Morton's of Chicago
1510 Riverplace Blvd., Jacksonville, 904/399-3933
5050 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton, 561/392-7724
The Marketplace, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando, 407/248-3485
1200 Brickell Ave., Miami, 305/400-9990
17399 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach, 305/945-3131
777 S. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, 561/835-9664
Florida's first of what the owners have subtitled simply "The Steakhouse" opened in West Palm in 1991; the most recent arrivals have been in Boca in August of 1999, the 49th nationwide, and Jacksonville, the 52nd, three months ago. Obviously they are doing something right, even if it is a bit pricey. The steaks are pegged from $26.95 for ribeye to $32.95 for New York strip, porterhouse and double filet mignon. Least expensive is the $19.95 chicken with a garlic beurre blanc sauce; most expensive is the $29.95 extra thick rib lamb chops. A Sicilian veal chop is $27.95, farm-raised salmon $23.95 and live Maine lobster market-priced. Five potato choices are $4.95, and the half-dozen vegetables, $4.95 to $7.95. A single order of any one is easily enough for two. The salads are $6.95, and eight starters range from $7.95 to $11.95. The 16 wines by the glass are similarly budget-smashing with Sebastiani's cabernet costing $11.75 and Sterling's merlot $11.50. Cocktails are $7, but like the side orders, honest and sans frills. With its clubby ambiance created by dark woods, glistening brass and comfortably spaced tables covered with snow white napery, its non-interfering display kitchen and the drill of using a cart to introduce the entrees, Morton's is a straightforward steakhouse, as direct and honest now as it was when I went to the first one, which opened in 1978 on Chicago's North State Street. Our spinach salad, lobster bisque, filet mignon, New York strip and lamb chops were superb, worth every sou -- if you have a few sou to spare. Dinner is served nightly.
Ruth's Chris Steak House
225 N.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, 561/392-6746
661 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach, 561/863-0660
2525 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, 954/565-2338
2320 Salzedo St., Coral Gables, 305/461-8360
999 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, 407/682-6444
1700 N. Westshore Blvd., Tampa, 813/282-1118
Jacksonville Hilton & Towers, 1201 Riverplace Blvd., Jacksonville, 904/396-6200
The Boca branch of this New Orleans success story opened last June and is the 74th in the collection. Founder Ruth Fertel, who started it all in l965, has been franchising since l977. Each of her shops is unique, but the menus are standard and that means the name of the game is steak, steak, steak, seared at 1,800 degrees and slathered in butter (unless you request otherwise). The Cadillacs of all-American cuisine are comparable in price to Morton's, with some variations. Morton's sides are slightly more expensive, and certainly its wine selection by the glass is much more costly and so too are the desserts. But for some unfathomable reason, Ruth's revised its beautiful bread pudding, substituting white and dark chocolate for the bourbon. Blasphemy! But the pace of the operation at Boca's new Ruth's (where we went a few days after dining at Boca's new Morton's) was more relaxing and less bustling than Morton's, and we liked the roast garlic mash and the creamed spinach, neither of which was available at The Steakhouse. The meat? We preferred Morton's lamb chops to Ruth's but gave the nod to Ruth's filet. Dinner nightly.
Chops City Grill
837 Fifth Ave., Naples, 941/262-4677
A mod-mod variation on the old (and maybe tired) steakhouse theme in setting all copper and cinnabar, and with a menu that's oh so much more than sirloins, strips and T-bones, from $17.95 to $29.95. That's what qualifies Chops City to be in this column, but there's also seared salmon wrapped in spring roll, wok-fired "dry pack" sea scallops, Asian roasted duck stir fry, wok-charred tenderloin of beef and shrimp and a stunning array of starters. The wine list is in the same big leagues. Dinner served nightly.
Smith & Wollensky
1 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305/673-2800
An $8.5-million latticed green and white clone that's twice the size of New York's famous parent on the corner of Third Avenue and 48th Street, opened two years ago as the first of the nationwide rollout by the highly successful -- and ambitious -- Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group. The beef is dry-aged in-house and includes chateaubriand and sliced steak in addition to the regular cuts, such as filet au poivre and at prices comparable to Morton's and Ruth's Chris. Dinner is served nightly.
Jordan's Steakhouse
310 Sarasota Quay, Sarasota, 941/906-1334
This waterfront winner has all the pizazz of the high-fliers, proudly proclaiming its prime is on a par with that of a personal favorite, the Chicago Chop House. Prime steaks range from $16 for an eight-ounce sirloin to $28 for 14 ounces of heavily marbled ribeye air-aged 18 to 21 days. A 40-ounce porterhouse for two is $65. A baked Idaho, spicy fries or sliced tomato is included, and there are four seafood selections, rack of lamb, duckling or Denver venison rib chops, $19 to $27. The least expensive way to go -- but why in a class steakhouse? -- is the penne tangled with chicken and spiked with vodka for $15. Dinner is served nightly.
Peter's Steakhouse
3200 N.E. Maple Ave., Jensen Beach, 561/225-2516
An off-the-beaten-eaten path hideaway that's so homey that owner Peter Buchner's wife does some of the desserts, served with real whipped cream, by the way. And steak selections include an entree of three T-bones, priced at $99.80 and intended for a party of four. A pair of T-bones is $74.85, and a porterhouse, large enough for two, $49.90. Lamb chops, extra thick and extra flavorful, are $24.95. The side dishes include the usual baked Idahos and creamed spinach but also fried onion strands. Dinner is served nightly, but the restaurant will be closed for the month of September.
Restaurants Around the State
SOUTHEAST - Coral Gables
Restaurant St. Michel
162 Alcazar Ave. 305/444-1666
In a gloriously designed Art Deco Mediterranean setting, chefs Jean Claude and Jacques please the palate with the likes of Lillet-laced lobster bisque, sesame-coated tuna, chipolte and honey-roasted free-range chicken. Breakfast, $4.95 to $11.95, lunch, $3.95 to $23.95, dinner , $14.95 to $35.95, and Sunday brunch, $26.95.
SOUTHWEST/TAMPA BAY - Palm Harbor
The Blue Heron
3285 Tampa Road 727/789-5176
Chef-partners Larry Lloyd and Robert Stea gird the globe for fresh fare inspired by the cross-culinary currents of Asia and France flavored by New American innovations, favoring fowl. Dinner, $17 to $27.
CENTRAL - DeLeon Springs
Karling's Inn
4640 N. U.S. 17 904/985-5535
A husband-and-wife team runs this happy little home. The menu packs some contemporary fun that still shines with the joys of the German kitchen -- jaegerschnitzel with red cabbage, duckling and fillets of fresh trout. Dinner, $10 to $18.
NORTHEAST - Ponte Vedra Beach
The Augustine Grille
1000 PGA Tour Blvd. 904/285-7777
Superluxe resort with golf greens galore provides the backdrop for a class dining room with a skilled staff and a back room up to the challenge of bringing New World cuisine and California cuisine to northeast Florida. Dinner, $24 to $27.
NORTHWEST - Apalachicola
Chef Eddie's Magnolia Grill
133 Ave. E. (U.S. 98) 850/653-8000
Eddie and Bettye Cass pay full tribute to the luscious bivalves in the oyster capital of our state, but they also blend beautiful seafood bisques, make a great gumbo, give dolphin the Louisiana Pontchartrain treatment and grill a superb New York strip. Dinner, $11.95 to $23.95.