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 [email protected].

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