Ithaca: John Thomas Steakhouse (May 1994)

John Thomas is a man and a myth who was born before the turn of the 20th century and lived a stone’s throw away from this restaurant. There is a picture of him in our foyer, astride his 1919 Harley Davison. He was the kind of man who helped his neighbor put the roof on his barn, respected his elders, and didn’t “cuss" in front of women or children. He met his bride-to-be at a Sunday afternoon Strawberry Festival, took pride in his work, played poker at the firehouse once a month, grew his own vegetables, kept a few chickens, enjoyed an occasional glass of Irish Whiskey “neat," and loved a good thick, juicy steak. He strived to be the “best" at whatever he did. The staff at the John Thomas Steakhouse also want to be the best. That is the reason they “dry age" our U.S.D.A Prime and Brandt Natural beef. Each piece of beef is turned by hand weekly and is stored in specially refrigerated meat coolers that maintain specific humidity, temperature and air circulation. By this process our fine quality beef becomes sweeter, more tender and acquires a taste that cannot be duplicated.