Swank Back Room  

By Mark Goldberg
Dining Critic

Tusk is an elegant steakhouse. Looking like a gentlemen’s club – with its dark woods, lighted fireplace, private dining areas with leather-covered, overstuffed banquettes – it exudes an upscale presence. And, if you enter through the side door, you might never even know that Tusk is the “back room” of Scores, Ft. Lauderdale’s newest and possibly classiest adult entertainment nightclub.

Back room isn’t really a fair appellation. Tusk is a quality restaurant unto itself, with knowledgeable waiters, a broad-spectrum menu (especially for a steakhouse), and attention to detail. Tusk is in its reincarnation. So is Scores. When the club was Pure Platinum, Tusk was much more expensive than today’s more moderate pricing. Then Platinum became Spearmint Rhino and Tusk was replaced with “friction booths.” “It was like a big mouse maze that didn’t make any money,” said Executive Chef Dominic Congemi.

Congemi, a native of Broward County, has been cooking for twelve years, including a stint in Toronto. Only open a month, Tusk already has regulars who come for Congemi’s Filet Mignon Siciliano. Some couples are as old as eighty, but none are under twenty-one, for obvious reasons.

After an arduous few moments finding an available wine (Congemi promises the wine list is being overhauled this week), we went to work on our impressive appetizers. The Jumbo Crab Cake ($8) combines fresh lump crabmeat with Tusk’s own remoulade of Worcestershire, Dijon and mayonnaise. The plate is dressed with sautéed baby spinach leaves and a side of a spicier remoulade that’s been hit with a bit of Cajun spices. Lobster Scampi ($12) boasts two 3-ounce lobster tails – the sweet, white meat resting atop the shells – in a scampi sauce of sliced garlic, white wine, pesto, lemon and a touch of marinara with a garlic butter finish. The Stone Crab Claws special ($16.95) not only presents four meaty claws, but the knuckle meat is removed in the kitchen and placed over the claws so you don’t have to fight for it. The honey mustard sauce gets its kick from a little Old Bay. The Escargot ($8) is a winner. Portobello mushrooms, sautéed in white wine, garlic and herbs make a bed for the snails that are drenched in a homemade garlic butter. Parmesan covers the entire dish and crusts deliciously in the oven.

Nothing is rushed at Tusk and we took our time ordering our entrees. Unlike most steakhouses, Tusk’s menu is broad enough to include assorted fish, chicken and pasta dishes. Ahi Tuna ($18.95) is sushi grade and so tender it almost melted on the tongue. Crusted with black and white sesame seeds and gently pan seared, the tuna is enhanced further with a sirachi sauce, wasabi, ginger and a tuna glaze. For his Filet Mignon Siciliano ($21.95), Congemi takes a tender 8-ounce center cut and rubs it with pesto before pan searing and tops it with buffalo mozzarella and Italian-herbed breadcrumbs that melt like a tasty cap. The meat rests in a port wine demi. Chicken Saltimbocca ($15.95) is a moist sautéed chicken breast topped with layers of Parma proscuitto, pesto, parmesan, mozzarella and a bit more pesto and served with a port wine demi made with roasted tomatoes. Snow peas, steamed and topped with rarified butter and garlic mashed potatoes round out the dish. Rack of Lamb ($24.95), meaty New Zealand chops, are excellent. Pan seared, then fired in the oven until almost done, they are removed so they can be coated with Dijon mustard and crusted with parmesan before they are returned to the oven for finishing. The dish is served with roasted potatoes, snow peas and baby spinach.

Because of the amount of liquor served out front, Tusk qualifies as a smoker friendly restaurant. If that offends your diner’s palate, ask for another table. They will be quick to accommodate you. They can also accommodate parties of up to sixty people.

The homemade Desserts ($6.50 each) extend beyond the four items listed on the menu, so quiz your waiter. Cheesecake is one of the best, especially when it’s white chocolate macadamia. The Lava Cake flowed warm chocolate, the Key Lime Pie could have been a touch more tart and the Chocolate Mousse Cake was light and rich.

Tell your valet that you are eating at Tusk and he will waive the five-dollar parking fee. And, if you’re interested in the entertainment in the front room, cover charges are waived for the same reason.

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Tusk

ADDRESS: 3411 North Federal Highway, Ft. Lauderdale, in Scores

PHONE: 954-396-6961

HOURS: Monday – Thursday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday till Midnight.

FOOD: American with an Italian flair.

SERVICE: Casual yet with an eye for details.

PRICES: Appetizers $5 – $12; Entrees $10.95 – $31.95

WINE: A thin list of mostly high-priced domestic and international labels.

ATMOSPHERE: An upscale gentlemen’s steakhouse.

RESERVATIONS: Requested.

CREDIT CARDS: American Express, Visa, MasterCard.