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 grilled provoleta with chimichurri, which set the tone — generous, unfussy, and confident enough not to crowd what was coming. With it we ordered a Burgundy that arrived too cold and rewarded patience, and were glad of both.

Then the main event: dry-aged sirloin, the dish that puts The Capital Grille on every short list. It arrived faintly hissing on a heated plate, the kind of small detail that tells you the kitchen still cares about the last twenty seconds before service. The signature touch — the Stoli Doli at the bar — is not a gimmick; it is the reason to come.

For sides we asked for asparagus with hollandaise and creamed spinach so rich it should embarrass us. Both arrived hot, both arrived early, both were exactly large enough to overdo it. We overdid it.

Dessert was a slab of New York cheesecake, mostly because the waiter raised an eyebrow when we hesitated. He was right to.

It is not cheap. It is, in this case, worth it.