South China Morning Post, March 3, 2000 Weekend Entertainment "Size and Quality Count" By Winnie Chung It was a novel experience, having to pick our jaws off the floor before we could eat. But the slabs of meat on our plates made such a display of awe completely appropriate. There's steak and, clearly, there are the cuts that Morton's serves to its diners. Like the rest of the food there, they can only be described in capital letters. It seems the restaurant chain believes firmly that good things come in big packages. The description 'slabs of meat', though somewhat unjust, is aptly applied to the size of the steaks. Nothing on the menu prepared us for the three-centimetre-thick cuts. Still, we were better off than the diners at the next table. They appeared to be wrestling with half a cow. This is, I admit, an exaggeration but in Asia where people's appetite for red meat is much smaller than others', the slabs on our plates may just as well have been whole rumps. What it serves to do is remind us that Morton's of Chicago is part of an American chain of steak houses that believes in consistency. What you get in Hong Kong is exactly what you would get in its more than 50 outlets in the United States and Asia. The Hong Kong outlet in the Sheraton takes up the length of its harbour frontage and offers a good view of the waterway and Hong Kong island It was a Wednesday night when we went and the place filled up fast. As we entered we were greeted by a row of bowing, cheerful waiters: "Welcome to Morton's," they chorused. No sooner had we sat down than a waiter trundled over with a cart of the day's meaty offerings. We should have taken notice of the size of those cuts then, but our waiter distracted us. In a sing-song voice, he began to recite the whole menu. He lost our attention by item three, but all we had to do was prick up our ears; waiters at every table were performing the same routine, and at volume. Chicken, lamb and seafood were also available, but we'd come for good, old-fashioned steak. As other diners tried to make themselves heard over the meat-cart recitals, we picked our choice cuts: the rib-eye steak, the Cajun rib-eye and the Sicilian veal chop (all $375). Perhaps it was intuition that made us forgo appetizers and starters, and instead settle for two side dishes of saut¹ed fresh spinach ($60) and saut¹ed wild mushrooms ($105). As we waited for our food, we were afforded very attentive service, but it got a little tedious being interrupted in the middle of every other sentence by a waiter asking to refill our glasses. Perhaps it was a way of shutting us up so people at nearby tables could hear their menu recitals? But all was forgiven when the steaks arrived and we had our first bite They were excellent. The Cajun rib-eye steak, especially, was delicious. I had asked for mine to be medium and was prepared for it to be slightly tough and rubbery. But my steak was lightly grilled on the outside and, inside, was wonderfully juicy. The Cajun sauce was hot and peppery, helping to further stimulate my appetite. The Sicilian veal chop (medium) and the rib-eye steak (rare) were also prime choices, served up with no frills. Each steak was tender and a gastronomical delight. In keeping with the theme, the side orders of spinach and mushrooms also came in big portions. That was a little irritating, as the waitress had not warned us and had pressed us to order them. But like the steaks, they were simple and delicious. As we expected, we could not finish our food and worked out that two steaks shared among three people would have been ideal. We asked for doggie bags. After more interrupted conversation, we decided that, yes, there was room for dessert. We went for the enormous Grand Marnier souffl¹, which was fluffy and light, with just the right tang of the liqueur. There was only one grumble from my expert friend: the waiter had portioned out the hot dessert on to cold plates, and that immediately deflated the souffl¹. But as far as the food went, Morton's got our vote for great cooking. Regular dining there, though, might not be a healthy choice: for either the body or the wallet. Paying $375 for the cheapest steak that most people could not finish is a little hard on the pocket. Perhaps the restaurant might consider smaller portions for a lower price? But if you're looking for a big, juicy night out, you can't go wrong with the food there. Morton's of Chicago The Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel And Towers 4th level Nathan Road, Kowloon tel: (852) 2732 2343 open: 5:30 pm-11pm Shared/SouthChinaMorningPostdoc