Silver Fox — Restaurant in Richardson

Great start… horrible finish.

To set the scene: Monday, July 7th, it is my birthday and I wanted to try a new steakhouse in the area. Normally my go to is III Forks or Dakotas but wanted to give Silver Fox a try as it is closer to our area. Dun dun dun.

I tried the Garrison Brothers Old Fashion and it was PHENOMENAL. My wife tried the Mezcal con Fresa and it was great as well!

Moved on to the bread and butter, great! Nice doughy bread with a nice crust and for appetizer we ordered the Onion Rings. They were great! Nice, crispy, and the special chipotle ketchup it comes with had great flavor and a nice spice.

At this point I was very excited for the meal because it started off really well.

I ordered the Bone in Ribeye ($89), about an inch thick, which came on a butcher board and salt that was doused in whiskey! I was very excited because the presentation was awesome and the nice touch of whiskey salt should take the steak to another level. I ordered my steak Medium. When it came out and I cut into the middle, it was Well done and just had the slightest touch of pink in the middle. Not what I ordered. I told the waiter that I asked for my steak Medium and she apologized and went to get me another one. 15 minutes pass and the waiter comes back by and mentions that the kitchen is slammed and they are behind. They only had half the restaurant full and that’s generous. Another 5 minutes pass and here comes my new steak. I cut into it and it is border line Rare to Medium Rare. The waiter then argues with me and says since it’s a different cut of meat the pink for medium is different than a filet. Medium is Medium anyway you look at it. I tell her it’s fine at this point because my family is finished eating and all the sides that remained were cold. She mentioned that the manager was coming and he would take care of me. Another 15 minutes pass and he finally comes over. He apologizes for the kitchen and then continues to tell me that he is trying to get the kitchen to make what I want and that medium has different variations to it. No. My steak was borderline Rare on a good day. As a steakhouse, hitting temps on a steak should be second nature and not a problem. Especially when it costs $89.

At that price I would rather go to Dakotas and be treated better for a couple dollars more. While I understand kitchens have mistakes, the way the restaurant handled the mistake and acted like it wasn’t their fault was the problem. The manager comped desserts, we did not request this, but it was my birthday and they said they were bringing one out anyway. I would’ve rather paid for my desserts and been able to eat a nice steak with my family for my birthday than free dessert.

My family enjoyed their food, and their steaks were cooked right, but agreed they did not handle the situation the best way. My steak was not cooked as it should’ve been….Twice. Then to argue that I don’t know what medium temperature is was my ultimate problem. I will probably visit again as others enjoyed their meal and the drinks and appetizers were good. However, at these prices I would rather go somewhere else and not be treated as if I had never had my steak...

It was Wednesday January 17 , twenty twenty four, I'm guessing near 5pm. There was still a little daylight out when we arrived and fortunately not painfully cold. I had the taste for a good steak but needed some place "near me" so I googled it. Silver Fox popped up first, I simply glanced over the pics and noticed the three $$$ that let me know it wasn't going to break the bank but also a symbol not classified as cheap. My company and I just came from roughing it by being outdoors and not exactly dressed our best, honestly I personally still had an unnoticeable amount of earth under my nails. However my company looked amazing, and once inside she immediately approved this location with a humbling smile on her lips and eyes. The young hostess, an attractive dark haired brunette had a soft and welcoming demeanor if though she actually enjoyed her job, and equally pleased when I confirmed we would stay. She grabbed two large hard cover menus from behind her and walked us over to our table - dimly lit and uncluttered, comfortable bench seats with the perfect height no matter how tall or short the guest. The hostess even laughed at my joke about how romantic the lighting in the dining area. The waiter, Michael could easily assess my female companion and I were newly friends. Michael would come to our table often but not annoying. I enjoyed his visits for he had the way to introduce interesting conversation points that she and I could play with while we spent this time together. For example, he had fun when bringing out a selection of eight or so custom steak knives for she and I to choose. We both giggled with oohs and ahhs as we chose our tool. I need not boast over the food, anyone made it this far in my memoir must experience it for yourself. I say this because originally I ordered my steak medium well understanding it would be a touch of pink in the middle, but the steak came out a little over cooked. Once the word was out the manger rushed to our table and in second snatched the plate also begging in numerous apologies, he even grabbed the mashed potatoes and took them all back. Before I knew it, I had another steak, filet mignon twice the size than the first one. The manager stayed while I made my incision into the slightly seasoned black outer until we both glared at a tender Red Meat medium rare inside. They thought I would be disappointed but this was the color I had always wanted yet was never achieved by so many other houses. I invited myself to take the first bite. My God! A perfect texture, a perfect texture from end to end leaving the white plate unstained by puddles of red juice that finally this chef commanded to have stay in the steak for me. My companion was obviously pleased that I was pleased and made a quiet brief comment whispering...

Upon arrival, we were promptly greeted by the hosting staff, who were polite and courteous, and seated right away. The atmosphere of the restaurant is warm and inviting, sparsely decorated with black and white photos of stars from ages past.

Not long after being seated, our waitress arrived. She was quick, friendly, and extremely knowledgable about the menu. We later learned by her admission that she had only been on the floor for a few days -- a solid testament to the training that they give their employees. As the evening progressed, she engaged in conversation where appropriate, and keeping her distances as we ate our dinner. Her timing was perfect. She or another member of the staff were always available to refill or check on food without being intrusive. We were visited by the manager a few times during the meal. Much like the wait staff, he was friendly, courteous, and welcoming. The service was top notch.

For dinner we had a bone-in rib eye, III forks salad, Creamed Corn, and Mushrooms. The salad is amazing. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had the III forks salad. The sides were perfectly cooked and delicious. The steak was perfect in every way. Perfectly cooked to a warm, ruby-red rare, buttery, with a perfect texture.

We had the citrus cake and bread pudding for dinner. The Citrus cake was probably our least favorite in the meal, but still very good. The sponge was moist and flavorful. The bread pudding was fantastic, though.

All things considered, this was one of the best experiences I've had at a restaurant in recent memory. Given the very reasonable prices for the amazing food that we had, Silver Fox definitely stands out for me as a top choice for anyone who wants...