‘Steaking’ the SOMA Ground: Alexander’s

Learning that our SOMA friends’ favorite restaurant had been ‘replaced,’ I invited them to a dinner at Alexander’s Steakhouse, to see if they would still be disappointed that Bacar was no longer there.
I wasn’t.
A number of upscale restaurants have opened in the SOMA this year, including Benu and Prospect and the competition is getting fiercer in the steak department with the new Michael Minna steakhouse “Bourbon Steak” opening in Union Square, but Alexander is staking its ground with its Asian twist and fresh/beautiful cuts.

I was immediately impressed with their service, as I arrived very early (and just wanted to sit and work for a while before my party arrived) and they made me feel welcome and comfortable, and offered a couple of options – depending on whether I needed a power outlet, or wanted to go straight to my table, which was already prepared for us even though this was almost an hour before our reservation. The waiter, Jonathan Hood, was a delight to chat with and obviously well rounded in all matters food-and-wine. I ended up going to my table and figured I have a glass of wine while working and waiting for my party to arrive. Since I couldn’t make up my mind on which wine to have, he let me taste a couple of his favorites to help me decide. The one he suggested (2007 Domaine du Grand Montmirail) was the perfect wine for my taste – and they had half bottles of it, which made it the perfect wine for my budget for the night!

1/2 bottle of the Domaine du Grand Montmirail

After talking to Jonathan for a while, I found out he also has a blog, which you can check out here: http://weeklygrape.com/ – do read his posting on B Cubed (a place I visited because of Jonathan’s recommendation, but like him, will probably have to go back another couple of times before I can blog about it). I thoroughly impressed with Jonathan’s knowledge of food and it looked like everyone in the staff belonged in the food industry because they wanted to! – not something you see everywhere.

Now, once my party arrived and we started thinking about what to order, we did have some budgetary concerns – this is definitely not the kind of place you visit weekly if you are a young working city dweller, but it is a pretty good treat to have once in a while. You can, of course, come in for a magnificent $18 burger (only comparable to Wayfare Tavern’s burger of the same price – but that’s another post altogether) and some appetizers or salads and not break the bank. But when you get to the steaks, you can find the somewhat reasonable ±$40 Filet Mignon, or can be shocked by the $135 F1 Sirloin or one of the A5 Wagyu specialties which can go to about $250 for a serving (as a friend put it, “do the cows have a PhD?”).

So yes, just being there feels a little over the top, but ordering what you like and can afford is very doable – and the Royal delivery (all dishes are served simultaneously to everyone in the table) does make you giggle inside. Who doesn’t like being treated like a king/queen every once in a while?

The menu itself was very impressive and full of choices for those who are not necessarily into red meat – and better yet, the items were so thought-out and creative that I knew I would not be missing anything if I did not have a steak. Even though this is a steakhouse, everything they make is their specialty. With a half-Japanese Chef and a Kansas-raised Korean Manager the selections on the menu are appealing enough for every taste, including vegans, if they don’t mind seeing chunks of meat floating by every once in a while. I ended up having the chicken since most of my party opted for its red counterpart. Everything was… exquisite.

Here’s the proof: I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. Just trust me that the Steak tataki rolls(appetizer, but easily an entree if you are having other items), the Kabocha squash (the best I’ve had at a restaurant), the burger and the Filet Mignon re absolutely worth the trip…

Tataki rolls

The Almighty Burger

Kabocha Squash with fried leeks

Really Good Chicken

And then they bring you cotton candy with your bill…. how sweet is that?

There is something to be said about impeccable service: when the memory of an experience is attached to feeling special and well cared for, it makes you want to return to that place. Alexander’s banks on that.

This was a small detail, but made a huge impact on me: among many of the amuse buches the Chef sent us, the palete cleanser was a highlight… even though it probably wasn’t meant to be!

Slightly sweet, fresh, and very aromatic, the cleanser was a specialty of its own.

You know a place is outstanding when even the palete cleanser tastes... oralgasmic!

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