A Guide to Eating Cheaply at Expensive Places: Fleming’s Edition

****Overview: Fleming’s, located in the Stanford Shopping Center, is generally a very pricey place to eat. The steaks can cost anywhere up to $50 which for us college students is probably not an option. However, there is good news! If you are craving a good meal without spending big bucks, Fleming’s may still be a good bet for you. To find out how my date and I got a substantial meal for less than $15 each, continue reading below.

“Why should I even go to Fleming’s?” a college student may ask. And if you were looking to buy a full meal (entrée prices and all) I would say steer away from this place. However, there are a few perks which makes the challenge of eating on a constrained budget worth it here.

The****Space: Every time I walk into Fleming’s I feel like I am transported into some glamorous restaurant of the Prohibition era. From the black and white pictures on the wall to the jazz music playing (sometimes quite loudly) in the background, Fleming’s makes you feel like a classy patron of a jazz bar in the twenties. The delicious scents of food wafting from the kitchen also don’t hurt the general ambiance.

The****Service: Here is where eating cheaply at an expensive restaurant can get tricky. Although the waiters may expectantly hang around hoping that you will order something else as they did when I went there, it is important to not give in! If you aren’t absolutely famished their appetizers and bread will more than fill you up without emptying your pockets.

The****Food: And here is the crux of eating cheaply at Fleming’s. The bread. The bread is key. Fleming’s bread is delicious and comes with a special red spread that is to die for. I could definitely make a meal simply out of their bread, but it is probably better manners to also buy an appetizer or a “small plate” that is described on their menu. When I went, I had the appetizer of the roasted mushroom ravioli, which was quite nice. In addition, their French onion soup is both hearty and delicious. If you want to spend a couple more dollars you can also move from the appetizers to the small plates, which includes foods like sliced filet mignon or the lobster tempura. I had the filet mignon before as well, which was the perfect amount of food for me considering that it came on a bed of filling shitake risotto.

Conclusion: So, if you drink water, eat bread, and order an appetizer or small plate, you can eat at Fleming’s for around $15 dollars or less. Not bad for a place with $45 dollar steaks right?

Check in next week for another review!