Fishel Falkowitz saw potential. That’s why he bought a kosher steakhouse in Suffern in the fall of 2021. The place needed upgrading in many ways, but he thought that the market for such a restaurant was going to be there. That left just one question…

What should he do about the name?

Many new owners would have rebranded, but Falkowitz eventually decided against it for two reasons, one simple and one complex.

“The name is what made us fall in love with the place,” said Falkowitz about Peppercrust Steakhouse (253 NY-59). “And keeping the name allowed us to take our time improving the restaurant.”

At first, he didn’t change anything. Just observing the business for a few months allowed him to make a list of alterations that would better the establishment. After getting the ball rolling with those, he started introducing himself to customers as the new owner and asking for totally honest feedback. With no shortage of responses, he used that data for the next wave.

An added bonus to this plan was that there was no great rebranding or grand reopening that came with a massive influx of expectations. Instead, word of mouth slowly spread through the community that Peppercrust was now under new ownership and change was afoot. The more people that trickled in, the more the news circulated.

Over the course of a year and a half, pretty much everything changed. The most obvious was the menu. Falkowitz wanted to push several things to make Peppercrust more successful than before. With the help of Chef Gavin Citron, he is making those things happen.

“Just simply sell good food,” Falkowitz said about the changes to his menu. “I believe that’s what most restaurants should do.”

Appetizers are a big draw at Peppercrust. With enough options to make it hard to choose, there is sure to be something for everyone. Some of the most popular choices are the Wild Mushroom Gnocchi (served in a porcini potato broth), the Tuna Tartare (with avocado and a citrus soy dressing), the Crispy Sweetbreads (over a sunchoke puree), and the Short Rib Arancini (with tri-color pepper puree). The elegant plating matches the setting of the restaurant and adds a little something extra to the experience.

Another thing Falkowitz did was lean into the steakhouse aspect of the restaurant. Most of the steaks are high-quality cuts of meat grilled to order with no fancy preparations or sauces.

The one exception here is the signature Peppercrusted Rib Eye. Chef Citron makes peppercrusted standing rib roasts that are then cut and grilled to order. (Yes, that means they could run out if you aren’t there early enough.) The Rack of Baby Ribs is also a popular choice for those who choose to not order steak, as the honey glaze and pistachio crust are classics.

While most of the steaks are made in a simple manner, Peppercrust’s cocktail menu has plenty of options that require complicated preparations.

With an impressive list of signature cocktails to go alongside wines and spirits, Peppercrust is very much part of the trend where high-end kosher restaurants provide patrons with plenty of alcoholic choices to pair with their meals.

“People come all the way from Brooklyn just for our bar,” said Falkowitz about the liquid part of the equation. “It was something we put time into upgrading and it has really paid off.”

One thing of note when it comes to the bar at Peppercrust is the low prices on wine, both by the bottle and by the glass. Falkowitz said he decided to buck the trend of charging double what wine costs the consumer in a store because he thinks such an upcharge discourages people from ordering the wine they really want to drink with their meal.

Last but not least, is dessert. It’s the final thing that you taste when you leave a restaurant and it often leaves you with a lasting impression about your meal. When Falkowitz took over, the desserts were nothing much to speak of and many weren’t made in the restaurant itself. No longer.

“No dessert gets done by a third party,” Falkowitz explained about the new standard he set. “Every ice cream and every pastry are made in house.”

Peppercrust’s fairly extensive dessert menu is even more remarkable given that new standard. The Tarte De Paris stands out as a particular accomplishment that is only possible if the chef possesses the expertise to craft such a delicate combination of pastry and house-made pistachio cream.

With an upgraded arsenal of steaks, drinks and desserts, Falkowitz still could not rest easy. Many customers were all asking for corner tables so that they might get a bit more privacy than the average seating would allow in the fairly open dining room that Peppercrust had.

“A big room only has four corners,” Falkowitz said of his predicament. “So I went to my designer with the issue. She was able to restructure everything so that the restaurant could be full to capacity and you would never be able to tell.”

Peppercrust even recently added a private dining room so that a larger group can get a sense of privacy as well.

The recent expansion of high-end restaurant options in the Monsey area is hard to ignore. It’s unclear if the proliferation is causing a culture change, or if it’s the other way around. But either way, going out to eat is becoming a more popular activity in Rockland County, and the short drive has many from Bergen and Passaic counties crossing state lines to take advantage of the destinations.

The next possible culture change might just be Saturday night hours. Peppercrust has chosen to break the barrier and is open now that the clocks have changed and Shabbat ends earlier. And if you’re wondering why, the reason is a familiar one.

“Popular demand,” said Falkowitz about what made him pull the trigger. “As with everything, we listen to our customers.”

Seems like a great way to run a business.

Peppercrust Steakhouse is open Sunday 5 p.m.-10 p.m., Monday-Thursday 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m., and on Saturday night 7 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Reach them at (845)-533-5370 or Peppercrust.com. They are under the strict supervision of Mishmeres Hakashrus, headed by Rabbi Yechiel Steinmetz, and also under the CRC Hisachdus.

Nati Burnside is a freelance writer living in Fair Lawn and is a man of many interests. He can be reached at [email protected].