So last week, my friends and I gathered together to wish a Farewell Dinner for one of our close friends Mr. James Chen. We decided to rendezvous at Clearman's Steak & Stein in Pico Rivera. They are part of the chain that owns North Woods Inn in Santa Fe Springs, CA as well. Seeing today is the day that James left for Philadelphia, it is fitting that I write the entry dedicated to him today. Well, not so much dedicated to him but the meal that was in his honor.
The Sidecar
Sidecar Cocktail
Judgment: You would be surprised how many bars in established restaurants don't know how to make this drink! It is definitely one of the basics when you study to be a bartender, and even my friend Dianne who doesn't drink regularly knows or at least has heard of "The Sidecar"! I'm not sure what the bartender used in this rendition but it doesn't taste like the usual Henessey Cognac that was supposed to be in it but it was still fairly good. Crisp, tart taste and pleasant to the mouth. 8 / 10
Pile of Butter
Literally, they laid out piles of butter for us. No, this was not a dish so I won't be making any judgment on it but I thought it was note-worthy
Garlic Cheese Toast
Texas Style Toast with Garlic and cheddar flavors
Judgment: It is as you would expect. A cheesy buttery piece of toast. Oh and there was some garlic flavoring in there. Over all, I thought it might have been a bit too greasy, but it's to be expected at this kind of restaurant. If you love this kind of flavor, this bread is for you, and feel free to ask for seconds. 7 / 10
Clam Chowder
New England Style Clam Chowder
Judgment: Nothing particularly amazing about this soup other than how WATERY it is. I thought it was a creamy chowder, but the soup runs like water! The cream overwhelmed most of the other flavors in the bowl, there was barely even any clams in it. I say stick with the salad, don't waste your time with the soup. 3 / 10
Ribeye Steak
12oz. Boneless Ribeye Steak with Onion Rings and Baked Potato
Judgment: The steak is plated table side via a hot cart. The cart held hot plates so that the food doesn't get cool while transported from the kitchen to the table. The Steak is a superior cut and my piece was well marbled. Originally I was thinking I couldn't finish the entire steak, but it was delicious. The Onion Rings again, don't waste your time. The baked potato on the other hand, they provide you with that pile of butter remember? They also have a Sour Cream mixture that tastes similar to French Onion Dip, plenty of Green Onions/Scallions, and a Nacho Cheese Sauce to dress your potato. The steak itself is lightly seasoned and I wished mine was seasoned a bit more. I ended up adding a little butter and salt to the steak to give it the flavor it was missing. All in all, as a whole, just have the Baked Potato and the Steak. We'll just ignore the Onion Rings and grade this one. 9 / 10
Chocolate Rum Sundae
Vanilla Ice Cream Sundae with Fudge and Rum? Topped with Whipped Cream and Maraschino Cherry
Judgment: I did not taste the rum in this at all. Generally disappointed. Also, the meal I had was quite filling already so when the sundae came, it was pretty much overkill for me. I gave the old college try to devour it but I only finished about 60% of it. It just tasted like your typical ice cream sundae you can get just about any ice cream parlor or even McDonald's if you add a little whipped cream and a cherry to theirs. 4 / 10
Conclusion: The restaurant is a cozy little place. The parking is a little confusing but the idea is just drive AROUND the entire lot until you get to the front of the restaurant again. My car would've had trouble on the drive way so I was kinda glad I didn't drive. Although, carpooling wasn't the best idea because I ended up having to backtrack a bit to go home.
The Restaurant gets an A-Rank.
Bonus Material:
Farewell James! Oh and look there's a pregnant Joe.
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