SILICON VALLEY STEAK MASTERS

1st Quarter 2017 - Dinner at Sundance the Steakhouse, Palo Alto

January 26, 2017  |  Mike Johnson "MJ" & Gary Christensen "Wingman"

 

 

OVERALL GROUP SCORE: 5/5

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Gary Christensen "Wingman"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• My review is probably a bit skewed in this category as I collaborated with Mr. Johnson to host this event. Unlike some of the other venues we have visited I had no previous experience with this restaurant and took a chance on reviews posted by others. The facility and it's owners lived up to my expectations and beyond with exemplary service and exceptional food. From the moment we entered the packed restaurant right up until dessert was served I felt like we were treated like VIP's.  All of the little things that add up to a great dining experience were polished and professionally executed. The decor of the restaurant lends itself to that of a traditional steakhouse and judging by the packed crowd on a Thursday night it's no secret that the food here is very good. Steak Masters are first and foremost about good friends enjoying each others company over a good meal. In addition to our regular roster we had the great fortune to host Phil G. at this venue as an honorary member. Phil was an outstanding addition to our squad and I know i speak for the entire group when I say it was a pleasure to have him along for the experience. 

 

Food:  5/5

• No question my steak was one of the best I have had so far in our on going series of restaurant reviews. My compadres seated at the same end of the table seemed to agree that the food was a cut above spectacular. There was not an inordinate number of steaks on the menu or a display case of dry aged specimens on display. Nonetheless, they were obviously well versed in the selections and specials they offered. I tasted the Prime Rib next to me and was equally impressed with that cut of meat and it's preparation. I didn't really partake in the sides that were ordered opting to enjoy what was confined to my plate. Steak was juicy, flavorful and cooked perfectly. Garlic mashed potatoes were sinfully good and steamed vegetables crisp and fresh. I'm not sure if dessert was ordered or recommended by our outstanding waiter but again, one bite committed you to at least 3 more. There's no doubt I will be back to this restaurant in the future. It's important to point out that the price point for this restaurant is fair especially considering the quality and considerably less than some other venues we have visited that served an inferior product.  

 

Bar/Wine List:  4/5 

• I couldn't give them perfect marks across the board but I thought about it. Only reason they got 4 stars here is because we brought our own wine compliments of Mr. Johnson. In keeping with the rest of the experience I'm sure they have a very nice wine list. Incidentally, they didn't balk at the half dozen bottles of wine we brought and attentively kept every glass full throughout our meal. To be fair, they did have a heads up that we were coming but really from the moment we walked through the front door nobody went unattended. Bar service at the main table they reserved for us was great. Ambiance in the bar was also great, it's a fairly traditional steakhouse feel from the moment you walk in. Drinks were served in full size glass with generous proportions and Hana our waitress was cheery, personable and professional. Note that without prior notice you may wait for a table or bar seat here. The bar is a good sized room but it was packed. The crowd was a healthy mix of both seasoned and young professionals with a few couples mixed in. Overall a cool vibe and fun place to hang out.

 

Service:  4/5

• This rating is saying something in that we did not actually get a Chefs visit to the table. Maybe we are spoiled but we have received some pretty spectacular service at other venues including a regular and customary visit from the Chef. Our waiter was knowledgeable and focused on our experience and our food delivery was prompt and uniform. Questions were answered without hesitation. Recommendations were made and lived up to the description. At one point this visibly busy restaurant required our servers attention at a critical moment. The owner (Galen) slipped in seamlessly to continue our service without a hitch. He then made repeated visits to our table as the evening progressed. Just enough to make sure we were enjoying and no irrelevant small talk to influence our opinions. Servers were personable and attentive but did not hover. Wine and water glasses were bottomless and I felt like all you had to do if you needed something was look up and ask.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• With respect to other full fledged steak houses across the Bay Area this restaurant is relevant and has a traditional steak house feel. It's smaller than some we have visited but as I outlined above they rate high with great food and great service. From the dark wood bar and clean bathrooms to the various booths and dining areas they have it dialed in and are on point. Call ahead, I have a feeling they are booked up regularly.     

