Talia’s Steakhouse has become not only a staple restaurant for Upper West Siders, but has become very popular as a destination spot for those all around the Tri-State area. The draw is very apparent from the moment you arrive. The numerous sidewalk tables provide great seating on a nice summer evening. And the interior was dim and comfortable, albeit a bit plain.

My friend and I met the owner Ephraim Nagar, a lawyer turned restaurateur, who named the restaurant after his late daughter Talia. He explained how her spirit lives on in through the satisfaction and enjoyment the patrons feel during their experiences there.

We started to look over the menu, and when Ephraim walked by, I asked him what he recommended. He took the menus out of our hands and said he’d take care of ordering so we could sample a lot of the popular/best dishes. First came the Middle-Eastern platter featuring homemade hummus, Israeli salad, eggplant salad, babaganoush, coleslaw, and carrots, and each were very delicious.

Next up was the Thai steak salad with grilled hangar steak marinated in soy sauce and lemongrass, with mixed greens, chili and red peppers, cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, and hearts of palm. The flavor of the salad was very unique and tasty, but the pieces of steak were very fatty and rubbery.

As soon as we were a few bites into the platter and salad, they were cleared away to make room for Moroccan-spiced meatballs. My friend’s family is Moroccan and he assured me that these were so authentic they tasted just like his mother’s. They were moist and exploding with flavor in every bite.

Following the meatballs was a platter of fried appetizers including Moroccan cigars, chicken fingers, small hot dogs, and mini-borekas. These were pretty standard, and while tasty, weren’t worth filling up on.

That plate was quickly cleared to make room for the entrees. The chicken dish had been slow-cooked in a clay pot and was some of most tender, moist chicken I’ve ever eaten. The flavor was so distinctive, and it was served with basmati rice. Then came the mother of all entrees: a 30oz on-the-bone prime rib for two. This was hands down the highest quality, leanest, most properly-cooked piece of steak I’ve ever tasted. It was presented on a carving board, only adding to its appeal. We both ate much more than we should have, but it was too hard to let such an incredible cut of meat go to waste!

For dessert, we were served a chocolate soufflé with Tofutti vanilla ice cream and a Tofutti cheesecake. Unfortunately, the soufflé was not cooked nearly enough, and although incredibly rich and chocolatey, it had the consistency of raw cake batter. The “cheesecake” was good, but didn’t taste anything like real cheesecake. I think true Pareve desserts would be better, rather than trying to imitate dairy desserts.

All in all this was a fantastic dining experience. Talia’s has a lot to offer everyone. There is live music is played Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights. There is a big screen TV showing major sporting events. Children are very welcomed at the restaurant, and a special kids menu is available. And for those who are a bit more budget-conscious, Ephraim has created a very complete Recession-Proof Menu, featuring prix-fixe meals at various price points ($13, $22, $28, and $39). Talia’s is also available for private events such as Sheva Brachot, for Friday night Shabbos dinners, and even for the 9 Days.

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