Monday, June 17, 2013

Fleming's Steakhouse and Wine Bar
6373 Topanga Canyon, Woodland Hills

by Don Grigware

This is my second review of Fleming's since January. This visit was even more memorable due to the maitre d's presentation at each table and at the bar of the new WiNEPAD, bound to delight and brighten each and every customer's dining experience at Fleming's. In January I highly recommended Fleming's for its delicious aged prime beef and fine service and still do - and now with the wonderful addition of the WiNEPAD, Fleming's is introducing us to a totally unique and  novel treat!

The WiNEPAD, like an iPad, is easy to use and with the flick of a finger, you can bring up Fleming's entire magnificent array of wines to accompany your meal. We're not just talking entree here but... you can perfectly match a wine to every single course. Our lovely waitress Lindsey chose a wine flight selection at my request of Merryvale Stanly Ranch Rose, Mer Soleil Silver Chardenay and BR Cohn Cabernet. These are just three of the hundreds to choose from at Fleming's. The Chardenay I drank with my appetizer of crabcakes and calamari, the Cabernet with my scrumptious New York strip and the rose with my dessert of ice cream and whipped cream combo. Each wine was ideally suited to the food I chose for each course, setting them off even more deliciously. I am not a wine connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination, but, boy oh boy, you learn pretty fast about wine choices by playing with the WiNEPAD. After you read the detailed explanation at bottom of all that the WiNEPAD has to offer, you will understand why it's a gadget that becomes an indispensable guide as well as a delightfully fun tool to use at Fleming's. 

Located in the heart of Topanga Canyon, Fleming's means elegant dining. Its ultra modern design, spacious dining room with tables and booths, a full bar in front and kitchen partially visible to the side, all add up to providing the comfortable surroundings one expects in a top-notch restaurant. Thanks to Lindsey and maitre d Matt Tietig, this Saturday evening was a relaxed and uber lovely dining experience. As I mentioned earlier, I chose the New York strip...and as luscious sides garlic mashed potatoes, creamed spinach and onion rings. My friend and I shared the gigantic plate of onion rings and the creamed spinach, which, by the way is about the creamiest I have ever tasted. My friend chose the Ribeye steak which he truly relished with blue cheese mashed potatoes. Every item was delectable. And it goes without saying that each steak at Fleming's is cooked perfectly to your specifications and is unbeatably tender and juicy.

For dessert, there’s a lovely Crème Brulee, as well as Fleming's renowned Chocolate Lava Cake. It's a sinful concoction with luscious, warm chocolate filling, that literally spills out when you cut into the cake. It is served with ice cream, real whipped cream and cookies over chopped pistachios. Since this was my choice the first time, I let my friend try it this time, and he just raved about it. It is difficult to stay on your diet when you eat at Fleming's. The rich food is simply divine, so plan a fast before and after you eat there, but, please, do not miss the foods I have mentioned, or their wonderful prime rib, a specialty on Sundays.

The pleasant atmosphere lends itself favorably to a romantic table for two, but at the same time can also serve the event/party needs of a larger group. Surprising to me was the fact that there were many families with small children for Saturday dinner. This speaks volumes about Fleming’s menu choices and popularity when whole families choose to dine there. There are 3 locations: Woodland Hills, Beverly Hills and El Segundo. Visit their website for more info like exact addresses, complete menus and pricing:


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(more detail about the WiNEPAD)
Available tableside or at the bar, the Fleming’s WiNEPAD™ has other standard features including: • Wine List Tab – Sorts wines in progressive order from lightest to fullest by region, varietal, Fleming’s 100® selections, wines rated at 90+ by Robert Parker Wine, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast and local selections chosen by the location’s Wine Manager; • Maeve’s Raves – Presents wines selections recommended by the National Director of Wine Maeve Pesquera; • Perfect Pairings – Showcases wine and food pairings based on the Guests’ menu selection by providing three perfectly paired wine options that deliciously accentuates complementary flavors. This takes the guesswork out of selecting the perfect glass of wine for each course; • Spin the Bottle – Provides a fun and adventurous take on ordering wine for the indecisive. The bottle icon spins and lands on a different selection each time; • Share This Wine – Gives Fleming’s Guests the ability to email themselves any wine on the wine list. The email comes to the guest’s inbox complete with their new favorite wine, tasting notes and an image of the label; • Register for ‘Friend of Fleming’s’ – Encourages Guests to sign up directly from the Fleming’s WiNEPAD™ to receive exclusive offers from Fleming’s and the opportunity to be the first to know about seasonal menus, exclusive wine tasting events and other extended offers; • Tonight’s Features – Gives the inside scoop on everything happening at your Fleming’s tonight. 
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