I recently had the pleasure of visiting Fleming's Steakhouse in La Jolla, twice.  On Father's Day a friend treated me to a steak dinner as my son was out of town on vacation with his mom.  He and I have for some years made Fleming's our special occasion venue.  When he returned, we made another pilgrimage to the temple of carnivore delight for dinner. Now, I’ve eaten at steakhouses all across the country and in my opinion, Fleming’s is the best.  There are establishments that do this or that better, some have much more interesting side dishes, and some outshine in areas of décor, service, or whatever.  But Fleming’s is my pick for that pure steak and baked potato experience.  I highly recommend the 24 oz Porterhouse.  When I’m on a date, I’ll split the steak with the Filet Mignon portion for my date, and I’ll have the New York portion of the Porterhouse.  If need be, we can Roshambo for who gets to gnaw the bone. 

Additionally, I have yet to find anywhere else that has the same level of user-friendly wine list.  100 wines by the glass, by the half-glass, or by the taste (2 oz) make for a wine tasting adventure every time.  I am particularly attracted to the Syrahs, Grenaches, and Cabernet blends.  They are the perfect steak and summer bbq wines.

I want to say a little more about those Cabernet blends.  The best wines in the world are almost always Cabernet blends.  Also, the best value wines tend to be those that have at least some other wine blended into the dominant varietal.  On August 2nd, at Macy’s Cooking School in Mission Valley, we will host our first wine-blending class.  Our custom winemaking partners at CrushPad in San Francisco are coming down to teach this one-of-a-kind event.  The best part; you get to drink the wine you make.  The second best part; I’ll cook foods to pair with your masterpiece.  I’m thinking Opus One, Insignia, etc. etc.

Buy your tickets on the event page; sign up soon as space is limited.

See you there,

Chuck

Leader, VinVillage, San Diego

Chef/Owner, Chuck Samuelson Catering