Read Part 1 first.

I wanted to have a salad, and I had my heart set on the BLT Wedge, especially after having such a great one at The Brown Derby. I decided to call an audible and order the 677 Chop after seeing “fried buttermilk onion” in the description on the menu [chopped iceberg, romaine, avocado, tomato, cucumber, red onion, fried buttermilk onion, blue cheese crumbles, white balsamic vinaigrette]. I’d say this dish was slightly above average. As implied in the title, everything was chopped and tossed together and served in a hockey puck configuration. The buttermilk onions were great! I couldn’t finish the whole thing because our appetizers were hefty and I was leaving room for what I had coming for the next course.

For dinner, I wanted to try one of their prime cuts. I was going to try the prime porterhouse, but our waiter convinced me to try the prime cowboy steak. Despite having worked in a butcher shop for almost 10 years, I was unfamiliar with the terminology “cowboy steak.” It turns out, it’s slang for a Frenched bone-in ribeye steak. We always referred to these steaks as “rabbis” in the butcher shop, but, hey, I learned something. They serve a twenty ounce portion, and I ordered it “au poivre,” crusted in cracked black peppercorns and sauced with a brandy cream sauce.

I did something I never do: I ordered my steak medium rare; my default for a ribeye is medium. I was glad that I did because what I would consider medium rare came out as medium. I completely understand that doneness is arbitrary and non-universal and that it was a holiday, so I didn’t feel the need to complain. As it was actually done to my usual liking, I quite enjoyed the steak and the preparation. The cracked pepper added a decent spice and the brandy cream sauce added a faint sweetness. I opted for no side, but, of all the sides they offer (each of which is an additional charge), I was curious about the jalapeno creamed corn with truffle breadcrumbs. Next time.

Now is a good time to talk about the service. Our waiter was great. From the time we walked in, he did everything he could to make us feel at ease and comfortable. After serving each course, he was quick to return to the table to make sure everything was served properly. When Cassie asked a question about her dinner after service, he visually inspected her dish and noticed a problem, took it back to be re-prepared, and removed her meal from the final bill. When he came back with the re-prepared dish, it looked completely different and much more appetizing. Other patrons in our section were not so lucky, as the other server was visibly frantic, which I guess you can justify given the fact that it was technically a dining holiday. Watching the differences in demeanor between the servers made for some fun entertainment, and goes to show the ends of the spectrum of how people operate under pressure.

The waiter offered us complimentary dessert since Cassie’s dinner had to be re-prepared. Earlier in the evening, we had observed service of what we thought was cookies and milk, and were surprised when we saw this was an option on the menu. We ultimately decided on the “Caramel Pecan Chocolate Bread Pudding” which was “swimming in a crème anglaise, topped with a chocolate dumpling.” We tried the bread pudding first and it was a mouthful of chocolaty goodness. The crème anglaise nicely moistened each bite of the bread pudding. When we broke the chocolate dumpling, which was basically a wonton wrapper filled with premium chocolate, chocolate poured over the top of everything and added another layer of chocolate onto everything. I would highly recommend this.

When the waiter brought our check, I joked with him and told him I just realized he hadn’t offered to freshly grind pepper on my entree. I made it clear that I was busting his chops, and he laughed. I was happy that my joke was appreciated.

Overall, I would highly recommend Angelo’s 677 Prime for a fine dining experience. The quality of ingredients used in the meal, ambiance, and the service we received justify the prices they charge. I will certainly be returning to try some of the menu items that didn’t make the cut this time. Between what I’ve read on the menu and what I’ve witnessed throughout my meal, I anticipate that it will take many trips back to fully sample everything that looks interesting to me.

Special thanks to Kristi Gustafson and the Times Union for providing means to pay for part of the meal.

I didn’t really smash my kitchen table.

MORE derryX Dines!!!!!