The 2011 Generous Pour Event at The Capital Grille-This Summer Only!

Every year The Capital Grill’s Master Sommelier George Miliotes selects top wines for a two month special. Order a regular dinner, and for $25 more, have a special tasting of some or all of his nine wines, with an optional interactive “tutoring” available from your server!

    I’m no stranger to wine dinners and wine tastings-I seek dinners where the chef and sommelier have taken the time to thoughtfully pair wines with food. I like the wine dinner's educational style. While you can dine at Capital Grill year round, the “Generous Pour” event is limited, from now till September 4th, 2011.

    I’m not that up on finer nuances of wines, and probably never will be as I’d like. I can tell a good from a bad wine. I miss the fleeting whiffs that some pick up on. I can’t tell a peach from a strawberry’s bouquet; blackberry from red currant, or graphite from chalk. My life is fine without being gifted with an oenologist's nose and palate. That said, I enjoy trying different wines with a dish, to taste the unique interactions and taste transformations. Compare and contrast-a good mantra to have when faced with glasses of wines!
The Naples Capital Grille's proprietor, Peter Lopez, has assembled a superb team of 90 chefs, cooks, servers, bartenders and others. He’s a perfectionist with an easy going friendly demeanor. His team is what I hold up to most other restaurants as an attainable ideal; the gold ring of service and food quality. It’s unique in a world of people satisfied with bronze and leaden rings, and a few pop-top rings thrown in for good measure.

Last night I was treated to a media event where a live internet interaction with Sommelier Miliotes takes place, then one samples some or all of the nine wines. I’ve dined at the Naples Capital Grille many times, and well know the fine level of service. I’m writing about the “Generous Pour” event because it’s great bang for the buck. You get to try a generous pour of wines that retail for $30 to $200 per bottle with your dinner. This wine tasting is set above others by the quality of the wines, the variety, and the superbly guided tasting of wines tailored toyour dinner entrée selections.

I could go on about the characteristics of each wine, however I know that not only would I would have a different opinion were the wine paired with a different food, you would certainly have your opinions and way of describing your perceptions as well. Having tasted gerat, good and bad wines along the way, we’d probably agree that these wines are a great selection.

What sets Capital Grille apart is consistency. The cuisine and service are top notch every time I or friends visit-we’ve not had an off night. Servers differ in personality and style-there’s no cookie cutter consistency about that! The consistency that sets all Capital Grille servers apart from many other servers is in their professionalism. It’s not easy dealing with some “picklepusses” and demanding folks with attitude problems, and I have a feeling that these servers would do their best to make even a pessimist look at the bright side.

Dining at the Capital Grille when the Generous Pour promotion is on is a bonus, as the servers, if you let them, can truly educate and “tutor” you about the wines, and lead you on a fun tasting journey oven a relaxed evening. Let “Compare and Contrast.” be your evening’s motto.

Your evening couldl be pretty much like mine-there's a good variety of apps, mains and desserts to try, with some seasonal specials as well. Each server’s challenge is to quickly ascertain your wine preferences, and help you pair a suitable wine with your dinner. Kinda like playing “20 questions.” It’s fun, it’s not rocket science. It’s an exploration of the wines with the senses. Jump in-there’s no grade or “right and wrong.” Kinda like wondering how “that couple” ever fits together, right?

I enjoyed the sparkling white Marquis de la Tour, Cremant de Loure Brut with a selection of passed appetizers. Smoked salmon on onion pita crisps; fresh tomatoes bursting with flavor with Mozzarella crostinis; and the earthy wild mushroom and Boursin crostinis -all go great with the delicate fine bubbles and crisp fruit finish.

There’s not much I’d pass on pairing with Champagne or a good sparkling wine.

Two top appetizers are medium spicy pan-fried calamari with hot cherry peppers, and the prosciutto- wrapped melted Mozzarella with vine ripe tomatoes. I order the spicy hot calamari every time I visit, and take some home!

