24-karat steak

BONE IN PRIME, CHESHIRE’S NEW STEAKHOUSE, PROMISES ‘STEAK PERFECTION’ WITH PREMIUM CUTS OF BEEF

Bone In Prime, Cheshire’s new upscale steakhouse, promises “steak perfection” with premium cuts of beef: dry-aged strip, ribeye and filet mignon. For special occasions, the team will even add a little sparkle to the meal — literally.The restaurant is quickly becoming known for its showpiece signature item: large steaks enrobed in sheets of edible 24-karat gold leaf. The gleaming entrée is served tableside with a flourish, as co-owner Enzo Beskovic wheels the steak out on a cart, carefully carves the meat with a long knife and channels “Salt Bae” (Turkish chef Nusret Gökçe, subject of a 2017 Internet meme) with a final dramatic sprinkle of seasoning.

“It’s so much fun to get one, and so much excitement. They do that for birthdays, special days, or to surprise someone,” Beskovic said.

The presentation for two is available with 40-ounce tomahawk or Porterhouse steaks, and costs $195 with choice of three sides and three sauces.Beskovic and co-owner Fico Cecunjanin opened the restaurant in late May, noting the need for a steak and seafood restaurant in the town’s north end. They took over the former Perfectly Prepared food business and catering kitchen at 1410 Highland Avenue, which closed during the pandemic, and spent more than six months renovating the building.

The 8,000-square foot restaurant, with a large bar and multiple dining rooms with shelves full of fine wines, seats about 350, the partners said, and they have plans for a large patio next spring.Beskovic and

Cecunjanin came to the United States from Montenegro as teenagers. Both have extensive experience in the restaurant industry. Cecunjanin, who also owns Red Fox in Middletown, was the executive chef at Luce in Middletown before opening his Mediterranean eatery five years ago. Beskovic was a chef at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in West Hartford.

The owners take pride in their steaks ($40 to $100): prime cuts aged in-house in special coolers for 60 or more days, served with classic steakhouse sides like creamed spinach, grilled asparagus, baked potatoes, Parmesan risotto or truffle fries. These are paired with signature steak sauces: bearnaise, peppercorn cognac, gorgonzola or horseradish cream. Other grilled items include rack of lamb and veal.

As for the gilded steaks, “we sell quite a few of them,” every night, Beskovic said. The display is a “showstopper,” he said, with guests’ heads turning as the cart goes by. The restaurant posts videos of the presentation on its Instagram and TikTok accounts, set to music like the “Mission Impossible” theme and Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It.” In the clips, excited diners ooh, aah and clap as they grab their phones to document the occasion.

Not into steak? Bone In’s menu is wide-ranging, with chicken dishes, pastas, fish and seafood. There’s also a build-your-own charcuterie board option, with smoked sausages and feta from the owners’ native Montenegro among the selections. Other cheeses are imported from Italy, Spain, France and Holland. A Sunday brunch features a “travel through the world” menu of plates inspired by Spain, Italy and other European flavors.

And at the bar, the cocktail menu offers a range of light and fruity drinks (the signature Bone-In Prime martini with peach vodka, cranberry and pomegranate liqueur) along with brown-liquor staples like a Manhattan and a New York Rye Ball. A list of reserve wines presents big-ticket Napa Cabernets.

Beskovic said the location has been attractive to diners in the area. Guests from towns like Cheshire, Southington, Meriden, Middletown and Hamden now have a new steakhouse option without traveling too far, he said. Previously, they’d drive to New Haven or West Hartford for a similar experience. “It’s just a nice ambiance, good steaks, good entrees, good service, a really nice team,” Beskovic said. “Everybody [has] positive presence. People like that, when they come and spend and dine, they like to be treated well. So far, so good.”

This story will appear in the November 2021 issue of Connecticut Magazine.

Courtesy of Bone In Prime Steak wrapped in edible gold leaf at Bone In Prime in Cheshire.