As often as possible, my wife and I target Friday night as “date night.”  It’s tradition that we started a couple of years back, looking for an out of the house venue to celebrate the end of the week alone.   Last evening, we stopped by the local Fleming’s (www.flemingssteakhouse.com).  I was introduced to Fleming’s in Boston by my wife many years ago and it’s remained one of my favorite dining spots.  During dinner, my wife made a very astute observation about the restaurant and the personnel that I have never been aware of and frankly, it fascinates me.  More on that later.

From the moment you enter the restaurant, you’re greeted with warm smiles that make you feel as if you’re in the company of old friends, even if it’s your first visit.  You’re escorted to your table or booth in a warm, slightly darkened room decorated with dark red wood and tastefully placed wine bottles of all sizes that emits an air of elegance, comfort and romanticism, and on a Friday evening, lots of energy and conversation.  I don’t think we’ve ever sat for more than thirty seconds before a polite staff has greeted us and launched our evening.   What so impresses me about the servers is their sense of presence, fully attentive yet never pressuring.  They know when to present and when to step back.  But what I find most impressive, is the effort taken by ownership to visit each and every table and not simply a “hi, how is your dinner” courtesy call.  I observed the ritual of operating partner Barney Confrey last evening, as he made his way around the restaurant from one guest party to the next, often spending minutes at any given spot.  But he doesn’t stop there.  Behind the scene, he’s subtly supporting his staff where needed, resetting a table or escorting guests.  Without being obvious, he keeps the room flowing smoothly.  We had a kind visit from executive chef partner Ethan Schulz who stopped by to kibbitz with us as did wine guru Dale Zinkowski who assisted us with a great wine to pair with dinner.   Speaking of dinner, we started with chopped salad of iceberg lettuce garnished with fresh blue cheese.  For the entrée, we split the 14oz bone in Filet Mignon but asked if they could prepare it “au poivre” style.  If you not tried this cut of beef, you’re in for a treat.  The cut of meat is, of course, exquisitely tender, but the bone in infuses some extra flavor and richness that’s a step up from the traditional dish.  Accented with a serving of peppercorn sauce, this dish was complete!  For sides, we ordered creamed spinach, sautéed mushrooms and blue cheese infused mashed potatoes.  If this sounds like a recipe for a hearty red, you’re right. 

While there’s a long and diverse inventory of wine from which to choose, I asked Dale if he had anything off the list that might be fun to try.  Within a minute or two, he honed in on a Rioja and Brunello.  The Brunello was the Argiano 2005, a good vintage year in Montacino and one that probably could have been stellar if not for rains during harvest.  I’ve been on a Brunello kick recently so it won out.  The nose offered gorgeous scents of deep ripe plum and dark cherry and the first sip out of the bottle delivered what I expected, deep dark fruit, chewy tannins and long finish.  But time in a decanter and the spicy meatiness of the filet mignon, brought the two together in a perfect match.  In fact, the chewy tannins were the perfect foil for the au poivre preparation.   What a great end to the evening.  By the way, if you have any of the ‘05 Argiano in your cellar, it’s just entering its drinking window but easily can rest for another few years.  The ’04, by the way, is even a step up and also just entering its drinking window.