Martini's

»Good, but I would choose another restaurant from the Charcoal Group

This was the last restaurant that I have tried from the Charcoal Group. Good, but not the best. I certainly would have went to the Steakhouse or Del Dente if they had booking times available for that night.

It is the most low key restaurant of all the Charcoal Group, the interior reminding me of a more jazzed up East Side Marios. I would not have minded if the prices of the food and drink were...+READ This was the last restaurant that I have tried from the Charcoal Group. Good, but not the best. I certainly would have went to the Steakhouse or Del Dente if they had booking times available for that night.

It is the most low key restaurant of all the Charcoal Group, the interior reminding me of a more jazzed up East Side Marios. I would not have minded if the prices of the food and drink were of an upscale restaurant. I know that most of the menu is the Charcoal Steakhouse next door, but if you are going to have two restaurants, please use at least two different prices.

Exceptional service from our waitress. She really did step up the quality of the place. She checked back on us very often and rectified any mistakes immediately and in a friendly manner.

They forgot my salad. It was brought out rapidly but it was served on a little round plate which didn't look great. It looked like watercress tossed half haphazardly onto a bread plate and was tiny.

The martinis are fun and are obviously the main point of the place, but the problem was some of them REALLY clashed with the food. I wish I would have gotten at least a warning that mine would destroy the flavour of my steak. It wasn't until I ordered a wine that I stopped wanting to gag. Don't assume that everyone who orders a martini will enjoy it prior or post meal...

The steak was closer to med-rare than rare and a bit too salty. Still a good steak, but considering I rarely eat red meat, I do want it to be cooked right, especially when it boasts of being steakhouse (the meat is cooked in the Charcoal Steakhouse kitchen). The risotto and apple cheesecake were fabulous, and I loved the touch of bacon that added a savory note to the cheesecake. The cake itself was not too heavy either.

The overall night was fine, if I had to choose a word. I had a fun night with my family, there were no huge mistakes, but it was not mind blowing (with the exception of the waitress). I think the next time I dine with the Charcoal Group, I'll choose another restaurant.-COLLAPSE (by mad_gingerbread, created January 7, 2011)