Steakhouse to serve up shrimp, steak sandwiches
With Tiger Woods returning to AT&T National this year, turnout at the tournament is expected to be bigger this year. And so are the shrimp.
Visitors to Morton's The Steakhouse Grill, which will be located adjacent to the 18th green, will encounter more than just the famed steak house's signature steak sandwiches. The grill, located in a glass enclosure with outdoor seating, will also serve up gigantic shrimp, according to Morton's The Steakhouse sales and marketing manager Lynette D'Arco.
"We're doing a colossal shrimp cocktail," D'Arco said. "They're a step larger than jumbo."
The shrimp will provide a perfect counterpart to steak sandwiches that have become a staple at the tournament in past years. Morton's developed the sandwich, which costs $15, specifically for the AT&T National when it first partnered with the Tiger Woods Foundation in 2007, D'Arco said.
A lengthy process went into determining which cut of meat and which bread would be best-suited for the sandwich, D'Arco said. The winning sandwich is more than a pound of filet mignon served with caramelized onions on a ciabatta roll.
"It was purely taste," D'Arco said of choosing the perfect bread. "It simply held the juice of the meat the best."
The sandwiches provided by Morton's, however, will be just one option for hungry and thirsty tournament-goers this year. The Grey Goose Lounge, located near the Morton's Grill at the 18th green, will serve up specialty cocktails. Those will include "The Tiger" — Grey Goose vodka and cranberry juice — and the "Grey Goose Back Nine," a mixture of Grey Goose Le Citron flavored vodka with iced tea and lemonade.
Concession stands around Congressional Country Club's Blue Course will provide everything from the Southwestern-inspired Tumble Weed burger to a barbeque pulled pork sandwich to a sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. But in the end, classics are usually the most popular, according to Brian Ruggles of Prom Catering, an Oakdale, Minn., company that is coordinating concessions at the tournament.
"We've tried all kinds of things, and the tried and true things that people look for at golf tournaments and most sporting events are finger food…something they can eat and walk at the same time," Ruggles said.
The menu this year, he said, is based around the staples of hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken sandwiches. With a larger turnout expected this year, Ruggles said he'll have about 20 of his staff on-hand at the tournament and an army of volunteers to man the concession stands.
For Morton's, their presence at the AT&T National is both a way to spotlight their brand and to lend an air of elegance to the tournament. At least one executive chef from Morton's restaurants around the Washington metropolitan area will be onhand throughout the week, D'Arco said. And bread from the restaurant's specialty baker will be delivered fresh each morning for the sandwiches.
"It's wonderful marketing and gets us further involved in the community," D'Arco said. "… On the flipside, it really adds an air of exclusivity these events. Morton's is a very powerful fine dining brand, so the benefits are on both sides," she said.