Review: The Capital Grille

I’m playing a little blog catch-up this week.  A few weeks ago, my family went to The Capital Grille for my Dad’s birthday and I promised a quick review. The didn’t quite happen but better late than never, right?

As I mentioned on the blog earlier, The Capital Grille is a national chain owned by Darden Restaurants, the same group that brought you Olive Garden and Red Lobster. Now, I am usually not too keen on chain restaurants when it comes to fine dining, especially one that offers super cheap seafood (no thanks) and all you can eat salad and breadsticks for the low, low price of $5 (I have less of a problem with this).  It is not that I have anything against a good deal…I tend to prefer locally owned spots when it comes to a special occasion.

But I had been to The Capital Grille before and it has yet to disappoint, so I figured it was a safe bet.  Plus, Darden also owns Seasons 52, a health-conscious restaurant with a seasonally inspired menu, which I love.

But I digress. After our party arrived, we were promptly seated by our server Melissa, an extremely kind woman who has been working there for close to a decade.  She was actually our server four years ago when my wife and I celebrated our engagement. To me, it says a lot about the quality of a restaurant when you have the same people working there for extended periods of time.

Upon being seated, we were brought a small bite from the kitchen consisting of jumbo lump crab meat on top of a substance that I cannot remember but I am sure was very good. A very nice way to start a meal.

Given that the dinner was a celebration of life, we decided to be gluttons for the evening and order a couple of appitzers as well.  I really wish I would have taken some photos of the Waygu Beef Carpaccio and Smoked Salmon we ordered before they were devoured by the table but, alas, all you have is my word.  And I give you my word that both were exceptional.  The fact that I didn’t even have time to snap a photo is a testament to this.

After appetizers, it was time to put in our orders.  Now, The Capital Grille offers a pretty diverse menu but I knew before I even stepped foot in the restaurant that I was going to select one of their steaks.

My wife says that I like steak because my blood type is O and people with that particular type crave meat.  After a quick search of Wikipedia, I learned that to be true.  I am part of the hunter group, the earliest human blood group, which of course meant it was going to be steak night.

But before I could begin my hunt, I thought I would pay a little tribute to blood type A, the cultivar, and order a salad.

If there is one salad I could eat all day and all night, it is the Caprese Salad, a wonderful mix of buffalo mozzarella, vine-ripened tomatoes, basil, EVOO and, in the case of The Capital Grille, a 12-year aged balsamic.  Magnifico!

But then came the real decision.  What steak to order?  Our server let us know they had a special dry aged Delmonico, a bone-in top loin steak. Sold. I decided on the special but asked they prepare it with their kona coffee dry rub and top it with caramelized shallot butter.  Go big or go home, right?

My honest assessment?  One of the best steaks I have ever eaten. I kid you not.  I have eaten many a steak in my day, including some from Atlanta’s highly touted Chops and NY Prime, but this took the cake. Not only was it a perfect cut of meat but the kona cub created such a distinct and delightful flavor. And you know what? It was just as tasty the next day when I took it in for lunch.

To cap off what was most certainly a calorie-filled evening, the restaurant brought out a free cheesecake for my Dad’s birthday. Unfortunately, most of us were too stuffed to actually eat any of it but at least it looked tasty and was a nice gesture.

In short, it was a truly wonderful dining experience from the minute we stepped into the restaurant to the moment we left.  The food was excellent, the service spectacular.  I really have nothing bad to say.  I want to give it four stars because of my dislike for fine dining chains but I simply cannot.  Here’s a five spot for you.  The first on the Epicureman site.  Enjoy!

A Post for Jane Dough…

It always surprises me when I hear someone say they don’t like sweets.  I just don’t get it.  They are tasty and delicious.  What’s not to like?  Still, there are those out these who simply do not like sweets. 

This post is not for you.

Cookies have to be one of my favorite desserts.  And I am not prejudiced when it comes to cookie selection.   Oatmeal Raisin?  You bet.  Ginger Bread?  Yes, please.  Chocolate Chip? (insert cookie monster sound).  You get the point. 

Still, my absolute favorite cookie has to be Mr. Sugar.  I know, some may think that is a little boring.  A little plain  Jane.  Well, those of you who think this way have obviously not met my sister-in-law, Jane Dough.  Jane makes THE BEST sugar cookies (apart from my wife, of course).

