Augie’s Prime Cut, Mohegan Lake
There is a particular reason that Augie’s Prime Cut received its name.
Cortlandt resident Audrey Hochroth said last week Augie is the name of the establishment because when she was a youngster her sister, Jennifer, could not pronounce her name and the nickname Augie stuck with her. Prime cut refers to the steaks offered at the eatery.
Hochroth co-owns the restaurant with her husband, Sal Barone. She said the specialties at her restaurant include steaks and seafood. “We also sell a lot of prime rib,” she said. “We slow roast them. And not a lot of restaurants these days seem to sell prime rib.”
Augie’s cuts its own meat. “It’s all prime and really doesn’t need too many seasonings,” Hochroth said. “Skirt skate is also a big seller here. We probably have the best skirt steak in the county.”
Unlike typical steakhouses, the cost of a steak at Augie’s includes a salad and choice of a starch, Hochroth said. Another unique feature from a typical steakhouse, Augie’s offers hamburgers. The restaurant also offers a lunch special that provides a free entrée with the purchase of an entrée at the same or higher price.
Augie’s Prime Cut has been in operation in Mohegan Lake for the past nine years. The couple chose Mohegan Lake as the site of their new restaurant because “there were no places like this to go” in the local area, Hochroth recalled. Prior to Augie’s opening, the couple would go to New York City, lower Westchester County or Connecticut for a steak dinner, Hochroth said.
Two years ago, the couple opened Rooster’s Wings and Grill, across the Cortlandt Town Center, about a mile down the road from Augie’s on Route 6.
Augie’s has an upstairs seating area for parties and group events and a patio is open seasonally in the warmer weather months.
Though Augie’s has been successful, the owners of the eatery are not resting on their laurels. The restaurant was renovated three months ago to create a new redecorated and expanded drink bar and a new raw seafood bar, which offers fresh oysters, clams, crab legs, lobster and shrimp.
A key to the success of Augie’s is the couple’s willingness to change, Hochroth said. “People just love change,” she said. “Things get stale otherwise.”
“Making all our guests happy” has also been an important component in Augie’ success, Hochroth noted.
Hochroth and her husband have been giving back to the community. “A very big cause close to our hearts is Autism Speaks,” she said. “I have a severely Autistic child who is now an adult.” Niki Barone is now 26 and lives in a group home in Yorktown.
Proceeds from the sale of Fat Sal’s Steak Sauce are donated to Autism Speaks, Hochroth said.
Augie’s Prime Cut is located at 3436 Lexington Ave. in Mohegan Lake. For more information, call 914-743-1357 or visit augiesprimecut.com.
