SILICON VALLEY STEAK MASTERS

1st Quarter 2022 - Porterhouse, San Mateo, CA

March 23, 2022 |  Gary Christensen "Wingman" & Mike Johnson "MJ"

 

​

OVERALL RATINGS​​

• Gary Christensen "Wingman" - 5/5

• Mike Johnson "MJ" - 5/5

• Bill Baron "The Chairman" - 4/5

• John Poch "Chef Boyardee" - 4/5

• Ron Zraick "RonZ" - 4/5

• Mike Preston "Ditch Digger" - 4/5

• Michael Mulcahy "Lord Mayor" - 4/5

• George Reilly "Jorge" - 4/5

• Case Swenson "Mozyington" - 5/5

 

 

​

Gary Christensen "Wingman"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• We found this restaurant by accident while searching for new venues to visit. We really didn’t know anything about it other than what we read online. Their website is nice and I was intrigued by the fact that they dry age their own steaks. I made a simple reservation online and was immediately called by the restaurant manager to confirm. Virtually every person I came in contact with for this restaurant was professional, respectful and pleasant to deal with. We always have a great time together at these venues but the fact that this establishment also had great food makes it 5 for me. We didn’t really tip them off about our review process and we also didn’t get some of the amenities we get at other restaurants like a chef's visit to the table. They just treated us well with great attitudes, great service and great food. I would definitely eat here again.

 

Food:  5/5

• I didn’t taste a single thing I didn’t like. I also noticed a lot of my friends around the table enjoying their meal. Food was served promptly and uniformly to the whole table. Side dishes were all very good and from the experience I would bet the things we didn’t try are also very good. My steak was one of the best I have had at any venue we have visited and at any price point. The steak in particular was delicious and cooked perfectly. Maybe my expectations were too low but the meal we received here was top notch and as I said above I would definitely eat here again. 

​

Bar/Wine List:  5/5

• The bar in this restaurant is not large and not particularly fancy. It was also a Wednesday night and not packed with people. We were greeted first at the door by Bruno (the owner) and then second by Denise the bartender. Both of them were welcoming and attentive. We also mingled with some locals at the bar who were also very nice and open to conversation making the atmosphere that much more inviting. Drinks were circulated promptly and conversations began with good interaction from Bruno and his staff. I felt like our entire group was appreciated for patronizing the restaurant and the bar area was a very comfortable place to hang out before dinner. The bar just happened to be adjacent to the dining room where they set us up for dinner. The transition from the bar to our table was super easy. With drinks in hand we simply walked a few steps into the adjoining room and we were quickly welcomed and acknowledged by our server Tanya at a large community table. 

 

Service:  5/5

• I always say that maybe we are spoiled because we have received some pretty spectacular service at other venues including a regular and customary visit from the Chef. This go around we had less of the formal red carpet treatment but nonetheless a great experience. We had a single server named Tanya who was assisted by Denise from the bar and a few others. They did a great job, Tanya was knowledgeable and focused on our experience and our food delivery was uniform. Big smiles and great attitudes from the restaurant personnel go a long way in my book when dining out and this crew did not disappoint. Questions were answered without hesitation and recommendations were also made. As stated, everyone was personable and attentive. Wine and water glasses were also well attended. Once again, the food was great. 

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• Maybe it’s just me, but I really liked this place. I have no idea how the other guys will rate it. It’s not really that easy to find and honestly I had my doubts as we walked down a long hallway among other businesses to get to the restaurant. Once we were inside my opinion changed quickly. You can come casual or dressed up. You can get a full blown meal or just stop in and get one of their dry aged steaks raw and to go which is kind of a novel thing for a restaurant of this type. It has less of a traditional steak house feel to me but they aren’t claiming to be just a steakhouse. I didn’t explore much outside of the entrance, bar area and the specific room where we dined. Their website has pictures of the other dining areas and if they are anything like what we experienced I’m sure they are clean and nice. 

​

​

​

​

Mike Johnson "MJ"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• Porterhouse is located on the 3rd St in downtown San Mateo. The restaurant is not fronted on the street but there is a nice valiance on the street that shows you the way. Upon approaching the front of the restaurant, you get a great view of aging porterhouses in the window. This is a look I like so I was happy to see them and was ready to roll. After entering the restaurant, we went straight to the bar which is on right as you come inside. The bar is great, not too modern, not too old school. It’ really good size and has a nice feel, a comfortable place to grab a drink. I started with vodka soda and the bartender, Denise, was pleasant, quick, and free pouring so it was great start!

