The gorgeous dining rooms are paneled in dark steakhouse wood and decorated with paintings of South Florida nature scenes and portraits. The plush leather chairs around the black granite bar were filled with folks who can casually drop a few hundred on dinner. Layout and design belie the mall-front location, creating intimacy with a number of small rooms.
Eating at The Capital Grille's new Fort Lauderdale location is like hearing an orchestra perform a classic symphony. The menu is timeless, and the restaurant hits every note.
The gorgeous dining rooms are paneled in dark steakhouse wood and decorated with paintings of South Florida nature scenes and portraits. The plush leather chairs around the black granite bar were filled with folks who can casually drop a few hundred on dinner. Layout and design belie the mall-front location, creating intimacy with a number of small rooms.
Capital Grille deftly handles basic starters -- big, firm shrimp with zesty cocktail sauce, clean-tasting New England oysters -- but reaches another level with others.
Calamari mocks its sports-bar brethren, lightly sauteed in garlic butter with cherry peppers and scallions. Lobster and crab cakes lock a bounty of seafood in a crunchy crust, zested with mustard and pepper.
Capital Grille should bottle the au jus that complements its famous hand-cut filet mignon. The most tender and buttery cut of meat is flawless, and the jus has sweet hints.
The sirloin was just as good, expertly prepared in a 1,400-degree broiler and served with cracked pepper and the jus. These may be the best steaks in town.
Beyond beef, Capital Grille excels. A special of osso bucco tasted like it had been slow-cooked for days. The veal shank was divinely tender, bursting with flavor and hints of citrus and rosemary.
Fresh broiled lobster easily met South Florida's high seafood expectations. At our request, the two-pounder was removed entirely from its shell. The mild, briny meat gets sweeter in those hellfire ovens, caramelizing the sugars for a fuller flavor than boiled.
Entrees are primarily a la carte. Osso bucco was served with a satisfying orzo, but steaks and lobster flew solo.
Traditional sides were made with precision, from thick asparagus spears with Hollandaise to impossibly creamy mashed red-bliss potatoes. The vegetable was a blend of baby zucchini and haricots verts mixed with couscous and a hint of tomato.
We were concerned the 3-month-old site at Galleria Mall would fall short of extraordinary service standards set at the 17 other locations -- including the power-lunch spot in Miami -- when the host could find no trace of our reservation.
But if a staff can be judged on how it handles hiccups, the new Capital Grille will do fine. Despite an overflow crowd at Friday dinner , we were seated within 40 minutes.
Among our charming waiter's strongest recommendations was homemade cheesecake, satisfyingly light in a vanilla-graham crust with strawberry sauce. Capital Grille boasts an airy, flourless chocolate espresso cake. The coffee flavor cuts the sweetness. Authentic key lime pie was also divine, topped with toasted pistachios.
Wine is almost a religion at Capital Grille, with private cabinets labeled with the names of notable regulars. But the massive, thorough wine list -- complemented by a captain's list -- makes one wonder what these folks could possibly stash that is not already available.
Like all on the menu, prices are high, with only a fraction of the bottles under $50. But Capital Grille is not a place to keep an eye on your wallet or your diet -- after all, this is how the symphony is played.
