Tell me about Ruth's Chris Steak House

[bump]

Ruth’s Chris is a pretty representative member of the high end steakhouse chains (RC, Morton’s, Capital Grille, Sullivan’s, etc…)

As such, you’re not going to get anything very amazing cuisine-wise, but you’ll get a well prepared steak, standard steakhouse sides, and usually good service. You should expect to pay between $50-100 per head, depending on what you order, and whether or not you get wine with your meal.

If there is a dress code, it’s probably no-jeans, and collared shirt. You’ll need to make reservations ahead of time as well.

If you’re used to the Longhorn Steakhouse/Saltgrass/Texas Land & Cattle type steakhouses, then Ruth’s Chris will be a nice step up and you’ll enjoy it a lot, as long as you’re prepared for the prices.

[Elendil_s_Heir]

@Voyager

…you should read Kitchen Confidential to see what Bourdain says about how kitchens treat people ordering well done steaks.

What’d he say?

[Lamar_Mundane]

@Elendil_s_Heir

What’d he say?

He said that the worst cuts they have are reserved for well-done orders, because the customer isn’t going to be able to tell the difference. It’s still prime beef, but the best, most well-marbled cuts are saved for rare and med-rare orders.

He’s right about this. Cooking a steak well done removes most of what makes it such an expensive piece of meat in the first place.

If you like your steak well done, you really shouldn’t be going to a Ruth’s Chris or Mortons. You’re paying big bucks for something that isn’t going to be in your beef when it reaches your plate. The biggest difference between Prime beef and Choice is the intramuscular fat, which is cooked out when well done.

[Shodan]

I’ve only been to RC once, in Manhattan. The food was good, but not good enough to be worth the money. Fortunately, it wasn’t my money.

The creamed spinach was very good. It was a good steak, but I’ve had just as good for twenty bucks less. YMMV.

Regards,
Shodan

[Cub_Mistress]

A friend of mine works at the Seattle Visitor’s Bureau, I’ll ask her for recommendations. She’s a real foodie so I’m sure she can come up with something awesome!

[miss_elizabeth]

@Lamar_Mundane

He said that the worst cuts they have are reserved for well-done orders, because the customer isn’t going to be able to tell the difference. It’s still prime beef, but the best, most well-marbled cuts are saved for rare and med-rare orders.

He’s right about this. Cooking a steak well done removes most of what makes it such an expensive piece of meat in the first place.

If you like your steak well done, you really shouldn’t be going to a Ruth’s Chris or Mortons. You’re paying big bucks for something that isn’t going to be in your beef when it reaches your plate. The biggest difference between Prime beef and Choice is the intramuscular fat, which is cooked out when well done.

Having worked in restaurants, and knowing several chefs, I can tell you what Bourdain says is true… for him. It isn’t necessarily true for any other restaurants, especially once you leave the restaurant culture in New York. Although, I have noticed his attitudes showing up among some of the younger workers, since they are familiar with his stuff and feel that is what they should emulate.

The steak thing is just good sense though.

[Voyager]

@Elendil_s_Heir

What’d he say?

From memory, because it is packed, but basically the kitchen staff doesn’t think much of people who order steaks well done, and they give them the lower quality ones, and perhaps the steaks that have been sitting in the fridge a bit longer than they’d like. If a customer wants the taste cooked out of the steak, he or she shouldn’t care what he gets.

Here’s a quote I found, from a review.

If you like your meat well-done, you’re a sucker. That order of thoroughly cooked steak is a godsend to the thrifty chef. Iffy cuts of meat, usually difficult to sell, are “saved for well-done,” because the extra minutes in the saut? pan or under the broiler will mask any shortcomings. (p. 69)

[Chefguy]

I would suggest almost anyplace other than Ruth’s Chris. It’s way overpriced and as others have said, if you order a steak, that’s all you get. Everything is a la carte. Instead of a chain restaurant, find a good local joint, of which I’m sure there are many. Also, my experience with McCormick and Schmidt has been less that could be hoped for. I thought that the food was poorly prepared. That’s probably why they’re going bankrupt.

[The_Second_Stone]

I’m usually $120 for dinner for 2 when at Ruth’s. But I would carry extra in case. It is the wine that will get you.

[Cub_Mistress]

My friend in Seattle seconds MsWhatsit’s suggestion of theMetropolitan Grill It’s a similar price point and she assures me the food is second to none.

[Cubsfan]

@JohnT

I spend $150 on a dinner with 7 items (including dessert). 3 of the items, or 42% of what we ordered, was either cooked incorrectly or they brought out the wrong item.

