covered for a few moments before it is served.
I suppose I should back up a moment. We ordered a small pizza to share, which was greasy (in a good way), the cheese was fresh, and the sauce of a sweeter variety. All entrees come with either soup or salad, and I ordered an “Italian chicken,” the soup of the day. What came was Italian Wedding. Not because our waitress got our order wrong, but because they use chicken broth, egg drops (similar to a straciatella) and spinach with Italian sausage. The soup was hearty and filling without being filling, just not what I expected.
Ok, back to my steak. I ordered the New York Strip medium rare. I was worried that with the sizzling platter, my steak might continue to cook on my plate, but the chefs deftly took that into consideration, because my steak was nice a red in the middle, with great grill marks and had developed a nice char. The garlic was finely chopped and was the predominant flavor of the sauce, but even though the garlic did not seem roasted (it was al dente as far as texture is concerned) it did not have a raw, pungent flavor. The oil and oregano mellowed the sauce and it accented the steak nicely.
Dessert was chocolate mousse ordered by the women. It was light and fluffy, yet decadent, everything a mousse should be. I only had a small taste of some other dishes, so I fear I cannot comment on them and do it justice.
Overall the restaurant and the company was wonderful. I can see why my girlfriend’s sister requested it for the small time she was in town.
