William Jack Degal kick-started his restaurant career at a former biker bar in Queens, N.Y., so maybe it’s fitting that he has visions of hitting the road with his upscale concept, Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse.
With three locations operating in Manhattan and Queens and a fourth on the way for Long Island, Degal talks about possible expansion outside of New York to Boston, Chicago, Miami and even Las Vegas.
But first, he says, he wants to build a corporate infrastructure.
“We need to get all of the systems in place before we grow outside of the New York area,” Degal says.
For the moment, he remains focused on his New York base of operations. Degal is in the process of opening his fourth steakhouse in Roslyn, N.Y., on western Long Island. The largest Uncle Jack’s to date, the Roslyn property encompasses nearly 8,000 square feet with another 2,500 square feet of outdoor dining space overlooking Silver Lake Pond.
Degal expects his three existing restaurants to generate about $17 million in 2008, but he is projecting that by the end of 2009 sales for the four steakhouses will be nearer to the $25 million mark.
DINNER Appetizers Panamanian Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail •Maryland Lump Crab Cakes • Baked Clams • Tuna Tartare • Regional Oysters on the Half-shell • Lobster Cocktail • Little Neck Clams on the Half-shell Salads Uncle Jack’s House Salad—Carrots, Tomatoes, Bermuda Onions with Uncle Jack’s Citrus-Herb Dressing 8. Organic Mesclun Salad—Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries, Roasted Pine Nuts with our Dressing du Jour 10. Fresh Buffalini Mozzarella and Tomato Salad, over Organic Greens, Basil Threads, with Balsamic Reduction 14. Uncle Jack’s Caesar Salad—Hearts of Romaine and Semolina Croutons with our Garlic Parmesan Dressing 10. Asparagus, String Bean, Tomato Salad—with Roasted Shallots, Basil Threads, Black Olives with Vinaigrette 12. USDA Dry-Aged Prime Steaks Prime Filet Mignon—16-ounce USDA Prime Filet Mignon. Served in its own Juice 45. Prime Rib Chop (aka the Fred Flintstone)—30-ounce USDA Prime Rib. Prepared and Served in its own Juices 45. New York Strip—24-ounce USDA Prime Sirloin. Prepared and Served in its own Juices 45. Porterhouse—This is Uncle Jack’s Signature Dish. A 48-ounce USDA Prime Steak that features both the Filet and the New York Strip Cut. Available for 2 or more people (24 ounces per person) 85. Surf and Turf—10-ounce Prime Filet and 10-ounce Brazilian Lobster Tail 60. Kobe Beef—Uncle Jack’s specializes in Kobe Beef, which is known throughout the world for its incredible flavor 100. Eclectic Specials Every evening, Uncle Jack’s proudly presents an eclectic menu, uniquely prepared by our Executive Chef, featuring Free-Range Chicken, Fresh Seafood and Oversized Chops. Side Dishes Garlic Mashed Potato • Steak FriesSweet-Potato Fries • Baked Potato Sweet-Potato Mashed • Creamed Spinach Sautéed Spinach • Steamed or Sautéed Broccoli • Steamed or Sautéed Asparagus Sautéed Mushrooms • Sautéed Onions
While Degal has designs on expanding Uncle Jack’s into a chain with a national presence, his entry into the foodservice industry was modest. A native of Flushing, Queens, he says he was 21 and looking for a business opportunity when he spotted a down-at-the-heels biker bar that had been shuttered by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Deciding the space would make a good upscale lounge, he opened the Spot Lounge with his brother, and business began to take off.
But Degal had other ambitions as well. “I also wanted to open a steakhouse with a cigar bar and good Cognacs, ports and high-end cocktails,” he says. “So I started to educate myself about the business.”
In 1996 he debuted his first Uncle Jack’s, named for an uncle who ran a speakeasy during Prohibition in Manhattan’s Columbus Circle area. The restaurant had “a 1900s feel” and a menu featuring USDA Prime beef dry-aged on premise for 21 to 28 days.
The early menu underwent some evolution, Degal explains.
“When we first opened we offered four different items along with the steak mix,” he says. “But they really didn’t sell that well. People wanted the steak.”
More recently, he expanded the steak menu to include Kobe beef, which is aged for 21 days and served in a variety of ways.
Over time, though, several nonsteak items have emerged as signatures. For instance, he offers a dish called lollipop lamb chops as an appetizer. To prepare the item, a 20-ounce rack of lamb is first seared, then flavored with Dijon mustard and coated with Japanese breadcrumbs. The lamb is then flame-broiled and served with a lamb demiglace. An appetizer portion includes four chops, while an entrée features the full rack.
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Degal also decided to offer a variation on shrimp cocktail by upsizing the shrimp from a more traditional 10-12 count to 6-8 count.
“A lot of places are doing that now,” he says, referring to the extra-large shellfish.
Degal says Uncle Jack’s seafood mostly comes from Long Island.
“We buy from an oyster farmer on Peconic Bay as well as local clam farms,” he says.
In addition, Degal relies on a local fisherman, Michael Papajohn, who also oversees the purchasing of other fish and shellfish for him.
As he prepares to open the latest Uncle Jack’s, Degal says he is “tweaking the lunch menu for women.”
“We’ll probably have more protein salads and smaller portions, like a 10-ounce petit filet or 16-ounce bone-in New York Strip,” he says. “We’ll probably make the smaller portions available for dinner also. My belief is to keep it simple, keep it consistent. Then customers will be consistently filling the seats.”