Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Simple classy interior of Goodman won't distract you from savoring some of the best steaks in the capital. Oleksiy Boyko The Goodman international chain of restaurants finally opened its first steak house in Kyiv and invited all the local meat lovers to taste its wonderful steaks. The Kyiv Post was lucky to become one of the first guests of the new place.

At the door to the Goodman restaurant, we were met by Ella Fitzgerald and Igor Kolomoisky. The voice of the legendary jazz vocalist gave the atmosphere a soulful touch. The picture of a Ukrainian tycoon on my cloakroom tag hinted it was a grown-up restaurant with a story to tell.

The first impression was just right. The Goodman Steak House proved to be a serious cult of meat one may consider joining after a first bite. A simple wooden interior and a short two-page menu is what a true carnivore needs after sifting through jazzy dish names under opulent chandeliers in Kyiv restaurants. The Goodman follows a “kiss” principle – they keep it short and simple. With a focus on meat, the rest is modest quality without frills.

The owner, Mikhail Zelman, together with brand chef Vyacheslav Delberg, gave a master class on what goes in and out of their kitchen, opening their new eatery last week.

“The production of meat is a philosophy. We can’t use Ukrainian or Russian meat because of different standards,” said Zelman. “We can buy an excellent steak at the [Kyiv] market today, but tomorrow it will be of different quality and no one will want to eat it.”

No-surprise steaks apparently come from the green pastures of Australia and the Americas. Only 51 breeds of bull-calves qualify for Goodman’s kitchen. If you cannot make out the difference between a rib eye and a New York steak, a waiter will bring them out raw and explain the difference. A rib eye obviously comes from a rib section with slim fat-strips usually described as marbled. “The meat by itself does not taste much; it’s all about the marbling,” said Zelman. This steak is usually more popular with men who don’t mind a bit of fat in their prey.

Women should go for a filet mignon from the tenderloin, which is generally considered the most delicate cut of beef. With less marbling, it has fewer calories to keep off their waists. A strip steak, usually called a New York or a t-bone from a short loin, had just the right combination of “marbles” for my liking. Not too lean and not too fat – it was the golden meaty mean. A chateaubriand steak is a thick tenderloin cut enough for two people to share.

Actually, it is hard to go wrong when there is a picture of a smiling cow in the menu with a chart of where each piece of meat comes from.

Waiters deserve a special word of praise. The managers confessed that they were looking to hire “men over 30 with small bellies” to strengthen the “maturity” of the restaurant. But there are slender women among them too.

Zelman said they have all been trained in Moscow and are able to tell you everything from the history of meat to what wines they go best with. With over 30 restaurants already in Russia, Zelman decided to take Goodman steaks to London and Kyiv. “It is very hard to describe a restaurant,” he said before the opening night. “It is the same as describing a singer. Can you tell me how Placido Domingo sings? The same goes for a restaurant – you have to taste it first.” The Goodman’s trick is food quality over a posh interior. “I don’t let my managers spend on decorations. As for me, steaks don’t need lamps or tables,” said Zelman. “Goodman’s tradition is steak and wine.”

Retro pictures of women with perfect curls and men in top hats on the walls set clients in the good-old-days mood. The restaurant is named after Benny Goodman – the king of swing and jazz. A son of poor Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire, his music is a favorite with restaurateur Zelman.

With nearly five-meter high ceilings, open-space planning and wooden furniture, I thought it was a perfect place for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Plenty of light through the front glass wall is finally available to non-smokers, who usually get stuck in a basement in Kyiv with their healthy habit. Goodman restored justice and placed smokers at the back. In a sepia-and-brown lounge, they can enjoy a window from a distance.

The view, however, is not much to be jealous of. The Goodman found a spot on busy Zhylyanksa street, not far from a few other steak houses. Zelman, however, thinks that it will be a good test for their restaurant. “It means we will have more respect for the client.”

Along with the crisis, prices bite, but tycoon Kolomoisky from my cloakroom tag couldafford them. The cloakroom man noted that famous people like President Victor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and even Mickey Mouse keep him company at the door. This is the restaurant for the people who achieved something in life, as the owners explain with their small marketing trick. Yet inside it does not feel like an exclusive VIP getaway; it is a restaurant for clients with money who enjoy food first and care less about the curtains.

The Goodman’s average guest is expected to leave Hr 370 for a steak, a salad and a glass of wine. Most meats go for Hr 250, burgers for Hr 130, and garnishes for Hr 60. There is also a small choice of fish if you are an odd one in a company of meat lovers. I can recommend a Goodman salad with mushrooms for Hr 94 and a creamy mushroom sauce to flavor your steak.

With wines, expect a nice selection from the old world as well as the new world. If not for the Russian and Ukrainian guests around us, I would have easily thought that I was enjoying my steak somewhere in New York or London. The restaurant demands an encore.


Goodman (75 Zhylyanska, 596-0000). Open noon till midnight.

English menu: Yes

English-speaking staff: Yes

Average meal: Hr 370