 

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Mike Johnson "MJ"

 

Overall Experience:  4.5/5

• From the time we arrived until we were finished with dinner the staff was friendly, attentive and ready to be sure we enjoyed our experience. The restaurant is a standalone building and has a very welcoming, steak house feel to it. This is my kind of place. In fact, just writing this has me wanting to go back again. I stuck with the New York as it’s my favorite steak and I’d like to find the best one in the valley. This steak was great but I’m dying to try their Prime Rib. They tout it highly and I believe RonZ had it and said it was excellent. I’m ready now to go back and try it myself.

 

Food:  5/5

• We started with an appetizer plate which included most of the items on the menu. I tried the oysters on the half shell, very clean, light and delicious. The Panko crusted calamari was lightly breaded and very good. Both the Hibachi Ahi Sashimi and Filet Mignon Spring Rolls were very good as well but my favorite was the Tempura Gulf Prawns. I think it’s easy to over bread and kill the flavor of the prawn but boy were these good! Don’t miss out and not have at least one person at your table get these! Amazingly, I was still hungry for dinner so I ordered my usual, The Steakhouse Wedge and the Prime New York. Another piece of old school charm here is the dinner comes with two sides. As many of the others had ordered most items on the list, I ordered creamed spinach and French fries. The wedge, ordered “chopped and tossed” was indeed as ordered. The salad was fresh and tasty and the coup de gras for the salad was the chilled fork – class move. As dinner was served I was happy to see a good looking steak on my plate. The presentation is not fancy but rather classic, clean and straight to the point. The steak was cooked to the correct temperature and was delicious, flavorful and had just the right amount of texture for a New York. The creamed spinach was also very good with the cream not over powering the spinach flavor. The French fries were good and hot but I was just hoping for a more traditional “Steakhouse” cut, which to me means a larger fry. For desert we again had a sampling of many items from the menu. I tried the Mud Pie, one of my all-time favorites and it certainly met my expectations. I also tried a caramel cheesecake like dessert which I believe was a special and it was unbelievable. I didn’t have room for the others but I can say the plates were empty as they left the table.

 

Bar/Wine List:  4/5

• Our waitress was awesome. Very friendly and more importantly, very prompt with the drinks. We all had two drinks in the bar before dinner. I had a beer that was served in a nicely chilled glass and also a vodka soda. Both the beer and the drink were very good. We brought our own wine but I did check out the wine list and again I think you’d be able to find a nice bottle with no trouble from their list. The bar’s ambiance is right in line with what you’d expect at a classic steakhouse. Clean and comfortable and certainly not frilly.  

 

Service:  5/5

• The service was EXCELLENT!  Our waitress from the bar was right on it and our dinner server was as well. VERY, VERY good service.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• Obviously from my review so far you can tell, I LIKED this place. It was classy and yet relaxed. The proper amount of lighting and appropriate wall décor.      

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Bill Baron "Chairman"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• I can honestly say that my experience at Sundance The Steakhouse was as good as it could be and then some.  Wingman’s extra special touch of picking us up in his now official SVSM chauffeur-driven limousine with “mooing” horn was awesome.  Add to it good friends, stories and laughter with an incredible meal set within a steeped-old world steakhouse with tremendous customer service and, holy moly, it sets the stage for an amazing evening. The welcome we received walking in the door is a lesson for others to follow.  Bright smiles, a warm welcome and an escort over to our “reserved” table set up with 8 chairs in the bar area for our cocktails.  A broad-smiled Hana welcomed us and took our drink order with complete style and before we knew what hit us, the drinks were served beautifully.  Well done in the bar!  Drinks perfect, ambiance perfect, our table and setting perfect.  Afterwards, we were seated at our table and welcomed by the incredible wait team, and again, smiles and welcomes were warm and gracious.  Service was TOP NOTCH, presentation of food TOP NOTCH, flavor of food TOP NOTCH.

