SILICON VALLEY STEAK MASTERS

1st Quarter 2021 - Willard Hicks, Campbell, CA

March 3, 2021 | Ron Zraick "RonZ", John Poch "Chef Boyardee"

 

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OVERALL RATINGS​​

• Bill Baron "The Chairman" - 3/5

• John Poch "Chef Boyardee" - 4/5

• Ron Zraick "RonZ" - 4/5

• Mike Johnson "MJ" - 3/5

• Pat Quinn "The Dictator" - 3/5

• Gary Christensen "Wingman" - 3/5

• Mike Preston "Ditch Digger" - 4/5

• George Reilly "Jorge" - 3/5

• Case Swenson "Mozyington" - 5/5

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Bill Baron "The Chairman"

 

Overall Experience:  3/5

• Look, this was our first official gathering since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic—exactly 1 day short of one-year hiatus, and for that, I would give the evening 5 stars. Although maybe less because we were missing one member—Lord Mayor—who is travelling with his wife.  We missed you, pal.  While we have been together in the past year for a June 2020 backyard feast and an August 2020 trip to Bear Camp—those were not “official” steak dinner outings.  But always the chance to gather as a group is a tremendous treat.  On occasion, the food is second fiddle to the gathering and tonight’s meal was that for me.  So, 5 for the SVSM and 3 for the meal as it was “OK”—it was “good”.  But not “great”.

 

Food:  3/5

• The restaurant is short in cuts—only 3, each prepared 2 different ways.  OK, that’s variety but falls a tad short of “at least 4 cuts” in the SVSM rulebook.  That said, we gave a pass on this to include WH in the SVSM rotation. I have historically ordered a prime NY. Tonight, I selected the filet.  And as noted above, it was good. However, no char to speak of.  It was cooked nicely to a medium temperature but was warm to the taste, not hot.  In fact, the compound butter that was put on the top of my steak was still solid after having been on my steak for 2-3 minutes. Odd. The green bean side was good as well. I had the Caesar Salad before and it was different yet good.  Large cloves of garlic on top of large romaine spears with a couple of long parmesan bread crisps.  It was a bit tough to navigate, but OK.  Also enjoyed a bit of the appetizers—crab cakes and pork belly. I felt like the crab cakes were a bit more “stuff” than crab and as for the pork belly bites—just lacked underlying pork flavor to me.    

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Bar/Wine List:  4/5

• The bar service was decent and cocktails were good. Size/pour was decent as well. Chef Boyardee graced us with his large decanter and some delicious Kistler white and some amazing reds.  Just one of the very special guys of the group     

 

Service:  4/5

• Rebecca and her team did a very nice job in meal ordering and service. She did so with a brilliant smile and marvelous attitude—and would highly recommend her should you choose to visit Willard Hicks—Campbell. 

 

Ambiance:  3/5

• A bit lackluster. Unfortunately, we had to sit outside due to Covid-19 protocols. We also had to be split up between two tables (no more than 6 at a table).  However, I am not taking points away for that as such a policy is not the restaurant’s but the County.  But we have to provide some rating for Ambiance and it can get no more than a 3 in my book. We were up against the travel lane and at times very noisy. Again, great to be with the SVSM always and look forward to our next gathering between 4/1 and 6/30.

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John Poch "Chef Boyardee"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• A very creative menu, friendly staff and great cocktails. Not a black-tie steakhouse, but a friendly, warm-vibe setting restaurant perfect for dinner with friends and clients. As a former restaurateur with over 35-years in the industry, I had to ask myself how do you critique a restaurant during a pandemic. I know it's what separates the good from the great, and help people make decisions about where they should go out to eat - but with so many restaurants closed, scrutinized by our public health officials, limited to take-out and when they can finally have customers had to try to create an ambiance with outside dining only – I am definitely going to grade on a generous curve (just like I hoped for every science class I had in college). Only time will tell in regards to how the restaurant industry will survive after the pandemic. Just the fact they were able to survive nearly 12-months of being closed earns bonus points from me. With that being said, time for my review.

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Food:  4/5

• As for the food, we shared three appetizers for each table; Pork Belly Bites, WH Crab Cakes and the WH Cheese & Charcuterie Board. The Pork Belly Bites were the star with the spice from the hoisin chili garlic and heat from the fresno chilis. The Crab Cakes had a great sear and flavor – no dipping sauce needed. The Charcuterie Board was okay – not bad – but not in the same leagues as the Pork Belly & Crab Cakes.

