The Capital Grille 1/5/10

My husband and I had dinner at Capital Grille on 1/5 and it was our second time dining here. We had received a certificate for $100 from the first time we dined, because our meal was terrible. We thought we would give them another shot. It was better, but not good by any means.

We went in, gave our name, and were brought to a table. Our waiter was very nice, but could have been a little more on top of refilling drinks. We sat and felt uncomfortable with the atmosphere. We had a creepy painting of a woman starting down at us. Our waiter came and took our drink orders, and then we ordered our appetizers and starters: I ordered the New England clam chowder, and my husband the Caesar salad and the calamari. Our calamari arrived and the waiter asked if we wanted lemon squeezed on (so he could do it for us) and then wanted to serve us. I am a very picky eater and do not like to have my food chosen for me, so I politely declined his service. The calamari was okay. It tasted very fried. Not something I would expect from a higher class restaurant.

Our soup and salad arrived. My soup was less than satisfying. It was very thin and watery - not what New England clam chowder should be, and was lacking in flavor. My husband's salad was a disappointment, too. The lettuce was yellowed and seemed to be going bad. The salad itself was not up to par.

We had both ordered the filet mignon and a side of mashed potatoes. (Everything is a la carte.) Our steaks were good, but not any better than I could have made at home. The potatoes were fine. These aren't words that should be used to describe a meal in an expensive restaurant.

I definitely expect a lot more out of a meal that costs well over $100 for two people. Our steaks alone were $40 each. Add to that all of the a la carte items, appetizers, soup and salad, and drinks, and you're probably going to spend around $200 for a less than satisfying meal. My husband and I both agreed that we would much rather prefer to go to Outback, spend $40 for our whole meal and be happier than we were at Capital Grille.

If you have a lot of money to spend and if you like feeling important by having your food scooped out for you, than this may be the place for you. If you want to go somewhere for an excellent meal, The Capital Grille falls extremely short.