Sunday, November 27, 2011.
Birthday Dinner In Advance At Morton's.
The Saints play tomorrow, so there was nothing to draw us today into one restaurant or another. Nevertheless, Mary Ann thought Jude should see the new WalkOn's on Poydras Street. And why not? Its billboard shows a hamburger as big as a house! Isn't that what he misses about New Orleans when he's in Los Angeles? Hamburgers?
Because this feed was on no schedule, it kept getting pushed back all afternoon. The sun was going down when we finally headed across the lake. Trying to save myself from WalkOn's (not open nearly long enough for me, it's a sports bar, and specializes in hamburgers, for God's sake), I threw out the idea of going to Morton's The Steakhouse instead.
The gang greedily grabbed the bait. Mary Ann said she would accept the invitation if it could be considered her birthday dinner, ten days early. She pulled a sweater over the workout suit she was wearing for WalkOn's and was good to go. Jude was in jeans and a Polo. If he'd known where we were headed, he would have dressed the same way. Mary Leigh said she had the perfect dress to wear to Morton's, but no time to change. I had been planning on being the only person at WalkOn's wearing jacket and tie, other than the sportscasters on the tubes. Be prepared, I say--wear jacket and tie all the time.
With the Bayou Classic in town, the restaurant would be either packed or empty. We figured it was the latter after our third call to move the reservation later, when the reservationist said we could really come any time we wanted.
Our usual banquette in the corner was unavailable, occupied by a guy who would propose marriage to his girlfriend before the evening was over. But we did score a comfortable booth backing up to the window looking into the bar. Since it was so close by, I ordered a martini. Martinis and steaks go together to me.
Morton's has a good deal on steak dinners for two, if you are willing to get their regular, probably-not-USDA Prime filet mignon. Which is exactly what the Marys prefer, and Jude too. Some months ago they restructured this deal to allow you to upgrade for a few dollars more. I upgraded to the large sirloin strip. I would certainly not eat the whole thing, but steaks live on in the refrigerator reasonably well. And a thick steak cooks better than a thinner one.
The kitchen performed perfectly, delivering the Pittsburgh-style charred-outside, rare-inside strip exactly as ordered. It neither had nor needed any kind of sauce. Might have been the best steak I've ever had here.
However, I forgot something I learned last time. This $109-for-two special is a surf-and-turf thing. Last time, I asked to have the surf part (grilled sea scallops with bacon wrapped around them and crab cakes) brought as appetizers. I didn't ask this time, and they came with the steaks. Which is too much food getting cold at one time.
I was the only one put off by that. Mary Leigh and Jude did away with the large filet. Mary Ann insisted she really wasn't eating, except for that whole loaf of onion bread, a Caesar salad, and one of the crab cakes.
I think the second-string staff was here tonight, but there wasn't a beat missing in the service. We learned that one of the Saints players was in the restaurant with his wife, but I don't remember who. He and she were all alone in the private dining room, the one with the newly-opened windows onto Canal Street.
Morton's The Steakhouse. CBD: 365 Canal (Canal Place Mall). 504-566-0221.
It's over three years since a day was missed in the Dining Diary. To browse through all of the entries since 2008, go here.
