Colby M.
Yelp
What a great find.
To start, I feel like I wasn't greeted very well by the hosts, but I'm sort of used to it because it seems to be common when you visit a nice restaurant solo. Not sure why. There was a host at the entrance and he directed me to go upstairs and I would be seated (he prepared the upstairs dining staff with his radio). I found it odd to not be escorted to the dining area, but I walked upstairs and then wasn't greeted by the hostess... so I walked up to her and greeted her. She asked how she could help me. Well, I would like a table!
There was a live DJ, which was pretty cool, but I was definitely not expecting it at an upscale steakhouse. It was pretty loud... definitely not the place to go for an intimate dinner. I went on Saturday night, maybe it's different on a weeknight.
After I was seated, I was promptly (and warmly) greeted by the maître d'. He made me feel very welcome even though I was solo. I checked out the "Unleaded" cocktails based on his suggestion. Unleaded means non-alcoholic, if you are wondering. They had 4 options (better than none!). I settled on the "No Side Sipping" which is made with Lyre's Dry London Spirit, WithCo Ginger Mule, simple syrup, lime, mint, cucumber mint sprig, and candied ginger. I had the drink in my hand in just a few minutes. Pretty good! Couldn't really taste any ginger, but it was tasty nonetheless. Easy to sip on and very light.
Shortly after my mocktail came, my server, Tania, came by and introduced herself. She asked if I had any questions. I asked her about the pricing of oysters and she explained all the details from pricing to where they are from. Then I asked her about the sides and if the lobster mashed potatoes are any good. She said they are, but all the sides are made in large portions to share (like many steakhouses). She said I could order a half order, which was not listed on the menu. They had a really good selection of apps, salads, steaks, and sides. Not too few, but not too many to where you can't decide. I settled on 2 oysters, the A5 Wagyu New York Strip, and a half order of lobster mashed potatoes.
When the oysters came and it was pretty comical. I wish I took a picture. They had a giant serving dish that was about 16 inches in diameter that could probably hold a couple dozen oysters with my two oysters on it. I laughed and started preparing my oysters. They had all the usual dressings with them- horseradish, cocktail sauce, lemons, Tabasco, as well as some seaweed. The oysters were very good and fresh.
Tania checked back in and asked how the oysters were and said the steak would be arriving soon. And then it came... in all its glory- the Japanese A5 Wagyu New York from the Miyazaki Prefecture. I got the 8oz and it was definitely small compared to the 18oz+ ribeyes I'm used to ordering. In fact, this is the first steak I've ordered in over a decade that wasn't a ribeye. The half order of lobster mashed potatoes was a very decently sized serving.
First, the steak. My gosh, the steak. The BEST steak I've ever had in my life. It was a perfect mid-rare and just melted in my mouth. There's nothing bad I could say about this steak. So much better than your typical New York steak... and I typically don't care for the cut. With all the marbling, it tasted like a ribeye. It was seasoned perfectly and was nice and hot.
The lobster mashed potatoes were excellent as well. Tania previously informed the full order has 1.5lbs of lobster in it, so there was no shortage of lobster. They are seasoned with garlic and some herbs, so they're very flavorful.
Tania came back and checked on me, asked if everything was good, and if I wanted some dessert. Heck yes... everything has been awesome so far, so let's get some dessert! Once I saw crème brûlée on the menu, it was over. Apparently, they are known for their butter cake, but whenever there's crème brûlée in the menu, I get it. When it came, it was almost everything I wanted. I forgot to take a picture because I was so excited. The strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries that came with it were fresh and perfectly ripe. Vanilla bean specs were throughout the entire dish. My only complaint is that the crème got just a little too "brûléed" and was slightly burnt. Not a big deal. It was still great.
I chatted with Tania a little once the bill came and asked if she liked working there... she said she absolutely did, and it shows. Both her and the maître d' were awesome.
Such a good experience at this steakhouse once I was seated. I think they just need to work on their initial contact to make it feel more welcoming when entering. The Japanese A5 Wagyu was pretty expensive, but well worth the price and not as expensive as I've seen at other steakhouses. Overall, the pricing really wasn't bad considering it's an upscale steakhouse in San Francisco. My bill came out to around $245 for the mocktail, oysters, steak, mashed potatoes, and dessert. Can't wait to go again!