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Bar/Wine List:  4/5 

• A great looking bar awaits you … after the pandemic. Unfortunately, the public health guidelines limited all patrons to dine outside and to view the bar from a distance. What I can say is that the cocktails were terrific. Great pours, flavor and look and our server was very attentive, quick and helpful. Let’s just say my glass refills were quick. The wine list was impressive with a nice selection of Central Coast, Napa & Sonoma wines. No superstar cult-classic wines, but if you know your wines, you will find something. I brought some wine which they did a very nice job of decanting and since we purchased a few bottles they waived the corkage charges. Glass replacements was offered as we transitioned from White to Red, a nice touch. Very impressed with the bar and wine service.

 

Service:  5/5

• Patio dining along the street on a cold night while looking at their spacious well designed dining room from the outside could have made the evening a challenge, but credit to the Willard Hicks team for the collective efforts to attend to our needs, from relocating our tables, adjusting heat lamps and constantly checking-in on us. I was very impressed with our server and the professionalism displayed by the manager and additional staff. Dinner was very well paced and you can sense how excited they were to finally have patrons.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• Hard to rate ambience with the public health guidelines not allowing indoor dining, groups limited to 6 per table, we were a group of 9, and outside dining only along a street on a cold evening. They did the best they could do despite the restrictions in a pandemic … so bonus points for surviving and being able to open … and remember … I am grading on a curve.

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Ron Zraick "RonZ"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• It has been a looooong time since the SVSM has gotten together at a restaurant to share a meal: one day short of a year. Our last dinner out together was Birks on March 4, 2020, less then two weeks before the “shut down for 2 weeks to slow the spread” order.  Yeah, we all know how that turned out.  Now, we can be a lawless group and did get together at an unnamed Master’s house for dinner with the Steak Mistresses (wives actually) and of course there was that time at Bear Camp.  So just being able to have 9 of us (Lord Mayor was out of town but did make a telephone appearance) was a treat.  It was great to see all the guys in their natural habitat and the folks at Willard Hicks did a great job making us feel welcome in an unusual environment.

 

Food:  4/5

• Not sure Willard Hicks Birks would be considered a purse “steakhouse” however considering the pandemic and the limited dining choices available to us, it worked out fine.  We had appetizers of crab cake and a charcuterie board, but the highlight of the appetizers was the pork belly.  Sweet and succulent with just the right amount of fat they were pure pig candy and one of the best appetizers in SVSM history.  For a salad, I ordered the southern wedge which was an interesting twist on a traditional wedge salad which included avocado, corn and sweet peppers.  I love a good salad, and this one did not disappoint. Since the pork belly was really rich, I ordered the filet mignon.  An 8-ounce cut was tender and delicious and done medium rare to perfection and topped with a simple herb butter. It came with a side and I choose sauteed green beans with shallots and they were good but Mozy was kind enough to share his house cut fries with lemon aioli and spicy ketchup and they were heavenly.  Really thick fries dusted with parmesan cheese and the dipping sauces complimented but did not overwhelm the flavors Sounds easy, but it’s not easy to balance the olive oil, vinegar and herbs. Now to the “steak”. We did not order dessert.         

 

Bar/Wine List:  3/5 (Bar), 5/5 (Wine)

• The bar at Willard Hicks was closed, so we took our drinks at the table.  Drinks were good and our server Rebecca kept them coming.  A couple of Jack Daniels on the rocks (my go to) before dinner and Chef brough a great magnum of merlot for our meal.  Chef has an excellent wine cellar, and the Merlot was not overpowering like a cab can be.  

 

Service:  4/5

• Our “main: server Rebecca was excellent.  She kept us supplied with libations, was patient and paced the courses so we did not feel rushed.  Her team was attentive and unobtrusive. Since we were seated outside (more on that later) it was a haul from the bar and the kitchen to our table, but you never would have known it.  We were well cared for. 

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• As mentioned, indoor dining was not available yet at Willard Hicks, so we had two tables next to each other in the “parkway” on the street.  In spite of managements attempt to have us keep our 6’ distance, we were able to congregate and socialize.  It was a little chilly to start the night but as the wind died down and out blood warmed up from the alcohol, it got warmer.  It’s lovely to dine outside and with some of the best weather in the world it’s surprising how few al fiasco dining experiences there were in the Silicon Valley before the pandemic.   Maybe we will have learned and will embrace outdoor dining like many other cities like NY and Chicago have.

