LifeAdviceSite.com

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse Restaurant Review Return to Restaurant Reviews
By LifeAdviceSite.com

I would have never heard of Ruth's Chris except that I sometimes watch a local cable television show which highlights all of the area restaurants on its weekly program. They did a review of Ruth's Chris steaks, and, practically drooling on camera, described how the steaks are drizzled in butter and cooked in a 5000 degree oven that literally makes the butter sizzle all the way to the table. While I enjoy steak as much as the next person, I'm not that much of a steak fanatic. Given that I'm rather picky about having a quality cut of meat that's cooked just so, and since I try to watch my calorie intake, more often than not I go for a salad or a nice salmon rather than a steak. The restaurant stuck in my mind however, because I was intrigued by their oven. 5000 degrees? I never knew such an oven existed! How do they even take the steak out? Fireman's gloves? I'm not sure if pot holders would quite do the trick.

One day while dining with my fiance at our local 99 restaurant, I found myself both delighted by my tasty turkey tips, and slightly bewildered by his lack of zeal over yet another ordinary burger platter. Seeing him order nothing but burgers, pizza, and chicken fingers for over six months, and eat them all with unimpressed, mechanical coldness, I finally asked him if he had ever had a meal that he had thought was just outrageously good. He replied that he'd once eaten at a Ruth's Chris and that it was really good. I made up my mind then and there that I would take him on his birthday, which wasn't for another 7 months.

In New England, our nearest restaurant location is in Boston. For me, r

aised in the suburbs of New Hampshire, Boston is something of a logistical nightmare to navigate, with its one-way streets, traffic jams, parking nightmares, and outrageous prices. I wanted a special birthday for the man I love, however, so I swallowed my resistance and we headed off for an afternoon of a Boston Harbor cruise on the hottest day of the year, followed by dinner reservations at Ruth's Chris Steak House inside Boston's old City Hall.

Even though I take issue having to pay for parking in any way, shape or form, it was a relief knowing a valet would be there to collect the car and free us from worry, other than the inherent worry of handing off the keys of my sole means of transportation to a stranger who might pop the clutch, or worse, pop a wheelie as soon as they round the corner out of sight.

For someone who enjoys history as much as I do, getting to eat dinner at a restaurant located inside such an historical building was a treat in and of itself. The entryway was romantically dim. Despite the fact that we had reservations right at 5:00 (when the restaurant opens) and the fact that there were no other patrons standing in the reception area other than the two of us, I was mildly annoyed that the two hostesses still found a way to make us wait there for a few minutes before someone finally ushered us down into the belly of the building where we were seated in one of the dining rooms. Since it was early, we had the room to ourselves. We were offered a wine list, which we declined, and water and bread were served to us by not one but two attentive waiters who stood just outside the dining room throughout the entire dinner. It was comforting to know they were there to attend to our needs, but slightly unnerving that all they had nothing to do but stand there and watch us eat. Even though I think of myself as a princess, I'm not accustomed to actually being treated like royalty.

We placed our orders for steak and mashed potatoes, and sat back to thoroughly enjoy the delightful bread and butter. I also enjoyed the water immensely since the 100 degree weather of that hot August day had taken its toll in lost bodily fluid throughout the day. No doubt, I was definitely parched by the time we were seated, and had to restrain myself from guzzling 6 glasses of water immediately.

B

efore our steaks arrived, I remember making note of the flatware on the table, and how the only knives we were provided were suitable for spreading butter and not necessarily for cutting into a steak. My birthday boy only smiled at me and replied that I wouldn't need a steak knife. He was right.

The steaks came into the room, sizzling like a couple of cobras, and with a warning not to touch the extremely hot plates, our waiters quietly departed. As soon as I touched the steak with my fork, the meat fibers began to separate smoothly and elegantly. A gentle pressure was all that was required to segment my first delicious bite. It was cooked to absolute perfection. A very slight pink center was surrounded by beautiful, brown caramelized meat that was tender, juicy and oh-so-delicious. It yielded to gentle pressure from my molars, and my jaw wasn't at all fatigued at the end, as is sometimes the case with certain other poorly cooked steaks.

Although a hunk of beef cooked in butter isn't necessarily the most calorie-friendly of meals for every day, there's nothing wrong with an occasional indulgence. I will unabashedly say that it was, without a doubt, the most delicious steak I've ever had and I still dream of it. If there was a restaurant location down the street, I'd be there every week. I guess it's a good thing there isn't.

Ruth's Chris logo and images are registered trademarks of Ruth's Hospitality Group, Inc.