The Insta-famous butcher and celebrity chef Salt Bae made waves for his theatrical butchery skills, first catching the eyes of the stars at his restaurant in Istanbul in 2017. Since going global the Turkish meat master has become a household name, opening restaurants that embody the drama of his iconic persona. His debut restaurant which opened in Turkey in 2010 is where his journey to stardom began. Since those early days as an infant restaurateur, he has built a portfolio of steak experiences across glamorous corners of the globe.

Dominating both the internet and steak industry with his signature moves that today his culinary team replicate, it has been argued that celebrity chef and butcher Nusret Gökçe offers an experience that leads with his luxurious style, over the substance of the brilliant butchery that made him. Having been told that his next chapter is focused on ‘going back to basics’, epitomising the days when he embarked on an apprenticeship as a butcher in a bid to support his family, I thought it would be worth sampling first-hand the quality that he and his brand advocate; centred upon serving premium cuts, woven with authentic flavours of his Turkish home.

On a recent visit to New York, I dined at Nusr-Et New York. Situated in the epicentre of the Big Apple, the restaurant serves up a slice of the man we know to be Salt Bae – from the glamourous interior, swanky side dishes and of course premium cuts of wagyu that diners come for. A restaurant from the big personality in the centre of the ‘city that never sleeps’, New York seems to suit the restaurant that embodies Bae’s notorious persona, and served alongside the decadent dishes, is an attentive team for an experience worth writing home. 

Dramatic dry ice rolls out over the tables as cocktails are poured and the team present our dishes prepared such as pieces of art. Surprisingly for a steak spot, the quality of our food extends beyond the endless plates of tender red meat cuts, notably a beautifully plated lobster tail with béarnaise sauce, passion fruit aioli, potatoes, chives, and asparagus. 

Nusr-Et’s menu is more dynamic than it initially lets on. Beneath the top of the à la carte which is headlined by fitting the hashtags ‘#saltbae #salt #saltlife’ are by many options for red meat lovers (and something for everyone else who may venture in). From the endlessly popular burrata with heirloom tomatoes, to a parsley-crusted cut of grilled salmon and Alaskan king crab; this restaurant endeavours to serve fine seafood in Manhattan, as much as their reputation for steak.

Turning our attention to the meat chapter that builds the foundation of the menu, the steak dishes sit beneath a bold statement detailing that 99 per cent of their selections are marbled authentic wagyu beef, sourced from the top producers around the world. Nusr-Et restaurants say that it all begins with the ‘perfect meat’. Visiting suppliers where only the best cuts have been reserved for them, they eliminate any that do not reach the rigorous standards that deliver the quality, tenderness and flavour they demand. With traceability the hallmark of their process, they track the journey of all their meat to ensure they know precisely what is served. 

Using grills that cook the meat slowly and fuelled by charcoal often gathered from Turkey, there are countless interpretations of steak to choose from. Fancy a burger? Why not the Nusr-Et wagyu burger with caramelised onions and beef bacon. For pasta there is a spaghetti dish topped with thinly sliced wagyu striploin.

This extends to Bae’s private reserve cut with a mustard marinade, eight hour roasted soft short rib, the thick cut 10oz ‘woww’ steak and prime cuts including the suitably selected New York strip, prime filet mignon topped with a mushroom glaze or the vast 32oz prime tomahawk. Side dishes have been designed in equal amounts of decadence. The viral onion flower makes an appearance, alongside the iconic mac and cheese with an optional beef bacon supplement. Whilst potatoes in many forms including mashed, truffle and herb-crusted fries. 

The flavours of Turkey come alive with dessert. This includes traditional Baklava is flown from Gaziantep to Istanbul and across to Nusr-Et locations globally. Meanwhile, Erzincan Tulum cheese is sourced from Turkey’s oldest producer, made using traditional methods passed down through generations. This extends to butter and ice cream created using milk from high-altitude farms from the Black Sea region, selected especially for the flavour and aroma. 

Bae’s infamous Nusr-Et restaurant group is entering a new era, opening new locations and culinary concepts that embody the chef’s butchery heritage – from the quality of the meat to the traditional Turkish flavours. Honouring his professional craft when he first began to cultivate the artistry of butchery; love him or not this put him on course to the global mark he has made today.

Factbox

Address: 60 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019, United States
Phone:  +1 212-315-3660
Website:nusr-et.com.tr/venues/new-york

All imagery credit: Nusr-Et restaurants