Went for drinks at Morton’s, stayed for the lunch

With more than 18 new cocktails on the menu at Morton’s Steakhouse Singapore, you can be sure that there are more exciting developments afoot at the venerated, 38-year-old institution. Within the darkened restaurant bar, a distinguished space with the lighting dimmed for a post work evening repose, an impressively stocked shelf of  spirits takes center stage. The range of alcohol, an obvious testament to the repertoire of the bar keep.

Already well-known for their after office wind down selection of martinis and free steak sandwiches at their adjacent lounge, Bar 12-21, a round treehouse like structure that resembles the suspended forest homes of Ewoks, Morton’s unveiled an appetising assemblage of alcoholic mixers designed to chase the sweltering heat, office ennui and about anything worth hiding from. At either SG$ 28 or SG$ 29 a pop, these very potent concoctions make for a stiff drink.

Although all 20 were created to complement the local climate and drew inspiration from tropical flavours, standouts like the Pineapple Mojito, Champaign Cocktail and Pink & Tonic put me in the mood for an island getaway. That dream wouldn’t be too far away too, as each drink is made with  ample servings of its constituent liquors. About 3 – 5 drinks in, and most would ready to put on a grass skirt and do the hula. Unlike most places where a cocktail is marked up, watered down cash cow for the bar owner, the new cocktails have adequate spirit to be able to put life in any get together. Whether it is a Vodka based drink or Whiskey, only the good stuff is used and is the highlight of the drink, with the other ingredients only seeing as accents and embellishments which the bar tenders do a good job at with the interesting notes and subtle aftertastes that linger after the initial kick.

Several servings in, there was yet another exciting announcement – Morton’s would be open on Sundays from 12pm, come September the 4th, with an affordable Lunch Menu, priced between SG$ 65 – SG$ 120. Duly at 12pm, on the 4th September, I returned for the Morton lunchtime experience. Starting at a base price of SG$65 which would get the diner a 3 course option of roast chicken or fish, I added SG$25 to the bill to get a 500 g steak and another $15 to make it an Oscar Special which means my entrée would come with a lump of crab meat. Again, as with the cocktail session, Morton’s does not disappoint with the portions. I walked away with lunch and dinner taken care of, for the day.

To ease into lunch, savour one or more of Morton’s Bloody mary cocktail creations. The tangy, savoury aperitif is very tasty and should not be missed, even for those not fond of vegetables. There are 3 versions to savour – The Classic, The Dirty Mary Martini and, hot favourite, Morton’s Colossal Bloody Mary Salad

As a steak house with accolades from Tatler, I-S and Wine & Dine magazines for its superb steaks, it would be remiss to choose anything else. The 8 oz filet mignon gives you an enjoyable  230 grams of lip smacking tenderloin. However, if you are in a greedy Sunday mood, get the staff to whip up a chunk of 16 oz  prime rib which is about half a kg of food coma. It comes with a tasty portion of creamed spinach and whipped potatoes to round out the meal with inclusions from every food group.

The filet mignon comes with lightly boiled spears of asparagus that is cooked just long enough to have a slight crunch but without the astringent taste of uncooked vegetables.

To end the meal, there is a choice between Key Lime Pie and a velvety smooth Chocolate Mousse. No prizes for guessing which is the more popular of the two. However, if you come as a couple or in a larger group, do try out the Key Lime Pie. The hint of lemon tang teases your taste buds with a zesty zing, making for a sharp departure from the heavy, earthly flavours of the main course. A final key component of the Morton’s dining experience is the service. The staff attentively clears the table of bread crumbs and fallen food scraps at appropriate times to keep the table from looking too sloppy, even though appetites at my table were approaching porcine proportions. As an added gesture, our menus were personalised and the cakes decorated with birthday greetings, as it was mentioned that the meal was meant to celebrate the birthdays of two amongst us.

 

Morton’s The Steakhouse, Singapore

Address:

Mandarin Oriental Singapore
Fourth Storey
5 Raffles Avenue
Marina Square, Singapore

Phone:
6339 3740

For more details, click here.