Chateaubriand 36 — Restaurant in Ashland

This review is on the longer side so this is just my basic summary: Overall the food quality was disappointing especially for the price. If you are set on going here, consider ordering the cheese plate and a steak.

I read reviews prior to eating here that complained of service but said the food was superb. My experience was somewhat the opposite. I don't like to leave negative reviews. I am not sure if the kitchen was having an off night and I like to give benefit of the doubt. It's possible that you will have a good experience, but I wanted to share my experience for others, and provide some recommendations of potential food items to avoid on the menu. I ate here on 9/8/2023. I have only been to the restaurant one time.

To start my fiancée and I shared the cheese board and the steak tartare. The cheese is selected by the Oregon Cheese Cave which is owned by a french woman. They import their cheeses from France and have very high quality products. You can't go wrong with the cheeses, would highly recommend you order this. This was served with some crackers, however no bread provided which I found a little strange. I have not had a lot of steak tartare in my life but I enjoyed the flavors and found it to be tasty (as did my fiancée).

For our main dish we ordered the whole duck to share (which is four cuts of breast, two legs, and two wings). This comes with potatoes. We also ordered asparagus for some vegetables. Unfortunately our duck was overcooked. The breast pieces (the magret) had no redness to them. The meat from the legs should easily melt off the bone with your fork but because it was overcooked the meat was tougher. It was a disappointment and especially for $75. The asparagus, conversely, was undercooked. Thick ribs of asparagus, bland (with what didn't seem like any seasoning), and were much too tough to be appetizing.

For dessert we got the lavender crème brulee. A crème brulee should have a nice hard crust that you can crack with satisfaction with your spoon. Underneath should be a smooth creamy custard. Unfortunately our crème brulee barely had a crust over the top of it., as if not enough sugar was melted on the top. Moreover, the custard was too soupy of a consistency. Again disappointing.

Between the meal and the bottle of wine, we spent $236. The food was definitely underwhelming. The best part of the meal was cheese (which obviously isn't cooked, you could buy this yourself at Oregon Cheese Cave). They do have a pix-fix style menu (which on that night was only like $35 per person). I suggest doing something like this if you want to try the restaurant out. I would maybe consider coming back here to try a steak. I would advise against getting duck here as I'm not sure the kitchen knows how to...

I don’t even know where to start or how to articulate how I feel after such an amazing, elating, and cosmic experience. My wife and I had the honor and pleasure of having our 10th wedding anniversary dinner at Chateaubriand 36 today. For such a milestone, a celebration of great magnitude is in order which the chef and staff at Chateaubriand 36 far exceeded at doing. It was my wife and I’d first time eating here and over my dead body will it be the last time. Every single item we ordered was nothing short of perfection. I knew butter was good, but the bread and trio butter spread (not pictured) showed me things I couldn’t think of in my wildest dreams. The rest of the dinner was like a journey. Starting with bewilderment, love, and passion but ending with sorrow due to the journey coming to an end. My taste buds have never been assaulted by flavor in such a manner before and it will forever be welcomed. The meats were cooked to their most immaculate and perfect consistency, an extent that is only done by a master of their craft. I’ve never wanted to hug a chef more after a meal but this one gives me the desire and drive to find the father of the chef and shake his hand for raising such a flaunt musician in the kitchen. To the staff of Chateaubriand 36, you welcome my wife and I with a journey of taste that only Tolkien could describe. You made our 10th anniversary memorable (especially with having the whole restaurant to ourselves thanks to the OSF). I look forward to our next experience at Chateaubriand 36 and long for the day I can experience and rejoice this...

This one was a split decision. Kudos to the menu design. Lots of intriguing options and to have it themed as a French steakhouse injected fresh flavors beyond the usual streak, greens, and potato fare of an American steakhouse.

I ordered the beef cheeks. My initial thought as I went in was “these people know what they’re doing.” The meat was so tender and flavorful, and it melded seamlessly with the truffle sauce and cauliflower puree. The broccolini was charred beautifully with just enough crunch. We were off to a strong start!

The hanger steak was a different story. A difficult cut of meat to get right. The center was a perfect medium, but the crust was over-charred and giving off bitter, ash-tray tasting vibes. A couple of the center cuts showed the potential of the dish, but as you approached the blackened ends, it wasn’t appetizing.

The drink list was exciting and I enjoyed the “Rum with a Vieux,” a sort of rum-based take on an old fashioned. We got a Caesar salad to start, which was mostly made from the dense lettuce hearts and was again, overly bitter.

This was an intriguing restaurant to visit. I won’t be rushing back, but given the glimmers of technical mastery, I won’t cross it off my list either. At a lower price-point, this place would have been a 4, but when paying premium you can’t drop the ball on an...