Date Night Cincinnati Magazine Spring 2016 | Page 19

W e have heard so many great things about The Capital Grille, and were excited to try it. Steak is pretty much my husband’s idea of the perfect meal, and The Capital Grille specializes in dry-aged steaks -- so away we went! We arrived early on a Sunday evening, because that’s how we date. Early out, early home! But, it turned out to be the perfect time; we had the place almost to ourselves for a little while, very romantic. The interior is just gorgeous -- rich African Mahogany paneling, lush stately décor and beautiful Art Deco chandeliers hang in the elegant dining room. My husband started the evening with a Classic Manhattan garnished with sour cherries, which he loved and declared one of the best he’s had. Then we both tried a sample of the Stoli Doli, The Capital Grille’s Signature Martini. This is a must try! A beautiful basket of warm bread was brought out with salted butter while we looked over the menu. For appetizers, we chose the Jumbo Lump Crab Cocktail, and the Prosciutto Wrapped Mozzarella. The chilled jumbo lump crab was succulent and sweet – my husband’s favorite. I loved the mozzarella and prosciutto, perfectly salty and creamy. After the delicious appetizers, we were almost full. But, when visiting a restaurant specializing in steak, you must order a steak. Ok, you don’t really have to; they have so many other amazing dishes but, we went with steak! The sides are just as spectacular as the steaks. All of the sides (except the Lobster Mac and Cheese) can be ordered as a half side. So that way you can try more!! Bonus! Speaking of Lobster Mac and Cheese… I mean, the chunks of lobster in that dish are no joke. HUGE! You wouldn’t want a half side, believe me. We also tried the Au Gratin Potatoes, which were so rich and smooth, the Soy Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, which were my husband’s favorite, and the Fresh Creamed Spinach, which was my favorite. Perfection! Of course, all of the food was out-of-this world. But, so was the service. Our server, Eric, was amazing. He was fun, knowledgeable and made every bit of the dining experience even better. We definitely didn’t need dessert after that spectacular meal, but of course, Eric had other plans – we tried two. The Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake, which My husband chose the 22 oz. Bone-In Ribeye. It was enormous! He also declared that this was the best steak of his life.  A date night win! I went with the feature of the night. I made the right choice -- three 4-ounce filets prepared three different ways. My favorite preparation was the Kona crusted, coffee rubbed filet served with caramelized shallot butter. Date Night Cincinnati 19 DNCI0416_p.indd 19 4/8/16 1:51 PM