It’s Friday night, and it’s a special occasion. You just got a new job, and you want to celebrate with friends. Maybe you just want an excuse to eat something other than fast food. Most likely, it’s date night.
The first thing to establish is where you’ll go. If you’re an old man, the obvious answer is a steakhouse. Steakhouses are classic. They have steak. They have atmosphere. The good ones often have sommeliers to help you with the wine selection.
The steakhouse to go to in Old Town is Sonny Lubick’s Steakhouse. Coach Sonny Lubick is a CSU legend, so much so that the new on-campus stadium will be named in his honor. His steakhouse has all the attributes of a fine dining experience: fine food, friendly servers, pristine white tablecloths and lots of fancily-dressed customers.
First, Sonny’s provides complimentary bread and butter before the meal. They present guests with three types of butter, my favorite being the orange butter. Of course, you need to try them all to make your own judgment. Just remember to use a butter knife and not a steak knife when you put the butter on your bread plate.
On to the important part, the steak was a perfect medium. The edges were grey. The middle was a firm pink with a small amount of juices dripping out. Ordinarily, A-1 steak sauce is a necessary appurtenance to a steak dinner. However, the garlic butter on this steak added the right amount of flavor to compliment the steak’s savory taste. The steak had a small bit of fat on the edge, as is common for most strips. I personally prefer that it all be trimmed off, but that’s a matter of opinion. The important thing was that the fat was soft and buttery and not hard or chewy. Also, the au gratin potatoes were a nice side to change up the pace from the usual fries or baked potato.
Now, if you’re on a date, it’s important to remember that your date may not be interested in a steak. Thankfully, Sonny’s has several steak-alternative menu items. This vegetarian alternative to the duck breast is a creamy farro pilaf with Hazel Dell mushrooms, English peas, crumbled goat cheese, fresh arugula and a port wine reduction.
The chef’s recommendations are the duck breast, tournados of beef filet and the tempura lobster tail. According to the chef, the most popular menu item is the 12oz. petite filet.
Another option you may want to consider is skipping the entrée and going straight for dessert. There’s nothing wrong with showing up for a well-made dessert and coffee. Plus, you still get points for taking your date to a nice place. Just make sure she understands you’re only going for dessert before you get there.
A burger will get you just as full as a steak; what you’re really paying for is the experience. Sonny’s is one of the best fine dining experiences in Fort Collins. It’s casual enough that you can forgo a tie, but I would still recommend wearing a sport coat or blazer at the least.
As for the atmosphere, one of the songs playing while I ate was by Chris Stapleton. Stapleton is a new country artist whose music sounds reminiscent of the classic country western ballads. This isn’t an article on good music, but it’s important to note that Chris Stapleton is an excellent musician. The fact that the management at Sonny’s chose to put his songs in their playlist shows that their taste is not limited to food alone.
There is a non-formal bar area for watching the game in. The bar has its own menu with burgers and sandwiches. I’m not a fan of the bar. I think it detracts from the formal dining experience.
If you’re going to spend upwards of $20 on your meal, you may as well get dressed up. Your money is worth good service, well-prepared food and an appropriate atmosphere. Sonny Lubick’s Steakhouse delivers in each of those areas.
