Joshua K.
Yelp
We recently had one of the most spectacular dining experiences we've ever had at Capital Grille. Wow! Everything, from the classic steakhouse dishes to the service, & overall attention to detail rivals what we've experienced at Michelin Star restaurants. There is a reason why Capital Grille is such a stalwart when it comes to fine dining: you know what you're getting every time!
We were celebrating a very special occasion & decided to do so by ordering from their Miami Spice menu ($60/person), as well as participating in their renowned Generous Pour wine tasting ($35/person). For those who are unfamiliar with it, Capital Grille's Generous Pour is their annual summer wine tasting event where 6 different wines (different variations of red, white, and rosé) from a selected wine maker are featured/paired throughout your meal. Your server guides you through the tasting notes and what pairs best with what. After going through all 6 wines, you can continue pours of the one you enjoyed best!
We had zero wait with getting seated for our 7:30 PM Saturday evening reservation & were greeted to a congratulatory card at our table for celebrating the important milestone in our life we were celebrating. We immediately were brought our 6 glasses of wine, 3 each of which were filled with the white wines & rosé of the tasting: J Vineyards Pinot Gris, J Vineyards Chardonnay, & Department 66 "Fragile" Rosé. My fiancée's favorite wine of the evening was the J Vineyards Chardonnay. She found it to be very approachable, light bodied, & not acidic in taste. I enjoyed them but preferred the reds (will get to them later on in the review).
The dinner started out as normal with Capital Grille's complementary bread basket, which contains Flatbread Crackers, Pumpernickel Raisin, Sourdough & Onion Bread (our favorite)! Since we were participating in the Generous Pour, we forwent cocktails and began ordering our meals. Here is what we had:
- Appetizers: New England Clam Chowder & Wedge Salad with Bleu Cheese and Smoked Bacon
- Entrées: 10oz Filet Mignon & Tomahawk Veal Chop (+$10 supplement)
- Dessert: The Capital Grille Cheesecake & Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake
First things first, this is a restaurant that seems to keep all of their portions the same. What you get for Miami Spice is what you get for the main menu. That is to say, everything was very filling! We came with an appetite, so we absolutely devoured the New England Clam Chowder & the Wedge Salad. The Wedge Salad was packed with bacon, & the Clam Chowder was very creamy, delicious, & also loaded with plenty of clams & potatoes. Capital Grille never disappoints with their soups or salads.
Our entrées came, and so did our red wine pairings. My fiancée had a medium-well 10oz Filet Mignon, while I had the Tomahawk Veal Chop for an extra $10. The red wines we received were the 8 Years in the Desert Red Wine, the Abstract Red Wine, & the Palermo Cabernet Sauvignon. I loved all these wines but personally enjoyed the Palermo the most. I love full-bodied wines with a strong berry smell on the nose as well as a strong finish. My fiancée's Filet Mignon & my Tomahawk Veal Chop were both perfectly cooked. Both were so tender & melted in our mouths. I haven't had the Veal Chop at Capital Grille before this, but can safely say that theirs rivals any Veal Chop I've had at nearby high-end Italian restaurants. It is a great alternative to your usual steak that I'm glad I ordered. Our entrées each came with a side, so we went for the Creamed Spinach & Sam's Mashed Potatoes. We nibbled on our sides but packed most of them to take home as we were pretty full from our entrées.
Of course, we had to have dessert. I had the The Capital Grille Cheesecake, served with fresh berries while my fiancée had the Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake, served with raspberries. My cheesecake was served brûlée style (torched & caramelized on top, like a crème brûlée) & excellent. However, that Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake is what dreams are made out of. The taste of rich cocoa & espresso is making me drool as I write this.
It was our first time doing the Generous Pour, but not our last! Wow! What an amazing experience. Everything from beginning to end, service wise & food wise was exemplary of the standard Capital Grille holds themselves to. The Capital Grille team on Instagram was also aware of our special night/reservation and checked in to make sure everything went well. Thank you for creating such a beautiful & tasty dining memory for my fiancée & I.