Morton's tops my list when it comes to chilling and filet mignon sandwiches. When the news was let out that they were bringing their famous beef burger into Singapore too, I leapt at the opportunity, with three other equally hungry gfs. I have not quite found THE beef burger yet so anything else that comes close is good enough..and having been charmed time and again by their marvellous filet mignon sandwiches...there was absolutely nothing stopping me this time.
The table lined for steak..
The dessert platter right next to us was a temptress, seducing us and we gave in hopelessly. Pretty novel idea having the dessert right smack in your face physically and not having to imagine how they look like! The same went for the meat platter that they displayed proudly and we declined an "introduction" since we were not heading for the steaks nor lobsters.
The open kitchen that goodies were rolled out from.
Onion Loaf
The hugely and highly raved about onion loaf that I finally had a taste of. Portion wise, it is undeniably one of the biggest loaf around, half the size of a basketball. The bread bears a slight hint of onion and that really is about it. All the hype and it's just a crusty loaf of bread with soft pockets within. I would not say it is that good, just alright.
We were all given plates with a side of raw vegetables. The plates arrived so hot, we were warned. I wish the pictures did some justice but the lighting coupled with my not so fantabulous camera...these were the best I could've done!
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, Mustard Mayonaise Sauce ($37)
The menu was confusing..the waitress made it worse. Thank God we pulled the handbrake and did not proceed further for the Crabcake mains which would have thrown us off our seats at a grand $95. For $37, it came in such daintyness. A humble browned round crab cake with a side of cream sauce and rockets. No doubt the crabcake is packed with fresh crabmeat...the friend retorted.."I can get a crab for $37!" which is entirely true. Overpriced it is.
USDA Prime Burger ($25)
Served with handcut Idaho Potatoes
The one we were all waiting for; the Million Dollar Burger.
This is considered an American gourmet sensation of USDA hand-ground beef set between two crisp hamburger buns with a choice of Swiss, crumbled blue or Cheddar cheese; crisp bacon, sautéed mushrooms or onions and served with a generous portion of hand-cut Idaho Potato French Fries. It was described as "USDA beef is unmatched for taste and tenderness and features superior marbling–the fat speckled throughout the meat that gives the steak its great flavor." by Mortons.
We opted for crumbled blue cheese and all the sides. The toasty hamburger buns were fluffy, consistency much better than the onion loaf. The patty was a disappointment with all the sodium that went into it. Too salty for my liking though the handground beef was unlike those that I have tried before in terms of beefyness and bite. The crumbled blue cheese was stellar, pungent yet delicious. The french fries were just okay though. To call this Million Dollar Burger is an exaggeration, probably Hundred Dollar burger is suffice. For all of its worth at $25, it is one of the more decent burgers around.
Macaroni and Cheese, hint of spice ($22)
A unanimous favourite. All the cheese that went into it made this a stunning one. Although a simple dish, Morton's version knocked out Seah Street Deli's flat. A walkover in fact. The cheeses used, macaroni cooked to such rightness..together they were the perfect combination. The lightly hardended cheezy crust on the top was just perfect, the firmness of the solidified cheese and baked macaroni...I drool just thinking of it.
I adore the mini introduction they do with their mains or even desserts. The waitress holds up a tray for you to visualise the desserts and then make your choice. From the very start of the meal I was already distracted by the desserts and got enticed by a couple!
For the cold desserts, they have raspberries, strawberries and cream, carrot cake, key lime tart, cheesecake and chocolate cream.
Carrot Cake ($20)
This has got to be the best carrot cake in history. The coconut cream cheese frosting is to die for! I have never been a fan of coconut anything...any hint of coconut in desserts drives me over the wall. Mortons did supremely well for this, marrying the tropical coconut flakes with the vegetable cousin, carrot without the cake tasting too raw or green. The frosting is slightly sweet but along with the dense well flavoured cake...you've got a smashing one! For $20, you really can get a full cake anywhere but...just for Morton's I gladly part with the money.
Upside down Apple Pie ($20)
This falls under their category of "Hot desserts" with the likes of souffles and warm chocolate cake. This took 30 minutes to arrive, faster than the initial 40 minutes as pre-empted. Compared with the carrot cake, this was mediocre despite being signature. The dish comprises of plump raisins and sliced apples that appeared to be preserved and baked, a lovely biscuit crust for a tart and vanilla icecream without the black specks! I was sore about the icecream not being vanilla bean, judging from the price tag...should it not have been the most natural ingredient for Morton's to use? Baffling somewhat but the dessert was nice, not wow.
The dim lights and cushy surroudings did little to add to the supposed romance of the restaurant because it was simply too noisy for that. The number of people in the restaurant would have marred any attempt at a marriage proposal, at all. The open kitchen did not go down too well with us either, for sitting too near the kitchen means you will walk out smelling like a well seared piece of steak.
By right, the burger can only be eaten at the Bar itself but I guess we were in luck that night. We had the pleasure of meeting Mr Zyron Schoniwitz, General Manager of Morton’s in Singapore and he arranged (in a heartbeat and without hesitation) for us to have bar bites in the restaurant instead of the bar! Awesome indeed. The friendly GM and the waitresses even offered to take photos with us and for us without complaints though they were quite up to the neck judging by the crowds. Service was very attentive and I am still surprised at their flexibility on accomodating our request. Top marks for that Morton's!
Overall I was satisfied with Morton's, although it was not their famous beef. The gfs concurred that Morton's is still better for their steaks than the bar bites. Definitely, someday...I'll be back for their steak!
Morton's
Oriental Hotel
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