Chop Salad - hearts of Romaine, Maytag blue cheese, white French dressing, bacon, and avocado. Steak & Lobster - 12 oz. Filet Mignon and 16 oz. cold water Australian lobster tail.

(photo: Rose Mattrey)

With each month that passes, Hertel Avenue provides new proof that it deserves to be recognized as Buffalo’s “Restaurant Row.” The sheer number and eclectic mix of restaurants help clinch the case for that claim.

Now that it has its own steakhouse, with the opening six weeks ago of Fiamma Steak at 1735, Hertel not only trumps all other contenders for the title, but finds itself holding an unbeatable “royal flush.”

And, based on a visit on a recent Monday, I’d say Fiamma Steak is positioned to challenge the city’s two established steakhouses, while providing diners with an option that does not involve traveling downtown and adding the cost of parking to a pricey à la carte menu. The only downside of our visit, to be discussed later, was the discovery that the handsome restaurant not only is not wheelchair–accessible, but will be a challenge for those who have problems with stairs.

The reason for that is the fact that the restaurant is located in what was previously a two-story-house at the corner of Hertel and Starin Avenues that has hosted several restaurants, most recently Ivy’s and before that, Orazio’s.

First–time restaurateurs Noel Morreale and Joseph Mantione are the owners of Fiamma Steak. In charge of the kitchen is David Miccicci, whose pedigree includes the kitchens of the Park Lane, Oliver’s and Sinatra’s Trilogy.

From appetizer to dessert, there wasn’t a menu item that passed our lips that was anything less than very good – and several were excellent.

While we perused the menu, we dove into the bread basket, which offered four selections – rosemary ciabatta, Tuscan, French baguette and pecan/raisin – from Ecce Panis in New York, which flash-freezes its product for Fiamma Steak. Accompanied by whipped butter, eggplant caponata and a roasted red-pepper spread, the breads were excellent and brought back fond memories of those found at the late Sol Lievito bakery on Elmwood Avenue.

We started our meal with two very good appetizers – carpaccio ($8) for the guest and steamed mussels ($8) for me. The ample serving of mussels was prepared in a white wine garlic broth with sweet sausage and roma tomatoes. We soaked up every drop of the broth with the French bread. The guest’s carpaccio featured paper–thin slices of raw filet mignon served with shaved cheese, capers, caper berries, arugula and lemon olive oil.

Also on the menu are chilled shrimp with an enticing lemoncello cocktail sauce ($10), a stuffed artichoke with lemon butter ($6), oysters – on the half shell ($12) as well as baked with sambuca cream and spinach ($9) – and a chilled shellfish “tower” at market price featuring oysters, clams, jumbo shrimp, Maine lobster and Alaskan king crab on shaved ice.

Our salad selections were nothing short of excellent. My steakhouse chopped salad ($6) featured chopped romaine hearts, avocado, bacon, tomato, Maytag blue cheese and white French dressing. If I’m every going to dream about a salad, this is the one. The guest’s spinach salad ($7) was also a winner. It consisted of baby spinach, chopped pears, toasted walnuts, caramelized onions (which would have been better at room temperature, as opposed to chilled) and a warm pancetta vinaigrette served in a small serving dish heated by a candle.

Other salads on the menu are Caesar “as it was meant to be” at $6, Fiamma antipasto at $7 and frutti de mare featuring calamari, shrimp, lump crab, scallops and mussels with a lemon vinaigrette at $10.

While there are enticing entrees on Fiamma’s menu in addition to steak, my focus was on beef and I enjoyed a delicious, thick 12-ounce filet mignon ($28) served medium as ordered. In addition to an 8–ounce petit filet ($22), there is a 20–ounce bone–in New York strip steak ($27), Kobe sirloin au poivre ($28), pan-seared 18-ounce rib eye ($26), 26-ounce T–bone ($32) and steak for two that includes a 30–ounce sliced bone–in rib eye with lobster mashed potatoes ($49). A steakhouse burger with bacon, cheddar, grilled onion and fries will set you back only $12.

The guest’s selection was two Colorado lamb chops with a grilled herb crust and rosemary jus ($29). Served rare as ordered, they were very good, but not the best he’s enjoyed in Buffalo. Other entrees include seared spice-crusted ahi tuna with Asian slaw ($24), salmon with bourbon and Creole mustard glaze served with bacon-wrapped shrimp and crisp onions ($22), veal chop Oscar style ($31) and double-thick pork T–bone ($19). I was dying to order the buttermilk fried chicken with sage gravy and country biscuit ($19), but couldn’t rationalize that on a first visit to a steakhouse.

As with other up-scale steakhouses, sides at Fiamma Steak are à la carte. We ordered two – the awesome Parmesan hash browns ($5) and earthy Tuscan beans with applewood smoked bacon and escarole ($4) – and sampled three others: very good mashed potatoes with whole cloves of roasted garlic ($5), excellent macaroni and cheese with shaved Parma ham ($5) and sautéed balsamic-glazed whole cippolini onions and sliced wild mushroom ($4). The last was our favorite; the onions tasted like they had been infused with balsamic vinegar.

Desserts at $7 include those made by Donna Majewski of “Room for Dessert” and in-house by Miccicci. The guest ordered the house warmed chocolate decadence, which was glazed with silky ganache, oozed chocolate “lava” and was accompanied by vanilla bean ice cream. My choice was Majewski’s excellent banana bread pudding served with a warm rum caramel sauce with slices of fresh banana. Another unusual option is the house root beer float with vanilla bean ice cream served with warm chocolate chip cookies.

Fiamma Steak, which by definition is not a haven for vegetarians, serves dinner from 5-11pm on Monday through Thursday, from 5pm to midnight on Friday and Saturday and 5-10pm on Sunday. I recommend reservations at all times.

There is seating for up to 40 in the first-floor dining room and 50 on the second floor. Please note that in addition to not being wheelchair accessible, Fiamma Steak will be a challenge for anyone with knee, hip or lung problems. There are seven steep steps to the front door and, if you eat on the second floor, like we did, there are an additional 14 stairs. The consolation for seating on the second floor is direct access to restrooms. If you eat on the first floor, you must go up or down a flight of stairs if nature beckons. Good to keep these facts in mind when you call for reservations. When you call, ask about the location of nearby parking. On Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays there is valet parking.