Morton's The Steakhouse - French Quarter - New Orleans, LA

While it is a chain, I have encountered a few people who recommend Morton's The Steakhouse. I, however, tend to avoid any restaurant with Steakhouse in its name, because I don't exactly love steak. My boyfriend loves steak though and has always wanted to come here so with their participation in COOLinary I felt it was the best time to give them a try and get 3 courses for the $35 versus just the entree for the same price.

Their New Orleans location is located just outside the French Quarter on busy Canal Street. To enter the restaurant you have to take the elevator up to the second floor where you are greeted by their warm and friendly staff and sophisticated dining room. I was very impressed by their staff. They all worked as a team to ensure a magnificent dining experience. It was not a one man show where only your waiter servers you and other employees  just walk past your table like you don't exist. You are acknowledged by everyone you encounter.

At Morton's they have an extensive wine list, and a few interesting cocktails. I wanted to do something different then my usual and selected The Crush. Maybe it will be my new crush, I thought? It was made up of a few ingredients (vodka, Prosecco, grapes, etc) but essential tasted like grape flavor and sparkling wine. It may very well have been a bad choice on my part but I was even more disappointed once I saw the price.

The Ahi Tuna Tower was delish but I wouldn't say it was the freshest tuna or avocado. The chips were crispy and thin how I like them.

The Sliced Beefsteak Tomato Salad was simple yet amazing. Who knew tomatoes, red onions and blue cheese could be so gratifying?

The Baked Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp was heavenly. I liked that they were baked not fried because the combo of the grease and the richness of the sauce could have caused some serious stomach issues. The Shrimp was surprisingly light and stuffed with a decent amount of 100% crabmeat. The Parmesan Cappellini was saucy but not overwhelming and the capers add a nice tart flavor that didn't overpower. I accompanied the dish with their Steamed Broccoli which apparent had Hollandaise sauce but I didn't notice.

Steak is what Morton's is all about, so don't think we were going to leave without at least ordering the 6oz Filet Mignon. My boyfriend order it Medium and they delivered on that. It was tender with a juicy pink center otherwise known as a succulent cut of meat. It did lack flavor but was well cooked. The steak was paired with the Chicago-Style Horseradish Mashed Potatoes which was a great accompaniment.

For dessert, they had various options including a choice of souffles. The Grand Marnier Souffle sounded the most interesting so I went with that one. It was a little too wet in the middle and too rubbery on top. I was having trouble cutting through the top with my spoon so I ended up eating around it but the flavor of the dessert was good. It wasn't too sweet.

I didn't love the Cheesecake. It was very basic with just a strawberry on top. The cake was extremely dense and tasted like taking a tub of cream cheese and eating directly from the container.

Although the desserts failed to excite me and I wasn't fond of my cocktail choice, I was impressed by the Stuffed Shrimp entree. Plus, I really liked the ambiance and service was remarkable so it made me like a restaurant I otherwise wouldn't.


Morton's The Steakhouse
365 Canal St New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 566-0221
www.mortons.com