 I was very surprised to know that the calamari is a big seller in Naples-a city know for milder, Midwestern tastes. Go figure. The delicious Mozzarella cheese is hand made on premises, every two hours. Who else does that for freshness?

Prosciutto- wrapped Melted Mozzarella

 I’m hooked on the molten Mozzarella-so luscious, so decadent. Hot and spicy calamari, or smooth and savory Mozzarella-not an easy match! The fun starts with comparing and contrasting the two suggested white wines-the buttery, oaked Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre 2008 Chardonnay, and the lighter, crisper La Cana Albarino Rias Baixas 2010. A sip of each wine before tasting an appetizer tastes quite different from a sip after tasting. Not sure what “oaky” tastes like? Here’s your chance!

Kona-Crusted Sirloin with Shallot Butter

I often get the dry-aged bone-in Kona-crusted dry aged sirloin with itscomplementary shallot butter. I’m not one to order filet mignon when dining out-I like the bolder beef taste that comes with the cut, further amplified by dry-ageing. This sirloin is paired with the Italian Conte Brandolini, Vistorta Merlot 2006, and with the Napa Valley Chalk Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006, which has good tannins. Two great reds, two very different tastes before, and then two different tastes after tasting the steak and its sauce. I sampled my companion’s 10 ounce filet mignon, and it is one of the best around, tender and flavorful, soft as butter, especially paired with my evening’s favorite wine, the Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosche, Rutherford 2003.

Filet Mignon

 I was very happy with the Tarima Hill Monastrell, Alicante 2009 a ripe red from the Monastrell Spanish grape. I never heard of it before, and you’ve probably never have either. It’s a keeper. I enjoyed comparing an aged 2003 New World Cab against a young 2009 Old World uncommonly sampled grape.

The cedar planked salmon with tomato fennel relish is a popular dish.

 I appreciated the clever pairing of fish with the Byron Pinot Noir Santa Barbara 2009 red. To me, like a "universal donor", a good Pinot Noir can go nicely with quite a few seafoods, and pair as nicely with meats and game. It’s unimaginative to always pair whites with seafood and reds with most meats. Mix things up!

I always take home some Lobster mac “n” cheese- it’s so luscious. It seems there’s most of a “chicken” lobster’s" obvious chunks swimming in each order!
 The four molten cheeses are decadent-this is not your mama’s mac “n” cheese!

A “legal” Tawny Port is made in Portugal, however the cheeky Aussies have come up with a lighter version, the RL Buller; The Portly Gentleman.

 It’s aged, and not syrupy as some Ports. It has a good complexity and delightful finish-perfect for sipping alone, or with desserts. I opted for the Strawberries Capital Grille dessert;

my companion had the flourless chocolate espresso cake. Berries or cake-your call. Just save room for a dessert!

This evening with the nine- wine option give you a change to taste different wines and have fun mixing and matching. Tasting 9 terrific wines for only $25 is a great deal. The tasting and comparisons make an enjoyable evening go by fast. Now, if you just want to taste say, the Freemark Abbey and no other wines of the group, you will get a generous pour of that. That works. I prefer to explore new varietals, compare and contrast, and broaden my wine knowledge.

Naples' Capital Grille Fall Foods and Second Anniversary

Naples’ The Capital Grille just celebrated their second anniversary. Highest compliments to Proprietor Peter Lopez and Executive Chef Jeremy Houston!  Capital Grille has been one of my top recommendations to visitors who ask for a great dining experience. Why? It’s got what I call their “Dining Trinity”-great seafood and steaks, great Old-World or old club- like ambiance, and superb, friendly servers and sommeliers. Well, things have changed, they now have an unbeatable “Dining Quartet”-I found out that their fine excellent produce comes from The Chef’s Garden Farm, the renowned sustainable Ohio family farm.

I last blogged about Capital Grille over a year ago, and have eaten there several times since then-with so many restaurants to try each year, it’s uncommon for me to eat even twice at a spot in a year!

