The Capital Grille

I have eaten in a lot of dining rooms that try this hard. The Capital Grille is one of the few that pulls it off without looking like it is trying.

The room is exactly what you want it to be: polished mahogany and oil portraits. We were seated near the back, given menus we hardly needed, and brought a small bowl of olives without being asked.

We started with country pâté with cornichons, which set the tone — generous, unfussy, and confident enough not to crowd what was coming. With it we ordered an Argentine malbec the waiter chose for me, and were glad of both.

Then the main event: dry-aged sirloin, the dish that puts The Capital Grille on every short list. Was it the very best steak I have ever eaten? No. Was it among the dozen I think about most? Yes. The signature touch — the Stoli Doli at the bar — is not a gimmick; it is the reason to come.

For sides we asked for broiled tomato with a breadcrumb cap and skin-on fries, twice-fried. Both arrived hot, both arrived early, both were exactly large enough to overdo it. We overdid it.

Dessert was the bread pudding with bourbon sauce, mostly because the waiter raised an eyebrow when we hesitated. He was right to.

Some places earn their reputation. The Capital Grille earns it twice over.