Journal Zirnike's Journal: Review: The Capital Grille 3
The Capital Grille (Chestnut Hill, Mass location. One near you, maybe)
Type of food: Wine, steak.
Price per person: $50, with a side, drink, no desert or appetizer. $30+ for just the steak.
My friends brought me to the Capital Grille for my 30th (a bit late, but that's OK... we've all been busy). I tie isn't strictly required, but you definitely need a dress shirt. Complimentary valet parking. A couple wine rooms. It looks like you can rent (or something) small lockers for personal bottles of wine (there were small lockers with brass nameplates by the door). Multiple wine rooms, the 2 of which I saw were larger than my bedroom. Sommelier. Waiters in bow ties. A trainee waiter that's better than most 'normal' waiters.
I've been one other place like that in my life: Italian place called Carmelina's which serves carpaccio (don't look that up unless you really want to know)... generally not my kind of place.
On the other hand, sometimes change is good.
I had (we got an appetizer selection, so there's a lot here) lobster/crab cakes, shrimp, lobster bisque, pan fried calamari*, actual lobster (claws, tails) (mind you, I didn't have any... not really my kind of thing), raw oysters (not me, either), and some of the best pumpernickel bread I've ever had. Dinner was a Porterhouse, with (again, we had a selection of sides for the table) fries (or a sort... sliced fried potatoes - think the potatoes from au gratin except fried instead of smothered in whatever that awful stuff is), onion strips, mushrooms (not normally a fan of fungus, but these were good), mashed potatoes (very good), and asparagus with hollandaise sauce (being green, I didn't have any). I know, I can hear you asking - despite the linear nature of space-time - if a $35 steak it worth it.
Why yes. It is worth it. It's even worth the tie.** Best steak I've ever had - very tender.
They have a selection of wine, etc. that really needs to be seen to be believed.*** The dinner wine list is on 2 (very large, with small print for the wine) menu pages, with the rest of the menu being on one. There is a separate desert wine and liquor list. I had a Pyrat XO Reserve on the assumption that a company that makes a $300 bottle of rum knows how to make a rum that's a bit less expensive (the XO reserve was $10, the Cask 23 would have been $35...). I was correct on that assumption. I don't normally drink rum 'raw', but I think I'll make an exception here. The weirdest thing I saw was that they had 1) 'fruit liquors', with Bailey's Irish Cream on it, and 2) 'Herbal liquors', with jagermeister (people actually drink that?). They have a selection of scotch, cognac, etc.
Dessert was a cappuccino cake (with raspberries and a candle...). Quite good, but I probably would have had the white chocolate mouse if it weren't the birthday cake.
All in all, it was quite good, excellent service and food. Rather pricey, mind you (8 people, $675 not including tip... but that includes drinks and 2 (to me) ridiculously expensive bottles of wine). I'd go again, but probably only get the steak and a side, or maybe the calamari.
Now, just need to get the money and someone to go with.
(aside: Watching Megas XLR. They're fighting in Los Vegas. Coop just got knocked into the Jersey City Casino... shaped like a smoking nuclear reactor)
* If you go there, get this. Trust me. Normally calamari is 'eh, whatever' for me. I would have eaten theirs as a meal by itself.
** this is rare.
*** I suppose it's normal for more upscale places, but it seems excessive to me
Jagermeister... (Score:2)
Tie (Score:2)
I've yet to find anywhere that would justify me wearing a tie. I've had some pretty stunning steaks from places where I don't have to, so this place would have to be unfeasibly good. If I had to pick the best steak I've had, I'd probably go for Hy's in Whistler. If you're there, you really need to try it. No tie required :-)
Excellent (Score:2)