Opening Remarks:
-Currently #90 on Joanne Kates Top 100 Restaurants for 2013
-Renowned for its classic steakhouse menu and it’s accompanying top-notch service
-Morton’s is a chain restaurant with over 69 restaurants stemming from Arnie Morton and Klaus Fritsch’s 1978 opening in Chicago.
Ambiance:
-Upon entry, the first room you see is the bustling packed bar. With a few rich wood high tops, barstools, and a mirrored back wall emphasizing their premium selection of liquor, the space feels like an up-scale French brasserie.
-Similarly, the main dining room is grand, yet inviting. The tables are draped in white linens (which, after a few drinks we accidently mucked up with meat drippings), and the chairs and banquettes are cushiony and cozy. The lighting is dim and supplemented by candles, making the service counter from the kitchen spill light on the entire room.
-Up the carpeted staircase I noticed there are also few private dining rooms- a great downtown spot for a special group occasion.
-I saw a good mix of demographic in the room. Of course there were mainly older couples and groups and middle-aged business folk, but I did spot a few younger 30-somethings out to celebrate, and even some families in the mix.
-Despite the familiar old-school steakhouse vibe and the slightly 50+ weighted demographic, there was an unmistakable element of youth. It wasn’t stuffy or pretentious in there (as one might find in, lets say, a Palm Beach establishment). It was buzzing, exciting and loud. I don’t think there was any music playing (and if there was, I couldn’t hear it) but rather, the accumulation of conversations filled the air. It wasn’t, like, Westend hipster loud, thankfully, because there wasn’t any crazy fast-paced beats going on under the chatter so I found it totally palatable.
Service:
-Upon entry, we were greeted by the friendly hostess who took our jackets and umbrellas. Next we were introduced to the maitre’d who took us to our table in the main dining room.
-The rest of the evening continued with refinement and professionalism, but again, felt more youthful and personable than the expected “steakhouse snobbery”. Our server was a bubbly 20-30 year old woman with extensive knowledge of the menu and impeccable timing on every element of the night. She made excellent recommendations on food and wine, ensured we understood the different flavour profiles of each cut of steak, checked up on how we enjoyed each course, and replenished water, side dishes and cutlery frequently.
-The meal moved at a very comfortable pace- with four courses getting us in and out in approximately 1 ½ hours. I was particularly grateful that she asked me how I would like to pace the meal once I put in my order- would I like the salad with the appetizer or after? As a food blogger, there is nothing I hate more than having all the dishes I order come at once, so I appreciated her checking with me.
-I also liked that she took the time to see that we were “okay” with having bacon in our potatoes since the menu doesn’t explicitly list them as an ingredient. Now, obviously I’m down with the bacon, but I can see how not asking could be a problem for some patrons, so to me, this was a real mark of good training.
Drinks:
-Those who do like their drinks hard will be impressed by their selection of small batch bourbon, and rye whiskey, imported cordials, sherrys, dessert wines and boozy coffees.
-There are about a dozen International beers by the bottle ($8.25) including favourites like Coors Light, Sam Adams, Stella and Guiness.
-It wouldn’t be a steakhouse without some solid wine offerings in the house. There are around 2 dozen International wines available by the glass (ranging from about $11-21), and a couple hundred available by bottle (including some half bottles and magnums).
-My sister, big on the bold whites, opted for the 2011 Butterfield Station Chardonnay ($14.25) and then the 2011 Kenwood Yulupa Chardonnay ($17.25). The former was a touch more on the sweet side, while the latter was much more dry and her style.
-Morton’s signature cocktail is the Morton Mortinis, which comes garnished with Morton’s hand-stuffed blue cheese olives. They also offer a handful of classic cocktails (Cosmo, Manhattan, Bloody Mary, Margaritas) and 5 “Heavenly” Martinis with 200 calories or less. I usually don’t go for “diet” related booze, but the descriptions all sounded particularly fresh, and appetizing so that’s what I went with.
The Heavenly Palm Beacher (Skyy Vodka, Pineapple, Mint, $18)
The Heavenly Margarita (Curevo Gold, Cointreau, Agave, Lime, $18)
Two massive cocktails, both with an inviting level of froth on top. Neither tasted particularly low-cal, but they were a bit heavy on the sweet factor. Of the two, I think I preferred the Beacher slightly as I felt the Margarita could have used more acid or even a little heat to balance out the cloying agave.
Food:
-The food menu is old school classic steakhouse- divided into Appetizers, Soups/Salads, Prime Steaks/ Chops, Signature Dishes/Poultry/Seafood, Mixed Grills (Combination Plates), Sides, and Desserts.
-Morton’s only uses USDA Prime-Aged Beef (the highest quality grade designation of the USDA for tenderness, juiciness and flavour).
-They offer a full Dinner, Lunch, and Bar Bite menu as well as menus for those who are gluten or soy intolerant.
