Looking for a place to celebrate with friends? McIntosh’s Steak & Seafood Restaurant in Charlotte’s South End, at 1812 South Blvd., offers warm interiors, fine wine and excellent service combined with classic steak house cuisine and more. An evening at McIntosh’s is upscale, white-tablecloth dining at its finest. McIntosh’s has recently increased its size by nearly 2,000 square feet, offering additional dining options while retaining its warmth and intimacy.

A man walks into a bar
“In a market with so many restaurants, we realize that people in Charlotte have a lot of dining options,” said owner Greg McIntosh. “We hope the new bar, live entertainment and casually elegant atmosphere will set us apart and draw in more of the after-work bar business. The new addition has given us more curbside visibility and more room for people who want to enjoy a light dinner and an early evening rather than a big multicourse meal.”

The renovations and the large separate bar allow for a greater number of seats at the bar as well as several tables and sofas and a fireplace in the bar area. Guests can enjoy entertainment nightly through the end of December while having cocktails or dining from the bar menu of hearty appetizers, first courses and salads. The new space includes a built-in covered patio with outdoor fireplace, open for drinking and dining in seasonable weather. The bar menu is available indoors and out, and several of the featured items are on the regular dinner menu in McIntosh’s dining room.

So much more than bar food
Selections on the bar menu include jumbo lump crab cakes served with Asian slaw and remoulade sauce; fried lobster tail with a lemon-mustard dipping sauce and seared yellowfin tuna with wasabi aioli and red chili oil. All of these items are appetizers on the dinner menu as well.

Of the three, the lobster tail – fried to a crispy crunch but still decidedly tender – and the rare melt-in-yourmouth sliced tuna were the favorites at our table. The pair of crab cakes were solid crab and larger than we anticipated, but the addition of fresh jalapeno provided what we thought to be a more-than-overwhelming kick.

Rounding out the bar menu is tempura fried shrimp, a plate of mini tenderloin sandwiches, a couple of salads and a unique and tasty pair of shrimp and lobster spring rolls. The rolls are accompanied by a serving of Asian slaw with sesame soy sauce and a tangy aioli. The menu at the bar also features a 10-ounce prime sliced New York strip steak and a 6-ounce sliced petite filet.

In addition to those already mentioned, two not-to-be- missed starters listed on the dining room menu are French onion soup, a steak house classic, and a made-from- scratch crab bisque. Rich and creamy but not too thick, the bisque is perhaps one of the most flavorful soups I have ever tasted. Consider it a must the next time you dine at McIntosh’s.

Let them eat steak
The steaks at McIntosh’s are all U.S.D.A. prime grade, specially aged and select corn-fed beef. They run the gamut from an 8-ounce petite filet served grilled to order or “au poivre” with a brandy peppercorn sauce to a 24-ounce Cowboy rib eye or equally sized porterhouse. While steak is the name of the game here, the triple-cut loin lamb chops, grilled to order, are as good as any one of the steak selections.

Additionally, McIntosh’s has a fine assortment of seafood entrées – more than most chain steak houses and better than most specialty seafood restaurants. Portions are large and each dish is cooked with a sauce and sides designed to bring out the best in every selection. REVIEW Kudos to Chef Tim Ross and his culinary team, who deserve high marks for a fine blend of creativity, presentation and flavor. We ordered two of the eight seafood offerings on the dinner menu. The halibut came dusted with crushed almonds and served over sautéed spinach with a rich, warm, roasted crushed tomato sauce. But it was the sesame seed yellowfin tuna plated alongside large vegetable nori rolls blew us away. We’ve been told that the Chilean sea bass served with grilled vegetables and roasted garlic parsley oil and the grilled mahi-mahi and lobster combo dressed with artichokes, sundried tomatoes, capers, Calamata olives and feta cheese in a lobster sauce are worthy of consideration when we next dine at McIntosh’s.

Something on the side
Potatoes and vegetables at McIntosh’s come to the table in portions suited for two or more to share. Asparagus, creamed or sautéed spinach and broccoli with hollandaise are the standard greens. Potato lovers may choose from a big baked potato, mashed potatoes offered three ways, and scalloped potatoes, which at our table were the winner by a landslide. Fabulous. The recipe is courtesy of McIntosh’s mother-in-law, Judy Coon. The longtime family favorite is worth every calorie and carb. They come to the table baked in a ceramic au gratin dish with a crispy, crusty, cheesy top.

With food comes drink. In addition to a listing of classic and specialty cocktails (don’t miss the mojito), martinis, cognacs, and single malt scotch, McIntosh’s also offers a nice listing of wines by the glass and by the bottle. The winner of six consecutive Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence, McIntosh’s increased the size of its wine cellar in the renovation process as well, boosting the capacity from 1,000 to 4,000 bottles. “It just made sense to expand both in breadth and depth,” explained McIntosh. “We’ve not quite filled the cellar to capacity yet, but this gives us room to grow.”

Desserts at McIntosh’s are all prepared in house by pastry chef Van Neff. We particularly enjoyed the apple pie drizzled with a warm pecan-caramel sauce, the rich and creamy chocolate mousse cake and the seasonal cheesecake. Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is available with any dessert at your request.

From beginning to top 10
McIntosh opened his steak and seafood house in 1996 a block south of the corner of South and East boulevards. McIntosh and business partner John Alston came from Atlanta, where McIntosh had been with the Peasant Restaurant Group. The restaurant, originally called Alston’s, changed names in 1998, when McIntosh bought out Alston’s share of the business. Zagat Survey recently voted McIntosh’s the best steak house in the city and third in the list of top 10 Charlotte restaurants.

‘Tis the season
McIntosh’s offers gift certificates in any denomination; they can be ordered over the phone or via e-mail. The restaurant also offers a discounted gift certificate program, whereby an individual or business may purchase $500 worth of gift certificates and receive a 10 percent discount on all additional certificates purchased. In addition to gift cards, McIntosh’s also offers a selection of steak and potato lovers’ gift boxes, available in five configurations ranging in price from $69 to $200. Or choose from the a la carte list of steaks, tenderloin, scalloped potatoes and desserts. Call McIntosh’s at 704-342-1088 for more information or visit at www.mcintoshs1.com.

Well-known Charlotte restaurant critic, food writer, cooking instructor and connoisseur of food and wine, Heidi Edidin writes "The Charlotte Weekly: Culinary Corner," a restaurant review or food feature that appears weekly. Contact Heidi with questions and restaurant, food or story ideas by email at heidi@thecharlotteweekly.com.

CW photos by Bobby Cochran.

This article first appeared in "The Charlotte Weekly" on December 9, 2005. "The Charlotte Weekly" is a free, locally owned, independent newspaper that's "About the Community, For the Community," available every Thursday in North and South Charlotte and Uptown.

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