By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie
After spending 6 days in New York City pretty much eating everything in sight, the very last thing I wanted to do was eat a huge dinner out.
However, I had set this date night up with my husband weeks before and I didn’t want to disappoint.
In all my years in Phoenix, neither Eric nor I had ever been to a Morton’s The Steakhouse. They had invited Jay and I a few months back to a wine tasting event and I proclaimed I would return for a meal very soon.
I had heard tales of live lobsters and gigantic slabs of meat being rolled out to our table as part of the experience.
The GM, Michael Colleluori greeted us when we entered and ushered us into the very classic steakhouse dining room. He pulled the entire table out for us to sit in the rounded booth.
A carnival of meat!
Colleluori introduced us to our server for the evening, Cory. I immediately had a feeling we were in for an incredibly special dining experience.
Many blog readers will note that I am a huge meat eater and meat fan. In fact sometimes I wish I could exist on steak alone.
Morton’s is of course, a classic steakhouse. From the celebrity photos on the wall, to the dark, very masculine interior. I pictured serious, 3-martini, power lunches that happen in the Phoenix business elite community. I am pretty sure I’m right…well, except perhaps about the 3-martini part.
As I typically prefer, we asked Executive Chef Steven Anderson to prepare a variety of selections so that my husband and I could focus on conversation instead of the menu.
Cory did insist upon doing the standard menu presentation, which indeed, did include an introduction to a live lobster and various large hunks of cow. I enjoyed his presentation because I am a fan of any nostalgic food traditions.
Why Hello Mr. Lobster...
I started with a dirty martini that was everything my favorite cocktail should be with just the right amount of olive juice and three plump olives on a skewer.
We first tasted the Baked Prime Ocean platter that comes with bacon wrapped sea scallops, jumbo lump crab cakes, oysters Rockefeller and colossal shrimp Alexander.
From my first bite, I was enthralled. I’ve had many versions of crab cakes, fried shrimp, and Rockefeller. The shrimp was crisp and perfectly executed. The Oysters were finished with a dash of Pernod giving them a unique but satisfying flavor. The crab cakes had juicy and chunky pieces of actual crab with a spicy twist. Chef Gordon Ramsay would be quite proud of how perfect the scallops came out, as he typically annihilates the cooks on “Hells Kitchen” for screwing up that dish.
Baked Seafood Platter
The salad course was a standard steakhouse chopped salad though I did enjoy that it included hearts of palm and the dressing was very light.
Morton's Chopped
I was getting full and nervous because up next was meat and I wanted to have enough room! I contemplated taking a brisk walk around the Esplanade but then my dear husband reminded me it was well over 100 degrees outside.
The meat arrived. Behold. The meat set in front of us was a sight to see.
We stared at the bone-in rib eye and the bone-in filet mignon. It was enough meat for a family of 5.
I felt like I had to take one for the team so I sliced off a piece of the filet and dug in. Cooking this tender cut of beef on the bone imparts even more flavor than normal. It was perfectly cooked and really did a dance on my taste buds.
The Bone-In Filet-Meaty perfection
Nothing however, could have prepared me for that rib eye.
It is rare if ever that I would order a rib eye in a restaurant. Or purchase one to grill at home for that matter.
So to say I am skeptical is an understatement. I bit into my first taste of that steak and my mouth started to water so much I almost choked. It was that intense of a flavor and texture combination.
It was so good it was almost sinful.
Eric said it was one of his top 3 steak experiences of his life and frankly I must agree!
I will savor that steak memory for many years to come.
The Steak That Changed Our Minds about Ribeyes!
I ignored the side dishes (asparagus and lyonnaise potatoes) in favor of the meat, but my husband complimented both.
I was bursting at the seams, but Cory informed us of the newest menu addition that we “had” to try: the sundae made with Morton’s legendary chocolate molten cake, caramel and hot fudge.
A sundae legends are made of!
They brought the thing out with a crane. It was everything a sundae should be. I could have found room to eat the entire thing, but I managed to show some restraint. We tasted the carrot cake as well with its decadent cream cheese frosting and moist cake.
Gimme some!
At this point both the chef and GM came over for a chat. We were drooling and raving about the meat and they both beamed with pride.
I am sure there are many GMs and Chefs in the Valley who love where they work. I am sure there are others who love the company they work for. I am even sure there are others who have a strong passion for everything related to food.
That being said, I hereby declare Anderson and Colleluori to be cut from a different cloth from the average Chef/GM duo. These two are some of the most passionate men I have ever had the privilege of meeting. They take great care in assuring every single person who eats at Morton’s has a consistent and outstanding experience.
It shows in the quality of the service and the food. It shows in the incredible attentiveness of the staff. It shows in the gigantic beaming smiles on everyone’s faces.
I am so incredibly impressed with the leadership team at this restaurant. For service alone I will dine again. Good thing the food is delicious too.
http://www.mortons.com/