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Mike Johnson "MJ"

 

Overall Experience:  3/5    

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Food:  3/5

• We started with the pork belly and crab cake appetizers. Both were good but I preferred the pork belly as I am spoiled with homemade crab cakes on a seasonal basis. The pork belly had a crispy/sweet presentation to it, which was right on the money. I think I had more than my fair share as I knew I would be only taking a bite of the crab cakes.  The crab cakes were better than most That I’ve had in restaurants as it had a fresh crab taste to it and was drizzled with a poblano pepper aioli that didn’t overrun the crab yet added a nice twist to the flavor. Next was the MJ famed Wedge Salad, “chopped and tossed”. Evidently Ditch Digger liked my idea and order the salad the same way, on the other hand, Wingman decided to put in the work and ordered it standard. I think we all like the salad as they came as advertised. WH uses really nice bacon in their wedges. For the main course, I went with a New York steak medium rare with fries. Now the steak was cooked well but unfortunately my first bite was on the cool side. Not a great start. I believe this was probably due to the Covid operating conditions. The fries on the other hand were epic. These are large thick cut “steak house” style fires – DO NOT MISS THEM!! Hot and crunchy – makes me want to go there now!

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Bar/Wine List:  4/5 

• We ate outside due to the current conditions, but I have been here before and they have a really nice indoor bar area. Our waitress was on fire with the cocktails, so we were never waiting long. Also, we had brought our own wine and the wine pouring was very prompt. 

 

Service:  5/5

• I thought the service was really good. Our waitress and the bus staff were right on it. The only bummer was the steak not being hot off the grill. Also, I didn’t give them a chance to fix that so really it’s on me for not letting them have the opportunity to fix it.

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Ambiance:  3/5

• The restaurant is on the main drag in downtown Campbell so it’s a great location. Due to the time of year and the fact we had to eat outdoors – NOT WH’s fault – it was chilly but go spring through early fall and this is a great location to have a meal.

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Pat Quinn "The Dictator"

 

Overall Experience:  3/5

• DUE TO COVID(my least favorite expression) the experience was muted as we had to sit outside in the bitter cold. They did provide heat lamps but it was breezy and loud outside. We were also met with luke-warm attitudes ranging from dis-interested table placement to “Put your mask on!” There are always better ways to convey the same information. Historically I have always enjoyed Willard-Hicks and the Covid blip will certainly not deter me from enjoying it again, post government lock-down. Parking is a chore in downtown Campbell, but I was graced with a spot just down the street. It was nice to see the downtown somewhat bustling with people. The restaurant was at 60% capacity from the observed table  count.

 

Food:  4/5

• We ordered appetizers for both tables (yes, DTC, we were separated into two tables) that consisted of Pork Belly Bites (super flavorable), House-cut fries (to die for) and Crab Cakes (Not my bag, Baby!) and a charcuterie board which was average. For the main meal I ordered the Peppercorn and Brandy Glazed Angus Certified NY Steak, vegetables and baked potato. All were cooked perfectly. The NY was medium rare with just the right amount of outer crust. I did navigate through some sinew, but not more than acceptable for that level of quality. The peppercorn sauce was smooth , not over-powering and I appreciated the onion ring crisps slathered on top. Great blending of flavors. Veges were typical yet satisfying. The baked potato was huge, fluffy and hot…just like me! Ha! I added butter, bacon and scallions to top it off. The skin was moist and seasoned very well. Fortunately, I managed to pass on any dessert!

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Bar/Wine List:  3/5

• I only ordered one Gin and Tonic. They used tonic out of the gun which I find too sweet and unappetizing. One of our hosts, John Poch, brought an amazing selection of wine. The Kistler Chardonnay was off the charts! And I do not typically drink Chardonnay. Thanks JP!

 

Service:  4/5

• Nothing to write home about, but I blame Covid. I had to finally run down a server to get the ball rolling with appetizer orders. Remember, it was cold and windy, we needed action to keep us going. If we were indoors and relaxed it would not have been a big deal. But they need to realize the situation and respond to it accordingly. Dinner was served promptly and we were well taken care of from then on.

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Ambiance:  3/5

• Again, DTC, we were outside in the elements at two separate tables. We made the best out of it, but would not do it again. They had trouble with the heaters on and off through the night which made everyone run hot and cold. Bathrooms were clean, which is always very much appreciated. We were happy that the ownership at Willard Hicks has been able to survive the last 12 month shut down and will continue to support them in the future. As with any SVSM dinner, the ambiance was mainly created by our wonderful crew.

 

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Gary Christensen "Wingman"

 

Overall Experience:  3/5

• Willard Hicks is about as far from a traditional steak house as we have ventured. Covid obviously played a part in the choice. The available outdoor seating at adjacent tables made it possible for us to gather where many restaurants just couldn’t make it happen. Still the intimacy factor of good friends getting together for a meal was just not there. All things considered we did not have a lot of choices. The setting was as nice as it could be for a neighborhood restaurant on a major thoroughfare with outdoor seating. No real comment on the decor, dining area, restrooms and so on. Service was good and our waitress was personable. We were warned about gathering too close by the hostess as we stood and talked between our tables. Judging by the crowd when we got there, people are ready to be done with the Covid restrictions and begin to congregate in public. 