 

Food:  5/5

• I ordered multiple apps for the table. We had the Sweet-Spicy Wings, Polenta Poutine, Niman Pork Belly, Beef Spring Rolls and the Steak Tartare. I didn’t get a chance to try the wings but they must have been good as they never made it to my side of the table (we had 2 orders of everything). The other appetizers were excellent! The poutine with the homemade ragu and the Pork belly were my favorites, but all these apps were really, really good! I started with the Onion soup which was good. A good size portion, not too big and not too small. Again, the quality of the food is apparent. For dinner, Wingman and I split the “Impressive”, a 30 oz porterhouse. I just had to try the porterhouse for obvious reasons, and this was the biggest on the menu. The steak came with twice baked potatoes and seasonal veggies. All were great! The steak was cooked perfectly and the texture was fantastic. Really liked the food!

 

Bar/Wine List:  4/5 

• Once again we brought our own wine. I’m unsure how this started but I think it’s due to the vast wine cellars of some of the Steakmasters. It’s just a good time to share your favorites with the group. The wine list is good size with plenty of selections, and I really liked the selection of international wines. In addition, the wines were price very reasonably for a Silicon Valley steakhouse.

 

Service:  5/5

• Our waitress, Tania, did an excellent job! She was on top of everything and had a great personality as well. She was helped by Denise from the bar and I believe all plates came out together, from apps to deserts they were on fire! VERY, VERY good service.

 

Ambiance:  5/5

• The overall experience from the street side valiance to the steaks in the window, the bar and a nice clean, comfortable dining environment made the ambiance excellent for me.     

​

​

​

​

Bill Baron "The Chairman"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• The food makes the place.  But the place impacts the food.  Honestly, I could perhaps give an overall score of 5 stars if the food was served in another venue, but I nonetheless give it a very high rating because of the food, the service and the ownership. Combined were really very, very good—and as such hits worthy of a solid 4 star overall rating.  As you’ll note below, the food edged into the 5-star category for me.

 

Food:  5/5

• The most important part of the evening, other than experiencing really wonderful fellowship amongst the SVSM, is the food.  And for me, the food (the steak) was outstanding—hence the 5-star rating.  As Denise put it “who ordered the girl steak”?  Well, that was me.  I enjoyed the hell out of their 4oz Filet.  It was prepared as perfectly as it could be to a perfect medium.  The flavor was super-duper with a hint of char.  The sides also quite tasty—a right-sized double stuffed potato and delicious fresh carrots. I didn’t indulge in many of the appetizers while focused on the main meal.  It did not disappoint, rather, it was a hit.

 

Bar/Wine List:  5/5 

• Chef Boyardee brought wine again.  And why I start drinking it I’ll never know.  Same outcome the following morning.  But I can never say “no” to Chef Boyardee’s hand selected wine offerings.  So delicious and so kind of him to share his reserves with the rest of us. As noted later, Denise ably tended bar—perfectly able and then some.  Ten guys walk in and poof, we all have drinks nearly in a snap of the finger.  She is remarkable and quite pleasant to boot.  I’m personally not a fan of the bar décor but, oh well.

 

Service:  5/5

• To start, we had the honor of shaking the hand of the owner, Hamdi Ugur. What a cool cat and what an American success story/entrepreneur.  He knows only one thing—to do things honestly, to work hard 7 days a week, and to deliver a fantastic product.  And he does.  Our bartender/assistant server was Denise.  She was full of kindness, professionalism and a dose of vinegar.  Perfect for our crowd.  And last but certainly not least—our server Tanya who hails from Belarus.  She was marvelous, captivating and so incredibly professional.  Just was absolutely terrific and if we had a higher scale above 5, I would offer to these ladies, Hamdi and the entire team.

 

Ambiance:  3/5

• This category is a really tough one, unlike the ease of judging the food and the service.  On the one hand—as I was walking in from the street, I felt like I was in some interior mall/arcade setting in Capitola.  Why Capitola comes to mind, I’m not sure—perhaps from a childhood memory.  Regardless, it’s hokey.  A restaurant of this caliber deserves a better entry experience than what I experienced.  Restrooms were a bit hokey as well.  It certainly is no Be-Steak-A or Alexanders, but not many are.

​

​

​

​

John Poch "Chef Boyardee"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• The longevity and success of Porterhouse Steakhouse is clearly due to the stellar service and quality of the steaks served. It is definitely not the ambiance.

