On lists of the best chain restaurant risottos, Capital Grille’s version seems to always appear near the top. And for good reason. The chain’s popular mushroom and asparagus risotto is flavorful but not overly rich, creamy but not gummy, and just fancy enough to accompany entrées that deserve a respectable sidekick yet prefer not to be upstaged.

For my Capital Grille Mushrooms and Asparagus Risotto copycat recipe, I’m calling for an ingredient you won’t find in most risotto recipes, but it works. I found that adding a little whole milk improved the flavor and texture of the finished dish and gave my risotto the bright appearance of the restaurant version.

Cook your risotto until it’s al dente or slightly tough, stirring often to make the rice creamy, and you’ll make a dish that tastes like it came from the pro kitchen of an upscale chain.

Complete the experience with my Capital Grill Crème Brulée copycat recipe. 

Source: Hack That Dish by Todd Wilbur.

A video clip of an appearance that I discovered online from TV station WPRI in Rhode Islands features Capital Grill chef Matthew Gallagher demonstrating the technique his restaurant uses to create its signature Lobster Mac 'N Cheese side dish. Chef Gallagher explains that the chain uses four cheeses in the sauce: a soft cheese, a hard cheese, a flavorful cheese, and a sharp cheese, but he doesn't tell us exactly what those cheeses are.

After a trip to the restaurant to question the server, I discovered that the soft cheese is mascarpone, the flavorful cheese is Havarti, and the sharp cheese is white cheddar. My server said that the hard cheese is Parmesan, but after studying the menu and discovering Grana Padano being used to stuff the olives of the chain's 601 Martini Cocktail, I'm more inclined to use that in the recipe instead. If you can't find Grana Padano, go with the similar Parmigiano-Reggiano, or less expensive Parmesan.

The chain uses claw meat for the dish, which probably comes from the freshly cooked lobster it serves as entrees, but it's tough to find claw meat in store without buying a whole fresh lobster. For my Capital Grille Lobster Max & Cheese copycat recipe, we'll use the meat from two lightly poached medium lobster tails, which are much easier to procure. The restaurant uses campanelle pasta because it hold onto the sauce, but feel free to use bow-tie pasta, tube shaped pasta, even pasta shaped like dinosaurs if that's the mood you're in.

Find more of my Capital Grill copycat recipes here.

Source: Top Secret Recipes Step-by-Step by Todd Wilbur.

For years now, I've been on the lookout for a great chain restaurant crème brulee to clone for one of my books, but I hadn't located a really fantastic formula to hack until I tried this one. The Capital Grille's Classic Crème Brulee is a perfect blend of sweet and creamy, with amazing flavor that comes from real vanilla bean. If you want an easy dessert to impress that you can prepare a day or two in advance of the sit-down, this is your recipe. When it comes time to serve the brulee, sprinkle each serving with a little white sugar and caramelize it with a small chef's torch (if you don't already have one, you can find them online or at kitchen stores for around 15 bucks). Add a garnish of fresh seasonal berries plus a sprig of mint, and serve up the goodness. 

Try my Capital Grill Creme Brulee copycat recipe below, and complete your meal with an entrée and side dish from the restaurant of your choice.  

Source: Top Secret Recipes Step-by-Step by Todd Wilbur.