El Raigon Argentine Asado

510 Union Street

San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 291-0927

Quality of meat: 5 stars
Quality of cooking/service: 3 stars

Great decor. Looks like a steakhouse. Server was friendly and recommended a fantastic malbec from their amazingly broad list of Malbecs from Mendoza.

We ordered 3 NY strips, 1 filet, 1 rib-eye. The rib-eye was absolutely phenomenal...truly incredible.

The problem: all 3 strips were cooked medium. 2 were supposed to be med-rare and mine was supposed to be black and blue (charred outside, rare inside). This really wasn't a close call. It was barely pink inside - closer to well than to med-rare.

It was the first time in my life I have sent a steak back. The server was literally astonished that I wanted it rare and said "nobody ever asks for it like that." 1) that is truly shocking for a steakhouse that is so highly rated. 2) i don't give a damn how other people order their steak 3) he should not have said anything - instead, apologize and go have it cooked correctly.

It came back fairly quickly and was perfectly cooked rare...although not charred on the outside - which is the reason I went there because I knew they had a wood/charcoal grille. Either way, everyone at the table loved my new steak and I can say it's one of the best I've had.

The service truly was a let-down though and the girls who ordered med-rare and did not send it back were pretty unhappy. They also didn't take anything off the bill for the obvious overcooking. (The rib-eye was more red than mine which she ordered med-rare.) I will probably return, but I won't recommend it to friends until I see better service.

Fleming's Steakhouse

180 El Camino Real

Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 329-8457

The Fleming's in Sarasota, FL is incredible. Impeccable service, great management, and everyone who works there is extremely knowledgeable.

The Fleming's in Palo Alto has none of these. I know it's new, but there are so many Fleming's Restaurants (financially backed by Outback Steakhouse) that this should be a well-oiled machine, especially in an area like Stanford Shopping Center.

I dined on a Thursday night and it was fairly busy. I sat at the bar, which was lively and the crowd was 30-40. My bartender was not very friendly or knowledgeable. My "starter" plate came at the same time as my steak. Even after my incredulous look at the bartender there was no apology or even care.

The steak was great, dry-aged (not in-house I don't think,) and broiled. It really is fantastic - although not as good as Alexander's (Cupertino.) The wine list is good, but not as many wines BTG as I would've liked.

The poor service continued as my plate was not removed until at least 20 minutes after finishing completely. I'm not usually too picky about that, but while seating at a bar, it can be a pain to talk to people while you have a giant, hot (300 degrees as they informed me) plate in your way. I have a few other grievances with the service, but it's all the same basic idea: the bartenders don't seem to care about their guests.

The steak gets a 5, the wine gets a 4, the service gets a 1.

ACME Chophouse

24 Willie Mays Plz
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 644-0240

Dining Date: Nov 7, 2007

Acme uses only grass-fed beef and local produce. Our server was ok although she didn't seem to know much about steak or wine which bothered me a bit. Charles, another server, stopped by and remembered my date from 6 months ago. He was very informative and explained Acme's philosophy and the exact farms and markets where they get their meat and produce. This was a rare treat; I'm certain other steakhouses can't or won't do the same.

The T-Bone was delicious. It was cooked perfectly. My only complaint was that they didn't have a NY strip by itself. The filet mignon side was so small and wasn't as high quality as I would've liked. The rest of the sirloin was great though. My date got duck with a pomegranate-red wine reduction that was outstanding (possibly better than the steak). The choices of sides were sub par, only because I prefer giant asparagus and creamed spinach which evidently aren't local in October. The chard was good though and I can deal without asparagus for the sake of knowing my food is fresh.

Wine selection was very small for a steakhouse and it's evidently not very popular on Saturday nights (which was somewhat nice because we got more attention). The manager never came over, which is a big downer for me if I'm spending a considerable amount of money...even Applebee's managers ask how my meal is.

Alexander's Steakhouse

10330 N Wolfe Rd
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 446-2222

Dining Date: Dec 8, 2007

Alexander's is the premier steakhouse in the South Bay. Period. We dined at the bar since it was a last minute decision and we failed to make reservations. Our bartender, Josh, was extremely knowledgeable about the food and even gave us a tour of the restaurant after dinner.

Wine: The list runs about 25 pages with a heavy emphasis on French. They actually didn't have my first choice in stock (Perrin Chat du Pape), but the sommelier, Devon, opened Bocca di Lupo's Castel del Monte which uses a grape I haven't even heard of (aglianico), but had very similar qualities of the Rhone I was looking for.

Apps: Trio of Beef Crudo (carpaccio, tartare, steak) was amazing. I thought the tartare was the top, but my date loved the carpaccio. This was definitely an appetizer that I couldn't return without ordering again.

