CA, Thousand Oaks, Holdren's Steak and Seafood

Holdren’s Steak and Seafood
1714 Newbury Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 phone (805)498-1314

On the far west end of Thousand Oaks is the suburb of Newbury Park. North of the freeway is an expensive gated community and a shopping center anchored by a Ralph’s supermarket. South of 101 is Newbury Road running parallel to the freeway past La Quinta, Motel 6, Courtyard by Marriott and Town Place Suites by Marriott hotels, an In and Out Burger, a Chili’s and a strip center in front of the Town Place Suites containing Holdren’s Steaks and Seafood Restaurant.

But for all it’s innocuous location, the restaurant does an excellent job. While waiting for my colleague to arrive I sat in the red room and enjoyed a split of Freixenet. The Red Room is a separate dining room off the main dining area. In ended up we were the only guests in that room which had tables set for 20 patrons.

After my friend arrived and had settled down with a vodka martini we shared a grilled Castroville artichoke served with dipping sauces of garlic butter and creamy ranch with rosemary. The artichoke was cooked a little too long and had lost the slight crispness that I like, but this may just have been my preference for lightly cooked vegetables.

For a main course I tried the rosemary bleu cheese sirloin. This was an 8 oz sirloin topped with a rosemary and blue cheese reduction. We were offered a soup or salad and a choice of vegetables. I passed on the soup and salad and ordered twice-baked potatoes with my steak. I like my steaks cooked medium with a little pink in the center and this was perfect. The potatoes were tasty and I cleared my plate. My friend tried the scallops with twice-baked potatoes and pronounced them excellent.

We washed the meal down with a bottle of Frog’s Leap Zinfandel that was mellow and round and full of character and ended our repast with a glass of Warre’s port and a cup of cappuccino.

An excellent meal with excellent service. The total bill was $230 but only $80 of the bill was for food and I make no apologies for tipping 20% for excellent, attentive but unobtrusive service.