A seasoned restaurant remains relevant
Fleming’s Steakhouse and Wine Bar updates its décor and menu
Written by Natalie K. Pollock
Photography submitted
Fleming’s Steakhouse and Wine Bar, located on South Main Street in West Hartford’s Center has
been a fixture in the lively West Hartford food scene since it opened in 2008. Planted between the historic Noah Webster Library and the modern Crate and Barrel store, Fleming’s has recently refreshed its muted, masculine interior and updated its menu to reflect today’s dining preferences.
Although it feels like a cozy local neighborhood spot, Fleming’s West Hartford is part of a large international chain. It was started by Paul Fleming and Bill Allen in Newport Beach, California. Its second location was in Scottsdale, Arizona. Both were the result of a joint venture with Outback Steakhouse. It has been reported that there are 66 Fleming’s locations, and 700 Outback restaurants. The parent company is Bloomin Brands.
The steakhouse concept is unique to Fleming’s in the area, and regardless of changes in global eating tastes, it focuses on reflecting its diners’ eating interests. It remains a popular destination for its variety of dishes and flexible dining options.
A short time ago the operators updated the décor, adding banquette seating in areas of the dining room and smaller, more traditional tables in the main dining area. They also expanded the bar area and added high-tops for less formal seating, plus adding versatility and technology to its party areas. It has also become very busy filling catering orders.
“When the chain opened its first restaurant, there was no lunch and no smoking. A lot has changed over the years. They added ‘F-100’ wines by the glass so that the wife could have a glass while her husband drinks beer, and Happy Hour is now Social Hour from 4 to 8 with more affordable drinks and small, shareable plates. We get a lot more people who don’t eat meat so they can always have seafood, and for those on GLP-1 we have smaller steaks like the petite bone-in. Also, for families we have the bone-in strip steak and filet (with shareable sides) on Steak Board Sundays,” said Liz Kiyak, the managing partner of the local restaurant.
Her husband, Headley Wilson, is the chef partner in the business. Both have been at Fleming’s since the opening of the restaurant in 2008. They met working together on the opening of Max Fish in Glastonbury. Wilson is from Jamaica, where he attended culinary school, and has five children.
Kiyak has four children. He also worked in the kitchen at TGI Friday’s while attending school and in smaller restaurants where he was able to work his way up to through all the stations. Wilson also has strong roots in French cooking and a passion for cultural fusion.
“The chef took me under his wing. I forced him to teach me,” Wilson said. He is now building his own strong team in the kitchen, emphasizing collaboration and consistency.
At Fleming’s he and Kiyak have created the Personal Chef Signature Series, a special menu with dishes made from scratch, including some Jamaican dishes, which have become popular, like his jerk-spiced lamb chops. With a background in cooking local foods with his mother and strong French roots, he has added tropical flavors and ingredients to other dishes at Fleming’s.
The steakhouse prepares all their steaks the same way, seared on the outside with the interior temperature selected by the customer, and then a choice of three butters: bearnaise, smoked chili, and herbed horseradish. The menu includes seafood dishes with lobster tail, scallops, salmon fillet, tuna steak and Chilean sea bass, plus chicken dishes and pastas. There are also vegetarian options available, as well as sandwiches and salads for lunch.
The Tomahawk Tuesday promotion replaces Two for Twosdays and offers a choice between a 35-once prime Tomahawk steak or a 34-ounce sliced Porterhouse, with two salads, two steakhouse sides, and two desserts as the dinner special.
“We strive to provide what the guest wants so we can whip up a vegan dish or whatever. West Hartford has the best people here. They are supportive. And we are the neighborhood steakhouse. It’s a classic concept that does not fall out of fashion,” said Kiyak.
She and Wilson have formed solid relationships with Midwestern farmers over the years for their beef needs.
Q. What is the most popular dish at Fleming’s?
A. Wilson: The filet mignon. I try to make it as simple as possible with salt and pepper and high heat so there is a good sear. The most popular signature dish is now Steak Bolognese, and the most popular Jerk dish is lamb chops with coconut fried rice. We do 12 orders of that per night.
Q. What is your personal favorite?
A. Wilson: I love fish and my favorite is sea bass with ginger-soy sesame broth and vegetables.
Kiyak: I like the bone-in rib-eye steak black and blue, meaning rare, with a hard sear crust.
Wilson: I choose the right sear for the right temperature. I have two sous chefs to help.
Q. What is your “secret weapon” ingredient?
A. Wilson: Love, that includes time and care. You have to take time, like with Italian food and the sauces.
Q. What is the one cooking technique that everyone should know?
A. Wilson: Start with great ingredients then add patience and seasoning.
Q. Do you admire any particular chef?
A. Wilson: I admire a lot of chefs! Like Marcus Samuelsson. He’s originally from Ethiopia and grew up in Poland. He got adopted. He is the head chef at Red Rooster in Harlem.
Q. What is your favorite cooking show?
A. Wilson: Bobby Flay’s BBQ Brawl, [which pits top barbecue cooks across the country to compete in grilling and smoking challenges].
Kiyak: Here we offer a multi-course curated wine dinner once a month. The Caribbean rum dinner will be in July with a rum distillery.
Q. What do you like to cook at home when you have guests?
A. Wilson: Mostly my own Jamaican food like Jerk chicken and fried snapper.
Kiyak: People come with their own to-go containers. WHL
Fleming’s Steakhouse and Wine Bar
44 South Main Street
West Hartford
860-676-9463
