Eating Out Michelle Le

Sundance The Steakhouse serves up succulent New York strip steak. A mecca meatfor After 40 years, Sundance retains its high standards and charm

by Dale F. Bentson school charm. Michelle Le 974 was a momentous year. Richard Nixon re- In these days of celebrity signed the presidency, the Oakland A’s beat the chefs, restaurant empires, glitzy 1Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, “The chains and often unintelligible Sting” won best picture, the price of a first-class stamp menus, Sundance stays with Longtime customer Bob Siegmann, left, catches up with waiter James during the rose to 10 cents, Robert M. Pirsig published “Zen and one location, keeps the facility lunch hour at Sundance. the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” — and in Palo in tip-top condition, trains the Alto, restaurateur Robert Fletcher opened Sundance staff in fine-dining details, en- Mining Co. sures the kitchen maintains the highest standards and building and opening Hungry Hunter restaurants, while The rest is history. Sundance Mining Co. morphed uses the finest ingredients — and the menu needs no Hamner was a regional manager for Jack in the Box. into Sundance The Steakhouse and is thriving in its translation. After the successful launch of their Sundance Min- 40th year. Sons Aron and Galen Fletcher are now run- Robert Fletcher and partner Richard Hamner ac- ing Co. steakhouse, the pair founded four Pacific Fresh ning the classic American steakhouse on El Camino quired the Stanford View restaurant when the prop- restaurants, which they sold in 1991 to a Japanese com- Real in Palo Alto with topnotch food, attentive ser- erty became available in 1974. Both had worked for vice, an excellent wine list and decor that exudes old- corporate restaurant chains: Fletcher was in charge of (continued on next page) www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 19, 2014 • Page 27 Eating Out

Sundance The Steakhouse 1921 El Camino Real, Palo Alto 650-321-6798 sundancethesteakhouse.com Hours: Lunch: Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner: Sunday-Monday, Tidbitsby Elena Kadvany 5-9 p.m.; Tuesday-Saturday, 5-10 p.m. CHO’S, RESURRECTED ... Palo hold a Q&A following the film. ✔ Reservations Outdoor Altans’ favorite hole-in-the-wall The screening was made pos- dining dim sum spot Cho’s Mandarin sible through Tugg, a website ✔ Credit cards Dim Sum, which closed earlier that allows people to request ✔ Private ✔ Lot Parking parties this year after receiving a sudden that films come to local theaters. 60-day notice from the landlord, Tugg requires a certain number Alcohol: ✔ Noise level: is being resurrected in downtown of advance reservations in order full bar moderate Los Altos. The restaurant, which to confirm an event; the threshold ✔ Happy Hours Bathroom sold potstickers, pork buns and was met earlier this week, and

cleanliness: Michelle Le the like on the cheap for 35 years a limited number of tickets are ✔ Children excellent at 213 California Ave., announced still available. Go to tugg.com/ ✔ Takeout the news on its Facebook page events/12449 to reserve a spot. last Friday, Dec. 12. “Something The menu at Sundance features Dungeness crab cakes with sherry new is coming to Los Altos,” the FOOD TRUCKS GET FIVE YEARS (continued from previous page) cayenne aioli. post reads, with a photograph of ... The uproar in Menlo Park the new restaurant at 209 1st St. over the arrival of Off the Grid, a pany. After an amicable separa- sons grew up in the restaurant a course at Smith Barney (now According to Yelp, the space was weekly food truck market held in tion, Hamner went on to found business but chose different ca- Morgan Stanley). According to most recently occupied by Chris’ the Caltrain station parking lot, is the Una Mas chain of Mexican reer routes. Galen became a certi- Galen, on Christmas morning Fish and Chips and is near the but a distant memory. The city’s eateries. fied public accountant with Ernst in 1992, Robert asked his sons corner of State Street. The 2,337 Planning Commission (on which Fletcher mined Sundance. His & Young while Aron charted whether they were interested people who signed a Change.org this writer’s father serves, full in taking over the business, or petition to keep Cho’s open on disclosure) granted a unanimous, whether he should sell it. It was California Avenue will surely be long-term blessing to Off the Grid ® time in his life to take a step back. lining up as soon as the restau- on Monday night with a new five- By 1996, both brothers were GOLDEN GLOBE rant reopens. year permit. The market — one NOMINEE working at Sundance full time — of more than 20 that Off the Grid

