MT’s Chophouse: Go with what MT’s does best
Three years after its arrival in Vero Beach, MT’s Chophouse seems to have its act together, featuring great USDA prime beef, premium wines, and finally service to match. An evening there is not inexpensive, but chop houses are notoriously pricey – and we now have a steakhouse on a par with those found in major cities.
For some time, however, we have been intrigued by MT’s efforts to lure new customers on Wednesdays with its budget “Chef’s Night” specials – a three-course menu offered at the low (for MT’s) price of $29. How do these specials measure up against the restaurant’s standard fare?
So on a recent Wednesday, three of us arrived at MT’s with two of us planning to order from the Chef’s Night menu (which offers only two entrees, which vary from week to week) and the third member of our party ordering for the sake of comparison from the regular menu.
From the special menu, two of us started with the evening’s sole offering -- an iceberg wedge with feta cheese and tomato vinaigrette -- while off the regular menu we ordered the tomato mozzarella stack ($11).
The slices of vine ripened tomato, interspersed with succulent slices of fresh mozzarella, were surrounded by asparagus and drizzled with an aged balsamic reduction and basil infused olive oil. Absolutely delicious.
The iceberg wedge, on the other hand, was okay but nothing you would tweet your friends about, with the feta cheese undetectable in the tomato vinaigrette. This certainly was not on a par with other salads we previously have enjoyed from MT’s regular menu such as MT’s baby blue or Ana’s aruguga salad.
Next came the entrees. From the special menu, the two selections offered on this evening were the pan seared grouper and the prime top sirloin. From the regular menu, our choice was the beef short ribs, which at $29 (as one of the lower priced entrees) equaled the tab for all three Chef’s menu course.
The grouper was served with a roasted corn tomatillo relish, and accompanied by jasmine rice, roasted cauliflower and wilted Swiss chard. A nice dish. The modestly sized sirloin was tender, served with a chimmichurri sauce, bleu cheese and bacon fingerling potatoes.
The beef short ribs, however, was the hit of the evening. My husband on previous visits has tended to order MT’s featured steaks, the 10 ounce melt-in-your-mouth prime filets or the 12 ounce prime New York strips.
Tasting these braised short ribs, meltingly tender, he said it was hard to believe how good they were. The short ribs (as with all entrees on the regular menu) were accompanied by two “comfort sides” -- on this occasion, spinach au gratin and grilled asparagus.
Then came dessert. The special menu’s offering was a scoop of mango sorbet with seasonal berries, while the dessert ordered from the regular menu was the key lime cheesecake ($8). The taste consensus was that it was a close call, but the sorbet may have had the better of it.
So how did the “Chef’s Night” menu for $29 stack up against choices from the regular menu, which for the same three courses came to the relatively modest total of $48.
While the Chef’s Night offerings constituted a perfectly fine dinner, we would have to conclude they do not do justice to the experience otherwise available at this fine restaurant.
For your $29, you get MT’s ambiance -- a comfortable place, with a lot of wood, and upholstered banquettes and booths – and the good service you would expect at a high-priced steakhouse.
But you will double (or triple) that $29 if your party ventures into MT’s excellent wine list, while at the same time, you are likely to come away wondering what’s so special about MT’s.
In foregoing their tremendous appetizers and entrees for a budget meal, you are missing out on the essence of the MT’s Chophouse experience. If you are looking for big city steakhouse dining, the bottom line is you need to expect big city prices. And in terms of value for dollar, MT’s does not disappoint.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com.
The reviewer is a beachside resident who dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
Hours
Daily, 5 pm to 10 pm
Bar
Full Bar
Address (MAP)
1555 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach, FL, Telephone: (772) 231-2725
Online
mtschophouse.com
