King Dom

Two stories. A sparkling pool. Crystal chandeliers.Scottsdale Quarter’s new Michael Dominick’s LincolnAvenue Prime Steakhouse boasts all the gorgeousness ofa high-end home or resort—with excellent fare, to boot.

The valley's most popular date-night locales have some competition with the opening of Scottsdale Quarter’s beyond-luxurious Michael Dominick’s Lincoln Avenue Prime Steakhouse. No strangers to the Valley restaurant scene, Michael Mastro, Dennis Mastro, Jeffrey Mastro and Scott Troilo developed the two-story, 10,500-sq.-ft. dining destination with hopes of offering a truly special addition to the Scottsdale fine dining scene. Mission accomplished. 

Dominick’s Steakhouse strives to create an unmatched dining experience for its guests, and that is apparent before diners set foot inside the restaurant. After leaving their car with the valet, guests walk the red carpet into the restaurant. Upon entering, guests could very well confuse the dimly lit restaurant interior with that of a lavish resort lobby. Six-foot crystal chandeliers glitter from the ceiling (which is upholstered in mohair), and the walls are embossed with sumptuous leather. The floors and bathrooms are decked with mosaic marble, and stunning artwork and precious black-and-white family photos decorate the walls. 

Awaiting guests on the second floor of Dominick’s Steakhouse is its pièce de résistance: a rooftop pool. Surrounded by intimate tables and comfy along-the-wall seating, the shallow pool (intended for ambience only, not swimming) sparkles under the night sky. Inspired by the upper gardens at New York City’s Rockefeller Center, the Dominick’s Steakhouse roof remains open, allowing in fresh air and views of the star-lit sky. 

With so much eye candy to distract the senses, Dominick’s Steakhouse could probably get away with a sub-par menu; however, the restaurant delivers with an impressive selection of steaks, seafood, sides and starters that makes mouths water. The burrata and roasted red pepper as well as the fried meatballs are two of the Italian-inspired starters on the menu and are tempting appetizers. The creaminess of the burrata is the perfect complement to the sweet roasted peppers while the fried meatballs offer old-fashioned charm and are packed with flavor (with or without the marinara sauce).

For a gotta-see-it-to-believe-it appetizer experience, try the colossal chilled shrimp. As the name suggests, the shrimp are mighty meaty (perhaps four or five times the average shrimp), so much, in fact, that only one or two helpings will satisfy any pre-dinner hunger pangs. Plus, the accompanying cocktail sauce offers a spicy kick.

For the main event, Italian staples (think veal parmesan and fettuccine alfredo), mouthwatering seafood and, of course, super steaks are up for grabs. For a truly indulgent dinner, the Maine  lobster can’t be beat—especially since the two-pounder is stuffed with Maryland crab meat. Though the sweet lobster meatdoesn’t really call for any accompaniments (it is delish on its own), the plate is rounded out with melted butter and lemon slices.

Though it’s not quite two pounds like the lobster, the 20-ounce bone-in rib eye offers both quantity and quality. The rib eye is marbled to perfection, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth bites. To add to its richness, the juicy steak is even finished with a bit of butter. Carnivorous diners will also be pleased to know that New York strips, filet mignon, veal chops, veal shanks, pork chops, porterhouses and more are among the beefy offerings.

All side dishes at Dominick’s Steakhouse are served à la carte, and there is quite a list to choose from (there are several veggie and starch items among the offerings). While the sautéed spinach with garlic tastes fresh and bright, the much-touted au gratin potatoes fall short, as the dish is overly drowned in cheese (it was actually difficult to get a portion of the family-style side out of the baking dish due to the amount of cheese) and contains cardboard-y potato slices.

Like the sides, Dominick’s Steakhouse desserts are also served family-style. The thing is, very few people will actually want to share. While the Warm Banana Caramel Cake is divine, the Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake is the epitome of decadent dessert. Velvety chocolate oozes from the center of the warm cake and freshly whipped cream, which is served on the side, balances the richness. Best of all, the cake isn’t overly sweet and even if the molten chocolate center was omitted, it would still be one of best chocolate cakes in the Valley.

While the fare and décor at Dominick’s Steakhouse are over the top, so is the service. From lightening-fast drink refills to being given warm wet hand towels between courses to the high-end toiletries in the restrooms, there aren’t many details that go unnoticed at Dominick’s Steakhouse. Though you’ll have little time to detect such touches while you’re feasting on colossal shrimp or a 20-ounce steak, it is sure nice to know they are there.