Jane made some of her famous sugar cookies a few weeks ago (above) and, as always, they failed to disappoint.  What makes these so scrumptious is the perfect consistency, which all aspiring cookie monsters know is a critical component to true cookie satisfaction.  These are the perfect blend of soft and crunchy.

As you can see, Jane Dough is also an extremely accomplished cookie decorator. Now, there are some sugar cookie purists out there who prefer plain or sprinkles.  As I mentioned earlier, I am not a cookie hater.  I can appreciate a good iced cookie and, believe me when I say this, these were a some delicious iced cookies.

It would be impressive enough if all Jane Dough did was bake phenomenal cookies but, in actuality, her talents are many.  She is also a budding designer/artist and founder of Smile Giggle Laugh, a wicked cool Etsy site with all sorts of goodies.  Check it out.  And while you are there, go ahead and order something.

Preview: The Capital Grille

Heading to The Capital Grille tonight for my Dad’s birthday.  I’ve yet to have a bad experience there and am excited to be heading back.   It’s always surprised me that this is a national chain because it certainly doesn’t feel like one.

Stay tuned for the full review…

Mother’s Day Deliciousness

To celebrate Mother’s Day, my wife and I invited her family over to our house for lunch. We decided to branch out and try a few new recipes. The menu consisted of bruschetta to start, followed by Flat Iron steaks, Rosemary Baked Potatoes and Parmesan Zucchini.

The bruschetta recipe can from my sister-in-law who discovered it on one of my favorite sites, AllRecipes.com. Preparation is quick and easy and the taste is out of this world. I probably could have just eaten that as my main course.  What I love about the recipe is that is combines both Roma and sun-dried tomatoes, along with some garlic, basil, balsamic, EVOO - all which give it a unique flavor. Top it off with some fresh mozzarella and we are in business.   

Unfortunately, we were all starving when the dish came out so I didn’t have time to snap a photo, but I’ve included the one listed on AllRecipes for reference (recipe included in link).

 When planning the rest of the meal, I knew I wanted to try grilling some flat irons.  I’ve had them several times at restaurants and have always loved the flavor but had yet to try them out myself. I took the easy way out and purchased one of my favorite marinades from story – KC Masterpiece’s Ginger Teriyaki.  Flat irons come from the shoulder of the cow and usually have some good marbling. Unlike flank or skirt steak, flat irons benefit from a good marinade but do not require it.

I threw them on the grill on med-high and cooked about 6 minutes per side. As with any meat you grill, it is best to let it sit for 5 minutes after before serving to ensure the juices don’t spill out. 

 The potato recipe came from my wife. Again, pretty easy to pull together but it’s absolutely delicious. Simply buy some red potatoes and cut them into quarters.  Mix in a decent amount of EVOO, garlic and rosemary, which really sets off the dish.  Line everything up on a baking pan and stick them in the over for about 30 min. at 425 or until they brown.

 For the veggies, we cut up some onion and zucchini and sautéed them with some EVOO.  Once they are cooked through, we added some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to give it a little more depth and texture.

Nothing better than enjoying a good meal with even better company.

Still here (and cooking)…

I promised more posts and pictures but the technology gods have not let me deliver.

A couple of weeks ago, our personal computer completely crashed. Now, everyone who has dealt with customer service agents for computer manufacturers knows how much of a headache this can be.   So, I decided to just ignore that fact that my computer wouldn’t start-up in hopes of it magically fixing itself.

It didn’t.

After much internal debate, I placed a call to the folks at HP to help me out. An hour later, my computer still wasn’t fixed but at least they were sending help via a technician. HP decided to just replace my entire motherboard (thank goodness for backup drives) and now I am up and running.

That said, I have kept up my end by continuing to capture my food adventures, even though I knew I would not be able to post right away.

Hang around to see what is next…

Absence makes the heart grow fonder…

I’ll be the first to admit it has been pretty quiet on the blog front as of late. While you can attribute that to a busy work schedule and significant travel, it is simply no excuse. I have left my readers hungry for more cowbell food posts and have not lived up to the challenge.

 That ends here and now.  You’ll going to a lot more the Epicureman, so be sure to stay tuned.

Coming up: The wife and I are going to check out Woodfire Grill (home to Top Chef finalist Kevin Gillespie), so you can expect a review in the coming weeks. I’ll see if  can snap a photo of his pig tattoo in action when he is not looking.

Holiday Cupcakes

While I am still busy sorting through pictures from New Orleans, I thought I would throw in a quick post about a batch of cupcakes I made just before the holidays.  I purchased this holiday cupcake kit from World Market, one of my favorite stores.  Apart from the extensive offering of home furniture and decor, the store has an impressive selection of food and wine as well.

