Up until a few years ago, a special evening out with friends or bosses usually meant Morton's at the Mandarin Oriental. This much venerated restaurant has maintained its look and clientele over the years. Iam not so sure about the food anymore and hence planned this latest trip to Morton's which came over a couple of years since my previous one.
If you are heading there on a weekend, reservations are a must. We were about 15 minutes late for our booking on a packed Friday evening but the Maitre d' was gracious enough not to mention it. Once seated, our assigned waitress came with the customary cling wrapped tray which showcases all the meats and cuts they are available in. This tradition has been a long held one at Morton's and I always find it amusing to go through the rigmarole of listening to the well-rehearsed, oft repeated and breathless narration of the day's specials by the waitress. Sure she'd be downing a glass of water after that 5-7 minute monologue !
We settled for a portion of the fillet mignon (single cut) and broiled salmon (yes, they do offer a fair bit of seafood) with a side portion each of asparagus and spinach with mushrooms. The wine list is exhaustive and I chose a bottle of Barolo from the Fontanafredda estate to give us company. This is a moderate intensity wine from the Piedmont region of northern Italy and has a lean texture with a peppery, blackberry flavour. Few people know the Fontanafredda estate is actually owned and run by a bank - Monte dei Paschi di Siena (which also has the unique distinction of being the world's oldest surviving bank)!
The medium rare steak and salmon promptly arrived. My choice of the above mentioned side portions hasn't changed in the years I've been eating at Morton's. For lovers of these vegetables, the preparation and portion size is a delight. Both are simply sauteed with just a hint of butter and I always seem to be inclined to finish these over my main course. The steaks at Morton are a hit and miss usually. Last time, it was great but this time it was ordinary. Cooked a bit too much I reckon going by the charred sides of the meat. The salmon was good but not exceptional. It was served in a lemon butter sauce and the inside was just too raw for me. The side portions saved the day and maybe the full house was to blame for the overcooked / undercooked food.
We ordered one portion of the legendary Morton's hot chocolate cake to share. And boy, did it make up for the main course experience. The gooey chocolate centre masked with another layer of moist chocolate is a treat for dessert lovers. There is just one word for the cake : Sinful.
The service at Morton's is unpredictable. If you are lucky, you can be served by an attentive waiter who'll figure out you are not enjoying your meal and promptly do something about it. For this reason lot of patrons give extra tips to waiters here. On other days, you'll have to make do with rushed waiters offering standard service which leaves you unhappy with the mandatory 10% service charge.
The portion size at Morton's is huge and thus their prices may seem high. But if you compare portion to portion prices, Morton's is not that expensive compared to other steak specialty restaurants. What is expensive however is the alcohol, side portions and desserts. I may not be returning anytime too soon precisely for that reason. For dropping ~SGD 450 in a night, I'd rather explore newer and more promising places.
If you are heading there on a weekend, reservations are a must. We were about 15 minutes late for our booking on a packed Friday evening but the Maitre d' was gracious enough not to mention it. Once seated, our assigned waitress came with the customary cling wrapped tray which showcases all the meats and cuts they are available in. This tradition has been a long held one at Morton's and I always find it amusing to go through the rigmarole of listening to the well-rehearsed, oft repeated and breathless narration of the day's specials by the waitress. Sure she'd be downing a glass of water after that 5-7 minute monologue !
We settled for a portion of the fillet mignon (single cut) and broiled salmon (yes, they do offer a fair bit of seafood) with a side portion each of asparagus and spinach with mushrooms. The wine list is exhaustive and I chose a bottle of Barolo from the Fontanafredda estate to give us company. This is a moderate intensity wine from the Piedmont region of northern Italy and has a lean texture with a peppery, blackberry flavour. Few people know the Fontanafredda estate is actually owned and run by a bank - Monte dei Paschi di Siena (which also has the unique distinction of being the world's oldest surviving bank)!
The medium rare steak and salmon promptly arrived. My choice of the above mentioned side portions hasn't changed in the years I've been eating at Morton's. For lovers of these vegetables, the preparation and portion size is a delight. Both are simply sauteed with just a hint of butter and I always seem to be inclined to finish these over my main course. The steaks at Morton are a hit and miss usually. Last time, it was great but this time it was ordinary. Cooked a bit too much I reckon going by the charred sides of the meat. The salmon was good but not exceptional. It was served in a lemon butter sauce and the inside was just too raw for me. The side portions saved the day and maybe the full house was to blame for the overcooked / undercooked food.
We ordered one portion of the legendary Morton's hot chocolate cake to share. And boy, did it make up for the main course experience. The gooey chocolate centre masked with another layer of moist chocolate is a treat for dessert lovers. There is just one word for the cake : Sinful.
The service at Morton's is unpredictable. If you are lucky, you can be served by an attentive waiter who'll figure out you are not enjoying your meal and promptly do something about it. For this reason lot of patrons give extra tips to waiters here. On other days, you'll have to make do with rushed waiters offering standard service which leaves you unhappy with the mandatory 10% service charge.
The portion size at Morton's is huge and thus their prices may seem high. But if you compare portion to portion prices, Morton's is not that expensive compared to other steak specialty restaurants. What is expensive however is the alcohol, side portions and desserts. I may not be returning anytime too soon precisely for that reason. For dropping ~SGD 450 in a night, I'd rather explore newer and more promising places.
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