The Acme of Chophouses
I’d been in a gastronomic slump. The meals I’d written about recently ranged from the promising but flawed (Grand Pu Bah, Beretta) to the abysmal (Chow, Mijita, Whole Foods Bistro). There were also some non-blogged disappointments at old standbys and places I’d tried for the first time.
I snapped out of my slump down at the ballpark, with a home run meal at the Acme Chophouse. Their bone-in rib-eye is one of my Top Ten Steaks in the City and it did not disappoint.
We led off with the iceberg wedge ($9.00). The ten-year obsession with the iceberg wedge as haute cuisine is one of the most ridiculous culinary trends of all time, ranking right up there with servers delivering black pepper from oversized grinders. There’s no taste and no nutrition. What’s the point??? But Mackie likes ‘em so I deferred to her wishes.
As far as wedges go, it was a good one. The lettuce was ultra crisp. The blue cheese exhibited the perfect degree of pungency. I’d quibble with the menu’s description of “creamy blue cheese” because the dressing was oil-based but the taste was great nevertheless. Mackie detected a hint of savory flavor. I believe it came from some marinated onions chopped into the dressing. All in all, a stellar effort on a dish that’s not one of my favorites.
The all-star of the evening was, of course, the steak. Per usual, we penciled a split of the 22 ounce, bone-in rib-eye ($47.00) into the lineup. The menu declares a $2.00 split charge, which seems petty for a 22 ounce, $47 steak. Isn’t it more than a bit silly to boast that your meats are “raised…without the use of antibiotics or hormones” and then expect someone to do far more damage to their health than any antibiotic or hormone would cause by eating that monster by themselves??? I was pleased when the split charge didn’t appear on our bill.
The steak was cooked flawlessly, some charring on the exterior, juicy, properly salted. Splitting a steak with Mackie can be a challenge for me because she likes medium rare and I like medium. Acme’s medium rare was a true medium rare so I could deal with it. I hate it when medium rare comes out rare by any reasonable definition of the word.
The steak comes with several side sauces. My advice is to keep them on the bench. This steak is so good that you don’t want anything to come between the beef and your palate.
For sides we ordered asparagus and macaroni and cheese.
The asparagus ($7.00) was excellent, cooked al dente, drizzled with olive oil and topped with a tapenade. I found the tapenade to be annoying but easily pushed aside.
Food-wise, the only disappointment was the macaroni and cheese ($8.00). It was cooked nicely, with a nice cheesy crust on top, but was bland. Adding some sharper or saltier cheese would have made the dish more interesting.
While not enough to spoil the glow of our meal, there were some service slips. Wine glasses were not removed until we asked, even though we’d ordered iced tea (very good, by the way) to drink. We had to request bread and when it was delivered, we received three paltry half slices. Mackie asked for sautéed garlic on the side for the steak. The kitchen would or could not comply despite this request having been honored on previous visits. The steak was not split as requested. Rather, it was served to me, we had to request an additional plate and I had to cut the steak and serve Mackie. All were noticeable but none so egregious as to blemish our overall experience.
Acme’s rich wooden décor is very flexible. It’s casual enough for the ballpark crowd, including kids, yet nice enough for entertaining important clients (though I wouldn’t do that on game nights unless you’re going to the game.) As far as I can tell, there’s no kid’s menu. Given the prices, probably best for them to split a plate with mom or dad. Parking is a problem when there’s a game. At other times, it’s readily available, including a valet option.
Since I bagged on Managing Chef Traci Des Jardines when I reviewed Mijita, I feel obligated to give her props here. She's done a great job with Acme. Jardinière too, but that's another review for another time (namely, a time when my wallet is much fatter).
Despite the image created by Wile E. Coyote in the Road Runner cartoons, being called Acme is a good thing. The Acme Chophouse lives up to its name.
Acme Chop House
24 Willie Mays Plaza
at King Street and 3rd Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
415-644-0240
Web site
Food inspection score: 92
Symbol of Excellence: Yes
-Friendly: Fun Date, Casual Business Meeting, Formal Business Meeting (but not when there's a game, unless you're going)
Posted by Grumpy at 5/13/2008 11:48 AM 
Categories: Soma, Steakhouse, Celebrity Chef, Iced Tea, Conversation-Friendly, Formal Business Meeting-Friendly, Fun Date-Friendly
Categories: Soma, Steakhouse, Celebrity Chef, Iced Tea, Conversation-Friendly, Formal Business Meeting-Friendly, Fun Date-Friendly
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