 

Food:  5/5

• For me, it’s always the Dry Aged New York—no sauce or other takeaways.  It’s my go to for steak in a steakhouse and oh my goodness, this steak was out of sight good.  Flavorful, tender, cooked medium rare “+” to absolute perfection.  I really focused on the meat, and dispensed with the other nice sides—the meat was the hit of the plate—the way it should be.  Just simply incredible and I heard nothing but positive things from our members who enjoyed other cuts such as the filet, the prime rib and so on.  I can’t wait to go back and have another NY.

 

Bar/Wine List:  5/5

• As I stated earlier, the welcome, the perfect ordering, the drinks themselves, the setting, the reserved table—it was an all around near perfect experience. Hana was an incredible hostess and server. Keep the smiles, Hana.  Way to go. 

 

Service:  5/5

• Nearly the best service I have ever experienced at any fine dining establishment.  The proprietor(s) of Sundance have done themselves very well with such a high class group amongst the service team.  Pleasant, present but not noticeable, smiles, can do attitude.  OUTSTANDING and all are to be thanked for making us feel very welcome.

 

Ambiance:  5/5

• Sundance has the old world ambiance that I personally love.  It is about the best example there is for a steakhouse done right.  I really can’t say enough good things of how the restaurant “felt”.  It was absolutely perfect. 

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Ron Zraick "RonZ"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• This steakhouse was special. Founded in 1974, it is still run by the same family that started it more than 40 years ago.  That’s quite a run for a restaurant, but especially in the Bay Area where even the best places have to change to stay relevant.  Sundance has stayed relevant by staying the same, claiming with good reason to be “Palo Alto’s Best Steakhouse”.  My favorite steakhouse has for the longest time been the Grill on the Alley, but Sundance certainly gives the Grill a run for its money and may have captured the coveted Steak Masters “best steakhouse so far” title. After what was apparently a little push back from the restaurant’s ownership, Wingman and MJ (with a big assist form Wingman’s wingwoman Alex) secured a reservation for the Masters.  After a fun and booze filed ride to the restaurant in the Steak Master’s limo courtesy of Wingman, the restaurant was prepared for us and provided a memorable experience from the time we walked in the lobby, to the bar, to the semi-private room where we were seated and of course the food.  Such a great restaurant that I’ve been back, and will be back again and again, with the Steak Mistress.

 

Food:  4/5

• Sundance has an exhaustive steakhouse menu, with all of the classic, USDA prime cuts as well as a number of fish, chicken and pasta dishes.  They are known for their prime rib, offering 4 different cuts ranging from 8 ounces to 14 ounces.  I love prime rib and after many failed attempts refuse to make it at home, so as soon as I heard from our server David that the prime rib was a house specialty, I knew what I was ordering.  There is a full appetizer menu, and we started off with a combination plate consisting of the panko crusted calamari, hibachi ahi sashimi, filet mignon spring rolls.  We supplemented that with oysters, which were fresh and cold and briny…just the way I like them and a really lovely mozzarella and tomato salad.  The ahi was flavorful and melted in my mouth. The tomatoes were ripe and firm and the cheese smooth and creamy. For a change, instead of the classic wedge I ordered the Sonoma salad, a very refreshing combination of microgreens, tomatoes, pine nuts and feta cheese in a balsamic vinaigrette.  But the highlight of the meal was the 12-oz. prime rib, slow roasted for 8 hours, medium rare cooked to perfection, tender, rich and flavorful.  Unlike most steakhouses, Sundance steaks are accompanied by two sides.  I went for the loaded baked potato and the mixed veggies, both very nice compliments to the delicious prime rib.  For dessert, we had a sampler plate of Mud Pie, caramel cheesecake and crème brulee, all delicious.  And of course, scotch…must finish the meal with a single malt scotch. If the rating allowed for fractions, the food would be a 4.9.  Keens in New York is still the “5” in my rating scale…but this is as close as any restaurant has come and this is definitely the best prime rib I have ever had.

