Morton’s The Steakhouse is, of course, famous for its steaks. Founded in 1978 in Chicago by Arnie Morton and Klaus Fritsch, the steakhouse was established on a single, delightful interlude: Fritsch made a sample burger for Morton, who took a bite and realized that it was the best burger he had ever tasted. The reason for creating the restaurant might be simple, but the flavor profile of every plate is not.
Appetizers: Broiled Sea Scallops and Ahi Tuna Tower
Photo by Haojia Li
The broiled sea scallops were perfectly cooked. The sear on both sides made the scallops golden, while the inside of the scallops was still translucent. The thickness of the scallops was well balanced by the crunchiness of the bacon wrapped around them. The bacon did not bring too much grease to the dish. The spicy chutney on the side really brought an appropriate amount of heat and combined well with the lemon that added a balancing kick.
Photo by Haojia Li
The ahi tuna tower was well-cooked and tender, and the chips on the side brought the dish the crunch that the ahi tuna and the avocado could not have. A great way to enjoy the dish in a non-messy way is to break down the tower, crush the chips and mix the two together. The texture of the resulting mixture is incredible.
Soup: The French Onion
Photo by Haojia Li
The french onion soup is a three-cheese soup containing both Gruyère and Emmental cheese in the broth and Comté cheese melted on top. The beef broth was rich and clear, and the thickness of the cheese was just right. The crouton in the middle was also soft and saturated with flavor.
Entreé: Filet Mignon
Photo by Haojia Li
The dish did not have any embellishments except a tad of green. The char on the filet was even, and the filet was almost perfectly seared on all sides — just the bottom of the filet had a little bit of a pouched texture. The steak was very easy to cut through (a seemingly useless detail but essential to an enjoyable steak experience. If you spend a lot of effort to cut up the steak, most likely the steak is not as tender as it is supposed to be). The filet was a perfect medium: pink in the middle without any ruby color or blood. The steak was still juicy, but it was rested well so the juice of the steak was able to distribute inside the meat. If looked at closely, the “fiber” of the meat was beautiful.
Dessert: Crème Brûlée and Double Chocolate Mousse
Photo by Haojia Li
Photo by Haojia Li
A nice meal has to end on a good dessert, and these two desserts were definitely not disappointing. The crème brûlée was very well structured. The “brûlée” was just the right thickness and not too sweet. The texture of the custard was creamy and not at all lumpy. It also did not taste like it was right out of a fridge. The double chocolate mousse was the star of the evening. The mousse was not too airy and not too dense. The dessert had a bittersweet taste without either of the two flavors overwhelming the other. Overall, the chocolate mousse is definitely worth trying when you are dining at Morton’s.
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