LB Steak- Menlo Park
By
Carol & Joe Davis
Dining Detectives
We
were pleased to hear that Restaurateur Roland Passot
had recently opened LB Steak Menlo Park to serve
the Peninsula, as we had enjoyed many fabulous meals at his LB
Steak Santana Row in San Jose. Opening a restaurant these days
is generally considered risky business. Even the best business
people know that they must be on their game with the right location,
menu, execution and chef to be successful. The LB Steak
winning concept is casual elegant modern Steakhouse with something
for every budget from Burgers to Wagyu Steaks .The new LB
Steak in Menlo Park has a comfortable feeling with both
booth and table seating and a separate inviting bar area where
they feature contemporary and classic cocktails, craft beers and
wines by the glass. The lighting is dramatic and there are large
windows which add to the openness.
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We
ordered a bottle of Saint Geron French Sparkling Water
and cocktails while we studied the focused menu. Our Cosmopolitan
with Grey Goose Vodka was quite refreshing as was the
spicy Bloody Caesar Cocktail made with Belvedere Vodka, clamato,
lemon and Tabasco. The Starters were very enticing, so we asked
our server for recommendations. We loved the Maple Glazed
Pork Belly with leak and brioche pudding, fried egg and wild
arugula. The presentation was beautiful and it had an excellent
texture, was perfectly portioned and was not overly rich. The
Seared Dayboat Scallops with corn pudding, compressed
nectarine and bok choy was a great combination and we liked the
sweetness of the nectarine paired with the hot chili sauce. Next,
we had the Baby Iceberg Wedge Salad BLT with bacon, tomatoes,
egg and Point Reyes blue cheese dressing. We have ordered this
Salad before on Santa Row and it is wonderful!
The
main attractions at LB Steak are the USDA Prime
Steaks and the most stunning is their signature "Tomahawk
Chop" which is a 32 oz. Rib Eye Steak on a large bone.
We were chatting as it arrived at our table, then we noticed that
everyone around us was in awe of this huge steak! It was prepared
Medium Rare as ordered with a cool pink center and was just delicious!
It is meant to be shared unless you are really hungry or want
some to take home. The other entrée that we enjoyed was
the Butter Poached Lobster Tail with grilled corn and
vanilla bean sauce. The presentation was stunning. You must try
the Sides as the Creamed Spinach and the decadent Potato
Gratin with sour cream, bacon and cheddar were both fabulous!
The
Wine List is extensive with selections that run from reasonable
to luxury. We enjoyed the 2010 Kathryn Kennedy Sauvignon Blanc
with our starters then weren't sure what to pair with our entrees.
We could have gone with quite a few Reds by the glass to pair
with the "Tomahawk Chop" so we opted to create our own
flight. Flights were not on the menu but they were very accommodating
and brought three 3oz. pours. We enjoyed the 2010 Textbook,
Fin de Journee Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009
Freja Wilamette Valley Pinot Noir and our favorite of the
three the 2007 Wellington, England Crest Vineyard, Sonoma
Syrah.
For
the Grand Finale we ordered espresso and desserts. The Frog
Hollow Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream was served
hot and had a delicious crust. We also loved the lighter than
normal Beignets which were filled with red currant jelly and had
whipped cream on the side. LB Steak in Menlo Park
is a winner! Chef De Cuisine Ryan Ellison's execution
was superb. The steaks were spectacular, the starters and desserts
were excellent, and the service was polished and friendly. We
look forward to returning soon to try their Sunday Night Prime
Rib Dinner Special.
LB
Steak- Menlo Park
898 Santa Cruz Avenue
Menlo Park, CA. 94025
650-321-8980
www.lbsteak.com
