Ruth’s Chris outstanding but pricey
By Colleen Coffield Sachs Daily News Columnist
DESTIN – Ruth’s Chris Steak House is one of a handful of upscale restaurants that has had success as a franchise. Started in 1965 when Ruth Fertel bought the Chris Steak House in New Orleans, and made it her own, Ruth’s Chris now has about 80 locations around the world.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House offers a rich, clean and classy atmosphere for dining. Photographed by Daily News photographer Nick Tomecek.
Ruth’s Chris’ new location in the Silver Shells Resort in Destin is a beautiful blend of traditional steakhouse, and modern upscale restaurant, combining warmth, soothing tones and clean lines.
Dominating the main dining room is the wine room, which looks like a large Lucite cube lined with wine bottles that seem to float. The table in the wine room can be reserved.
Ruth’s Chris is best known for its sizzling steaks. Steaks are seared at 1,800 degrees, and served on sizzling-hot platters, creating a flavorful crust on the outside, and a tender and juicy interior.
From the buttery filet, to the flavor-packed rib-eye (try the cowboy bone-in version), Ruth’s Chris steaks are superb. Steaks are seasoned with salt, pepper, parsley and butter. If you do want more, try one of the complements, including au poivre sauce, or a blue cheese crust.
There is disagreement among diners at Ruth’s Chris about the sizzling plates. Aside from the risk associated with touching a hot plate, some feel the heated plate overcooks the steak at the table. If you fit into that category, try asking for an unheated plate. The upside to hot plates, and it is a big one, is that your steak stays warm throughout your meal.
Steaks weren’t the only thing that was good at Ruth’s Chris. Everything we tried from the menu was outstanding. As an appetizer, a pair of blue crab cakes were mostly jumbo lump crab meat, judiciously seasoned, and served on a platter of sizzling lemon butter.
Also excellent was the veal osso buco ravioli appetizer. Pillows of saffron pasta filled with tender osso buco were served with sautéed spinach and a white wine sauce. Each lush bite melted away leaving you wanting another. Or try the classic New Orleans-style barbecued shrimp.
Ruth’s Chris offers several salads. I like the spinach with warm bacon dressing, and Ruth’s Chop Salad, which featured hearts of palm, fried onions, and a lemon basil dressing.
While steak rules, there are plenty of other options, all good. Lamb chops were beautifully tender, and had a full, but not gamey flavor.
Chicken stuffed with garlic herb cheese is offered, and a vegetarian entrée of grilled portobello mushrooms served over mashed potatoes is another possibility. Seafood choices include seared rare tuna and succulent whole Maine lobster (which run between 2.5 and 5 pounds at over $30 per pound). Children can choose a filet, chicken or fish.
Among the sides are a variety of potato dishes and huge fried onion rings. If you are into rich, try the classic creamed spinach.
For dessert, popular options are the caramelized banana cream pie and cheesecake. Both were sold out when we visited.
But we found a moist bread pudding, and a chocolate cake with a molten center to be just as good. Another option for dessert would be one of the specialty coffee drinks, such as Ruth’s Coffee (Frangelico, Bailey’s, brandy and coffee).
The wine list is extensive, and includes a number of bottles not often seen in the area. The wine-by-the-glass program offered a wide range of reds, whites and sparklers to please most palates and pocketbooks.
With such a beautiful room and such outstanding food, there are a couple of drawbacks at Ruth’s Chris. Prices are quite high. While the food and the surroundings justify those prices, service did not.
From waiting for more than 20-minutes to be seated when we arrived on time for our reservation, to the inattentiveness of our server, little things detracted from what was otherwise a stellar meal.
They are things that can be changed, and the bones are there for a great restaurant. Ruth’s Chris has an excellent reputation because they do what they set out to do really well. It is what has made that restaurant transcend the typical franchise restaurant experience around the world, and now in Destin.
Caption: Ruth’s Chris Steak House offers a rich, clean and classy atmosphere for dining. Photographed by Daily News photographer Nick Tomecek.