 

Food:  3/5

• Willard Hicks doesn’t have a big selection of steaks. For the main course I ordered a New York steak cooked medium rare. The cut of meat was good but not great and it was a bit overcooked and over salted. The side dishes we ordered to share were also good. Our appetizers ranged from pork belly to mac n cheese and even some crab cakes. I enjoyed just about everything I tasted and I have to give them credit for successfully pulling off the variety of appetizers. The wedge salad was also good. Our meals arrived outside in a coordinated fashion. Our server (Rebecca) did a great job. It can’t be easy getting everything outside from an indoor kitchen at the same time and keeping it warm. Important to point out to prospective patrons that the price points at this restaurant are reasonable. 

 

Bar/Wine List:  4/5

• 4 stars here because we brought our own wine compliments of Chef Boyardee. In keeping with the rest of the experience I'm sure they have a very nice wine list. We ordered cocktails prior to dinner and attempted to mingle while the hostess kept a watchful eye on us. The cocktails were good and Willard Hicks does have some signature drinks on the menu that are pretty tasty. Hard to comment on the bar area from outside the restaurant. During better times the substantial bar inside the restaurant looks like it could support a large group of people and probably has regularly in the past. 

 

Service:  4/5

• This rating takes on a different meaning for a restaurant faced with the daunting restrictions in place.  We are spoiled and have received some pretty spectacular service at other venues including a regular and customary visit from the Chef. In this case, our waitress (Rebecca) was focused on our experience and our food delivery was prompt and uniform. Given the circumstances, our location outside and the Covid restrictions in place she did a great job taking care of our group. 

 

Ambiance:  3/5

• With respect to other full fledged steak houses across the Bay Area this restaurant is relevant but doesn’t really have a traditional steak house feel. It’s more of a community restaurant vibe which is also very inviting. This is a high traffic restaurant and in better times I’m sure the outside seating combined with the open area booths and tables inside is great. Overall, the restaurant has a very open feel. Willard Hicks is popular and well known as a fun place to get a variety of dishes including pasta, seafood, steaks and other popular cuts of meat. In my opinion it’s a good all around restaurant and they put forth a good effort to accommodate us. All in all and considering the restrictions in place, the experience is worthy of a good review. 

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Mike Preston "Ditch Digger"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• So glad to be back at a restaurant with seating and service and people and my Steak Master friends.  The covid shutdown really has put a crimp in the quarterly Masters pursuit of the perfect steak house.  Though we had to sit outside at a table on the sidewalk on a very cold night we were comforted by multiple heaters and good cocktails which kept us quite comfortable. I believe all of the Masters were in attendance with the exception of one. So a covid era get together, at tables on the sidewalk, with heaters and cocktails, with great buddies, really good service, and good food, all made for another great night. Thank you to our Hosts Ron Z and Chef Boy R Dee.

 

Food:  4/5

• I think the appetizers were tasty. We didn’t order as much of a variety of appetizers as usual. But the 2 appetizers that I am aware of were the Sweet and Sticky chipotle Baby Back Ribs and the Crab Cakes with fire roasted sweet peppers. Both delicious and worth having again. Though those ribs sure are messy. For an individual order I went with the WH Chopped Salad.  A combination of butter lettuce, kale, romaine with cherry tomatoes, apples, and of course yummy bacon. On most nights I would be plenty happy with just the salad for dinner.  Really tasty !! And then we get to the main course, another filet for the ditch digger.  I try hard to keep it consistent in order to judge the different restaurants fairly.  Filet almost every time.  And I just really enjoy this cut and all the different ways it is embellished with toppings. In this case , Willard Hicks serves the 8 oz medium cooked Angus Beef filet with a Blackberry Demi Glaze sauce,  some smoked bleu cheese and a truffled parsnip puree.  Wow! Super tasty. Tender, well cooked, and beautiful. Fantastic. And this is where things get fuzzy... The desert. Hmmmm, did we have desert? I don’t think so, or at least I don’t think I had any. Too bad, probably would have been very good.

 

Bar/Wine List:  4/5 

• Covid made the bar scene at WH very different, in fact, non-existent. The bar was still closed which is a shame because we could look inside and see a beautiful really long bar with lots of bar stools and big TVs, but nobody seated or standing anywhere around.  Outside only.  So we stayed seated at our curbside sidewalk tables and were served by an excellent waitress in a very timely manner. She made the difference and made our “bar” experience wonderful. My Crown and coke starters were as tasty as always. And when a couple of those were exhausted then I switched over to the wonderful wines that were provided once again by Co Host Chef Boy R Dee. I can’t tell what the names of the wines were but they seemed plentiful and darn they were delicious. Thank you Chef! 