BEST ACTRESS • REESE WITHERSPOON DRAMA Galen first and Aron a few years ‘OCCUPY THE FARM’ ... Docu- operates throughout the Bay Area later. In 2000, Robert retired, but mentary “Occupy the Farm” tells — first launched in February 2013 he retains a financial and spiri- SCREEN ACTORS GUILD the story of the battle over the Gill at Merrill Street and Ravenswood ® tual interest in the business. Tract, a large plot of University of Avenue, with about 10 trucks AWA R D NOMINEE “My dad was almost a stranger BEST ACTRESS • REESE WITHERSPOON California-owned land in Berkeley serving up eats every Wednesday when we were growing up,” Ga- that the university planned to night. Benjamin Himlan, Off the len recalled. “He was always develop and community mem- Grid’s director of business devel- working, always on the go, mov- bers wanted to preserve and use opment, told the planning com- ing around from city to city as farmland. The film, directed mission on Dec. 15 that about opening up Hungry Hunter res- by Todd Darling and produced 600 to 800 people came each taurants. I was determined that by Steve Brown of Woodside, week during the summer, but that for the first 20 years, I wanted to documents a day in April 2012 number has now dropped by ap- fully participate in my family’s when hundreds of people flooded proximately 60 percent, the Alma- life. I didn’t want to miss out. I onto a section of the land and nac reported. As a result, Off the wanted soccer practices and all “occupied the farm,” planting Grid has been closing at 8 p.m. the school activities. I needed to 15,000 vegetable seedlings in instead of 9 p.m. and will go on stay in one place, concentrate on protest. The film premiered in hiatus from Dec. 22 through Jan. one business.” early November but is just now 4. The longer hours will return in It seems to have worked out making the rounds to Palo Alto, March, Himlan said. for everyone, especially the din- with a one-night showing at The ing public who keeps the place Aquarius Theatre this Monday, Check out more food news packed, or nearly so, through- Dec. 22, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. out the year. Besides the dining online at Elena Kadvany’s blog, “Occupy the Farm” filmmakers Peninsula Foodist, at paloal- rooms, booths, quiet nooks and and “special guests” will also private dining areas, there is a toonline.com/blogs/. lively bar scene with a long list of contemporary cocktails. The wine list boasts more than 400 minutes after it is off the fire, served on a gingery Asian salad BASED ON THE INSPIRATIONAL BEST SELLER labels, mostly California, and the protein molecules relax and and Idaho potato skins ($11.50) BY CHERYL STRAYED most of that cabernet — the per- reabsorb the juices. That’s what with cheddar cheese, smoked ba- fect pairing for beef. makes a perfect steak. con and chopped green onions. Slow-roasted for eight hours, But Sundance offers more The steakhouse classic wedge the certified Angus prime rib is than just great beef. The Pacific salad ($9.95) comes topped with offered in 8-ounce to 14-ounce swordfish ($29.50) was sea- house-made blue cheese dress- cuts: $32.95 to $42.95. On a re- breeze fresh, dusted with spices ing, chopped tomato, crumbled cent visit, the juicy, flavorful and grilled over an open flame. blue cheese and smoked bacon. SCREENPLAY BY NICK HORNBY meat was served exactly as or- The fish was succulent and moist. The clam chowder ($6.50 cup; THE DIRECTOR DIRECTED BY JEAN-MARC VALLÉE OF DALLAS BUYERS CLUB dered — rare, with minimal fat. Sauteed New England sea $8.50 bowl) was loaded with Creamy horseradish and hot au scallops and wild gulf prawns clams, potatoes and onions. jus were served on the side. The ($28.50) were plump and meaty, Desserts aren’t made in-house, meat was accompanied by veg- nestled in a reduced white wine but to house specifications. The etables and a choice of potato or garlic butter sauce with an am- signature mud pie ($8.95) — cof- NOW PLAYING IN THEATRES EVERYWHERE rice. brosial hint of fresh garlic and fee ice cream with an Oreo cook- CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATRES AND SHOWTIMES Fork-tender was the 13-ounce pepper that tickled the palate. ie crust in a puddle of hot fudge, USDA Prime New York strip The chicken Marsala ($22.95) topped with whipped cream steak ($48.95). The steak was was a pounded-thin breast, sau- and chopped peanuts — is big Palo Alto Weekly (San Jose) served at the optimum tempera- teed in Marsala mushroom sauce enough to share and has been on ture: hot, but with time enough and then served under a blanket the menu since opening day. Also FRIDAY 12/19 for the meat to have rested after of earthy, fragrant mushrooms. good was the New York cheese- 2 COL. (3.87”) X 8” TM cooking. Meat proteins heat and There were plenty of appetiz- cake ($7.95) with a strawberry #29 ALL.WLD.1219.PAW coagulate during cooking, and ers too: mouthwatering golden fruit sauce. Sign up today at www.PaloAltoOnline.com moisture is driven towards the brown crab cakes ($14.95), fi- What’s not to like? Happy 4 COLOR center. If the meat rests for a few let mignon spring rolls ($12.95) 40th, Sundance. n Page 28 • December 19, 2014 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com