I’m typically not a “fancy steakhouse” kinda girl. When it comes to restaurants, I’m more of a “hole in the wall” kinda girl. But when I received an unexpected $100 grand opening gift certificate from Fleming’s a few weeks ago, I said “Put on your fancy pants Kyle, we’re going out!”
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar recently opened in Blue Back Square in West Hartford. Comparable chain steakhouses in the area would be Morton’s in Downtown Hartford or Ruth’s Chris in Newington. Non-chain comparable establishments in the area would be Max’s Downtown or J. Gilberts (okay, J. Gilberts is a tiny chain, 4 locations nationally).
So this past Sunday, Kyle and I put on our dressy digs and headed out to Fleming’s.
A few disclaimers about our visit. We don’t drink, so the “Wine Bar” portion of the experience is completely wasted on us and I can’t comment on that. Also, we are one of those lame couples that dresses the same (quite unintentionally) and tend to eat the same thing, so our menu choices were not diverse, therefore the review will only be on a few items. We’re not professional restaurant critics, after all…
We booked a reservation for 5:45pm and were promptly seated at a booth, after being offered the choice of a table or booth. Nice touch!
I was offered a black napkin when being seated. After giving a quizzical look, “Have I done something wrong? Black napkin?,” I was told “Because you’re wearing dark pants.” Clearly an indication that I don’t belong at a place like this. Any who…
The main dining room was very dark, lots of rich wood accents, high ceilings. There was also funky/rocker music playing in the background, which I found to be a nice, non-stodgy touch.
Our server was pleasant enough and quickly brought us some toasty bread pieces and spreads for smearing. Yum!
Fleming’s is your typical steak house where everything is served a la carte. We each ended up getting their Prime Rib Dinner, available only on Sundays. It includes a choice of salad, a side dish, a 12 oz. prime rib, and a dessert. All for $35. This was a great deal, considering what everything was priced at individually. Because we had $100 to spend and don’t drink, we also threw in an appetizer and an additional side dish.
Here’s our review for the items we ordered…
French Onion Soup: Good. Not the best I’ve ever had, but good. And why do I always burn my mouth when I eat this stuff?
Wedge Salad: Great. Really wonderful blue cheese dressing.
Caesar Salad: Good. Caesar-y, as Kyle said.
Plain Mashed Potatoes: Okay. Not fantastic.
Asparagus: Somewhat charred from the grilling. Just okay.
Onion Rings: Good. Served with an interesting sauce. But way too many. We only ate 2 and there was a huge pile left.
Prime Rib: Super. Cooked just like we ordered. Very tender. Not too fatty. Three side sauces that were briefly tried and abandoned.
Chocolate Lava Cake: Holy cow. The best chocolate lava cake I’ve ever had. And I’m a connoisseur of chocolate lava cake, so this is a well researched review.
All in all, it was a good meal. It’s somewhat comparable to Morton’s, but I think I like Morton’s a little better (granted, I’ve only be there twice). I would go back to Fleming’s if I had a special occassion, and it was Sunday. Otherwise, I’ll stick to my new favorite “hole in the wall.”
Bon appetit!