i hadn't been the shepherd's inn since...well, since it was the santa fe basque, and that trip was probably 14 years ago. i don't remember much about that meal.
creative fresno, a local group that i've attended some events from, was having their monthly evening blender (get together) there last friday so i thought i'd give it a shot. now, i didn't check out the whole place, and we didn't eat in the proper dining room, but i'll give you my review as it was.
first of all, the bar was very nice. honestly, the decor of the bar itself is amazing. the bar tender was friendly and helpful, and the drinks were very reasonably priced. cocktails were around $5, and beers were cheaper. they have a decent amount on tap, and a whole ton in cans/bottles.
creative fresno had some free appetizers provided. i missed out on the wings, but there were still breaded/fried mushrooms which were delicious. man, they were breaded nice, and still nice and juicy.
we knew that appetizers weren't going to be enough, so we sat down with some friends at a table. our group of five was looked in on fairly quickly, the waiter was helpful, and honestly, the meal didn't take too long from order to arrival.
two of my friends had cheeseburgers. they were rather basic, but both liked what they had. from my seat, these burgers looked pretty nice. the fries were tasty but simple - i know because i had them with my meal as well.
one of my friends had their signature thick rib eye (i forget exactly the name they use). it was cooked to his order, and he dug it.
i just had the regular signature rib eye, and i thought it was very good. i eat a fair amount of steaks at restaurants, and i think this was better than most that i've had lately (richards, landmark, livingstones - not that i'm saying those were bad, just this was better). my meal came with clam chowder & salad (signature items get both, normal meals one or other) but i only ate the soup - needed to save room. one of my cheeseburger friends ate the salad. i thought the clam chowder was pretty good, but more or less standard clam chowder. the steak came topped with grilled onions, peppers and mushrooms which was a great addition to the steak, which tasted great. there was a choice of pilaf, potatoes, fries or veggies, and i went with fries.
finally, my wife ordered a house salad and the cheese plate appetizer. i was rather impressed with the look of the salad. it wasn't too fancy, but it had actual greens in it - not just some chopped up iceberg lettuce. it also didn't just look like some "bag" salad thrown in a bowl. the cheese plate was only decent, but that was because it was just one cheese - they were out of the other type that normally comes on it. but it was still fairly cheap for a cheese plate.
overall, we had a great time at the restaurant. while it won't become my every week haunt, i'd definitely go there for another dinner.
935 Santa Fe Ave
Fresno, CA 93721
(559) 266-2228
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