Profile

Being a sports bar is kind of like being a high-school jock: It’s great while it lasts, but few make the transition to a more sophisticated level comfortably. A welcome exception is Jake’s Steakhouse, an elegant, clubby meatery across from Van Cortlandt Park. Replete with dark gleaming wood and crisp white table linens, both the casual downstairs bar-and-booths area and the more formal dining room upstairs retain the mellow affability of a local watering-hole, but add to it the polish that a football hero’s parents can only hope he’ll acquire in the Ivy League. Flavors here are strong rather than subtle, but no less well-chosen for that: Jake’s filet mignon dresses up the flavorful meat with a sharp gorgonzola topping and frizzled onions, and a hefty serving of pork chops is unexpectedly enhanced by caramelized apples in a robust Dijon sauce. Even salads offer original and tasty combinations: The brie salad mixes a hearty helping of its namesake cheese with shiitake mushrooms, pecans, and romaine in a raspberry vinaigrette. Standards like creamed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes are cooked to classical perfection. If there’s one thing sports fans appreciate, it’s maintaining those time-honored traditions. — Jessica Branch

Jake’s offers valet parking every night

Brie salad, $9; Jake’s filet mignon, $36; pork chops, $22