DINING OUT: Daniella’s Steakhouse

Restaurant earns its reputation as a gem on State Fair Boulevard

By Julie McMahon

 

Daniella’s Steakhouse

670 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse, N.Y. 13209

315-471-9874  •  www.daniellassteakhouse.com

Sunday – Thursday, 4:30 – 8 p.m.  •  Friday – Saturday, 4:30 – 9 p.m.

 

From the moment we stepped through the doors to the follow up call the next day from the owner to ensure everything met our standards, Daniella’s Steakhouse on State Fair Boulevard delivered an elevated experience.

We were seated immediately at our reservation time on a busy Wednesday night and took in the dining room, which was a little smaller and cozier than we expected, with just about 15-16 tables plus a bar that seats around 10 people.

Jazzy music played lightly in the dimly lit romantic tavern. Accents of stained glass light fixtures and wooden paneling on the walls were elegant touches that made the place feel special. You’d never suspect the restaurant was housed inside a Best Western.

Our server took a little while to get over to us, but was friendly, chatty and efficient. She took our whole order on the spot, all at once, so the pace of our service moved along quickly thereafter.

We ordered The Jeffrey ($12.37) and an Apple Mule ($11.34) for our beverages.

The Jeffrey tasted like fresh raspberries. We overheard another server warning a customer that the drink was on the sweeter side, but I found it to be not too sweet. It contained cranberry juice which brought tartness and balance.

The mule I found to be sweeter, actually, but very apple-y and delicious. You could smell the apples emanating from the drink and together with the ginger beer it was a nice flavor combination.

We then started with the wedge salad ($12.48), crisp and light. The blue cheese tasted like it was homemade. One of us is a big blue cheese fan and the other typically is not but we both found this to be delectable. It made for a nice combination with tomato and iceberg lettuce and crispy bacon — the seamless mix of a classic salad executed perfectly.

We also got the crab-stuffed mushrooms appetizer ($18.72). These were huge, two giant stuffed mushrooms heaping with crab meat. They were generous portions and did not skimp on the crab. The flavors were spot-on but the texture was missing something, maybe breadcrumbs. It was topped with bechamel and bacon and scallions, which did add a bit of texture. The heavy rich sauce on top of already rich crab meat did make for a very filling bite.

With our appetizers we were also served warm fresh bread that hit the spot. It was crispy on the outside but warm and soft on the inside. A server said they typically serve the bread with honey butter but had run out, so we had the regular butter, which was still good.

For our entrees we ordered the certified angus beef top sirloin steak ($40.56) “Daniella’s style” — served with sauteed mushrooms and a demi-glace ($5.20).

The 10-ounce aged steak was cooked perfectly, to medium as ordered. It was a good temperature with the appropriate pinkness and slight juiciness, not dry at all. It was tender overall but charred on the outside, which added a good texture and a bit of crunch. The topping added texture and flavor to the dish as well.

It was hard to choose our steak option, as the structure of the steak menu allows for a lot of customization. Daniella’s offers options of steak cuts and toppers, which included Gorgonzola sauce with caramelized onions, crabmeat with asparagus and hollandaise, and an 8-ounce lobster tail, among others.

Further customization was available for the abundant side dish options. We opted for loaded mashed potatoes for our side ($4.16) – figuring you can’t go wrong with cheese, bacon and sour cream. These were truly loaded. The side dish was actually bigger than the steak (which was not small). The potatoes themselves had a good garlicky flavor and meshed well with the other toppings.

We also ordered the chicken Marsala with fettucine ($35.60).

This is one of our favorite classic Italian dishes and Daniella’s did not disappoint. The Marsala wine sauce was really strong and savory, accented by tender mushrooms and black pepper. The fettucine was al dente, cooked perfectly and the chicken was tender and juicy. The sauce definitely stood out. The portions here were large too. We had leftovers and gobbled them up at home quickly because the dish was so tasty.

While we enjoyed our entrees, the tables next to us celebrated anniversaries (one couple had four years under their belts while another was celebrating 48 years together). The servers offered to bring out sparklers, and the older couple said yes. It was a special moment as a server brought out the little firework to the table and the crowd clapped in excitement.

The sparkler left the smell of sulfur in the air, mingling with the aromas of the grill and seafood. We felt warm, full and cozy and soaked in the ambience as we finished up our meals.

We passed on dessert having indulged on the appetizers, but felt content at the end our dishes.

The prices were on par with what we’d expect for a steakhouse and slightly high-end place. Our bill totaled $151.66.

The next day, owner Charlie Roman personally called the number we gave on our reservation to thank us for dining in. We’ve heard everyone gets either a personal visit to their table or a follow-up phone call from Roman. What a special touch.

For our first time visiting after hearing much high praise for Daniella’s, we join in giving this place high marks.