By Michelle Sathe

Frank Sinatra on the stereo. Filet mignon and rack of lamb on the menu. Martinis in hand. There’s not only a retro vibe to The Social, the Valencia restaurant launched by Patrick Lage, Billy Bartholomew, and Scott Bartholomew in May 2004, there’s an old-fashioned focus on service that keeps loyal customers coming back for more.

It’s an area in which Lage excels. With a resume that includes nine years as maitre d’ on a major cruise line, Lage strives to bring to the Santa Clarita Valley his vision of a grown-up’s restaurant, where customers can enjoy a nice meal and cocktail in the European tradition. "Attention to detail and personal service is lacking in a lot of the chains," he said. "For example, we take reservations for any size party. You never have to wait more than five or ten minutes for a table. We’d rather turn people away and give great service than cram them in for dollars."

The Social’s menu, loaded with dishes such as lacquered duck breast, osso bucco, and chicken scallopine, is another exercise in timeless elegance. "There’s a lot of artsy food out there, but we wanted to bring back the old classic sauces like cognac demi-glaces, the French sauces you can’t get anymore," he said.

Cordon Blue Culinary Institute graduate and executive chef, Higim Ventura, mans the kitchen, bringing with him years of experience as the former sous chef at Burbank’s popular Castaways. For starters, diners can indulge in such delicacies as bacon-wrapped scallops, crostini with bruschetta, or pepper encrusted ahi. Light dinner options include pastas, such as linguini and clams or penne jambalaya or Mediterranean-inspired salads like Caprese or Greek.

Ventura really shines in the entrée department where hearty choices like filet mignon topped with Bernaise, Cuban style skirt steak, or veal scallopine come with spectacularly executed sides, such as herb roasted potatoes, black beans and rice, or whipped garlic potatoes, as well as seasonal vegetables.

It’s a menu begging to be accompanied by wine or cocktails from The Social’s extensive list. Pinot noir, chardonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and pinot grigio always are featured, with Lage adding the more exotic varietals to the list every six months. On the martini side, Cosmopolitans compete with newcomers such as the Russian Banana (Stoli vanilla vodka, Kahlua, Bailey’s and cream) or the whimsical-sounding Kiss The Goose (Greg Goose vodka with garlic olives).

With its brilliant tones of red and yellow and original art from Todd White and Jason Mernick, Valencia artists who have gone on to gain national attention, The Social’s décor manages to both comfort and stimulate, making it the perfect place for a date, meeting with friends, or business engagement.

The restaurant’s eclectic mix of modern and vintage has served it well, according to Lage. "We get a lot of customers from word of mouth. If you stay consistent, give good quality and phenomenal service, the rest will fall into place," he said.

Martinis are a specialty at The Social