Entrees: The filet was amazing; the NY strip was mind-boggling. Strip was perfectly cooked (R) on a gas grill with a chimichurri sauce, bone-in. They dry age their meat in-house and clearly do a great job considering the tenderness of the filet (cooked MR). The sides we ordered were creamed spinach under a topping of filo dough and roasted potatoes (both great; neither amazing).

Overall, the decor is "urban-steakhouse" with modern everything and wine cabinets covering the walls. They have multiple private dining rooms (including one inside the kitchen- which they let guests enter to make their own cotton candy.) I was impressed with every person I spoke with and it was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had.

Note: BYOB-yes, $25. They ask to not bring in bottles on their list.

Bern's Steakhouse

1208 S Howard Ave
Tampa, FL 33606
(813) 251-2421

Review Date: Mar 28, 2008

I am shocked by anyone who would give this less than 5 stars. Best steakhouse experience I have ever had.

The wine list has wines from 1700s-2006 with WBG from the 70s. The wine is stored in a cellar with over 800,000 wines - including an 1841 Lafite ($10k).

The steaks come with soup (french onion), a salad, potatoes, and veggies. The 12oz NY strip was about $45 which is very reasonable - especially considering all the additional items (normal steakhouses charge 8-9 for a salad or soup.

I ordered the strip Pitts-Rare and it was cooked perfectly. My date thought her filet was a bit dry...but I thought it was delicious (she ordered MR). We also ordered the Spinach Gratin which was one of the best I've ever had.

I ordered a split of 1960 Cote Rotie, a Rutz Pinot Noir, and a 78 Rhone. Everything but the glass of 78 was fantastic.

For dessert, we had a "crusted port" (blends of multiple vintages and aged for an additional 2 years) and a Sauternes with our Creme Brulee. The Sauternes and creme brulee were outstanding - but I wouldn't order the port again.

We also had a tour of the kitchen and wine cellar. Our server, Juan, was extremely knowledgeable about the place and the wine. Servers must train for 2 years before they're allowed on the floor (including time on the farm up the street). One server has been there for 21 years without missing a single day (they close only on Labor day and Christmas).

Dinner for 2 people, including a split of 60 Cote Rotie, 2 glasses of wine came to $170. Dessert for 2, including 1 glass of port, 1 glass of Sauternes, and a creme brulee came to $37. Quite an impressive meal for $110/person.

With the exception of French Laundry - I can't imagine a better experience.

Grille 116

15405 N Dale Mabry
Tampa, FL 33618
(813) 265-0116

Dining Date: Mar 16, 2007

Grille One Sixteen is in a class by itself for the area, but is not quite a 5 star restaurant overall. Prices are similar to Capital Grille, service isn't even close, steaks are better.

Grille 116 uses only grass-fed organic beef, which is very uncommon in Florida and wet-ages their beef in contrast to almost every other steakhouse which supposedly makes the beef more tender.

Highlights: Steaks are top-notch. The chef uses a wood-fire grill (why don't all steakhouses do this???) and seasons very little. The result is a pure beef flavor and a lingering taste of wood chips. Grille 116 is a steakhouse for steak eaters; sadly, most of the clientele are middle-aged women looking for businessmen.

Entres: Steaks are fantastic, boursin-stuffed chicken is both original and delicious. The filet tastes fairly common, but the NY strip is close to perfection.They have a selection of fish, but why would someone order fish at a steakhouse?

Sides: Sides are huge. One of the few places that call them "table sides" and actually mean it. Mac&Cheese is made w/4 cheeses and the Spinach Gratin may be the best I've ever had.

Apps: Tuna tartare tower is creative and original. Salads are very large - the tomato and mozzarella had the largest, most luscious tomatoes I've ever tasted. Kobe sliders are great also.

Wine: Hopefully, Grille 116 has improved since February, but the wine list was the weakest point. Compared with Bern's, Flemings, Capital Grille, et al, claiming this restaurant has wine is like calling the plant on my table a forest. Nice-yes; steakhouse wine list-not even close. Dominated by new-world (mainly CA), the list lacks the interesting wines that would pair excellently with their organic-natural-tasting beef. I was completely at a loss when I couldn't find a single Rhne or Primitivo. If they want to go "all-American," fine; they should, however, take off their "Peruvian asparagus" and "Chilean sea bass." French and Italian reds go with Beef, period.

Ambiance: Very modern, which is rare for the area. Basically the only place to have a glass of wine within 10 miles. Possibly better suited for NYC/Houston/Boston/SF where it would probably need to be booked 2 weeks in advance. Friday/Saturday nights get clubby, but note the aforementioned crowd.

Overall, I will certainly return. With a better wine list and more attentive servers, this will be a 5 star restaurant in my book.