FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE & WINE BAR
Flemming’s restaurant review by Ellen Sopkin

O.K. I admit it.  I am prejudiced.  Prejudiced against chain restaurants, prejudiced against dirty bathrooms and prejudiced against bad service.  If someone suggests going to another chain restaurant when there are so many great local chefs to sample, I just cringe.  My family and I will drive miles through the lost sea of chain pizza joints to a crazy little Italian chef because he puts out the best New York style slice in town,  (but that’s another column).

So when Flemmings opened its 52nd location at Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga a few months ago, I was my usual skeptic.  Flemmings has a cozy, upscale feel, achieved by soft dreamy lighting, dark woods and a space that’s not too cavernous where you have to shout across the table at fellow diners just to be heard.  Our four visits have resulted in a varied level of service, the best being tonight, Thursday.  The weeknights are not generally crowded, and our server, Karly, was attentive and pleasant.  The night of our son’s high school graduation however, was very busy and the service spotty.
While we perused the abundant wine list including over 100 wines by the glass and talked about the night’s specials, our three teenagers grazed on the starter dish of radishes, celery, thinly sliced crostini toast with champagne infused Brie and a chardonnay infused Gorgonzola cheese spread.   

Our trips have afforded us some great appetizers.  Tonight’s shrimp cocktail quickly appeared when my son told the wait staff he hadn’t eaten in weeks.  The shrimp were chilled, fresh, with a tangy cocktail sauce over a small bed of finely diced cucumbers.  Also successful were the calamari and bruscetta, Flemming’s version made with cream cheese and smoked salmon.  Tonight was the only time we veered off from ordering one of Flemming’s special steaks. My husband agreed to the chef’s special of the night, Ono fish.  The Ono, a Hawaiian fish also known as Wahoo had a white, flakey touch, nicely spiced and very fresh and but arrived slightly overcooked.  I doubt my husband will ever break his own rule of ordering a dish the restaurant does not specialize in.  (Flemming’s is after all a steak restaurant).  My son described his bone in rib-eye as amazing.  All the steaks have that salty, peppery quality that meat-eaters love and practically melt in your mouth.

The side dishes are the typical steak house selection of potatoes, vegetables, and corn.   We were unimpressed with the Flemming's jalapeno laced potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and the shoestring French fries.  But the spinach and asparagus were both excellent.  Our favorite side dish, although, has to be the onion rings.  Wide, tender slices of onion that are sweet and crunchy with a light crispy, breading.

Alas, a restaurant is not only about the food.  Attention to detail in the front of the house is just as important as what the chef is creating to give an overall impression of the restaurant.  Flemming’s is a businessman’s dream, a guy place to be honest.  The bar is large with a nice selection of scotches and knowledgeable bartenders and would be very comfortable for a quiet discussion between clients while closing their next big deal. The “men’s club” atmosphere is enhanced by the dinner captain’s hands on approach by helping to reset the dining tables between parties, re-folding napkins of guests visiting the clean, upscale bathrooms and nicely stocked bar.

The one thing that excites me the most about Flemming’s opening in our area, is the quality of ingredients they use.  Crisp, fresh, succulent, well aged, and crunchy when it should be.  The freshness of the vegetables and the quality of the aged meat is something that the other proprietors strive for.  With the average cost of dinner approximately $55 per person, including tax and tip, Flemming’s is on the top of our list when looking for a good steak here in the Inland Empire.

Maybe my mind has been changed, my prejudices assuaged, my heart and my stomach looking forward to our next visit. 

7905 Monet Ave., Rancho Cucamonga
(909) 937- 1220
www.flemingssteakhouse.com