The Capital Grille Opens in Plano in The Shops at Legacy

The Capital Grille is known for its outstanding service, dry-aged steaks, award-winning wine list and fabulous desserts. The Lobster Mac 'N Cheese is legendary. It's a see-and-be-seen place. It's an expense account place. It's a celebration place. It's a great place for business meetings or to entertain clients. It's a date night place. It's a place you will want to come back to again and again.

The Capital Grille is located in The Shops at Legacy at 7300 Dallas Parkway, Plano, TX 75024. 972-398-2221.

For my salad course, I thought "When at the Capital Grille, order the Capital Grille Chopped Salad." It seemed like a good idea at the time. The salad consisted of seasonal greens and vegetables, housemade croutons, and olive vinaigrette. And it seemed like a wise choice until, yes until the person sitting to my right was served the Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil with 12-Year-Aged Balsamic. Suddenly I had owner's remorse. About halfway through my salad, I told him that I had actually considered sticking my fork into his mozzarella cheese when he wasn't looking and swiping a piece. He jokingly insisted that he may have stabbed me with his fork. (I said "joking" but he may have been serious). The cheese is so delicious because it's actually made every two hours in the kitchen. But I was a good girl and kept my fork to myself. (I went back the following week and ordered that salad). The Chopped Salad was quite good and it had a few tiny pieces of fresh mozzarella throughout. But I wanted more of that incredible homemade cheese.

Since I'm the daughter of a cattle rancher, I tend to judge a restaurant by its Filet Mignon. The filet is generally the most tender cut of beef (from the tenderloin). I ordered my filet perfectly medium and that's exactly how it arrived.

I only have one problem with The Capital Grille's steak menu. The smallest filet is 10 ounces. That's too much steak for most people. I typically order a 6-oz or 8-oz filet -- leaving the 10 oz. servings for much heartier appetites. I believe the filet was $40 and the least expensive steak on the menu too. But it was worth every dime. It fell apart -- almost melting in my mouth.I enjoyed it but could not finish it. I hate to waste good meat.

My favorite moment of the evening was when I tried the Lobster Mac 'N Cheese. I'm not kidding; it was heavenly. Baked campanelle pasta and fresh lobster tossed in a mascarpone, havarti and grana padano cream sauce, topped with panko bread crumbs and grated white cheddar. It was so good that I did not finish my $40-steak but I had seconds on the Lobster Mac 'N Cheese. It was that good.

The other sides were quite good (asparagus, sautéed spinach, mashed potatoes) but the Lobster Mac 'N Cheese was a home run. At $15, I believe you will find that it's worth every penny.

I'm a chocolate lover so I felt it was my obligation to sample the Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake. I'm not sure what is in (or not in) this cake but it was absolutely delicious. I've sampled other flourless cakes around the Metroplex, and this is one of the best I've ever tasted. The raspberries give it a healthy touch and make you overlook the indulgent whipped cream. I can't tell you it's wheat or gluten-free because I have not seen the recipe. But if it is, I'll recommend it to all my friends who follow a gluten-free diet. If you add a cup of decaf, then it's a melt-in-your-mouth perfect way to end a meal.

The Capital Grille's signature drink is the Stoli Doli. It's Stolichnaya vodka infused with fresh pineapple. Pineapple chunks are placed in a container, then vodka is added, it's covered, allowed to steep for several days. The pineapple is strained and a Stoli Doli is born. It's served in a martini glass of course. You'll appreciate the first drink. You'll love the second one. If you imbibe in adult beverages, then it's a must-have drink.

Overall Impression:

Some restaurants open an original location and the ones that follow do not measure up to the original standard. That's not the case at The Capital Grille. It was an outstanding dinner. The food was excellent and the service was friendly and professional. The only negative comment I have is that a 10-oz filet is too large for some appetites. A smaller, less expensive steak might be a bit more well-received by the restaurant's guests.