Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/174813
ON THE TOWN FAMILY TIES FAR LEFT: Chris and Kenneth Himmel discuss the family business at their storied Grill 23 & Bar in the Back Bay. ABOVE: The bustling dining room features polished wood and marble columns. Who: Father and son restaurateurs Kenneth and Chris Himmel. What: A two-hour steak and seafood feast in the early evening. Where: Grill 23 & Bar, 161 Berkeley St., 617542-2255; grill23.com Steaking a Claim FATHER-SON TEAM KENNETH AND CHRIS HIMMEL DISCUSS THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN STEAKHOUSES AS THEY CELEBRATE GRILL 23'S THIRD DECADE. BY MICHAEL BLANDING PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRYCE VICKMARK D eveloper Kenneth Himmel's real estate empire stretches from New York to Abu Dhabi and everywhere in between. But at the heart of his business is Grill 23 & Bar, the Boston steakhouse he founded in 1983 in the old Salada Tea Building and made into one of the best restaurants in the city. On a recent night, we sat down in the second-floor bar area, amid polished wood and marble columns, along with Himmel's son, Chris, who has been gradually taking the reins at the Grill, Post 390, and Harvest. Over a two-hour feast, we talked about how the world of steakhouses has changed—and how it's stayed the same—over the past three decades. What makes the difference between a good and a great steakhouse? Kenneth: Sourcing product. When you are cooking steak or seafood, it's really about picking the right product and then simply preparing it. If you 90 start with the best ingredients, and you've got a passion for perfection, you are off to a good start. You are known for partnering exclusively with one ranch—Brandt Beef. How did that come about? Chris: When our Executive Chef Jay Murray joined us in 1998, he was a vegetarian. He'd just had his first son, and he said if he was going to start eating beef again, he wanted beef he would feel comfortable serving to his son. So he did his research and contacted the Brandt family. How does that make a difference? Chris: Most steakhouses buy from a general feedlot of beef. You might get three steaks all from different areas of the country, with completely different flavor profiles. Eric Brandt flies from San Diego to Fresno every Sunday continued on page 92 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 090-092_BC_ST_OntheTown_LateFall13.indd 90 9/16/13 6:25 PM