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Al Capone's Hideaway Restaurant Review
After my last dinner at Al Capone’s Hideaway, I remember lamenting about not having tried the steaks – mostly due to the cost. In the interim, I decided to embark upon a little steak “binge” to make comparisons among the various venues serving steak dinners in the area. What I have found is that steak dinners – no matter where they are offered – are relatively pricey. Perhaps I have simply lost touch with what’s going on. Perhaps the price of meat has just gotten – not unlike the price of petrol – way out of hand. It makes little difference. The most important thing a restaurant can do is ensure that a high-priced entree (whether fish, chicken, pork or beef) is worthy of the price tag. I think that Al Capone’s is aware of that and has provided proof.
Just before a recent business trip, I asked Lauren if she would like to join me for a steak dinner. I didn’t want to cook my own that evening; I said; “Let’s go to Capone’s for a steak." She looked a bit surprised – especially since she knows how I feel about going out for a steak – but she caved and also mentioned that she was starving.
We decided to skip an appetizer that evening and go straight for dinner. Lauren wasn’t kidding about her appetite; she selected the Surf and Turf… (“The finest Filet Mignon matched with a six-ounce cold water lobster tail morsel”: $37.50). Not having had one in quite some time, I decided to get a New York Strip Steak (12-oz. of prime aged beef and referred to as the “Peep-Show” cut: $26.95). Keep in mind that our dinners included our soup (a marvelously tasty French Onion), salad, a sorbet palate refresher, potato – I chose the baked with all the trimmings and Lauren the garlic mashed – and hot rolls and butter. There would be no excuse to leave hungry!
With the single exception of the waitress coming to the table with the sorbet before we had barely touched our salads (when we mentioned that we were interested in a relaxed and slowly-paced evening, there was never another glitch in the service), the evening went off without a hitch. The steaks were done exactly as ordered and were very tender with excellent flavor, the service was professional and performed with a smile, and both Lauren and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I have to say that at least to this point, Al Capone’s stands alone in all categories when it comes to steak dinners (recall my previous dinners at FoxFire, and Jason’s Steak House). Also recall what I said earlier in this review: “The most important thing a restaurant can do is ensure that a high-priced entree (whether fish, chicken, pork or beef) is worthy of the price tag. I think that Al Capone’s is aware of that and has provided proof.” Our meal, albeit more than I would normally like to spend, was certainly worthy of the price tag. Several e-mails to me have sent good reports about Al Capone’s Hideaway. I can now add my own kudos. I gladly give the Hideaway 4 Zins and recommend that if you are considering a steak dinner, consider this the place to go.
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The
bend in the river here gave no indication whatsoever there being anyone
around and I could easily imagine the prohibition era when this little spot
on the river north of St. Charles was occasionally home to some of the
nation’s most wanted…
It
was another mid-week dinner and I was hoping for some peace and quiet. The
river was serenely passing by and the parking lot offered no competition for
a parking space. We entered and were seated at a four-top that came complete
with a great view of the Fox. I had seen the interesting vodka bottles in
the small gift shop as we entered the restaurant and my curiosity was
piqued. The pale aqua-colored Tommy gun-shaped bottles added a bit of quirky
class to the restaurant’s theme, but also seemed to speak volumes about the
way things at one time were; I just had to try some. I ordered it on the
rocks, Lauren had hers straight up. It was as the smooth as the silk in Al
Capone's tie, and a fine evening seemed to be at hand.
