Steakhouse Still Going Strong

7 oz. Wagyu Filet Mignon with Fire Roasted Poblano Butter

The colorful story of Morton’s The Steakhouse begins with a humble hamburger.

Forty years ago, Arnie Morton managed a Playboy Club in Montreal. In preparation for a menu change, he sampled a burger cooked by food and beverage director Klaus Fritsch.

As legend has it, Morton burst into the kitchen with excitement, demanding, “Who cooked that hamburger?”

Fritsch stepped forward with trepidation. Was his burger a dud? No, Morton had come to tell him it simply was the best he’d ever tasted.

Seared Alaskan Halibut with Romesco Sauce

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That “Million-Dollar Hamburger,” as it would be known forevermore, launched a partnership and the restaurant empire known as Morton’s The Steakhouse. Morton and Fritsch opened their first location in Chicago in 1978 with a simple menu of big steaks and giant potatoes. Today, Morton’s offers fine dining in 80 locations, including its Honolulu restaurant at Ala Moana Center. Vibrant, modern, and sophisticated, Morton’s Honolulu provides a picture-perfect setting for an extraordinary meal.

Nowhere is Morton’s meticulous attention to detail more apparent than in its cuisine. The steakhouse is deservedly famed for its legendary USDA Prime aged beef. Other marvelous offerings include Rack of Lamb, Alaskan King Crab Legs and Tristan Lobster Tail. “These spectacular dishes are packed with flavor,” says Zyron Schoniwitz, Honolulu general manager. “And local guests love that we incorporate Hawaiian flare with favorites like Seared Hawaiian Ahi Tuna and Misoyaki Butterfish.”

8 oz. Wagyu Royale Ribeye Cap Steak

Morton’s specials, including the Burrata, Grilled Asparagus, Baby Heirloom Tomato & Crispy Prosciutto Salad, are similarly impeccable. The salad is topped with charred lemon vinaigrette and finished with burrata cheese, lemon zest and cracked pepper. Seared Alaskan Halibut with Romesco Sauce, served on a bed of baby spinach, with purple onion, heirloom tomatoes, feta cheese and toasted almonds, is another sterling example.

Guests craving an exceptional steakhouse meal might opt for 8 oz. Wagyu Royale Ribeye Cap Steak, a marbled and tender cut from Japanese wagyu breed crossed with highest-quality Angus steer, or 7 oz. Wagyu Filet Mignon with Fire Roasted Poblano Butter, featuring a delectably complex butter with poblanos, jalapenos, cumin, fresh cilantro and lime.

Burrata, Grilled Asparagus, Baby Heirloom Tomato & Crispy Prosciutto Salad

For the ultimate in flavor and self-indulgence, Nueske’s Bacon Steak with Peach Bourbon Glaze is a decadent 12-ounce steak of thick slab bacon that’s coated with brown sugar, roasted until golden brown, brushed with peach-bourbon glaze and finished with freshly cracked black peppercorn.

Like everything here, it is impressive, flawless, and unforgettable.

Nueske’s Bacon Steak with Peach Bourbon Glaze

IT’S A CELEBRATION

Morton’s The Steakhouse will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year with Napa Valley’s famed winemaking family, the Mondavis, with an exclusive event — A Taste of Two Legends wine dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 27. During this very special evening, guests will enjoy world-class wines from four Mondavi generations, including vintages not available to the public, and a gorgeous menu designed to complement those selections. For more information, visit mortons.com/honolulu/specialevents.

FINE WINE

Take note Island oenophiles, Morton’s The Steak-house is serious about wine, as the esteemed dining destination earned a Wine Spectator award in 2018. Among the vast list of stellar wines the restaurant carries, Morton’s presents two private label wines. The first is the Raymond “Primal Cut” Cabernet Sauvignon, which is full-bodied, with flavors of cassis, black dried cherries and tobacco. “It perfectly complements our marbled Chicago Style Bone-In Ribeye,” says sommelier Ryan Hisatake. Additionally, California’s Tuck Beckstoffer Wines bottled an exclusive cabernet in celebration of Morton’s 40th anniversary, sourcing grapes from some of Napa Valley’s finest lots, adds Hisatake.