I was there last night for dinner with a “foodie” companion. Long story short-the evening was flawless, from salad start through surf and turf with great wines, and an apple tart finish. It all goes back to the Trinity, er, Quartet of excellence that’s exemplified at Capital Grille, day after day. Fine quality and consistency rule!

We started with the Chopped Salad. It’s a great fresh mix of romaine lettuce and heirloom red with artichoke hearts, haricot vert, asparagus spears, red radishes, celery, shucked sweet corn, and garbanzo beans, drizzled with a subtle Sicilian olive oil vinaigrette. Chef’s Garden Farms shines on this. The Garden’s sustainable program exceeds “Organic” standards, by not using some of the chemicals or fertilizers allowed in organic farming. Chefs such as Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Grant Achatz also use Chef’s Garden produce-that’s as good as it gets. Each item within the salad stands well on its own rich with rich, optimal taste. I’m not much of a salad eater, and I finished each morsel! Yes, because it’s that good, I finished it all on my own-without any prodding!

 Sommelier Jasmine Peterson’s pairing with Chateau D’Esclans Whispering Angel Rose ’09 ($9 glass) nicely lets the grapes’ varietal mix of springtime freshness complement the salad with its fruity yet dry body and smooth finish. You could also pair this wine with my favorite side, the lobster mac n’ cheese. Mmmm!

Sommelier Jasmine

Fresh Breads

The complimentary bread basket is a beautiful assortment of freshly baked crisp lavash, pumpernickel-raisin, pan rustica with onion, and dinner rolls topped with sesame and poppy seeds. You can make a meal out of the breads, especially with the appropriately room temperature spreadable butter. Yes, I don’t care for hard butter yanked from the fridge, that’s too cold to spread.

Sonja was our server, and her friendly, attentive professionalism through the evening sets the standard for anyone in the restaurant business to follow.
Her professionalism is shared by other servers-relax and enjoy your evening- you’ll find for yourself that you’re in the best of hands.

Next was the Fall special- Seared halibut with spring vegetables ($36) placed over a bed of haricot vert, The long slender French green beans are more tender and richer in taste than fatter, more plebian green beans.

The 10 oz portion of halibut is topped with grape sized tomatoes which have been oven blistered and tossed with puréed fresh basil and olive oil The fish, lightly crisped on top, was perfectly cooked as requested, to not quite flake in the center. The oven blistered grape-sized tomatoes were a knockout, so tender and bursting with a juicy, grilled-like rich tomato taste. This was finely paired with New Zealand Craggy Range “Te Muna Vyd” ‘08 ($12 glass), a rich ripe fruity sauvignon blanc that’s also perfect for drinking on its own. Highly recommended.

I love a great steak. The Center cut filet crusted with dried morel mushrooms and seared in butter ($29) was perfectly cooked-each mouthful full of rich savory taste, all served on a hot plate. Why can’t other restaurants passively heat plates with some of the abundant heat from their burners exhaust? I’m off my soapbox.

The steak is placed atop a grilled portabella mushroom that’s wonderfully steak-luscious in taste, mouth feel and beefy texture. These are accompanied by herb roasted oyster and cremini mushrooms, finished with a red wine veal reduction that’s out of this world! Ask your server for an extra bit of Chef Jeremy Houston’s savory ambrosia sauce! This was paired with Forefront by Pine Ridge ‘07, ($13) a full Cabernet Sauvignon with smooth tannins, hints of blackberry and toffee with a silky smooth finish-I would have guessed it was a Cab-Pinot Noir blend. Again, both highly recommended, and the wine can is nicely savored on its own. The Cab would also pair well with the bold Kona crusted sirloin. 

The Evening's Three Great Wines

We saved room for dessert. I’ve enjoyed the Cheesecake, and also the Chocolate hazelnut cake with Crème Anglaise before. This month special is the Apple Tart. Sliced Granny Smith apples are tossed with butter, cinnamon and sugar, roasted, then put in a buttery pie crust topped with streusel then baked.

