Dining Review -- Stephen Santacroce
Fine dining in America has over the years taken on many guises. French
restaurants once stood as the pinnacle of haute cuisine, but as American
palates grew more sophisticated, various food styles have vied for the
trendy diner’s palate and wallet. High-end Italian is certainly stylish,
California cuisine and its offshoot produce exciting ideas, and exotic
Asian and Middle Eastern tastes now compete for a share of the honors.
But despite all the trends and fashions, one style of dining has
remained a classic American icon -- the steakhouse. Americans have had a
love affair with beef since the days when cowboys roamed the plains,
herding cattle and fending off rustlers. While many of us couldn’t tell a
morel from a truffle, most can extol the virtues of a good cut of beef.
Morton’s of Chicago is the epitome of what a high-end steakhouse
should be. The restaurant has recently reopened in its new location on
the site where Planet Hollywood used to sit, and the new Morton’s is
twice the size of the old and as imposing from the outside as a bank
headquarters. Sitting in the line of fancy cars waiting for the valet,
it’s difficult not to feel like you’ve arrived; and not just for dinner.
Inside, Morton’s exudes a confident, understated sophistication. Muted
earth tones and dark wood elegantly define the large, open dining room,
punctuated by the crisp white linens that adorn the well-spaced tables.
Although there is no dress code at Morton’s, it’s the type of restaurant
that you want to dress up to go to and most of the diners are elegantly
attired and groomed. The occasional patron wandering about in blue jeans
seems as out of place at Morton’s as a vegetarian.
A good steakhouse begs for a good martini to start the evening off,
and there’s no better place to enjoy one than the clubby bar set off to
the side of the entrance. The designers have left the wall facing the
dining room open but ingeniously portioned, with a glass panel so that
one can observe the goings on while still enjoying a hushed conversations
over a pre- or post-dinner cocktail.
The menu at Morton’s is classic American with an emphasis on generous
portions, prime beef and fresh ingredients. Appetizers such as the jumbo
shrimp cocktail ($11.95) or plump oysters ($10.95), served well chilled
with classic cocktail sauce and horseradish, merely wet the appetite for
the feast to come.
A must is the smoked salmon ($10.95). Sides of salmon are smoked
in-house and proudly displayed on a silver platter near the entrance.
When ordered, servers will carefully slice paper-thin portions and serve
the smoky fish with traditional garnishes and toast points. Soup lovers
can start off with a hearty lobster bisque ($10.95), although I found
that they over do the cream and I couldn’t detect a trace of sherry; a
must for any true bisque lover.
Salads are kept simple and include my favorite -- thickly sliced
beefsteak tomatoes ($6.95) served with either a classic blue cheese
dressing or slices of onion and tangy vinaigrette. I like to order the
latter crumbled with some of the blue cheese. Morton’s also serves a
respectable Caesar ($6.95) that’s not timid with the anchovies, although
I thought the kitchen was a bit heavy-handed with the dressing.
Of course, beef is what Morton’s is all about, and it’s presented here
with a flourish. Soon after you’re seated, your server will roll over a
trolley and begin the menu “demonstration,” which involves showing off
each cut of USDA prime beef, as well as fish cuts and live lobsters that
have been arranged on a platter.
The steaks are, as expected, cooked expertly under the guidance of
Executive Chef Dwight Craig, and the servers are well-skilled at
describing exactly what the difference will be between medium and medium
rare.
There are probably as many opinions on the best cut of beef as there
are ex-Enron employees, but true connoisseurs seem to prefer the rib-eye.
Morton’s rib-eye ($29.95) is a generous 16-ounce cut perfectly marbled
and as tender as any I’ve had.
Filet mignon is popular these days as a leaner and often more tender
steak, and Morton’s offers a healthy 14-ounce filet that melts in your
mouth. Because of the lower fat content, filets are considered slightly
less flavorful than other cuts, and Morton’s dresses theirs up with a
tangy bearnaise, the classic French sauce that’s similar to hollandaise
but with vinegar.
The signature steak at Morton’s is a 24-ounce bone-in porterhouse
($34.95). Or, for the truly adventurous (and well-off) take a shot at the
48-ounce version of the same steak ($69.95). They don’t give a medal for
finishing one of these, but it’s sure something to tell your friends
about.
In true steakhouse fashion, Morton’s dispenses with any pretense of
presentation. You won’t find edible flowers adorning you’re plate or
towers of artfully arranged herbs. Order a steak, and you get a steak on
a white plate, nothing else. Dig in.
If you want something to go with your steak, sides are ordered a la
carte and served family-style. Jumbo steamed asparagus ($7.95) as thick
as a cigar or fresh broccoli ($4.95) are both served with an eggy, rich
hollandaise. The lyonnaise potatoes ($4.95), thick chunks of potato
roasted crisp and mixed with caramelized onions, are delicious.
Non red-meat choices include a thick-cut swordfish steak ($26.95)
served with bearnaise sauce or whole baked Maine lobster that’s market
priced.
Of course, good steaks deserve good wine, and the Morton’s wine list
features a well-thought-out selection of bottles, although the markups
are on the steep side. Corkage is $15 a bottle if you’d like to bring
something from your own cellar.
Everything is done on a large scale at Morton’s, and desserts are no
different. No less than four souffles are offered -- chocolate, Grand
Marnier, lemon and raspberry ($12.95). The souffles are sized for two and
need some lead time to prepare. Plan ahead, and order one with your
dinner.
The warm Godiva cake ($8.95) is probably the most decadent. The small
round, flourless cake is filled with a molten Godiva chocolate sauce that
oozes onto your plate as you cut into this luscious sweet.
For big steaks, cold cocktails and an upscale dining experience
(albeit with an upscale budget), Morton’s is a great choice. In addition
to the main dining room, Morton’s has several private “boardrooms” that
can accommodate groups of 10 to 140, making it well suited to a special
event or corporate dinner.
* STEPHEN SANTACROCE’S restaurant reviews appear every other Thursday.
Send him your comments at sdsanta@oc-dining.com.
FYI
* WHAT: Morton’s
* WHERE: 1641 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana. Inside South Coast Plaza
Village
* WHEN: 5 to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday, Sunday until 10 p.m.
* HOW MUCH: Very expensive
* CALL: (714) 444-4834
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