The Pirate Review - Daniel's Broiler

It's a worthy effort, but not quite up to snuff for the price

I must begin by pointing out that I'm not a food presentation snob; although I prefer pleasant surroundings and require a basic standard of cleanliness in a restaurant, the food doesn't have to be highly fussed up and garnished to excess to get my best rating. That said, when a restaurant presents itself as a culinary experience rather than simply a good dinner, I'm more inclined to grade it harder than I would an ordinary hash joint. Daniel's Broiler appears to be positioning itself as an upscale, four- to five-star restaurant, but in order to achieve this near-perfect rating a restaurant must offer near-perfect service. On the occasions when something does go wrong, exemplary customer service must come into play; a restaurateur must do everything within reason to make sure a guest leaves happy. Our experience, although good overall, was something less than perfect.

We'd never been to Daniel's Broiler, but we'd heard good things about it and we had a gift certificate that was about to expire, so one rainy evening in mid-October 2000 we decided to have an impromptu "special occasion" dinner. Set on the 21st floor of the Bank of America building in downtown Bellevue, Daniel's is a classic '50s "martini chic" steakhouse, complete with what appears to be an extensive bar (we can't vouch for the quality of the cocktails, as we don't drink), marble-topped tables, copper chandeliers, spare New York School-style abstract paintings, and Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald to set the mood.

Reservations were running slightly behind schedule, so we had a seat near the front of the restaurant while our table was being prepared. The atmosphere was busy, bustling and somewhat loud. Within a few minutes, a hostess arrived to lead us to our table; she stopped for a moment to show us some of the premium cuts of steak in their raw state. She also suggested where we might best be seated to enjoy the view of Bellevue and the Seattle skyline from our table. Our server, who was pleasant and gregarious, began by bringing us a small loaf of good, crusty bread and butter and filled our water glasses promptly; they were never allowed to run dry at any time during the meal.

To whet our appetites, we began with an appetizer of broiled jumbo scallops, each one about the diameter of a silver dollar, slightly crispy outside and glistening white within, almost meaty in texture. The scallops were wrapped in bacon and served over toast points with a dollop of béarnaise sauce and sprinkling of chives. For reasons unknown, this appetizer consisted of three scallops although we were a party of two; we shrugged and split the third.

A cold, drizzly autumn evening calls for warm clam chowder, and Daniel's offered portions by the cup and bowl. My cup of chowder was exactly what it should be—a smooth, well-seasoned creamy stock with diced potatoes, celery, and clams that were neither too soft nor too rubbery. A dusting of fresh-ground pepper provided by our friendly server added the right amount of bite.

I ordered the 12 oz. prime rib-eye, medium rare, with garlic parmesan mashed potatoes and a side of peppercorn-brandy sauce, while my husband opted for the prime New York steak done to medium. The hostess politely suggested that we cut into the center of our steaks to see if they had been cooked to our liking. Both were cooked and seasoned to perfection, an explosion of flavor on the palate; the side of sauce I'd ordered, although delicious, almost felt like gilding the lily and remained largely unused. The potatoes were an excellent accompaniment to the steaks, creamy and flavorful, with a few lumps here and there attesting to their having been made from scratch. Once our entrées had arrived, our server temporarily made himself scarce; he did not come back to check up on things, although we were quite pleased with our choices.

So if the food was delicious, the surroundings pleasant and the service reasonably attentive, what was the problem? There was a missed step. We also ordered a side of asparagus, which I'm sure would have been equal to the rest of the meal had we actually been able to sample it. Unfortunately, the asparagus never arrived at our table. When the server came for our bill, my husband quietly and pleasantly explained what had happened; our server apologized for the error and did not charge us for the item. Although he behaved in a perfectly acceptable manner, this was the minimal amount of service required in this situation. Our server did not take the initiative to go beyond basic service and make certain we left happy, despite the error. This extra effort is essential to create return patrons in an upscale restaurant, as most people—even wealthy couples—are hardly in the regular habit of spending close to $100 on dinner; when they do, they expect a little something extra for the price.

I began this review by saying I am not a food presentation snob, but I must admit to being a customer service snob. In this arena, Daniel's did not quite come through for me. Although Daniel's Broiler offers a great view, delicious food and acceptable service, the cost does not quite justify the experience. I will probably not return in future, but I did have a pleasant time and can recommend it with only minor reservations to carnivorous friends.