 It’s finished with a big scoop of luscious caramel gelato. It’s a heavenly, rich dessert-perfect for one or two to share. After the dessert, we had no room for a dessert wine- I’ve had the Inniskillin Riesling before, and it’s a keeper.

We were very, very happy at having a flawless evening. Finer restaurants serve a few hundred meals over a day’s service in season, and humans can make a rare mistake. The mark of a professional is how they serve 99.9 percent perfect meals, and make the remaining 0.01 % right, and win a repeat customer. That’s why The Capital Grill continues to be one of my top recommendations for fine dining in Southwest Florida.

9005 Mercato Drive, Naples,  254-0640

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Scenes from the Second Anniversary Below

Executive Chef Jerome Houston

Chef Gil Suarez

Braised Short Ribs with Cherry Jus on Horseradish Crustini

Naples Capital Grille - Master Wine Tasting Event-Wines of Spain And Argentina

Naples’ Capital Grille’s special- Master Wine Tasting- is a selection of a dozen truly fine wines, paired with your lunch or dinner. The professional way it is done, raises a great meal to a fine dining event. It is an innovative, fun and educational evening that I highly recommend. It's one of the best deals around at a very, very reasonable price, for the food and wine’s quality and quantity. The wine tasting is for a brief time this summer. Here's the scoop.

Learning about great wines is almost as much fun as sipping them. There’s much for all of us to learn. It’s a pleasure to have "sipping knowledge" practically “spoon fed” to you, while dining! It’s a fun, educational treat as sommelier Jasmine Peterson, Managing Partner Peter Lopez or others, show you the bottles, tell you in depth about the selected dozen very highly rated (Robert Parker 90-92) international wines, then pair them with your meal. These wines are otherwise ~$40-150$ a bottle. Enjoy a dozen top wines- just $10 with lunch, and $25 with your dinner. Pours are generous. Want fewer wines? Pick 4 or 6 wines, and have a larger pour of each. Did you know that Spain is the world's third largest wine producing country? That Argentina has been producing fine wine since the 16th century?

The Robert Parker Highly Rated Spanish and Argentinian Delights Each set of wines is offered for just a few summer weeks. Wines of Argentina and Spain run till Aug 2. Then Wines from South Africa and Napa Valley start, and run till August 23. That’s it.

It’s easy. Your sommelier shows you the bottles, explains each wine’s nuances, and discusses suggested food pairings. Order your meal. The glasses of wines arrive in sequence, and the fun begins!

We start with the Spain's light Marques de Gelida Brut, Reserva Cava '05. It’s champagne-like with slight bubbly effervescence, and hint of apples. It pairs beautifully with your Gazpacho Shrimp Amuse Bouche. It brings out the soup’s tomato sweetness and the shrimp’s delicate taste. The pairing is a real treat.

The complimentary bread assortment has a large crescent of crisp flat bread; sourdough sliced bread, and warm seeded rolls. My favorite is the rich pumpernickel raisin.The light, crisp Vega Sindoa Rosé, 2008, (Spain) pairs well with the bold Pan Fried Calamari with Hot Cherry Peppers ($13). This is my favorite calamari in SW Fla, with its crisp tender morsels, mixed with sparkling chili taste bursts. Addictive. The wine holds its own. Our chopped salad’s (11) chopped lettuce has red and yellow grape tomatoes, microgreens, bits of corn kernels, and a light vinaigrette. The 2008 Shaya Verdejo’s (Spain) citrusy crispness is a wonderful match. It’s nice to compare the wine trio. Paper labels can be set by each glass, for easy ID.

