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A new restaurant in Waltham invites guests to harken back to the days of the 20th century steakhouse, where utensils were optional and platters of meat were the norm. Flank, stylized as "Flank." and branded the "new American beefsteak," opens today at 1265 Main St.
The beefsteak concept comes from the pre-Prohibition era, where men would gather and dive elbows deep into piles of steak and fresh bread, washing down the meal with a swig (or five) of beer. Ladies later joined the rowdiness, before the sentiments of Prohibition all but knocked out the concept.
Now, Flank is reviving the beefsteak nostalgia, but with a modern touch and a much more napkin-friendly take on meat-centric dining. With the camaraderie of the banquet hall in mind, Flank aims to bring in the "aesthetics and taste of contemporary elite restaurants," according to its website.
The restaurant includes a 130-seat dining room decked out in leather, wood accents, and crystal chandeliers, plus a 24-seat bar area. There is also a lounge area called "The Den," which has high-top tables and soft seating for bar snack indulgences by the fire. Additionally, an outdoor patio boasts a fire pit and couch seating.
And what would a nice steak be without a post-dinner cigar? Flank has a specified outdoor area called "The Cigarden," where guests can smoke amid the herbs and beefsteak tomatoes used in the restaurant's dishes.
On the menu, Flank has a selection of beef cuts, including filet mignon, New York strip loin, rib eye, and a 40-ounce porterhouse (recommended for two). There are also 35-day dry aged cuts of New York sirloin and long bone tomahawk. The restaurant also serves New England seafood dishes, hot and cold appetizers (think salads, crab cakes, and oyster stew), and assorted side dishes, in case those beef cuts don't do the trick.
Flank is part of a larger growth plan from the Whole House Group, which is behind 29 Sudbury and the forthcoming Battle Road Brewery and West Concord Beef Company. WHG was founded by Chris Stephans and WAAF radio personality Greg "The Hill-Man" Hill.
