We recently went to Beasy’s on the Creek to have a date night. It was our second time at Beasy’s and we were again pleased. We called ahead for an 8 o’clock reservation for a creek side table and were seated on time. We were pleased to see that a couple that came in nearly the same time as us were also able to get a table nearby, although they had no reservations. The restaurant was packed, but the hostess was very accommodating to the needs of all of the guests. The view and decor are guaranteed to please. The music was upbeat, thoughtful and engaging, although at times perhaps a little too loud to accommodate for outdoor conversations. Other things of note: From our seat you could hear the creek below, we had a wonderful view of downtown and the Lithia Springs Hotel, a couple dancing added to the mood and a lone warm candle was brought to our table as night fell. Overall, very nice.
On to the service and the food. The waitress was late to initially approach our table and approached a table seated after us first (the couple without the reservations); however, once she arrived she was very thoughtful. She provided insightful, knowledgeable information regarding the food and wine selections. Our wine glasses were promptly refilled the entire evening and were never left empty. We enjoyed the 2003 Conde De Valdemar Rioja Reserva ($28/bottle). The wine was filled with flavors of plums and berries with hints of oak. It was light on the palette, with a short, smoky, dry finish. It opened up throughout the meal and was a real treat.
For an appetizer we tried the Spicy Crab Cakes ($13). These are perhaps the most delicious crab cakes outside of Grayton Beach, Florida! The sauce had a heat that taunted the back of our tongues. The cakes were both tangy and sweet with the addition of a splash of lemon and lime from the provided wedges. The cakes themselves were delicious: fresh crab, green onions, and herbs all paired well together with the crunchy cake. Our only critique is that the cakes were a little too soft, falling apart as we tried to transfer them from the serving plate. Overall well worth the price and the remaining sauce was happily lapped up with the chewy, light, crusty bread provided by La Baguette Bakery on A Street.
Our meals came with the House Hearts of Romaine Salad and Gumbo. The croutons on the salad were salty, savory and crunchy. The vinaigrette had gorgonzola cheese and a slight peppery taste. The romaine was fresh and crunchy. Very nice.
The gumbo was a slightly non-traditional take on the classic. It was nice, rich gravy with white rice, tomatoes, celery, onion & salmon. It also had assorted white fish, okra and peppers. It managed to deliver a distinct seafood taste without being fishy. A real treat.
I ordered the Cadillac Mixed Grill ($28) and my wife ordered the Oregon Fulton 5oz. Sirloin ($18).
The Mixed Grill consisted of a pepper-encrusted sirloin steak, grilled chicken and steamed shrimp served with au gratin potatoes and broccoli. The steak was by far the best part of the entire meal. I always order my steak “blue”. (That means really, really rare). Often times a chef will still prepare the steak rare to medium rare. Not at Beasy’s. This was easily the most accurate, most flavorful steak I’ve had in 3 years in the Rogue Valley. It was made exactly to order and thoroughly tender and succulent. Bravo!
My wife ordered her steak medium rare and was also pleased to find that it was prepared to her exact specifications. The remaining items were also very nicely prepared with a minimalistic approach to spices and preparation; however, they were all completely underwhelming compared to the steaks.
Overall we can easily recommend Beasy’s by the Creek (particularly the crab cakes and the steaks) for your next outing.
