FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. \u2014 A more than 100-year-old building in Fort Lauderdale is getting a new chapter \u2014 this time as a restaurant combining historic charm, food and entertainment.<\/p>\n
Jay\u2019s, a steakhouse located inside a former church, has become a destination for diners looking for more than just a meal.<\/p>\n
Owner Jay Shirodkar said the building\u2019s history and character made it the perfect location for his restaurant concept.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis building is one of a kind and when we walked into this church, there\u2019s nothing like it in Fort Lauderdale. I knew we had to have it,\u201d Shirodkar said.<\/p>\n
Instead of changing the features that made the building unique, Shirodkar said the restaurant embraced them. Original stained glass, towering ceilings and separate dining spaces help create a different atmosphere throughout the restaurant.<\/p>\n
Shirodkar said entertainment is also a key part of the experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really like having really good DJs,\u201d he said. \u201cSometimes we\u2019ll have singers accompany them or we do some, you know, live, there was electronic saxophonists and violinists and stuff like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Shirodkar, the right atmosphere is just as important as the food.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just need music, an espresso martini in my hand, and then I\u2019m setting the vibe,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
Although Jay\u2019s is known as a steakhouse, Shirodkar said the menu also incorporates Asian-inspired dishes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a lot of Asian influence, of course the best steaks that money can buy,\u201d Shirodkar said.<\/p>\n
The menu includes dishes such as spicy tuna crispy rice, rock shrimp tempura and specialty steaks.<\/p>\n
Shirodkar said the goal is to make every part of the visit memorable.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just as important to have excellent food, but to also make sure every time you sit at that table, you\u2019re enjoying everything around you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n