The Halibut with Yukon Potatoes (34) is a large portion of just barely flaking sweet Pacific Ocean goodness. The sliced almonds and sweet diced tomatoes are a great textural counterpoint. The rich, slightly chunky potatoes have a hint of garlic. My guest drops her jaw as she tastes it all! Jasmine points out the subtleties of the Catena Chardonnay Medoza's ripe fruits, the Vega Sindao Rose, and the Tilia Torrontes Salta, 08(Argentina) is over the top. I’ve never had so much tasting fun in any restaurant! The Ancho Rubbed Sirloin Steak (42) is HUGE! Its 14 ounces can feed two diners, with sides. The 14 day dry- aged steak’s ancho chili rub gives a mild heat, accented by the dollop of rich garden fresh basil pesto. This perfectly charred baby doesn’t need a hunk of butter to compensate for lesser quality marbling!. Its almost 2 inches of thickness is cooked just as I requested. Savory steaks come out right here, the first time. I like the bolder tastes of the Catena Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza (Argentina) , the Catena Malbec's long finish, the Pinot Noir- like Allende Rioja's tempranillo grapes (Spain) and the Juan Gil Monastrell Jumilla, 06, said to be the Silver Oak of Spain. With the quartet’s glasses in a row, it’s easy to compare and contrast the wines. I know which I’ll buy locally to drink at home! The Atteca Old Vine Garnacha (Spain) has hints of black cherry,- I really like its pairing with the steak. My guest preferred the Alma Negro’s (Argentina) bonardo/malbec blend's rich tannins and dry cherry tones. It's fun to compare the handful of wines-Capital Grille has created a reasonably priced, wonderful dining experience. Jasmine’s interaction-coaching through the wines, combined with the foods perfection has made one of the best meals become an overall superb dining experience. Highly recommended!

The Sides Arrive My favorite- Lobster Mac n Cheese (14) blends four cheeses with chunks of tender lobster, topped with crisp bread crumbs. It’s huge, and the best comfort food! The Volver Tempranillo's spice brings out the lobster’s sweetness. Other sides include Fresh Creamed Spinach (9), and the lush Roasted Cremini, Portabella, Shiitake and Oyster Mushrooms (12).

Au Gratin Potatoes’ (10) firm sliced potato discs, are married with a rich creamy cheese sauce, topped with crisp bread crumbs. Comfort food. Don't fill up on just the sides! The Fresh Asparagus with Hollandaise (10) is bright green, crisp, and tender. Its rich taste exceeds supermarket's sources. Capital Grille's produce is highest quality. A quartet who also tried the wine pairings visit us. They reserved a table for August’s South African and Napa pairings. Capital Grille has no shortage of repeat customers, myself included.

I smiled, watching Mr. Lopez and Jasmine, an elegant sommelier tag team, visit other tables. He knows his stuff, having us compare notes as we try different wines/food pairings. Your taste buds are quick learners. They tell you which wines shine best with which foods. Some pairings I never would have risked, if I was ordering by the bottle, not the glass. Trust a good sommelier for wine and food pairing suggestions-they love sharing their food and wine passion.

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We’ve paced ourselves slow enough to have dessert. We still took home over half;-the portions are generous.
My favorite is the Cheesecake’s (9) incredible lightness and texture, with caramelized top, and luscious raspberry sauce,

with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and a mint sprig. It’s great to share. Great with the Shaya Verdejo Rueda and the Marques de Gelida.

My conpanions's favorite is the Chocolate Hazlenut Cake (9). The moist layers of cake, the bands of luscious chocolate icing, and the hazelnut chunks is a chocoholic’s dream! The Crème Anglaise is a delightful welcome contrast to the cake’s earthy richness. We enjoyed pairing some of the richer reds, favoring them over more traditional dessert wines. What wine would you pair with chocolate and hazelnuts?

The interaction with our sommeliers over the course of a relaxing meal in an elegant setting, and the delight of comparing a dozen fine wines with our mix of perfectly cooked appetizers, mains and sides, makes for one of the best overall meals we’ve had. Our over the top meal and superb service cost $160, plus wine and tip. It is enough food for 4 people.Do the math. Perhaps 25% of the tables had the special wine pairing. All were beaming from the experience. The sampling tables formed a special bond- linked by smiles.

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You deserve a treat. This is an elegant dining event, not just a fine meal, that truly exceeds expectations. Reserve now. This Capital Grille dining experience is highly, highly recommended.