​

Food:  4/5

• Large selection of appetizers to choose from. We ordered for the table five selections. The Sweet & Spicey wings were served with a sweet chili sauce, the wings were small but plenty of flavor. The Polenta Fries were topped with a beef ragu and fontina cheese, they are not fries, they’re strips of polenta that require a fork or spoon. The 36-hour pork belly was tender but a bit too fatty. The Beef spring rolls were filled with dry age beef and veggies, but loosely filled which lost most of the filling as you tried to eat them. Nice flavor though but the definite winner was the exceptional Steak Tartare. Our sever expertly mixed the diced raw steak with a medley of chopped parsley, capers, cornichons, Dijon, red onions lemon zest and a soft quail egg that were to be spooned over a toasted baguette slice. Of all of the appetizers, I would pass on the first four but will definitely order the Steak Tartare. Appetizers a 3/5.

• My Entrée selection was the Third Avenue Club Steak, a 16-oz Bone-in New York Steak and it was excellent. The dry aging of the meat was evident in the slightly game flavor and tenderness of the steak. Kudos to the chef who cooked the cut perfectly to medium rare. Nice lite brandy peppercorn sauce to accompany the steak, just enough not to overpower. The steak was seasoned perfectly with a touch of salt. The steak was served with a twice-baked potato, glazed carrots and a steamed Romanesco that was delicious. Terrific presentation and preparation of the entire entrée. The steak was a 5/5.

• We were provided an assortment of desserts that included a molten chocolate cake that was served with a vanilla gelato, Bread Pudding with a butterscotch caramel sauce, Bananas Foster prepared tableside by the owner, Chocolate Souffle and a Grand Marnier Souffle. All of the desserts were delicious. Desserts were 5/5.

​​

Bar/Wine List:  4/5 

• As soon as you walk-in to the Porterhouse, look to the right and the bar is waiting. No frills, just a well stocked bar and if Denise is the bartender, expect an exceptional cocktail. She was terrific in reading the crowd. Wine list provided a nice selection of California, French, Italian and Spanish wines. Pricing was fair in regards to “steakhouse wine lists”. They were very generous with their corkage fees, which was appreciated as we brought a very nice 2013 Forman Cabernet, in which they decanted for us. 

 

Service:  5/5

• Service was exceptional from the owner greeting us at the door and constantly checking-in our table throughout the evening, to Denise the bartender – who was extremely attentive to our needs and as friendly as a bartender should be and our food server Tanya – a pro’s pro. Thoroughly explained the menu as well as provided recommendations. Service was exceptional. Type of service that will make any first-time diner of Porterhouse return regardless of the meal served.

 

Ambiance:  2/5

• Upon entry you would think you were walking into a diner, until you see the temperature-controlled meat cabinet adjacent to the front door with about a million dollars of dry aged meat on display. Nice old-fashioned bar that shared the lobby space with a hostess counter. Since we were a group of 10, that expanded to 12 for reasons I do not care to elaborate, we were seated in a private room that was an all-glass atrium. Definitely did not provide a traditional steakhouse vibe, but if this was the only space available, so be it. The restrooms were outside in the public parking garage. For a group of businessmen out for dinner, that’s not a deal breaker, but if you’re binging family or out on a date night, slightly irregular for such a quality establishment with the highest of quality steaks served. Only area that did not live up to expectations.

​

​

​

Ron Zraick "RonZ"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• The South County boys once again have found a hidden gem that exceeded expectations. Porterhouse has been in downtown San Mateo since 2007. Owner Hamdi Ugur, a native of Turkey, has been dry aging steaks in house since 2013.  The experience was once again Steak Masters pleasant surprise. Nine of the 10 Steak Masters were in attendance, with The Dictator having to cancel due to a work engagement. He was missed.  The dinner was arranged by MJ (aka Billy Goat) and the Wingman. Although they kept us in suspense for quite a while (as usual), once again they delivered. A big thank you to the Ditch Digger for making the van and excellent driver Eddie available to squire us to and fro. And thank you to the Chairman and Chef came bearing gifts, including SVSM logo’d cups and homemade bacon. 

