I love steakhouses. I love bars. I love eating in bars. So, naturally I obliged when invited in recently to try some signature cocktails and the new bar menu at The Capital Grille (3 NYC locations; Chrysler Center, Time-Life & Wall Street). While most all NYC steakhouses have large, bustling bar areas, only now are some of them beginning to offer separate menus for those who want to grab a bite while having a few drinks. Joining me at the Chrysler Center location for a full-on bar menu tour de force was none other than Josh Beckerman, aka NYC Foodie. Little did we realize that we’d be tasting our way through the entire nine-item bar menu in full portions. I think I had as many cocktails, too, beginning with a couple of Maker’s Mark’s on the rocks before moving on to scotch, sake and red wine. One thing to note about The Capital Grille is that they do not offer any happy hour food or drink specials, but it didn’t seem to bother the expense-account driven crowd that packed the bar the night we were there.  Overall, there are many more hits than misses on the bar menu, and it’s a good choice if you’re looking for a spot near Grand Central to have a few drinks and bites (and you’re not the one paying).  Here’s a look at all 9 items on the bar menu in order of my most favorite to least favorite.

Miniature Tenderloin Sandwiches ($18 for 3) with Wild Mushrooms and Boursin Cheese

Damn, were these little tenderloin steak sandwiches tasty.  Sometimes steak sandwiches, especially mini-versions, can suffer from meat that has been overcut or overcooked.  But not these guys.  I loved the combination of the mushrooms and boursin cheese. I would call these the ultimate steak sliders.

Pan-Fried Calamari ($14) with Hot Cherry Peppers

Ok, so I usually like fried calamari just fine, especially with a nice, spicy marinara, but it’s rare that I really like fried calamari. For the most part, fried calamari is fried calamari is fried calamari. I really liked this fried calamari owing largely to the spicy kick from the hot cherry peppers.  They gave what would otherwise be rather mundane fried calamari an addictive spicy character, and I couldn’t stop eating them.

Miniature Lobster & Crab Burgers ($15 for 3)

These little lobster and crab sliders had beautiful chunks of fresh lobster and crab meat.  It’s not a bad deal, either, considering they come 3 to an order and a lobster roll at Luke’s is $14.

Parmesan Truffle Fries ($9)

Do I really need to tell you what I liked about truffle fries? These were especially crispy and hard not to finish.

Chilled Seared Sushi Grade Tuna ($19) with Wasabi Oil, White Soy, and Ginger Vinegar

As you can tell from the picture above, this sushi grade tuna was perfectly fresh and perfectly seared.  I like the different dipping sauces, as well as the glass of sake they brought out with it.

The Grille’s Signature Cheeseburger ($18 served w/ truffle fries)

They’re quite proud of their cheeseburger at The Capital Grille, so I hope I’m not hurting anyone’s feelings here.  Their special blend has bacon and onion mixed in it.  But this may be where it falters.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a darn good burger. But, it’s not up there with the burgers I’ve had at other steakhouses, like the ones at Michael Jordan’s in Grand Central and Benjamin Steakhouse.  It was also a bit more done than the medium rare that we ordered.  When you start introducing bacon and onions to the blend, I think you may begin to detract from the natural flavors of the beef blend as the burger is cooked.  In fairness, I may have to give this burger another try, since it was the last of the 9 items that we tasted, and we were quite full by then.

Lollipop Lamb Chops ($18 for 4) with Herb Oil and Aged Balsamic

These little lamb chops have nice seasoning and are quite juicy.  I enjoyed them with a nice glass of a 2005 Zinfandel.

Chilled Shrimp ($9 for 3) Tossed in Ginger and Mustard Vinaigrette

I have nothing at all bad to say about these chilled shrimp.  I found them bright and zesty and really liked the dill flavor.  Was hoping they would be a bit larger, you know, like those massive shrimp cocktail you see at other steakhouses.

Miniature Fresh Mozzarella, Crisp Prosciutto and Basil Sandwiches ($10 for 3)

Classic example of good idea, poor execution. These were just way too greasy and way too salty for my palate. I think what upset me most is how much I like prosciutto in general, and how much it suffered in this greasy combination.

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