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| - 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 1/2 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.
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....
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