Alexander's Steak House
Where? Alexander's Steak House (Cupertino, California, United States of America) Map Menu
When? Thursday July 30, 2015
Who? Rob
Food Style? Massive Steaks
We were all the way out in Cupertino for no reason whatsoever, and some of the other visitors had spoken highly of "this amazing steak place with gigantic slabs of meat". That pretty much nails the description of Alexander's Steak House, so Rob and I headed out on a 40 minute walk past the Vallco Shopping Mall to this restaurant.
The restaurant is dimly lit and I almost feel underdressed, except there are loads of tourists and developers (you know developers don't dress formally for anything.) There's a cabinet separating the entranceway and the kitchen, and it's full of different cuts of meat. You can tell this place means serious business.
Though we are on company expenses, we go for the moderately priced option (still US$46). The prices only go up from there - check out the Wagyu beef for US$120 to US$180, or the caviar for a whopping US$300!! Beef weights are in pounds so I have no idea what how big these things are until it arrives in front of me.
Amuse Bouche
Peachy and nutty with good crunch. Interesting!
Irrelevant Tummy Filler
I don't think I ended up touching this. I don't know why we let the waiter talk us into getting a baked potato. Same goes for the complimentary sourdough bread - I love it, and California does it really well, but honestly this stuff is a distraction from the main event.
Mains
Slow Roasted Prime Rib (20oz)
20 ounces is 570 grams. That's over half a bloody kilo of pure unadulterated steak. Holy moly. Served with three different sauces - creamy miso, bacon and trio of horseradish - this is without a doubt the largest steak I have ever consumed in my life. It is bigger than my face. Juicy in the middle, crispy on the outside, perfectly pink but oh my goodness there is far too much. I really struggled towards the end. I could feel my brain shutting off and saying "the stuff you are putting in your mouth is no longer edible". I wouldn't have finished if it weren't for Rob threatening to post the details of a defeat on Facebook, but at last, the final mouthfuls were shoveled down and all glory shone around.
Regret.
We politely passed on the dessert menu but I kid you not, they brought out their famous home-made candy floss, on the house. Apparently this is tradition.
Fortunately, this massive stick of grape-flavoured candy floss doesn't take up too much room in the stomach, but I was still reeling from the overload of meat, so I took a few tufts of floss and bailed.
I spent the next hour in a food coma.
Posted by Jeremy at 11:06pm on Wednesday March 30, 2016 :: 0 comments :: 
Pier Market Seafood Restaurant
Where? Pier Market Seafood Restaurant (Pier 39, San Francisco, California, United States of America) Map Menu
When? Sunday August 2, 2015
Who? Meeee
Food Style? Seafood
The Pier Market Seafood Restaurant is one of the busiest eateries at Pier 39 in San Francisco. There's an efficient paging system for the hordes of people waiting to get in, but fortunately since I'm #ForeverAlone, I can walk straight in and sit at the bar. I've actually been here before, back in 2011 with Jimmy and Tony. I love company paid trips... teehee. I also love the free refills of root beer I get from many American establishments (though it's probably ruining my teeth.)
Mains
Pier Market Mixed Grill: Fresh Salmon, Fresh Swordfish and Shrimp Skewer
It's hard to go past the mixed grill, purely because of the variety you get. The swordfish and salmon have perhaps spent a little long on the grill, but they definitely pack some great flavour, all the regular tastes you find in good, fresh seafood. The swordfish is very enjoyable actually, the meat has more of a bite to it than most fish - it's almost like chicken. I think the salmon is a little over-seasoned, but it's still tasty and I'm happy to have a slice of fresh San Francisco seafood. The shrimp is simple but flavoursome too, and again the grilling has brought out the natural sweet and saltiness, along with that smokey flavour you get from the hot plate.
At US$24, this was a solid, satisfying meal, but the New Zealand exchange rate at the time I had this was quite unfortunate. Don't forget to tip!
Posted by Jeremy at 10:38pm on Wednesday March 30, 2016 :: 0 comments ::