Steak and Steel is not your typical Asian fusion restaurant. We've written about such types of places before, and have even called Randevoo, for example, a next-gen Asian fusion-fusion place to eat because it kind of defies categorization. But Steak and Steel, which serves Chinese, Japanese, Thai and tons of sushi, along with hibachi fare, is something else entirely.
The best way to describe Steak and Steel, a relative newcomer to Downtown Bethlehem? It's the most punk rock Asian restaurant you probably have ever seen, at least around the Lehigh Valley. There are multiple reasons why, but the first one comes right from its description: it's a self-styled Japanese/hibachi/sushi gastropub. Yes, all in one place.
What does this mean, in practical terms? Rather than muted, vaguely Asian-styled music, the soundtrack is unmistakably contemporary. The staff is dressed in all black; the piercings and tattoos are ever-present, which admittedly isn't so unusual for restaurants these days. There are no bamboo plants or waving cat statues at the register; large works of vivid contemporary art line the walls (lots of fish represented by local artist Bennett Rambo). The televisions over the bar seem destined to become a go-to spot for watching anime. Cocktails are made with fresh ingredients, and local brews and sake are served. (Yes, there's local sake, from Sango Kura in Delaware Water Gap.) “All of our cocktails start in the kitchen, and all of our sauces are scratch-made,” says Rob Lewis, one of the owners. The food is fresh, the vibe is lively and the service is friendly.
We will forgive you if you weren't aware that this restaurant existed; it just opened in January and by this writing, that means just shy of two months ago. It's a newbie, located on Walnut Street, not far from Twisted Olive, McCarthy's Red Stag Pub, Ripper's Pub and Edge. However, the ownership team that runs Steak and Steel also owns seven other restaurants throughout northeastern and north-central Pennsylvania. They each have their own name and vibe.
Some of the crew from Myst, a sister restaurant in Jim Thorpe, came to run Steak and Steel. It's a dedicated and motivated group, and they take it seriously. The 31-year-old Lewis, who was born and raised in New Tripoli, runs the place along with Abby Rigler, 21—they're managing partners. The culinary activities are overseen by Simon Wang, executive chef, and executive sushi chef William Pan, 27. Collectively, they've been working in restaurants in some way, shape or form for most of their lives.
The group entered into negotiations and development phase during the pandemic, and, indeed, just as we've seen a lot of places close or pivot to other food-related concepts, there have been just as many new restaurants and cafes.
“When the tide is going out, everyone is afraid, but that's actually the best time to get in,” says Lewis. And so they did, forging ahead in this location to gut the whole thing—it was previously an office—and install a bar, a sushi counter, a full kitchen and everything needed for hibachi.
What will you want to order when you're here? Probably everything. And that's because the menu is so far-reaching that it's not possible to really get a sense of things in one visit. So, bring some friends and sit wherever. You can order anything from anywhere in the restaurant; you aren't restricted to hibachi fare if most of your party wants to have some dinner and a show at one of its many hibachi tables.
You can expect teriyaki dishes, noodle-based dishes such as udon, a full hibachi menu, sushi, sashimi and appetizers. Pad Thai is on the menu, along with red and green Thai curries. People love some of the specialty rolls, including the Tokyo Roll, with tuna and avocado, topped with spicy scallops, and the Godzilla Roll. That one contains shrimp tempura inside and spicy tuna on top, along with an eel sauce. Some of the house entrée specials on the menu include Spicy Honey Chicken, Steak and Steel Dumplings (chives and pork—you get a dozen!), a crispy roasted duck, and a universally appealing Chinese-influenced dish: General Tso's Chicken. We sampled the last item, and it was served with white rice and generously sized steamed broccoli florets.
The one dark spot in the place is the fact that the team unexpectedly lost one of its fearless leaders, Mike Heiser, about six months before opening the restaurant, at the age of 44. He was one of the founding partners of the restaurant group. (Uncannily, their address is also 44, and Rigler has a tattoo of angel number 444). A painting of him hangs inside the restaurant, above the threshold. There, he holds the place of honor, overlooking the activities.
Lewis chokes up when he speaks of him, understandably so. It's still all very fresh, and Lewis clearly feels indebted to him. “He's the kind of person you wanted to work for. He cared about you as a person, he'd give you a ride, he'd give you money, he'd give you the shirt off his back,” says Lewis.
They've all taken what they've learned about hospitality from working with Heiser and applied it to Steak and Steel. And it shows. In just a couple of quick months, Steak and Steel has made an impression on people. When asked what surprises them most about things, Rigler says, “I can't believe the number of regulars we have, already. We have people who are here weekly, and some daily, whether it's for their blackberry sage cocktail at the end of the day or sushi. We're just so grateful,” she says.
Lewis echoes the sentiment: "I never expected to be as busy as it is. I never expected to be this well received this fast,” he says.
It's not a stretch to believe that somehow Heiser is still there, not only watching over and guiding them, but ensuring their success, too.
Steak & Steel Hibachi
44 W. Walnut St., Bethlehem | 610.849.2323 | steakandsteelpa.com
Hours
Mon.–Thurs.: 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sat.: 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m.; Sun.: 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Lunch is served during the weekdays only. Otherwise the rest of the menu is available all day.
Parking:
Street parking and the Walnut Street garage is across the street.
Reservations:
Recommended for the weekend, at least a couple weeks ahead of time, although the bar is first-come, first-served.
What to Order:
Sushi and sashimi are a must; they're freshly prepped to order, as they ought to be. You can also have a go with some appetizers such as the rock shrimp, crab rangoon and a variety of dumplings (shumai and gyoza). It'd be pretty hard to choose a sushi roll, as their specialty menu is loaded with selections like the Dancing Girl (real blue crab, cucumber and avocado, topped with tuna jalapeño), the Spicy Girl (it's somehow all deep fried) and the signature Steak and Steel Roll. That one consists of eel, white tuna, salmon and asparagus—and it, too, is deep fried. In terms of cocktails? Summer is going to be a good time to sip on their blackberry sage martini with vodka, local honey, fresh sage and fresh blackberries. The rosemary cucumber gin and tonic is a refreshing herbal sip with lime, cucumber, fresh rosemary, gin and tonic water. And who can resist the drama of the smoked old fashioned?
Specials:
Weekly chalkboard additions to the menu often include fresh sushi and sashimi choices.
Published as “Inside Dish” in the June 2023 edition of Lehigh Valley Style magazine.
