Scott Michael Raczek
We’ve dined in every room of Mr. Stox and eaten a wide array of Scott Michael Raczek’s food during the years. He keeps his flavors clean with an artful delivery that adds layers without muddying the flavors.
Scott has turned his creativity with food products into a fine art. We’ve had post-theater dinners themed to what we’d just seen and wild game when it’s in season. We’ve had wine dinners matched to the most refined and sometimes most unusual flavors from the bottle and marveled at how he coaxed another level of culinary enjoyment out of each course he created specifically for the event.
As we’ve dined at Mr. Stox during three dec-ades,most of which Scott has been the executive chef there,we’ve been gently led into fusion elements culled from other cultures to augment the presentation and taste of some central ingredient. He turns American food into globally tinged stars on the plate.
Scott’s food is intended in every way to make the world of wine and food a completely compatible one.
Freshness is the key to the Mr. Stox menu. Scott and the Marshalls are committed to making the entire spectrum of fine ingredients available to guests. On the fresh seafood side, Scott’s menu is dotted with Santa Barbara shrimp, diver scallops, Pacific oysters and seafood from many lakes and oceans. USDA prime New York steaks and prime rib, Colorado rack of lamb, Muscovy duck and farm-raised venison are prepared in season. Osso buco, lobster risotto and pasta dishes are tucked in the menu.
Scott keeps an extensive herb garden at the restaurant and those herbs are entwined in the preparations. I must mention that five kinds of homemade bread, baked twice daily, and a staggering array of delicious desserts, thanks to the talented pastry chef, also make meals special.
Scott was born in Indiana but soon relocated with his family to Orange County. He attended Orange Coast College, taking many courses in its Culinary Arts program. Like so many young people, his beginning in the restaurant business was via a fast food eatery. But, he soon moved on to a big hotel and then The Cellar restaurant in Fullerton, then in its initial heyday. It was his stint at Le Chardonnay in the Registry hotel,a fine French restaurant that was one of our best in the early 80s,that set the standard in Scott’s mind. There he finely tuned his culinary and leadership skills.
After two years he segued to Mr. Stox as executive chef and here we are, still enjoy-
ing his contemporary mindset and beautiful presentations.
Chef’s Playground
Mr. Stox has been owned and operated since 1977 by brothers Chick and Ron Marshall and Ron’s wife, Debbie. Some staff members have been there just as long, creating a real restaurant family: chef Scott Raczek (24 years), manager Curtis Springer (10 years), sous chef Efrain Ventura (25 years), pastry chef Hector Gonzales (26 years) and many others who fall into the 10-years-or-more category.
The group collectively wants to make Mr. Stox the best fine dining restaurant in California. Toward that end the Marshalls recruited and trained employees who could understand and execute their vision. They also have reinvested much of their profits into improving the dining rooms, service pieces and kitchen.
This is a good time to put to rest rumors that have floated during the past three years that the restaurant is moving. It is not. After some interesting offers, the owners have decided to stay put and hopefully capitalize on the development plans for Platinum Triangle to bring more residents to the area.
When Mr. Stox first opened, it seemed so unconventional to have a fine wine cellar that housed thousands of bottles within a restaurant. That was the realm of a few very high-end restaurants in the big cities around the globe. The brothers set the standard for a serious restaurant wine cellar and they still have the wine cellar other restaurateurs dream of.
In addition to their knowledge of wines, the three owners are deeply schooled in the food culture,allowing for some great wine pairing opportunities. Combine that with Debbie’s flair for interior design and the beautiful destination restaurant was born.
Like everyone else, they have their minds on the economy and are offering some great deals. At lunch, diners are offered the dinner size portion of prime rib for the lunch price. Also, there’s the half pound seafood special,mostly with local halibut or Columbia River salmon. On Fridays, Mr. Stox continues to offer its colossal, 12 ounce hamburger of freshly ground meat, which is served on a home baked pretzel roll covered with kosher salt and dill seeds. The burger is topped with goat’s cheese, grilled red onion and avocado. This is for those who plan to skip dinner!
Each summer they offer an SIM (Special Invitation Menu) dinner through their mailing list, which now numbers an impressive 15,000, at $35 for a four-course meal. You don’t have to wait until summer, as this year they are starting the promotion this month and it will be offered to all their guests. They also are putting in place a selection of small plates and an expanded list of wines by the glass.
For the first time, on Wednesday evenings, Mr. Stox will be offering a 50% discount on any wine priced at $50 or more on its wine list. Additionally, it is waiving the corkage charge on Sunday and Monday evenings. Happy hour at Mr. Stox runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. It features a display of complimentary snacks that change daily. On Wednesdays, the offering is jumbo shrimp, which is very popular.
Mr. Stox, 1105 East Katella Ave., Anaheim. Call (714) 634-2994.
