A photo of jockey Russell Baze on the wall at the Derby in Arcadia
In 1934, a gentleman named William Kyne purchased an airfield in San Mateo, CA and turned it into a horse racing course called Bay Meadows. For decades, it was home to some of the most famous thoroughbreds in history, including Seabiscuit, and for about five years I was able to thoroughly enjoy its nostalgic atmosphere. My girlfriend at the time (now my wife) and Russell Baze’s daughter were roommates, so we spent a number of incredible evenings down at the track. We’d walk through the stables, gossip with the trainers, and soak up the scene: old school gamblers with vintage comb-overs, $2 beers that went through you like water, betting sheets littering the floors like confetti.
In 2008, however, San Mateo decided it needed more housing for the growing tech community and demolished the aging Bay Meadows facility. Seventy-five years of iconic Bay Area memories were destroyed to make way for cheap track homes and corporate apartments, centered around a new Whole Foods and chain restaurant strip. As I mentioned in my last post about iconic Southern California steakhouses, the San Francisco peninsula doesn’t have room for its history anymore. Nothing new can be built unless something old is torn down. That’s why a 100 year old, horse-themed steak house along Route 66, near the historic Santa Anita racetrack that continues to operate today, gets me all excited. As Cinderella’s Tom Keifer once sang, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
When jockey George Woolf purchased the Derby back in 1938, he intended for it to be a hangout away from the track, where the horse racing community would gather before and after the races. That same year, Woolf would ride Seabiscuit to glory, which only made the Derby that much more attractive to patrons. In 1946, Woolf was killed after being thrown from a horse at Santa Anita, but the Derby lived on. A century after its initial founding, the walls are lined with thoroughbred iconography, a tribute to its lasting legacy.
I didn’t have any trouble making a reservation for two on a Friday night, but I’m glad I planned ahead. We walked into the Derby at 6:45 on the dot and it was absolutely slammed, families waiting in the lobby, a packed lounge full of locals, and servers running everywhere like ants in a colony. There was a couple leaving as we entered the bar, so we moseyed up to the counter and ordered a cocktail. My wife asked the bartender if Russell Baze had any representation on the wall, and he explained with a smile that Baze was a bit too Bay Area for the Derby, but did indeed have a photo in the hallway. We ordered a second round before dinner and continued to check out the vibe.
After a few drinks, we took a seat at our table and were treated to complimentary garlic bread from our server. One thing I truly love about the SoCal steakhouse scene is how many restaurants pride themselves on their own unique interpretation of this simple starter. Whereas the Smoke House does a sourdough loaf cut in half with cheesy powder along the top, the Derby slices its bread into sandwich style servings for a softer texture. I cannot stress enough how incredible the Derby’s garlic bread is, with its buttery richness and concentrated decadence.
The signature side dish is also an important staple of the historic steakhouse, and the Derby’s paramount accessory is the Romanoff potatoes: cheesy, buttery, lava-hot starch with bacon bits intermixed. My wife savored each and every bite along side her shrimp scampi.
I went for the bacon-wrapped filet mignon with onion rings, along with a heaping glass of Bordeaux to wash it all down. Every bite was an utter joy.
After stuffing our faces with bread pudding for dessert, we decided to cruise down the old Route 66 through Arcadia. Outback, BJ’s, and other national chain establishments are indeed speckled along the historic roadside, but not at the expense of the Derby. After 100 years of continuous operation, this institution is more than holding its own.
Drop by Mission on your way over and grab a bottle of wine to have with dinner!
-David Driscoll