Luke Palladino, who is no stranger to casino restaurants, is adding his latest jackpot to a bevy of winning hands. LP Steak at Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia, which is officially opening this Friday, October 16 (with reservations being accepted now), hosted a VIP pre-opening gala this week at the upscale steakhouse located on the second level of the popular casino.
The diverse crowd had a palpable energy at the well-attended soirée as platters of “sneak peek” hors d’oeuvres were deliciously sampled and included grilled prime NY strip with “LP Steak Sauce,” jumbo lump crab cakes with saffron tartar sauce rolled in Ritz crackers and Taylor Bay scallops casino. Additional winners were grilled, smoked paprika back rib with a maple-mustard glaze, shrimp toast with a sweet chili glaze that provided the most surprising bite and a playful tuna tartare topped with Tobiko caviar placed on a precisely crisped sweet-potato chip. Beef carpaccio with horseradish aioli sprinkled with Parmigiano and sunchokes on crostini and the vegetarian-selected curried cauliflower with sunchoke puree on brussels sprout leaves completed the sophisticated cuisine.
As luscious live music by Love & Branca played, the restaurant’s elegant marble-topped centerpiece bar served up a few sure-fire bets with seasonal Cider Sangria, a fragrant Rosemary Smash and, of course, the classic Dirty Martini. High-rolling house specialties included a well-prepared Royal Rations, which heartily mixed Manatawny Still Works rum with Plymouth Gin, orange bitters and Carpano antica vermouth all anchored with Luxardo maraschino cherries. Just as tasty, the real-men-drink-pink Bellini Rosé consisting of Lamberti Prosecco, Pama liqueur and ginger syrup topped with floating pomegranate seeds. Both cocktails simply stole the show.
An odds-on-favorite craft list is also in the house at LP Steak with Rogue Shakespeare Stout from Oregon, Original Sin Pear Cider and local favorite dark Amber Moonglow Weizenbock from Victory. Seasonal selections include Saucony Creek Maple Mistress from Pennsylvania and Southern Tier Pumking hailing from New York.
Chef Palladino, who has worked in and owned restaurants in New Orleans, Aspen, Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Italy, made the rounds while dishing out handshakes, smiles and thanks to “everyone who made this latest dream a reality.” His new venture’s menu is slated to include “classic and unexpected cuts of prime beef, plus chops, veal and seafood.”
The restaurant has plush seating for more than 200 people in the main dining room plus 25 thick-cushioned seats at the bar, several intimate tables and gold-leather curved booths hugging the lounge area, as well as two private dining rooms.
LP Steak is replacing Pacific Prime in the casino, and joins the recently opened Valley Beach Poolside Club and the nostalgic relaunch of the Valley Forge Music Fair. It adds to the stable of the Luke Palladino Hospitality Group, which includes the highly successful Palladino’s on Passyunk in Philadelphia and Luke Palladino Seasonal Italian Cooking in Linwood, New Jersey.
LP Steak can be found at 1160 1st Ave. in King of Prussia; phone: (610) 768-5003.
Top three photo credits: Ed Williams; bottom photo credit: LP Steak