 

Food:  4/5

• Porterhouse is definitely a steakhouse, but with a slightly expanded menu that includes fowl, seafood, pasta, and lamb and pork chops. They dry age their own beef in a refrigerator that is right by the entrance. It’s nice to see what’s in store for dinner. Even George ate steak; we are not quite ready to be the Silicon Valley Fish Mongers. We started with appetizers including the polenta Poutine, pork belly and steak tartare.  All three were delicious but the poutine was a really nice take on the traditional dish subbing polenta fries for French fries. The steak tartare was prepared tableside with a quail egg on top. Nice and delicate. Lord Mayor and I split an iceberg wedge. The dressing was more delicate than most strong blue cheese dressings and the addition of pickled shallots added a tanginess to the dish. But we came for the steak, and it did not disappoint. I ordered 14oz dry aged boneless ribeye and it was outstanding!  The outside was seared a little more than “usual”, but that sear locked in the delicious, earthy, nutty dry aged flavor in a middle that was done perfectly medium rare. I typically cannot eat a 14 oz cut of beef, but I had no problem polishing off that steak.  The glazed veggies were so much tastier than the usual steamed veggies and the twice baked potatoes were fantastic!  I’m not a big dessert eater, but the crème brulee and the chocolate mousse were nice way to finish the meal.      

 

Bar/Wine List:  4/5

• The bar at Porterhouse was kinda quiet when we walked in, but we took care of that. They have a terrific selection of bourbon, including Pappy Van Winkle and all of the Weller bottles. I went with one of their “little brothers”, 10-year-old Eagle Rare. It was just fine and much more reasonably priced than big boys.  MJ and Chef Boyardee brought some wonderful wines. I enjoyed one glass of Pinot Noir, since I had plenty of whiskey before dinner.

 

Service:  4/5

• Service was great all night. Owner Hamdi made sure we were well cared for. Our main server, Tanya, was great. She made sure we had everything we needed and put up with a bunch of drunk(ish) old men who could have rattled a lesser person. She is from Belarus, so it was interesting to hear her perspective on the goings on in that part of the world. Denise was our bartender, and she was great too, and pitched in in the Dining room to help out. She delivered the best line of the night as she brought out the Chairman’s 4 oz filet mignon and asked: “OK, who ordered the girl steak?” Thank you, Denise!

 

Ambiance:  3/5

• I would say that the décor is a little dated. The bar was comfortable, a little bright. None of us look that good (ok, maybe Mr. Beautiful does). We couldn’t get a good read on the dining room because we were in a private room.  This is usually a no-no for Steak Masters, but the room was large and had openings to the bar and the main dining and I’m sure the masses appreciated us being away from them. Good job gentlemen! 

​

​

​

​

Mike Preston "Ditch Digger"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• Surprisingly great experience. I say surprisingly because the entry to the restaurant is underwhelming to say the least.  It looks like an abandoned retail strip center coming off of 3rd Ave. a long winding entry filled with retail outlets some abandoned.  Once inside the facility it appears aged like the large chunks of beef hanging in the refrigerators all around the entry. But that is where my negativity stops. From that point on I felt a warm comfy feeling from the staff and the cozy nature of this excellent steakhouse.  Bruno the owner was always beside us, greeting us at the bar and all through dinner assisting the excellent wait staff.  A wonderful experience making for another great night of friends and culinary delight.

 

Food:  4/5

• First of all my steak was fantastic. One of the best 8 oz fillets I have had. Melt in my mouth delicious, very tender and with great flavor. Leading to this wonderful steak were a very good assortment of appetizers. All were delicious and lead me to believe that this dinner would be better than I expected from this non -glamorous facility. We indulged in Steak Tartare, Beef Spring Rolls, Chilled Prawns, and Crab cakes.  Everyone of those was super tasty and fresh leaving me totally impressed.  Unfortunately, the one negative experience I had that evening followed the excellent appetizers.  And that was the wedge salad. I was really surprised at how bad the salad was.  It didn’t look good and it didn’t taste good. It tasted stale and old and boring.  This one item of disappointment I would rate as a 1 out of 5.  But before and after that salad was amazing and I would return for another meal anytime.

 

Bar/Wine List:  4/5 

• Another very enjoyable experience.  The bar is very small and intimate which I like.  The wine list strong and all the other drink possibilities available. A great place to gather with a few friends for a glass of wine or too.  Made even more special by the fantastic lady serving us from the bar.  Its amazing how much a person like that can make a night special. I found this true of the entire staff, from Bruno on down which makes this bar and this facility warm and welcoming.

 

Service:  5/5

• Service was extraordinary.  Again, starting with the attentiveness of Bruno the owner to our wonderful bartender to our intelligent and highly competent young lady from Belarus server.  All worked together all evening to provide us with excellent service and stimulating conversation. Truly wonderful people.

 

Ambiance:  5/5

• With the exception of the facility entry, I found this restaurant to be warm and cozy with a very fun vibe.   Perhaps not the most romantic place for a special anniversary dinner but surely a place to enjoy with a group of friends.  Thank you Bruno, for making our night special.

