The appropriately named 354 Steakhouse, at 354 Lawton Ave. Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, is perhaps the most noteworthy up-comer in the heavy contested steak-house business. Although relatively new, the restaurant, which opened in late 2010, houses a chef with years of experience through his ownership of the Centro Latino Restaurant in West New York, as well as his position as Chef at JD’s steak Pit in Fort Lee.
Owner and Chef Audel Ventura’s signature dish, the Canadian Baby Back Ribs, are known for their “secret” homemade BBQ sauce, which Ventura will only share with his son, four cousins, and only close friends that he works with on a regular basis. He is also helped by his brothers; Salvador, Selvin and Edgar.
There is no sincere love than the love of food
“There’s a secret to the madness here,” says Ventura’s son, Audel Ventura Jr., as he serves this writer a tempting plate of the imported ribs glazed in delicate barbecue sauce.
Indeed, the ribs are incredible; with especially tender meat, they fall right off the bone, and are perfectly complimented by the “secret” homemade sauce the Ventura’s swear by. It’s a family favorite, and for good reason. Although the ribs are perhaps a favorite dish, that’s not to say that there aren’t other selections that particularly stood out as this writer sampled everything under the sun. Ventura specifically prepared a certified Angus Beef Cowboy steak cooked to perfection, which easily rivaled the above-mentioned ribs. He also supplied his famous empanadas, which were complimented perfectly by a green tomato sauce. The empanadas are stuffed with either beef, chicken, guava and cheese, or spinach and Manchego cheese. Each of these appetizers does their justice in warming up the palette before the entree is served.
