Salad is never the point at a steak house-unless it’s a wedge salad, and Maple & Ash has a satisfying rendition with ranch dressing, blue cheese, chunks of bacon, and tomato, crowned by two enormous onion rings that, improbably, bring the whole thing together. Tender and meaty charred octopus, on the other hand, was some of the best I’ve eaten, and the “roasted seasonal fish”-in the case of one of my visits, walleye served over beurre blanc with lobster and endives-was nicely done if not particularly memorable. All of the seafood tower’s components are available a la carte, which allowed us to discover that the Gulf shrimp and scallops, while superbly cooked, shared the same flaw: a fishy, not-so-fresh flavor that also plagued a bland salmon tartare. Not only meat finds its way onto the fire, but also vegetables, everything in the seafood tower, and a “baked-in-coals” French onion soup. Speaking of “hearth-roasted”-Maple & Ash has a wood-burning grill that’s central to chef Danny Grant’s approach to food. However the best cocktail I drank was the Pimiento Rojo, a smoky blend of reposado tequila, mescal, Amaro Lucano, framboise, and “hearth-roasted red pepper-ginger syrup.” It’s a shame since the cocktail list devised by mixologist Cristiana DeLucca (she left the restaurant a week after my final visit) takes martinis seriously, offering eight iterations from various historical periods-but I fared better with a seriously herbal martini with St. It would be even nicer if the care taken with the martinis on my first visit-when they were delicate, perfectly balanced savory cocktails with just a hint of sweet and sour-hadn’t been abandoned on another occasion, when they were served warm (in chilled glasses) and so tart they were barely drinkable. The spread’s a nice touch, especially since the wine list begins with a table of contents and continues for another 26 pages. Upstairs, after being seated you’re presented with an “amuse booze”: a small reverse martini (two-thirds vermouth, one-third gin) to sip while you peruse the menu, along with mini radishes and butter, a generous pile of chunks of Hook’s two-year cheddar, and a small bowl of excellent assorted green olives. While most of the menu items are under $20, there’s always the option of adding caviar to your deviled eggs for $24, or a bottle of champagne (up to $350) to your bowl of punch. There’s still plenty of opportunity for extravagance, though. The fare is more casual than what’s served upstairs you can order a burger or chips and dip. You enter downstairs through the main bar, a sleek space with its own menu of food (and its own chandeliers). Opulent yet modern, the enormous restaurant is decorated with an elegant chandelier and imposing floral displays. It’s a fine environment in which to spend lavishly. Coincidentally, I’m sure, they’re also the most expensive items on the menu aside from a 40-ounce porterhouse for $130.) A $95 seafood tower for two? Why not! Caviar ranging from $100 to $240? Bring it on! (When we asked our waiter for recommendations, those were the first items he praised to the sky. The Gold Coast steak house apparently was conceived as a playground for the fabulously wealthy and businesspeople with large expense accounts. But Maple & Ash-which offers a $145 chef’s tasting menu friskily called “I Don’t Give a F*ck”-is aimed squarely at those who do. I’ve never had the luxury of not giving a fuck about what I do with $145.
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