How, in your logic, is the fault mine? Because I complained more than you would? What sort of person would be happy to spend $60+ on food they didn’t order? :rolleyes:

Spending $150 somehow buys your way into free jerk time?

Go back and read your big Mac comment and then get indignant.

[JohnT]

OK… so $150 shouldn’t buy a competently prepared meal? And if I’m constantly bothered by the waitstaff asking me about my bad $150 dinner, I’m just to say “Everthing’s fine”… repeatedly? I’m completely confused as to your indignation over my bad trip to RCS, but perhaps you’re a shareholder or a manager of the place or something.

[Yookeroo]

@Mr.Excellent

Try this: Next time you order a steak, get it done medium-rare. (You could go all the way to medium, but a lot of places will interpret a “medium” order as “medium-well”, which you really don’t want.) If you don’t like it, you don’t like it - but I think you will.

Or not. People have different tastes.

But I agree with your overall point. The differences between a $20 well done steak & a $50 well done steak are pretty tiny. Definitely not worth paying the extra money. A rare steak on the other hand…

[Chefguy]

@Mr.Excellent

Try this: Next time you order a steak, get it done medium-rare. (You could go all the way to medium, but a lot of places will interpret a “medium” order as “medium-well”, which you really don’t want.) If you don’t like it, you don’t like it - but I think you will.

Restaurants nowadays tend to go redder rather than more done. A medium is more likely to be pink in the middle and medium rare is more likely to be red. Rare is often barely warm in the middle.

[drastic_quench]

Medium rare is supposed to have a significant band of red. That’s why rare is in the name. Medium is the one with the most pink.

[D_Odds]

@Cubsfan

Wow. You sound like a dream customer. Wonder why you get bad service. :rolleyes:

@MsWhatsit

First of all, a waiter’s job is to provide good service even if the customer is annoying as shit, and I say that as someone who has done my time in the food service industry.

Second, returning items that were prepared incorrectly or that you did not order is not being a bad customer.

I have to agree with John T and MsWhatsit. Getting annoyed when everything is coming out wrong is not being a bad customer.

I’d put Ruth Chris at the bottom of the high-end chain steakhouses, which all tend to be a la carte. McCormick’s wouldn’t even make the list.

[Chefguy]

@drastic_quench

Medium rare is supposed to have a significant band of red. That’s why rare is in the name. Medium is the one with the most pink.

Yes, that’s why I responded.

[Cyberhwk]

Went to Ruth’s Chris in Arlington, VA a few weeks ago. Best place I’ve ever eaten.

Great view of Regan National Airport. $49.99 got me (what looked like) a 10 oz. Ribeye, cup of Clam Chowder, huge side of Mashed Potatoes (really is enough for 2), and a Dessert. Mother and I were on vacation so we had a few drinks. Final bill came to $150, we both agreed well worth every penny.

[DummyGladHands]

Remember to order your steak 1 step less well-done than you usually order it, because the super heated platter will continue to cook it, and a medium steak will be over done. The chopped salad is very good. The other sides–meh. Our waiter encouraged sharing, and looking back, we should have. My $50 gift cert. for my mother and I, with no alcohol, quickly turned into $125.

[Spoons]

@Mikemike2

I went to a Ruth Chris in Canada and was not impressed… The prices were way higher than we are used to paying…

As a Canadian who occasionally patronizes Ruth’s Chris, I’ll point out that the Canadian Ruth’s Chris provides USDA American-grown beef. In a weird way, this is like shipping coals to Newcastle, as we raise wonderful beef here–Alberta beef is often regarded as the best available in Canada, and is offered in steakhouses coast-to-coast. But apparently, even the Albertan Ruth’s Chris must import their beef from the US; and perhaps appropriately, patrons have to pay for the privilege of eating imported beef in a place that raises plenty of its own. As I recall, there is a local (Albertan) beef option available on Ruths ChrisCanadian menus, at much lower cost.

That being said, I’ve never had a bad experience at a Ruth’s Chris; in Canada at least. Service is not bothersome and intrusive; and really is about the same as Ive experienced at Smith and Wollenskys in Chicago, and Del Frisco`s in Fort Worth.

To the OP: Yes, wear a jacket and tie. Its a special occasion, and Im sure your Mom would like to have dinner with her well-dressed son. I always like potatoes with my steak, and the mashed are good; as are the fried mushrooms. Regardless, one side is enough for two (IME), so keep that in mind. Have a cocktail, take advantage of the extensive wine list (and yes, you will find something affordable), and enjoy!