 

Bar/Wine List:  5/5 (Wine), 4/5 (Bar)

• The bar was great…low ceiling, lots of wood, sports memorabilia and best of all, a table reserved for us.  Our cocktail waitress Hana (yes, named for the town in Maui) got to our table right away and the drinks were in front of us before we knew it…second and third rounds followed just as timely, whether we were in the bar or at our table.  MJ brought a couple of fantastic wines, a Pinot Noir to start and a wonderful rich, smooth earth Cab that complemented the meal and was a s good as any wine we’ve had at a Steak Masters dinner.  Well done MJ…now remind me again which wines you brought.

 

Service:  5/5

• Service was excellent.  From the moment, we walked in, to the service in the bar and at our table Hana, our server David, and owner Galen made sure that we were well cared for.  We are not an easy group to serve…and the service was excellent.  David, Hana and Galen engaged with us and joked around, which is what you have to do as a server to survive, but when necessary were quiet and efficient.      

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• I really like the ambiance at Sundance.  The owners are obviously big time sports fans with NY Yankee, Stanford, and other sports memorabilia all around, including in the loo.   The alcove we dined in was very comfortable, semi-private without making us feel like we were isolated in a private room.  I love the bar and on my second trip ate there.   

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Phil Gieseke "Big Daddy"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• Understand, I am not a Steak Master. My daughter Elyse knows a guy, RonZ [as in, Elyse and Ron], who knows a guy, The Chairman. Next thing you know, I’m an SVSM ‘honored guest’ in a limo that seats ten — seven when a few guys my size pile in — complete with longhorns on the grille and a horn that goes ‘Moooo’!  I’m being whisked from San Jose to Palo Alto while sipping a Jack. So, this is a review of my SVSM guest experience. Is 5/5 a gimme? After all, they invited me, and they even paid my tab. No, 5/5 is not automatic. These guys are longtime buddies who enjoy getting together and adding their fun-filled contribution to the culinary scene in their beloved Valley of Heart’s Delight. I thoroughly enjoyed their company, even more than the food and spirits [which were excellent]. This is really a review of the SVSM more than Sundance the Steakhouse. Rather than being an honored guest, I think I was honored to be their guest. Thanks, guys.

 

Food:  4.5/5

• We must have sampled most, if not all, of the appetizer menu. My favorites: delicious caprese salad, and crab cakes and tempura prawns with perfect texture and flavor [both of those is seldom done well]. For me, beefsteak comes in three configurations: rib roast, filet mignon, or hamburger. Not being a hamburger night, I opted for the filet over the rib roast. Naturally lean, there are ways to ensure this cut comes out juicy. Mine was just a tad dry. And while seasoned, it was a tad short of flavor [I admit to finding a lot of restaurant food under-flavored]. The Cabernet bordelaise sauce was a fine compliment but, truth be told, I expect that to be optional — the steak must stand on it’s own.  The accompanying creamed spinach was excellent [another dish I find normally abused]. And the cheesecake stood on its own — creamy but firm with just the right touch of citrus.

 

Bar/Wine List:  5/5

• I’m a Jack guy. And I like big, chewy red wines. Not coincidentally, both of those go with steak. As it turned out, Steak Master MJ treated us to an assortment of red wine from his private collection. So, I didn’t even look at the drink or wine lists. What I can tell you is the Jack was served as ordered, and MJ has great taste in wine. And, I had worked up a pretty good imitation of the horn that goes ’Moooo’ by the time the evening was over.

 

Service:  5/5

• A table was ready for us in the bar when we arrived, and our dinner table was ready when we were ready to eat. From the time we walked in the door to the time we exited [a little word play there], the staff was attentive, even charming, and their timing excellent, without ever being fawning or obtrusive. Couldn’t have been better.    

 

Ambiance:  5/5

• For any social adventure, I find ambiance relevant to the degree it adds or subtracts from my ability to enjoy the moment. If I’m at a concert, does it enhance the performance. At a restaurant, does it add or subtract from the enjoyment of the food and drink. But there’s another element to it — dining out is a social event. An evening with the Silicon Valley Steak Masters is more about the Masters than it is the Steak. So, did Sundance the Steakhouse provide a venue conducive to old buddies catching up with each other and, once again, enjoying each others company? And did the food and drink and service add to that experience. Yes, it did. Yes, it did.