Not a Sparks steak, but quite a beauty. [Photo: Robyn Lee]

Alan Richman has penned many a takedown, but his recent experience at famed steakhouse Sparks left him (and his steak) cold:

The kitchen correctly prepared two of five strip steaks ordered by the people at my table. They were medium-rare. The other three were somewhere between rare and raw...

I asked that it be replaced. The waiter said that wasn't allowed. The steak had to go back to the kitchen for more cooking. Reluctantly I went along with him, and here's what I got back: Re-heated meat... overly charred and dried out. It wasn't a restaurant meal. It was leftovers.

Meat improperly cooked isn't an insurmountable problem in a restaurant where graciousness is a standard response to customer unhappiness. It's not the case at Sparks. It's quite the opposite.

His conclusion is clear: "I've been going to Sparks for a very long time. I'm not going back."

What do you think? Have you seen Sparks (or other Manhattan establishments) going downhill?

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