Absolutely stunning. That was our first impression of Lisse Steakhuis’ renovation of the former Chez Nora, which closed in 2014. Even from a block away, the sight of outdoor seating on balconies and a couple coats of bright, white paint made us quicken our steps to enter. And once inside the redesigned first floor, our happy smiles got even wider — au revoir, Chez Nora; hallo, Lisse.
Patrons enter into an airy expanse bathed in light from picture windows on two sides, with a sleekly modern bar to the right, high-top tables along a center brick wall and a dining room at left. The space feels pulled together thanks to an open archway in the brick wall, which helped us feel both intimate in the bar or dining room and part of a holistic scene.
It’s obvious that owner Hans Philippo must have invested millions in this renovation. Two new balconies overlooking Sixth Street provide additional dining space; they’ve excavated a large basement to hold an extensive wine cellar and storage; two new outdoor staircases run from the third floor to ground level; a gutted second floor has created two lovely dining rooms; the kitchen has been expanded and updated; there’s a separate, enclosed cigar lounge; and a programmable audio/visual system has been added to each space.
My husband and I, along with another couple, dined at Lisse during its soft-opening phase on a weekday in early August. First up was deciding what to drink: the short list of house cocktails looked intriguing, the draft beer choices pleased our beer drinkers and almost two dozen wines by the glass ($8-$16) included pretty much something for everyone, from inexpensive house pours to a couple of high-end treats.
But my “New Fashioned” cocktail ($10) — recommended by our server, Jacob — was boozy and one-dimensional, served over too much ice and the color of watered-down apple juice. After I muttered that the drink was too strong for me, Jacob offered to get the bartender to try again, but it just came back a little sweeter and otherwise not improved, and overpriced to boot. My friend’s Windmill, a rum-based cocktail ($10) also didn’t have the perfect balance of sweet and sour one would hope, but the guys were happy with beer ($4-$7 for draft).
We ordered appetizers, making choices partly in the spirit of trying some of the Dutch dishes on the menu. Philippo named the place after his hometown: Lisse, Holland. “Huis” is the Dutch word for house. Root chips ($10) sounded good: thinly sliced and crisped carrots, beets, potatoes and sweet potatoes with two dipping sauces. Too bad nobody thought to drain them more thoroughly out of the deep fryer. We had to compete to pick out the chips that had less residual grease. We also were unimpressed by the shrimp flatbread ($10), a soggy combo that included avocado, corn and mozzarella without nuance or seasoning. The dish needed a contrasting ingredient and/or something spicy or salty.
The real head-scratcher among appetizers was the Dutch specialty called Bitterballen ($10), described in the menu as a “classic mix of prime ground ribeye, rolled in panko breadcrumbs and deep fried.” But when we bit or cut into the crunchy exterior, more of a beef-flavored purée oozed out — definitely nothing you would identify as ground steak. We had no idea what happened to that meat, but none of us liked the results.
On a subsequent visit, chef/general manager Tim Weiss explained that the recipe he used is authentically Dutch, but wasn’t appealing to Lisse’s patrons. He has since revised the dish to make the meat taste more like hamburger.
Main courses come under the headings “Pasta” ($19-$25), “From the Farm” ($21-$72) and “From the Coast” ($28-$32, plus “market price” for lobster and daily seafood specials). Based on our experience, I advise heading for the farm, although if you’re vegetarian, your choices will be slim. My husband, the reliable fish-eater, went with what was described as Faroe Island Salmon ($28). In keeping with most steakhouses, the smallish fillet of salmon came naked on the plate with sauce but no sides or accompaniment. Same was true of my friend’s lamb chops ($34), perfectly cooked and sauced but strangely enough with no particular lamb flavor. Weiss said they are adding a vegetable to some of the meat dishes, if only to improve the presentation.
My friend’s husband ordered the steak salad ($19), romaine lettuce with tomatoes, bacon, caramelized onions and a six-ounce fillet. Although it was chunks of steak, not a fillet, there was plenty of meat and other ingredients with the salad, making it a good bang for the buck.
We agreed that my Dutch Filet ($36) was the best entrée, although the price seemed high for a six-ounce steak. It did come with hutspot, a Dutch veggie combo of potatoes, onions and carrots that definitely enhanced the dish. The steak itself was both tender and flavorful and cooked exactly as ordered to medium rare.
Kudos to the chef and other management staff for their responsiveness to customer feedback during the rollout period. They have tweaked the cocktail list — and dropped that New Fashioned — and have made significant adjustments to the menu.
Sommelier J. Matt Nickels is developing a wide-ranging wine list at all price points. With the official grand opening (held on Aug. 24) in the rear-view mirror, attractive and already-booked spaces for holiday parties and a not yet fully utilized rooftop bar and lounge, Lisse can focus on producing high-quality food and beverages commensurate with the lovely surroundings Philippo and team have created.
Lisse Steakhuis
GO: 530 Main St., Covington, Ky.; CALL: 859-360-7008; INTERNET: lisse.restaurant; HOURS: 4-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.
This article appears in Aug 31 – Sep 7, 2016.