I picked up this little holiday cupcake kit for $7 which, despite being a bit pricey, turned out to be a good value because it came with everything you would need, including batter, icing mix, sprinkles and some candy toppers.  I didn’t care for the sprinkles they provided, so I used some from our own stash to add a little holiday feel to the cupcakes.

I’m short on time for this post, so I’ll let the pictures do the talking.  The finished product would be chocolate cupcakes with buttercream icing and sprinkles.  Enjoy!

Big Easy Bound

The Big Easy

So, I am off to New Orleans for a little jazz, creole and, of course, family bonding.  For those who have never visited, the local cuisine is second to none.  I’ll be sure to recap some of the trip’s culinary highlights, which is sure to include a Muffeletta sandwich, crawfish étouffee, jambalaya and, of course, a beignet or two from Café du Monde.

Stay tuned for some tasty posts following the Epicureman’s most recent adventures.

Review: Ray’s on the River

Let me start off this post by saying that I feel sorry for those people with December birthdays.  No matter how you cut it – these individuals just get the short end of the stick when it comes to getting the proper amount of birthday attention. 

December babies had to know this would end badly when America decided to start marketing Christmas in October.  The writing was on the wall.  As a result, these people are forced to accept the dreaded “joint Christmas/birthday gift” which then led to the advent of half-birthdays (as if people didn’t have a hard enough time remembering the original date!).

While I am not among the unfortunate to have a December birthday, my lovely wife is, which is why I always go out of my way to make sure she has a special day.

With my wife’s birthday falling on the 28th, we decided it would be best to celebrate before the holidays began. To mark the special occasion, I decided to take her to Ray’s on the River, an upscale seafood/steak restaurant in Atlanta.

We arrived in-time for our 7 p.m. reservations but was told to wait due to the heavy traffic the restaurant was receiving that night.  Not a problem for us, as we were in no hurry and I could hear a Tanqueray martini calling my name from the bar (for reference, I take mine straight up with extra olives  because my wife usually steals them from my drink despite being a nondrinker).

Once seated, we were pleasantly surprised to find birthday confetti scattered across our booth (which had an amazing view of the Chattahoochee River). Especially in this economy, it was nice to see a restaurant go above and beyond to make an evening special.  

My wife and I both started out with salads. I opted for their signature chopped salad with hearts of palm, bell peppers, blue cheese, onion, chick peas, olives and tomato tossed in a creamy herb dressing. Absolutely delightful!  With the abundance of ingredients, the chef made an effort to keep the dish semi-light and did not overdo it with the dressing.

After polishing off our salads (which are big enough to split), we placed our entrée orders.  I decided on the Parmesan Scallops with Lobster Risotto, and my wife was eyeing the Shrimp & Grits. 

Now, here is where things get a little interesting. Knowing she is sensitive to spicy foods, my wife asks the waiter if the Shrimp & Grits dish is at all spicy. “Absolutely not,” the waiter says.  My wife then proceeds to explain how she can’t handle spicy foods and would prefer to order another dish if the shrimp is even just a little bit hot.  The waiter replies, “Oh, no. The shrimp dish is actually pretty mild.”   With this information, she decides to order the dish.

After a short period of time, our food comes out and looks spectacular. The scallop dish has an excellent presentation and smelled delectable.  I was also pleasantly surprised to find five HUGE scallops on the plate. 

Parmesan Scallops with Lobster Risotto

After taking my first bite, I was immediately hit with a wonderful blend of flavors.  The texture and taste of the parmesan scallops paired well with the richness of the lobster risotto which was wisely topped with a touch of basil oil and a balsamic reduction. Simply delicious! (FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a risotto maniac and would probably eat it for breakfast were it socially acceptable)

Once I came back to reality, I looked over at the birthday girl to see if she was enjoying her dish.  Uh oh.  Turns out when our waiter said the shrimp dish was mild, he actually meant that it was pretty hot.  More creole heat then actually center of the sun hotness. 

At this point, I am faced with two decisions:

1) Have the waiter take the dish back to the kitchen and exchange it with something less spicy.

2) Offer my deliciously exquisite scallop risotto dish to my loving wife and birthday girl and eat the Shrimp & Grits.

Being the wonderful husband that I am, I opted for option 2, knowing that I love spicy foods and would enjoy the meal.

