The Capital Grille
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Capital Grill does it right, serving up great steak in a beautiful, old-world style atmosphere. But, for perfection you pay the price! Try CG's signature cocktail Stoli Doli, pumpernickel-raisen bread, and any steak. They also have live jazz on Sundays 6-9, and several private dining rooms for your special occasion.
Atmosphere
Whenever I go to The Capital Grill I feel as if I've entered a quintessential men's club, circa 1920, or maybe a private library in an old millionaire's mansion. Dark wood-paneled walls, lush leather booths, tables with crisp white linens, gilded frames with paintings of landscapes or portraits, and heavy pendant lighting all add to the dark, sophisticated, old-world style that screams 'expensive'! It's perfection is almost as if Disney created a steakhouse (it is, after all, a chain restaurant) and yet, I never feel that it is plastic or fake. To me, it's the real deal! And, apparently, I am not alone. On a Tuesday night at 9pm, when most restaurants in the area are DOA, CG was buzzing with a late-night dining and bar crowd. Recession? What recession?
Service
The service at Capital Grill is always professional, highly-trained, and prompt, though not stuffy or pretentious. Our food came out right away and each course followed with perfect succession. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and went the extra mile for us. Unfortunately, on this night, our busboy, or 'waiter's assistant', was a little lax: our booth was not very clean when we arrived, our table lamp went unlit until we asked, and our water glasses were not filled. When he did appear at the table he reeked of cigarette smoke. These are little things, really, but when you are paying $40+ for an entree you really are entitled to perfection. My advice? keep the server, fire the busboy.
Food
Our meal began with a basket of warm bread with whipped butter. The pumpernickel-raisin was especially good, we even asked for seconds. The butter was nice and soft, for spreading, served in a cold metal ramekin, though I wished it were unsalted.
As an appetizer, we split an order of lobster & crab cakes and, although I appreciate a crab cake with lots of meat, I thought these were a little too soft. I actually like a little breading if, for nothing else, to hold the cake together, and these had none. The cakes came with a corn relish that was excellent and also a great, house-made tarter sauce.
The Capital Grill is a steakhouse, although they do offer other dishes, including lamb, fish, and chicken. This night I decided to stray a little from the typical steak and had a 'special' of sea bass ($31) wrapped with pancetta, on a bed of caramelized onions & sauteed apples, and topped with crispy sweet potato curls. The bass was very good, a nice thick piece, and the bacon was divine, though the dish could have been a little warmer and it was all very rich and sweet. I couldn't eat the whole thing. In the end, I probably would've been happier with steak. I guess I learned my lesson :)
My companion had a chef's special Delmonico steak ($41) served with a balsamic vinegar demi-glace that he thought was too sweet, but I thought was fantastic. The 22oz of meat was cooked perfectly and was tender and flavorful.
The side dishes at CG are extra ($9), though you can order a half-order. We had mashed potatoes and creamed spinach, both of which were very good, though extremely rich, made with cream and butter and, no doubt, outrageously fattening. We didn't finish either.
For dessert I tried a coconut cream pie that was really more like a thick, dense cookie topped with whipped cream. Thinking more of the custard pie variety, I didn't like it and sent it back. The server was nice enough to take it off the bill. I can say from experience, though, that the creme brulee is very good, and the server highly recommended the cheesecake. Maybe next time...
To drink, I started with a CG signature cocktail, the Stoli Doli, which is vodka marinated in fresh pineapple and served straight-up and chilled, martini style. It was a great cocktail, slightly sweet and nicely fragrant but, at $11 each, was very expensive for the size. I could've polished off a few more, easily. In fact, I finished this one even before the appetizer came, not good. CG also has a huge wine list with 350 varieties. The wines by the glass are also on the expensive side, but I found a nice zinfandel for $9 to compliment my meal.
As an appetizer, we split an order of lobster & crab cakes and, although I appreciate a crab cake with lots of meat, I thought these were a little too soft. I actually like a little breading if, for nothing else, to hold the cake together, and these had none. The cakes came with a corn relish that was excellent and also a great, house-made tarter sauce.
The Capital Grill is a steakhouse, although they do offer other dishes, including lamb, fish, and chicken. This night I decided to stray a little from the typical steak and had a 'special' of sea bass ($31) wrapped with pancetta, on a bed of caramelized onions & sauteed apples, and topped with crispy sweet potato curls. The bass was very good, a nice thick piece, and the bacon was divine, though the dish could have been a little warmer and it was all very rich and sweet. I couldn't eat the whole thing. In the end, I probably would've been happier with steak. I guess I learned my lesson :)
My companion had a chef's special Delmonico steak ($41) served with a balsamic vinegar demi-glace that he thought was too sweet, but I thought was fantastic. The 22oz of meat was cooked perfectly and was tender and flavorful.
The side dishes at CG are extra ($9), though you can order a half-order. We had mashed potatoes and creamed spinach, both of which were very good, though extremely rich, made with cream and butter and, no doubt, outrageously fattening. We didn't finish either.
For dessert I tried a coconut cream pie that was really more like a thick, dense cookie topped with whipped cream. Thinking more of the custard pie variety, I didn't like it and sent it back. The server was nice enough to take it off the bill. I can say from experience, though, that the creme brulee is very good, and the server highly recommended the cheesecake. Maybe next time...
To drink, I started with a CG signature cocktail, the Stoli Doli, which is vodka marinated in fresh pineapple and served straight-up and chilled, martini style. It was a great cocktail, slightly sweet and nicely fragrant but, at $11 each, was very expensive for the size. I could've polished off a few more, easily. In fact, I finished this one even before the appetizer came, not good. CG also has a huge wine list with 350 varieties. The wines by the glass are also on the expensive side, but I found a nice zinfandel for $9 to compliment my meal.
Cleanliness
Besides the few crumbs on our booth (!) the restaurant is immaculate, inside and out. The bathrooms are especially nice.
Pros
We love the dark, intense, old-world style atmosphere that reminds us of a 1920 men's club. The steak is excellent and the service professional but not stuffy.
Cons
Expensive, expensive, expensive! At $40+ an entree, $9 a side, and $11 a drink, the check really adds up. Save CG for a special occasion or a time when you have an unlimited expense account, that is, unless you have money to burn. Oh, and stick with what they do best, steak!
