Tahoe Quarterly

Claiming a Steak in South Lake Tahoe

by Susan D. Rock 

If the 437-room MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa is the poster child for South Lake Tahoe’s redevelopment, then the property’s signature restaurant, Ciera Steak + Chophouse, is its culinary ambassador. The three-year-old, AAA Four Diamond award-wining restaurant, resurrected from Caesar’s dark and smoky 1970s-era Broiler Room, delivers dining excellence with its solid menu, stylish décor and attentive service.

   Tucked towards the rear of the resort, beyond the din of the casino floor, the 120-seat restaurant boasts a handsome palette of polished woods, deep burgundies and cool blue tones. Its swanky setting and pricey cuisine makes Ciera feel like a haven for high rollers—right up to the tuxedoed maître d’hôtel and velvet curtained booths that ring the main dining area. Executive chef Jon LaRue, a 30-plus-year veteran of South Shore fine dining spots, and chef Mike Sivak, a Broiler Room alum, preside over a menu that is at once traditional steakhouse fare and innovative touch.

The lobster tempura appetizer served with sweet ginger jam might almost make you forget about the meat altogether, but when you’re staring down Ciera’s signature 32-ounce (yes, an artery-busting two pounds of beef on the bone) cowboy rib eye steak, that’s a formidable task. The hand-selected choice and prime-certified Angus beef steaks, strips and filets yield to a fork alone: The steak Diane arrives smothered in shallots, garlic and shiitake mushrooms. Chateaubriand for two is topped with béarnaise sauce and comes with an option of Maytag blue, white truffle or garlic butter.

All entrees are served à la carte, and choosing a side can be daunting. A customer favorite is the mac ‘n cheese with truffle oil, and on the size-does-matter side, there’s the big head of broccoli topped with hollandaise. For the complete steak-and-potato experience, consider spuds truffled, scalloped, home fried or baked (once or twice) Ciera, which hosts a quarterly wine dinner, boasts a 300-bottle wine list, heavy on big California reds. Labadie suggests regional labels like Duck Horn, Heitz Cellars and Silver Oak to pair with the menu’s tender meats. Regular customers stash a few of their steakhouse favorites in their very own wine locker.