Las Vegas-style dining is the best way Victor McCullough can think to describe his latest culinary adventure 17 Steakhouse & Bar. Think opulence. Think glitter. Think style, he offers. “This is out-of-the-box thinking,” he adds.
The “box” itself is the space inside a two-storey, 32,000-square-foot building in a Mississauga strip mall on Dixie Road, near Eglinton Avenue. It took more than a year, and a hefty amount of money, McCullough adds, to gut and redesign the 300-seat dining room on the main floor and the second-floor banquet hall that opened to many, many instant rave reviews after opening last year.
The ample kudos are due to the exquisite décor that immediately impresses patrons upon entry. Buffeted by attentive service that makes each guest feel like they are No. 1, as well as the unparalleled fine food and wine menu that have become McCullough's, and his partner and brother Colin's, trademark.
This know-how comes from 27 years in the restaurant business for the McCullough brothers. The pair sold their previous success story, the Belfast Lounge Irish Pub, which is in the same plaza, to focus on 17 Steakhouse & Bar.
The result is stunning. The restaurant is saturated with unrivaled elegance and visual intrigue, from the massive jaw-dropping chandeliers draping from the high ceilings, to the Swarovski-studded faucets in the restrooms, to the menus that light up when opened, to the expansive freshwater aquarium inset into the walls and palatial floor-to-ceiling windows. Even the smallest of details, such as the hydraulic device that prevents the tables from wobbling, have been built into the McCullough brothers' meticulous design plans.
“The décor makes you feel like you are visiting a restaurant in another country,” says McCullough. “This is a very different kind of steakhouse, unlike any other in the GTA.”
Décor aside, McCullough says as much attention is paid to each patron seated at the dining tables, which are spaced far enough apart for privacy and comfort, or the intimate, cozy booths, or at the bar. There are also two atriums and two glassed-in rooms for larger groups looking for a quieter gathering spot. The upper level banquet hall seats up to 500 people.
Victor and Colin spend as much time educating their waitstaff about every item on the menu as they do on the finer details of “old school” service that emphasizes presentation, as well as catering to the customer's needs.
The lunch and dinner menus are not to be outdone either. Only the top two per cent of USDA and Canada prime cuts of beef, including tenderloin, strip loin, prime T-bone, porterhouse and tomahawk, as well as Japanese Wagyu, make it onto the menu. And only the best halal lamb, freshest seafood, chicken and top-of-the line produce are served. The extensive wine lists boasts over 100 choices ranging in prices from $39 to $2,000.
In the year that has transpired, 17 Steakhouse & Bar has garnered consistent high ratings on Trip Advisor, Yelp, Google and other reputable sites. Patrons typically write that they are eager to return because of the amiable service, gorgeous ambiance and delicious food. Even the presentation of the bill, with a delectable chocolate for each diner, is getting rave reviews among its clientele.
Fans seeking a special occasion spot, business crowds eager to impress clients or host a meeting in an upscale setting, couples, families and friends looking for a gathering spot or memorable event, are trekking to this destination resto from near and far too, says Victor, citing visitors from Markham, Woodbridge, and Toronto, as well as tourists from the U.S.
17 Steakhouse & Bar redefines fine dining. It is where the art of plating is practiced daily, where pairing the perfect wine with your meal is given considerable thought, where cocktails are a creative endeavor and even the music, whether live or recorded, is a soothing backdrop to scintillating conversation.
RECIPE: Lobster Bisque
RECIPE: Mushroom Risotto
– 5165 Dixie Road, Mississauga; 905.614.1701