VUE

cheese where you'll find generous helpings of tender, freshly-steamed lobster. e main attraction, let's be honest, is the steak and the reason why most patrons find themselves flocking to Towaco. Rails was even recently named the Best Steakhouse in New Jersey by media outlet Big 7 Travel on their 2019 list of "e 50 Best Steakhouses in America." What goes into preparing each cut, I found, takes more effort than the final execution. It starts with care- fully selecting USDA Prime and CAB corn-fed beef—keeping an eye out for things like coloring, a nice distribution of fat and marbling. e steaks are then dry-aged for a minimum of 28 days—a technique that extracts moisture from the meat, enhances its texture and concentrates the flavor. Outside of the dry-aging process, the steaks are hand-cut daily by Rails' butchers and re- quire little else other than a sprinkle of Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper before going under the charbroiler. No sauce needed. With all the makings of a modern steakhouse, Rails still manages to not lose out on history. Upstairs, guests will find mosaic-style flooring in remem- brance of Sandy made from tree trunks and branches that were compromised during the storm. Underneath lies a secret time capsule with mementos that Rails had residents contribute. In the atrium, accompanied by an alcove where local artists take turns showing off their installations, there's a segmented log sculpture constructed from a fallen tree in Lincoln Park. If steakhouses are part of the fabric that makes up America's restaurant scene, then Rails is no doubt part of the fabric that makes up New Jersey. V U E N J . C O M 123

• Cover