9005 Mercato Dr, Naples - 254-0640

The Capital Grille -Naples Restaurant Review

“It just doesn’t get better any than this”, the lady sighed, after dessert. “Our first time here, and we’re gonna be regulars." We felt the same way. The Capital Grille rocks. Service and proper cooking of the steaks and seafood were tops, and that's on opening night!

I like going to places' opening nights. Briefly, though. I’ll see who shows up, catch the buzz, try the passed app’s, and leave the crowd after an hour or so. The Chamber of Commerce was there with gleaming name tags, and others scoped out the new kid on the block. Huh? People wearing name tags in Naples, and not the usual hungry horde of realtors? That’s rare! With local celebrities at the ribbon cutting and later mingling inside, it felt like being in a small town.

Commissioner Frank Halas, Lisa Wilson, Peter Lopez
The Capital Grille’s complimentary lollipop lamb chops and lobster/crab cakes were flavorful. Strangers soon started talking to other strangers-that's Naples' small town style.

The Capital Grille feels like a turn of the century men’s club, with red mahogany wood paneling, burnished brass rails, and tasteful beveled and etched glass accents. In that era, guys smoked stogies, talked of film starlets, and lost count of their cards and drinks, with no one keeping score. Not today. The 12 point deer heads still watch from above, however there's wireless A/V business luncheon’s talks, and the ladies can outnumber the gents. A couple of early 40’s flirting beauties’ smiling faces showed they were pierced by Dr. Beau Tochs’ seductive charms. Welcome to Naples, 2008.

The Grille has an intimate scale and warmth, yet holds over 200. The long bar area seats 32; conversation is easy. I mentioned to Lisa Wilson, Capital’s friendly marketing maven, that I've cooked for charities. We were early enough to be seated in the choice “catbird seat”, a 4-top with a panoramic view of the gleaming open kitchen. Yes! Chefs and cooks worked magic, amidst leaping flames. No secrets on this kitchen stage. No “10 second rule” here, either! A dad took his son on his shoulders to see the show.. The boy’s jaw dropped, mesmerized by the fast paced action, as if eye to eye with a wall sized ant farm.

The Calm before ShowtimeAll eyes were on us, when our two-tiered Grand Plateau ($96) arrived. The bottom layer has eight fresh half shell Duxbury oysters, bathed with Massachusetts’salty-sweet liquor. Another eight perfectly cooked large shrimp, and a trio of sauces- Mild horseradish, cocktail, and mignonette- awaited our delight. The upper level held two cooked North Atlantic lobster’s opened tails and cracked claws, alternating with fresh, sweet Alaskan king crab legs. The lobster recalled the freshness I’ve once had, dining on a Gloucester boat’s fresh catch. The mignonette sauce's, shallots, wine and cracked black pepper had a pleasant mild acidity. My favorite, the creamy white horseradish sauce, nicely complemented the seafood’s sweetness. Hot butter followed, upon our request.

Sommelier and Manager Philip Holcombe and I reviewed the stars of the 370 wines in the glass walled wine cellar. I chose the Oregon 2006 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir, for pairing with seafood and steak. Most wine categories on the wine list started at $30, pretty easy on the wallet for four glasses, and quality was evident at every level. Knowing the retail prices on some of these- the Stags Leap, Cakebread, 2005 Caymus Cab and even the Lynch-Bages 2004 Bordeaux for $210; the mark up is conservative for Naples, and to your benefit. Somehow we passed up the Lafite-Rothschild Premier Grand Cru, Pauillac, ’89. A favorite drink is the Stoli Doli, with Stolichnaya vodka and fresh squeezed pineapple juice.Other drinks include the Appletini, and the Bohemian, with Absolut Peach, champagne, fresh berries and Bottlegreen Berry cordial.