-Everything is served a la carte so you can build your meal as you choose.
Onion Loaf with Whipped Butter (Complementary)
A crusty flavourful surface, a warm soft centre, and a plate of ethereal whipped butter, it’s hard not to overindulge. I tried to be strong, though, and asked the server to take it away after just a brief bite because there was so much more goodness to come.
Prosciutto Wrapped Mozzarella ($14)
Absolutely delicious. The crispy, salty prosciutto seasoned the mild mozzarella perfectly, and the time in the oven yielded a slightly melted, slightly squeaky texture to the cheese. I also liked the addition of the balsamic drizzle, which really helped to cut the richness.
Chopped Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing – Shown Portioned in Half ($11)
The kitchen was gracious enough to divide the portion in half so that we each could have our own bowl. I loved how the spinach was chopped chiffonade and wilted gently so that it was easy to eat. The flavour balance was absolutely addictive, as well- smoky bacon fat with rich creamy bits of grated egg and the refreshing salad greens. So simple, but so fabulous.
Center-Cut Prime Ribeye ($49)
Nicely seasoned, and cooked to a flawless medium rare. If you like a fair bit of marbling and intense juiciness, then this is a good cut for you.
8 oz. Filet Mignon ($48)
I preferred this cut to the ribeye because it was so remarkably tender and flavourful. It’s also available in more reasonable sizes (6 oz., 8 oz. and 12 oz.) so you can actually finish it if you so desire.
Bourbon Sauce au Poivre ($6)
A perfect level of creaminess and heat- the sauce didn’t at all detract or mask the flavour of the meat but rather, really enhanced it nicely. My only complaint would have been that I wanted more, so next time I will know to order one sauce for every steak.
Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Onion ($13)
Wow, this was one hell of a mac and cheese. The pasta wasn’t dainty and understated- it was voluptuous, substantial and bold enough to hold up to the generous serving of cheese baked in. Likewise, the bacon bits weren’t pulverized to a dust, but rather were served as pretty good sized chunks. Oh, and I cannot ignore the perfection of the crust on top. Crispy, crunchy, caramelized cheese with just enough sharpness and salt. My only small quibble would have been that it could have used more sauce in the casserole dish to help prevent the innards from getting at all dry.
Twice Baked Au Gratin Potatoes ($13)
This was my sister’s favourite dish, and really, how could you not enjoy the combination of cheese, bacon and potatoes? While I loved the caramelized tops of the casserole, I did find the rest of the dish lacking contrast in texture- maybe another breadcrumb/panko topping would have added a satisfying crunch. I also think it could have used a little heat to cut through all the fat on the palate. Nevertheless, tasty and undoubtedly, a crowd pleaser.
Hot Chocolate Cake with Haagen Dazs Ice Cream ($14.50)
A beautiful molten lava cake with a chewy brownie-like exterior and a sinfully luscious dark chocolate core that was balanced nicely by the classic vanilla bean ice cream. I’m glad I ordered those Heavenly drinks or else I might have felt slightly guilty after this one.
Raspberry Souffle for Two ($18.50)
The soufflé was the showstopper of the night, and left me dreaming of its flavour all night. I often forget about soufflés (even despite my time in France recently), but when done well, they can be one of my favourite desserts. This one had a delicate berry flavour with a creamy light filling to contrast with the delicate risen crust. It was served with a (generous) bowl of what the server called crème anglaise that I assume had been mixed with fresh whipped cream. It was heavenly in it’s own right, I could have eaten it like mousse- so I used the remainder of it (in conjunction with the ice cream) to balance the bitterness of the chocolate cake.
Closing Remarks:
-Disclosure: This ended up being a comped meal, so treat this more as an overview than an official review.
-The bill for 2 apps, 2 mains, 2 desserts, a bottle of sparkling water, 2 glasses of white, and 2 cocktails came to $370 including tax and tip. Yes, this is pricey, but I did feel that for the portion sizes and quality, it was of better value than most of the high end Steakhouses I’ve visited around North America. I also should note that we ordered far more than we could comfortably eat. The side dishes alone could have happily served another couple, and we barely made a dent on the ribeye or lava cake, so keep this in mind when determining how much you’d spend.
-Overall, I can honestly say (and I mean honestly, despite the fact that I didn’t end up paying for this meal), I was pleasantly surprised. I have lived in Morton’s backyard for years now and haven’t set foot in there out of complete lack of interest. But everything from the atmosphere, service, drink menu and especially the food really left me wanting to return. No, this likely wouldn’t be able to make it into my usual rotation on my own dollar, but for a special date night or family affair, Morton’s would be a great choice. Actually, my sister and I both agreed that our mother would love it there so much, Morton’s could host our next family get together. So thank you Morton’s for opening my eyes to an experience I didn’t know I would much like- get that soufflé ready for me, I’m looking forward to a return visit soon.
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