alexander's steakhouse

alexander’ssteakhousehad excellent service. no water worries, and napkin folding when you are away. the service has marked improved over the years. the prices are expensive, making this a special occassion place. do not come here trying to skimp, save u

wine list review. i have been to this restaurant 20+ times since it opened and i have never walked away disappointed. i even sat next to jerry rice on new year's eve a few years ago and watched him drink a bottle of the 1996 dom perignon rose. i am a transplant from nyc so i have eaten at a few steakhouses, but alexander's is as good as anysteakhousei have ever been too. yes it can be expensive, but it is worth it.

here is an insider's tip if you are taking your spouse / partner and you don't want to break the bank: order the 20oz prime rib and ask them to split it. they will be more than happy to do so and it is delicious.

my recommendation is to start your evening with the 2007 dehlinger, chardonnay ($50) or the 2010 gary farrell, sauvignon blanc ($54), and follow it up with the 2004 casanuova delle cerbaie, brunello di montalcino ($64) or the 2008 etude, carneros, pinot noir ($78).

alexander's has an extensive wine list, but the focus on this review is to point out the best values on the list for wines that sell for less than $100 a bottle.

as with all vinoservant reviews, you will see the price at the restaurant followed by the mark-up over retail (2010 scarpetta, pinot grigio | $34 | 2.0x | this translates into a retail price of $17).

vinoservant's top wine values under $100 a bottle at alexander's

white wines

120+ selections that range in price from $34 to $1,085

2010 scarpetta, pinot grigio | $34 | 2.0x
2010 ceretto blange, langhe, arneis | $38 | 2.1x
2006 dr. loosen, graacher himmelreich, mosel, spaltese, riesling | $60 | 1.8x | top pick
2007 schloss goberlsburg, renner kamptal, gruner veltliner | $88 | 2.2x

2009 kathryn kennedy, sauvignon blanc | $44 | 2.2x
2010 capture, tradition, california, sauvignon blanc | $48 | 1.6x | top pick
2010 duckhorn, napa valley, sauvignon blanc | $54 | 2.0x
2010 gary farrell, redwood ranch, sonoma county, sauvignon blanc | $54 | 2.2x

2007 dehlinger, unfiltered, russian river valley, chardonnay | $50 | 1.5x | top pick
2009 domaine louis pinson chablis | $52 | 1.7x | top pick
2009 figge, pelio vineyard, monterey, chardonnay | $56 | 1.6x | top pick
2009 beringer, private reserve, chardonnay | $60 | 1.7x | top pick
2009 kistler, les noisetiers, sonoma coast, chardonnay | $94 | 1.7x | top pick

red wines

350+ selections that range in price from $38 to $2,250

2010 haden fig, no. 52, willamette valley, pinot noir | $38 | 2.2x
2008 zotovich family vineyards, estate, santa rita hills, pinot noir | $70 | 1.8x | top pick
2008 ken brown, santa rita hills, pinot noir | $74 | 2.2x
2009 emeritus, hallberg ranch, russian river valley, pinot noir | $74 | 1.7x | top pick
2007 joseph swan, saralee's vineyard, russian russian river valley, pinot noir | $76 | 2.5x
2008 etude, carneros, pinot noir | $78 | 1.8x | top pick
2008 peay estate, pomarium, sonoma coast, pinot noir | $94 | 1.8x | top pick
2008 white rose, dundee hills, pinot noir | $94 | 1.3x | top pick
2003 morey-st.-denis, domaine heresztyn, les millandes | $98 | 1.2x | top pick


2008 elizabeth spencer, sonoma coast, syrah | $40 | 1.1x | top pick
2006 surh luchtel, page nord vineyard, napa valley, syrah | $50 | 1.8x | top pick
2009 alain graillot, crozes-hermitage | $62 | 2.1x

2007 joseph swan, zeigler vineyard, russian river valley, zinfandel | $58 | 2.1x
2009 turley, pesenti vineyard, paso robles, zinfandel | $76 | 1.6x | top pick

2009 vietti, barbera d'asti, tre vigne | $38 | 2.0x
2008 mauro veglio, angelo, langhe nebbiolo | $46 | 2.3x
2005 castello di volpaia, riserva, chianti classico | $50 | 2.0x
2004 casanuova delle cerbaie, brunello di montalcino | $64 | 1.3x | top pick
2008 alvaro palacios, les terrasses priorat | $78 | 2.2x
2003 boroli, cerequio, barolo| $94 | 1.6x | top pick

2009 freemark abbey, napa valley, merlot | $44 | 2.2x
2008 selene, frediani vineyard, merlot | $80 | 2.0x

2007 petit manou, medoc | $45 | 2.4x
2008 kathryn kennedy, lateral, bordeaux blend | $60 | 1.8x | top pick
2005 chateau petit-bocq, st. estephe | $60 | 1.8x | top pick
2008 laird family, napa valley, cabernet sauvignon | $64 | 1.7x | top pick
2005 rosati family winery, mendocino county, cabernet sauvignon | $72 | 2.4x
2008 kathleen kennedy, small lot, cabernet sauvignon | $74 | 2.2x
1999 chateau bourgneuf-vayron, pomerol | $84 | 2.5x
2008 a. rafanelli, dry creek valley, cabernet sauvignon | $86 | 1.6x | top pick
2009 snowden, the ranch, cabernet sauvignon | $88 | 2.5x

alexander's prides themselves as a "fine dining interpretation of an americansteakhousewith hints of japanese influences laced into the menu". i was very excited about trying this place out because of raving re

mediocre steak in a michelin starsteakhouse?. first time at alexander's, the place was packed on a week night. pretty noisy, too, a bit more than i'd expect at this price level. people in torn jeans and zippered track jackets. hmm.
hamachi shooters were good, and so was the cesar's salad. lobster pastry amuse bouche was nice, but we came here for the steak, right ? i had the new york strip in brandy-peppercorn sauce. the meat was cooked nicely. but needed some salt. ok, that's easily fixed, but the peppercorn sauce was severely lacking in flavor. a couple of bone fragments i bit into didn't improve things. the meat was a bit stringy and not particulary tender, even for a strip.

at $150 a head, i expect better.