Our server, John Svoboda, looked familiar. Yep, he’s been at other high end spots in Naples. He knows the Capital Grille's dishes well, and made spot on suggestions. Over 800 experienced servers applied for 30 openings. That’s odds as tough as for vet or med school. He started us with the heaping portion of crispy Pan-fried calamari

with mildly hot cherry peppers (13), full of rich seasonings and succulent taste. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and savor each crunchy bite.

My Porcini rubbed Delmonico Steak with 12 year aged Balsamic (42) was bursting with bold taste. The 14 day aging, the rub of mushrooms, salt and pepper, and 1600 degrees of searing heat gave the beautifully marbled steak a glorious dark crust and just pink center. Order it medium rare or medium, to best show off the perhaps 14 oz. cut’s sensually aged and spiced delights. Another diner said of his, “This is out of this world”.

The Dover Sole special (33), stuffed with Alaskan king crab, is served on a corn kernel broth, with a bottleneck clam quartet. The fresh fish is ethereally light and delicious. A true Dover sole is hard to find, fresh or defrosted, especially at this price. Others enjoyed the Seared citrus glazed salmon (31), and the Sliced filet mignon with cipollini onions and wild shrooms (42).

My eyes can be bigger than my appetite, when ordering. Pamela lovingly calls me "El Gordito", when I take a break from dining. It means “Adonis”, in some language. For sides, the Au Gratin potatoes (10) thinly sliced, are bathed in a delicious cheese and cream sauce, topped with crispy panko and crushed potato chips, then baked with a tasty, bold seasoning. It's FULL of flavor! The Capital Grille au Gratin recipe? Not so quick! A touch of white pepper or mustard, and the right combination of a few of these should do the trick-sharp cheddar, a melting cheese like Swiss Gruyère, Fontina, or Emmenthaler, a blue cheese to kick it up, Parmesan, mild cheddar, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack. Let me know your thoughts on the your favorite cheeses, with your comment, below!

The Lobster Mac n’Cheese (14) is a must try, luscious with tender chunks of lobster and a quartet of melted cheeses, (said by Chiara Assi to be grana padano, havarti, mascarpone, and topped with white cheddar), not overwhelming the delicate lobster. This raises a favorite comfort food to an elegantly new level.

The Parmesan Truffle Fries ((9) are almost erotic- hot crunchy-crisply fried and tender inside; the truffle oil adds a level of subtle richness. Eat ‘em as soon as they hit the table. Go bold with the Delmonico steak and Au gratin potatoes, or, go milder with the delicate Dover sole with lobster mac n’cheese; either is pleasing.

Proprietor/Managing Partner Peter Lopez came by the tables, and we talked about cookery, kids, camping and travels. A fun, well rounded, down-to-earth guy. Maybe his young sons will share some cooking tips!
We paired the crisply sweet Inniskillin Riesling with our desserts. A tawny port or jerez would also do fine. The Chocolate Hazelnut Cake (9) was this chocoholic’s favorite. A wedge sized for 4 people, the moist chocolate cake is layered between an almost pudding-like chocolate mousse, with hazelnuts on the chocolate icing. A crème anglaise is a bonus, great for dipping each mouthful of heavenly chocolate.

The Cheesecake with Berries (8) is a delight, not too rich, not too fluffy. Take in the crunchy caramelized sugar topping and graham cracker crust bottom with every bite. The rich red sauce is an intense reduction of fresh raspberries, strawberries, and port wine, bathing the picture perfect sweet blueberries and strawberries.

Another table had the Dark Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Sandwich dessert with sauce- we’ll try that next time.My only “complaint” of the evening? Several peoples’ cell phones were in a “dead zone”, while in and just outside the restaurant. A good thing at times, unless you're an obstetrician dining out on a full moon. It’s a retro thing these days, enjoying an uninterrupted, cell phone-free fine meal with companions.

The Capital Grille is in their groove..They’ve raised the bar for Naples steakhouses. Have lunch or dinner there, with a nice wine. Life in Naples can be very, very good.

The Capital Grille, 9005 Mercato Dr., Naples, 239-254-0640