There is a new steak house in town looking to take down the old guard. Capital Grille looks like they are no strangers to the game considering how many locations they have around the country. I saw them getting set for their grand opening as I visited Purple a while ago. Considering the craving for good steak I get, I made a mental note to check them out.
The comparison is going to be against El Gaucho which I consider the best steak in town. Cutting to the chase, they fall slightly short in terms of food. It could be that they have just not been open long but I found the steaks not as tender or as flavorful. I can't tell if it's the quality of the original beef or the way that it is aged but they are a notch down. The Kona crust, a coffee rub you can opt for, is decent but I tend to like my steak au naturale. Also, the steaks are slightly over-cooked than they were ordered. Where they make up some ground is in the sides. They are tasty and are given in large portions. There are other items on the menu and the appetizers are fine but hey, it's a steak house. I will say a word about the desserts, though. I believe they are not made in-house which is fine since it is likely true of most of the restaurants in the area. However, they are so plain and unimaginative that I would fire their buyer.
The decor is upscale and obviously new considering how long they have been open. It is traditional steak house with rich colors and wood. It is a little more bright than I am used to but nice overall. The service was very friendly but also very slow. Again, it could be because they just opened. I also missed the show at El Gaucho where the servers prepare certain dishes at your table. On 4th and University. Here are the scores; I follow the Zagat format.
Food: 23
Decor: 24
Service: 22
Cost: Dinner $90
http://www.thecapitalgrille.com/
206-382-0900
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