Dinner and a Movie - Manny's Steakhouse and The Grand Seduction

Dinner and a Movie - Manny's Steakhouse and The Grand Seduction

The twenty-first in a series of at home food and movie pairings

Movie Magic & Gourmet Gracie

Many locals know Manny’s food or know of his long-time reputation as an excellent, experienced caterer. When the pandemic hit and catering came to a temporary halt, Manny Rodriguez and his son, Giovanni (formerly of Urban Counter), decided it was time to open a full service restaurant to meet the needs of the community as best they could. July 13th, 2020, was the grand opening for Manny’s Steakhouse and he and his experienced staff have been going gangbusters ever since—7 days a week, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Good food is served up with a large dollop of friendliness and flexibility. Are you in the mood for Surf & Turf? To be clear, I mean Steak & Lobster for those who weren’t around in the 1960s. Fun fact: They call this “beef and reef” in Australia! This lollapalooza of a dinner is claimed by many as their absolute favorite at Manny’s. Well-priced, it comes with soup or salad, potato and veggies.

Gracie also likes the Cobb Salad, Gorgonzola fries and lamb meatballs. There are Crab Cakes, Shrimp and Grits y’all, and fabulous Fish and Chips. New York, Rib-Eye, T-Bone or Filets are all offered with your choice of seven(!) different sauces. Or go pescatarian with salmon, sea bass, scallops or Ahi Tuna. Lamb, pork or chicken? Absolutely. Pastas? Yes. There’s even a kid’s menu. And, of course, beer and wine.

The steady stream of repeat customers keeps this restaurant flourishing. Inside/outside seating. Pickup and delivery, too. What’s not to love?

Manny’s Steakhouse

1321 Springs Road Vallejo, CA 94591 707 653-4069 Mannyssteakhousevallejo.com @mannys_steakhouse

The Grand Seduction

This 2013 Canadian comedy is directed by Don McKellar and stars Taylor Kitsch and the Irish actor/ director, Brendan Gleeson. The story takes place in the tiny community of Tickle Head, a “small harbor” off the coast of Newfoundland. Trivia note: Gordon Pinsent, who won an award for best supporting actor in this film, is also the voice of Babar the Elephant in films and television. In this movie he plays a crusty old fisherman who has never been to the “town” of nearby St. John and doesn’t intend to go.

Their heritage of commercial fishing is no longer able to support the 150 village residents. In desperation, they compete for a new factory to bring them jobs and provide them with purpose again. But, alas, they need a town doctor in order to qualify and so they concoct a very “fishy” strategy when opportunity knocks. They attempt to seduce a fresh, young doctor to start a practice in Tickle Head. Among their tactics, these old hockey fans hatch a plan to appeal to the doctor’s passion for cricket, which they hate and know nothing about. The scene on a cliff overlooking the crashing ocean, with these lovely old rumpled men in homemade white cricket uniforms pretending to play the game is hilarious…and memorable, bringing a smile long after the movie is over. It’s a story of triumph, love, loyalty, betrayal and redemption, all while asking the question: How do we change with the times and stay true to ourselves?

Comedy, PG-13, 1 hr. 55 min. Amazon Prime.

Movie Magic gives this 3 1 /2 Moons.