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| - What a truly wonderful restaurant all the way around. It's rare I feel like I've been "wowed" when I go out, but The Captial Grille had that effect and they did so in a way that seemed effortless and second-nature.
We were lured in after the recent Elite event (and actually made our dinner reservations within an hour of the event). The ambiance is exquisite without being extravagant, with many formal-looking portraits, iron, and a wealth of masculine darkly-stained wood.
The kitchen was spot-on during our visit - not a single thing came to the table that wasn't outstanding. We both started with the bacon clam chowder - smokey and rich. My entree was the filet Mignon, a timeless classic (and a personal favorite). I ordered mine medium rare: my first experience in Charlotte where my steak was brought to me a true medium rare. It's a tender cut that the chefs worked wonders with. A had the dry-aged Kona crusted sirloin - his was equally amazing with explosive flavors. Dessert brought chocolate espresso flour-less cake. Exceptionally rich and decadent - the perfect end to the meal.
As an experienced oenophile, I am in heaven at The Capital Grille. The wine selection has no comparison in the area - many, many phenomenal producers represented from around the globe, a survey of the best-of-the-best in wine. We mentioned we had attended for the summer Generous Pour event earlier and paid for it again tonight. This time, though, the server turned it into a guessing game: we'd order one, he'd bring two, seeing if we could identify the mystery wine from the list he recommended with our food.
Speaking of the service, TCG is in a league of their own in the area. The staff, who had or reservation, greeted us by name at the door and at our table. The manager recognized us from the week before and made it a point to stop by and welcome us and to wish us well at the end of the evening. Down to the very smallest detail of folding your napkin if you need to leave the table during your meal, this team embodies every stellar trait of the service industry.
While The Captial Grille is not in the budget for a regular meal (yet), they are now my first choice for a venue to celebrate and to show off everything Charlotte has to offer.
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