As I entered the Fireplace Room at The International, I was grateful my boyfriend suggested I stay in my work attire. The dimly-lit dining area was something I would expect to find in a mansion. The high ceilings are adorned with wooden beams. A roaring fireplace provided a cozy, inviting feel. The majestic views transported me away from the city rush. This refuge from the crisp fall night reminded me of the impending holiday season filled with loving friends and family.
The menu was a challenge for me. Not only were the options not as traditional as I am used to, everything was also very pricey. The New York, New York Sirloin Steak I ordered was $38. And, my riesling was $9 per glass.
Since the restaurant is part of a top-tier golf course, this shouldn’t have come as a shock to me. The thing is that I am more of a chicken fingers and fries kind of girl. That being said, The International definitely seems like a wonderful spot for a wedding, anniversary dinner, or Valentine’s Day date.
I should mention that there is a bar menu, which offers some cheaper meals like burgers and pizza. But, hey, go big or go home, right?! I was in a fancy place. I thought, why not treat it that way?
The menu, however expensive, did not disappoint. The New York, New York Sirloin Steak immediately caught my attention, mostly because I normally don’t order steak when I go out. The side of potato and mozzarella croquettes especially seemed like something that would make my taste buds happy.
I ordered the steak medium so that it wasn’t entirely bloody. However, I still wanted to see a tender and juicy piece of meat with some pink in the middle. Upon first bites, the steak appeared to be overcooked, but as I cut deeper into the liberal-sized sirloin I found that the inside was more of the pink color I hoped for. The fatty pieces on the sides added fantastic texture and a primitive chew. The veal demi-glace was perfectly paired with onions.
The charred rainbow carrots were served al dente–a little bit too undercooked for me, though. The mozzarella potato croquettes were also as wonderful as expected. The crunchy exterior was excellent, but I wish they had been warmer.
As far as the service, I did feel The International was a bit of a disappointment. A larger party can be a greater challenge but given that the restaurant was mostly empty we waited longer than I expected for drinks and food. Normally when I head to dinner for 6:30 p.m., I don’t expect to be there after 9 p.m. At a more casual place, I may have ordered a few more drinks and not noticed. But at $9 a glass, I didn’t want to order too many, and my expectations were higher.
Looking at The International as a whole, I am not sure I would go there again. As nice as the location was, it was a little too off the beaten path for me to come back regularly. However, I would recommend it for a special occasion as long as you are O.K. with spending a little bit more money and waiting a little longer.
