San Mateo: Porterhouse brings elegant dining (and a touch of old Hollywood) to historic venue

Good news, Peninsula diners: The bank vault is back in the restaurant business.

The popular steakhouse, Porterhouse, has moved from its longtime home on San Mateo’s Third Avenue to this highly visible — and historic — corner of South B Street just a few blocks away. It’s the third restaurant in the last decade for the circa 1925 Beaux Arts bank building. The first was Vault 164, followed by the Dahlia Mexican Grill.

Now it’s in the hands of veteran restaurateur Hamdi “Bruno” Ugur, whose Bay Area résumé goes back to Spiedo in both San Jose and San Mateo and Bogie’s in the old San Mateo Theatre, before he launched Porterhouse. He and a new generation of Ugurs in the hospitality business are cutting the ribbon this week.

We stopped by during the soft opening to find the family greeting customers old and new. Here are our first impressions:

THE LOOK: The Ugurs liked the bones of this building, so they collaborated with Jessica Gahan from the Stafford Design Group to restore a sense of elegance to the interior while preserving the structure’s architectural integrity. “We wanted to bring more elegance and romance to the place, and I think we achieved it,” Bruno said.

The muted Porterhouse palette provides a nice backdrop for the framed vintage movie posters that Bruno started collecting when he owned Bogie’s. Humphrey Bogart’s “Casablanca” and “The African Queen,” of course. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” “The Prince and the Showgirl.” A few are originals from that circa 1929 movie theater building.

THE VIBE: Porterhouse is refined yet fun — and no, those are not mutually exclusive. Table conversation is easy because the Ugurs purposely seat fewer guests than the main dining area and three private dining rooms (love the red velvet drapes) actually could accommodate. And often it’s those movie posters that spark the conversations. So many diners can’t resist taking selfies with the Hollywood legends, this place could become a real Instagram star. In fact, Bruno’s hospitality appears to be straight out of a Hollywood classic. In the movies, isn’t there always a restaurant owner in a sharp suit warmly greeting Bogart, when he waltzes in with a new dame on his arm?

THE FOOD: Steaks that have been dry-aged in house will continue to top the marquee — the namesake Porterhouse ($66 for 20 ounces, $110 for nearly 2 pounds); the Kansas City Strip, a 16-ounce, bone-in New York ($57); the Cowboy, an 18-ounce, bone-in ribeye ($60); and other cuts. But there’s a sequel. The director of butchering, son Steve Ugur, is now dry-aging beef that’s been grass-fed on California ranches. The first grass-fed steaks should be on the menu soon.

All steaks are served with Porterhouse’s clever cylindrical potato — twice-baked with butter, sour cream and fontina cheese — and seasonal vegetables. And all are available with the classic French sauces, Bordelaise or Bearnaise, made from scratch in a labor-intensive, two-day process by executive chef Mynor Ajvix and his team.

Overall, his menu blends the classic and the contemporary. You can go old school and order the lamb chops, marinated in fresh herbs and garlic and served with a mint demiglace ($59), or the restaurant’s newest entree, the Cauliflower Steak with side dishes ($25). Likewise, his appetizer menu ranges from escargot ($19) to the trendy 36-Hour Niman pork belly ($15).

THE SIPS: Besides all the red wine selections a steak eater could want, Porterhouse offers a lineup of signature cocktails ($16) and mocktails ($8). From bar manager Donald Bodan Jr. come drinks like The Monroe ($16), a mai tai made with Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum, Agricole Blanc Rum, Pierre Ferrand Curaçao, orgeat and lime, and the non-alcoholic Jungle Free Bird, which combines Ritual Rum Alternative with Lyre’s Italian Orange, pineapple, lime and demerara.

DON’T MISS: The tableside flambé action. Porterhouse event manager Zella Ugur estimates her father has flambéd thousands of Bananas Foster ($34 for two), Crepes Suzette (with advance notice) and Cherries Jubilee (in season) over the years. Once one table orders a flaming dessert, Zella said there tends to be a “domino effect,” with everyone wanting a show at their table.

GOOD TO KNOW: Steak lovers who don’t want a full entree can find price-wise alternatives. If you eat in the bar, check out Susan’s Steak Salad ($25), served with the butcher’s cut of the day, or the steak street tacos ($15), with seasoned beef tenderloin. Dining-room options include the quail egg-topped steak tartare ($19) and a petite 4-ounce filet mignon ($35).