 

Service:  5/5

• Dang!!! Really wish I caught the name of our waitress. She was Soooooo great. Timely, complete, fun, energetic and knowledgeable. Excellent. I gave some tip money halfway through the dinner because I thought she was doing such an excellent job. I would put her up there with the best of the best. And of course the kitchen staff has to make her look good and they did. Thank you to the back of the house.

 

Ambiance:  3/5

• Well, as I mentioned before were outside on a sidewalk. But you know, it was a cold winter night, we were bundled up under heaters, the town was well lit and very active. I think the ambiance was great! Seemed very festive.  No doubt I am excited to return to Willard Hicks Campbell. Can't go wrong!

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George Reilly "Jorge"

 

Overall Experience:  3/5

• My review is during the “reopening part of the Covid crisis”, so understand the review is biased from uncontrolled circumstances. To start we were all just glad to finally be able to get back the band back together, we had to eat outside at separate tables, so our group was close but not “together". Willard Hicks has done as good a job with their outdoor dining as they can, but it’s tough to review the overall ambiance of the restaurant, the interior and normal vibe of the restaurant given todays situation. So reviewing a fine steak house while sitting at tables right next to cars going by, is not what anyone normal expectation would be. Despite all that Willard Hicks put on the best faces and provided the Steakmasters a fine experience.

 

Food:  4/5

• Starting with the Pork Belly Bites and WH Crab Cakes as appetizers, the food got us going in the right direction, especially the crab cakes for me. My entree was a medium rare/medium Filet Mignon and it was prepared and served without disappointment. We shared some brussel sprouts and sizzling mushrooms that added a delicious balance to my filet.

 

Bar/Wine List:  3/5 

• I preface this critique with the “covid situation” again. The restaurant may have been understaffed in the back and of course we couldn’t go inside to the bar, but, service with the first few cocktails was slow.  My martini was however, served ice cold and shaken nicely with crisp olives, all to my liking.  For dinner we shared some very nice wines provided by team members and they paired nicely with our entries, so I didn’t look over their wine selection, but I have heard from friends, noone would be disappointed with their selections.

 

Service:  3/5

• Again, tough to critique a “normal night” at WH, when you are forced to eat outside, not at the same table and cars going by, closer than a normal “outside dining experience”. However, the staff was courteous and did the best they could under difficult conditions.  It was a cold night and the heaters weren’t what I would hope for, the initial drinks came slower than you would hope, but everything else was quite fine, just not magical, like you’d hope.

 

Ambiance:  3/5

• I’ve been to Willard Hicks for cocktails and appetizers a few times before and have enjoyed a “normal” night inside.  Normally, I have enjoyed and looked forward to meeting friends there and gathering at their bar top tables.  Unfortunately, this wasn’t that type experience, but the food certainly didn’t disappoint. The restaurant outside dining just isn’t set up for my style get together and based solely on the difficult current circumstances WH has to deal with.  I would love to review WH under normal operations.  To me, this night was more about finally being able to see friends again and being excited a restaurant was open for us to gather at.  WH certainly put a good foot forward and we were grateful we could share a safe and healthy gathering with friends.

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Case Swenson "Mozyington"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• This was my first visit to this location and under the current county regulations on outdoor dining, the place did a great job.  They complied with the mandated health protocols and we had plenty of outdoor heating lamps that kept us very comfortable despite the very cold weather.  It was a very enjoyable evening to spend with friends, sans our Lord Mayor, over great food, excellent wine and amazing stories. 

 

Food:  5/5

• I ordered my steak medium well and it was served sizzling and cooked exactly like I asked.  I have been to several steakhouses and most often than not, I had to send it back as it is generally undercooked.  This one was done to perfection!

 

Bar/Wine List:  4/5 

• I was expecting a limited drink selection at the place after being closed for service for several months, so I was surprised that they had a great selection of wine, beer and cocktails.  The wine I had was a perfect accompaniment to the food!

 

Service:  5/5

• Our server was a real hoot and his good one-liners really added to the fun of the evening, however, he was not in the same league as our humble dictator.  He did an excellent job and paid real attention to our orders, made sure we had what we needed without hovering over us.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• Ambience is difficult to assess as we did outdoor dining due to county regulations, but Willard Hicks made the outdoor dining feel close to its level of their indoor dining as good as humanly possible.

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