​​

​

​

​

Michael Mulcahy "Lord Mayor"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• When Wingman Gary C is on the planning team, you know it will be a special treat. Never having Ben to his choice, it was a mix of culture and reconnection with our SVSM. Restaurateur Hamdi Ugur, first an employee working 7 days a week, then owner of the former Bogie’s, Hamdi opened his hospitality rich Porterhouse in 2007. His team of mostly female servers and tenders we a great, hospitable and capable reflection of Hamdi. It was a real treat to find this gem.

 

Food:  4/5

• The menu is creative, but stable, as you might expect from a steakhouse that dry ages its own cuts of prime beef. I started tasting some of the appetizers, notable to me were the crab cake, beef spring rolls and Niman Pork belly. The texture and tang of the pork belly were especially yum. I chose the aptly named, Third Avenue Club Steak, which is the restaurant’s locale. It was a 16 oz bone-in New York strip, dry-aged in house, accompanied with a tasty side of brandy peppercorn. Served medium-rare, and likely the thermometer would have proved it was exactly that, the crusty exterior and really beautiful interior of the beef made for the best cut I have had in awhile.  The mushrooms and Brussels sprout sides were my favorites of our choices. I actually skipped desert this time around.

 

Bar/Wine List:  3/5 

• The bar was our first stop, of course. At first glance, not much to write home about. But the bartender was very helpful, and while my martini wasn’t cold enough for me, it was serviceable. We brought our own wine, corkage not too drastic, and the wait staff kept up with the open and pour as needed.

 

Service:  4/5

• Hamdi was attentive, and our main server was fabulous. A hard working, knowledgeable about the menu young woman, she handled SVSM without missing a beat. We enjoyed conversation about her heritage and grateful for her help to navigate the menu. The overall restaurant flow was light, a Wednesday just coming out of another Covid surge, but the energy from the place felt good for us. I expect the service is equally good when the place is in a Friday night rush.

 

Ambiance:  3/5

• Admittedly, restaurant ambience is hard to judge during and immediately post Covid. We were also in on a Wednesday. But the place has the right bones, no pun. It has a nice enough bar area, a wrap around dining room and ample covered patio space.

​

​

​

​

George Reilly "Jorge"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• Hidden Gem of a Steakhouse on the Peninsula: With a large sign out front on 3rd Ave, you need to explore a little to find the restaurant back in a former movie theater building from days gone by.  But once inside, Porterhouse steps up and delivers a terrific experience. Cocktails, appetizers, steaks and the venue itself were all well inline with what you look for in a traditional steakhouse.

 

Food:  4/5

• The food at Porterhouse was absolutely amazing! My Cowboy, an 18 oz Ribeye was cooked a perfect medium rare and was delicious.  I also had sides of grilled asparagus, wild mushrooms and brussel sprouts with bacon and they all added the perfect balance to my wonderful meal.

 

Bar/Wine List:  4/5 

• From the moment we walked in the bartender greeted us and immediately prepared fabulous cocktails. My usual dry martini was delivered very chilled and promptly. Before I finished she was on top of things and had my second waiting for me before I put down my last sip of the first.  Can’t say enough about a bartender who knows what they are doing, is polite and prompt and always wearing a smile.  Wine selection was taken care of by bother Poch, so I can’t speak to the wine selection at the restaurant.

 

Service:  5/5

• Top notch! The whole staff top to bottom was on top of things for us all night. I have nothing but praise for all.  As you would expect at a great restaurant, and Porterhouse certainly delivered, service was spectacular.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• Porterhouse is not a free-standing building, but as I mentioned above, it is a hidden gem and is well worth not only a try, but a few of them! Traditional steakhouse interior layout with a well appointed bar and plenty of room and rooms for private parties. Porterhouse doesn’t disappoint!

​

​

 

​

Case Swenson "Mozyington"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• The “secret entrance” makes coming through the door a little mysterious. Once you enter, the old school feel makes you in the mood for a fine scotch. To put it simply, the restaurant had a great feel and set the stage for every guest to have a great night.

 

Food:  4/5

• The food was fine, but not a highlight of my experience.

 

Bar/Wine List:  5/5 

• The bar had everything I could ask for and was a showcase. I am a simple consumer of vodka and soda, so I did not experience the signature cocktails.

 

Service:  5/5

• Not only was the service good, our server made the evening even more enjoyable by adding some humor of his own.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• The woodwork on the bar clearly shows that there is a lot of history behind it, because the craftsman of today cannot create something so detailed. Also, the window in the dining room makes the room feel large and open, but the size of the room still feels quaint.