In fairness to Ray’s, the Shrimp & Grits dish was quite good. I wouldn’t say there was anything to really distinguish it from the hundreds of other versions I have had in my time but it was still a very solid dish.  Plenty of flavor, plenty of spice. 

Shrimp and Grits

What bothered me most was that my wife had specifically asked if the dish was spicy and ordered according to the response.  Even if the waiter had said the dish had a little kick, my wife would have ordered differently and the scallops and risotto would be safely in my stomach where it belonged.

To finish our evening, we were surprised with a complimentary birthday dessert from the kitchen.  The dessert was your standard chocolate cake concoction with whip cream and a gooey center.  While I didn’t think the dessert would win any awards, my wife, who like most women love all things chocolate, found it to be spectacular. Nevertheless, it was a very nice gesture from the kitchen and was much appreciated.

Overall, my wife and I had a wonderful birthday dinner experience.  Ray’s went above and beyond with the table decorations and free dessert, both nice touches. Will the Shrimp and Grits mishap keep us from returning? Not really, but it did have a big enough impact to knock them down a rating on my new Epicureguide.

Ray’s on the River Rating:    

 

 

 

Apple pie, and a slice of history

Yes, I know I this was supposed to be a post-Thanksgiving post showcasing all the superb food my wife and I cooked but, as you know, Thanksgiving can be hectic and I completely forgot to capture our culinary work.  For those interested, we had a delicious fried turkey that I prepared in a handy oil-free cooker I have.  I coated the outside of the turkey with my handy Stubbs Rosemary-Ginger rub that added the perfect kind of flavor you want out of a bird.  Completely safe and completely delicious.  

While I may have failed to capture my turkey cooking efforts, I did save the best for my trusty blog readers: homemade apple pie. Now, before I jump into how my wife and I prepared this tasty treat, I am going to fill you will a bit of history of this American staple (which, coincidently, is not where this dessert originated).  According to our good friends at Wikipedia, apple pie actually dates about a little over 600 years to the time of Chaucer in England, where the recipe called for good apples, good spices, figs, raisins and pears. Seems to me that English are better known for their meat pies but who am I to argue with history? 

How can you go wrong with a dish that tastes good AND provides your recommended daily dose of fiber?

I don’t know about you but I tend to prefer my apple pie to consist of apple, sugar, cinnamon and a buttery crust.  Let’s leave the figs and dates to the retirement communities. Before I dive into the recipe, I must admit that I am not much of a baker, hence the challenge of baking an apple pie. So, in order to prevent complete failure my first time out, we went the safe route and purchased pre-made dough mix from Williams-Sonoma. While we still needed to mix the dough with about two sticks of butter, it was a lot easier than making by hand but wasn’t as embarrassing as purchasing a pre-made crust from the store.  

After mixing the dough, we let cool in the refrigerator overnight so it was ready to go in the morning. We rolled out the dough sprinkling a bit of flour on my countertop so it wouldn’t stick and gently rested the dough in my pie dish.  

  

After laying out the dough in the pan, we prepared the pie filling which consisted of about 2 1/2 lb. of Granny Smith apples (which we sliced in our handy apple peeler), 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg and 1 tbs. lemon juice.  We mixed everything together and placed it into the pie dish, mounding a bit in the center. 

 

After filling the pie dish, we gently placed the second portion of dough on top of the apples. Now, there are a lot of ways to make a pie.  Some opt for a crumble on top, others prefer the strips of dough.  We decided on the traditional double crust.  Upon placing the second layer of dough on top, we pressed the top and bottom crusts together to seal and folded underneath our dish, cutting off any excess crust.  We also made sure to cut a decent size circle in the center of the crust so that air could escape and it wouldn’t explode in our oven.  Again, some opt for a couple cuts instead of a hole but it doesn’t really matter as long as air can escape. 

Next, we needed to coat the exterior of the pie so the crust wouldn’t burn too quickly in the over.  Most recipes call for heavy cream to brush over the crust but we decided to mix the cream with an egg yolk to give it a nice golden look and taste. 

 

After brushing, we pre-heated the oven to 400° and stuck the pie in to cook for 25 minutes.  At that point, we dropped the temp. down to 350° and cooked for an additional 20 minutes until the crust was an even golden brown and the apples were tender. 

 

As you can see, the pie came out perfect (and tasted delicious).  We topped with some vanilla bean ice cream and sank into a lovely food coma, as is our Thanksgiving tradition.