Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

In case you missed my review of Ruth's Chris steakhouse on Edmonton AM last week, here's the link. And here's a heck of a lot more detail about our experience there.

I wasn't really expecting great things from a chain restaurant. Especially one from the States. I mean. This is the country that gave us Chili's. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.

The décor was well done and complete in a way that most restaurants (with a few notable exceptions) in Edmonton are not. It still felt a little "chainy" to me, but overall the dining room and the lounge have a sort of dark wood, gentlemen's club appeal, but without the lingering cigar smoke. Plus, women are allowed in.

I felt a little bad showing up for dinner on the opening night, knowing I was going to be reviewing them, and I was prepared to give them a little slack on things because of it, but they really didn't need too much slack.

They did manage to lose our reservation though, and we had to sit in the lounge, which is much more "gentleman's club-y" than the dining room. The lounge is not at all an unpleasant place to eat dinner, unfortunately we were seated at the singularly most horrible table. It's tucked away in the far back corner and is about 2 feet from a roaring fireplace which cause the side of my husband's face to turn red red after about 5 minutes, and 2 feet away on the other side from the waitress station at which there was a perpetual cluster of no less than 5 staff and noisy dishwasher. We eventually asked to be moved, but the waitress made it seem like it would be quite an ordeal for her. Mind you, she couldn't have been a day over 20, so perhaps she had not yet learnt the finer points of serving in a restaurant with main courses well over the $50 mark. 

The beverage menu is impressive, particularly the wine list. It's great to see a decent restaurant in Edmonton offering a range of great wines by the glass instead of forcing everyone to buy a whole bottle if they want something other than the crappy house wine. You can still buy good wines by the bottle if you want, you just don't have to.

A word of caution before we get to the menu and our meal choices. This restaurant, and its food, grew out of the culinary traditions of New Orleans. And some darn fine culinary traditions those are. One of those traditions, especially noticeable in the food at Ruth's Chris, is a deep and abiding love, nay reverence, for heavy cream and butter. Picture in your mind, the butteriest, creamiest meal you have ever had in your life, and then quadruple the amount of butter and cream involved. You might be getting close to the kind of butter usage I'm talking about here. Then again you might not be anywhere near it.

If you're a lover of rich food, go crazy. If you'd rather not consume the better part of a pound of butter in different guises throughout the course of your meal, heed my advice. You can, successfully dine at Ruth's Chris without eating buckets of butter and cream, but you need to make the right choices to do so. Don't get me wrong, the food it great, it's just that, if you hope to leave with the same size ass you went in with, you might have to plan your meal choices a little better than we did.

The starters range from about $15 to north of $20, depending on your choice. The two we ordered were prepared beautifully and were extremely tasty, but were also very heavy on the cream and butter. I had the New Orleans barbecued shrimp ($17) which, unless you're familiar with that particular dish from New Orleans, will surprise you. It's not barbecued the way you are thinking. It is broiled in a seasoned butter and white wine sauce. Don't worry. That's how it's supposed to be. And believe me, it is out of this world. If you order this you'll notice how the waiter discretely brings you a little spoon. It's because the sauce is that good. I have always had a soft spot for New Orleans barbecued shrimp, ever since I learnt how to make it (and subsequently ate a lot of it) in New Orleans. Ruth's Chris version absolutely kicks the ass of any I have had so far, even my own. But be warned. It is very, very buttery, so, if you're going to have this for a starter, I would recommend ordering your steak sans butter and having a salad for a side instead of one of the many creamy, buttery rich side dishes.

Cakes had the Oysters Rockefeller, which were also great, but heavy on the rich as well and very large and filling.

For a main course, I had the smallest steak on offer: An 8-ounce petit fillet for $39. It was positively beautiful. Tender, and perfectly cooked. And it should be! Ruth's Chris doesn't use regular old cooking apparatus for their steaks, but a custom made thingamajig (Apparently the founder, Ruth Fertel was an extremely accomplished scientist) that cooks the meat at 1800F!! Apparently this thingamajig (it is too a technical culinary term) is calibrated so that each steak for each order will cook in exactly the same amount of time taking into account that they may be different cuts, weights and requirements for doneness. I think that's pretty special.

Whatever you do, don't touch your plate! The 500F your plate is heated to may seem barely warm in light of the temperature at which the steak was cooked, but I assure you it is plenty hot to singe your fingers! The plate is served to you hot in order to keep your steak hot through the meal. Another brilliant idea. There's nothing worse than taking your time to enjoy your meal only to find it's gotten unpleasantly cold by the time you get to the end. I did find that the extra heat made the last few mouthfuls a touch more cooked than I would have liked, but as I'm a rare steak kind of girl, I can deal with that.

I thought my fillet steak was great, but that's the cut I usually prefer. A fillet steak is known for its tenderness more so than its flavour, so if flavour is what you're after, I'd try the Cowboy Ribeye. We didn't try it but it won hands down according to the diners at the next table and it looked gorgeous, if startlingly huge.

Another word to the wise about the steaks, which range in size from 8 to 24 ounces: They all come served positively swimming in sizzling butter. You can ask for no butter (which I would recommend), or extra butter if you want, although I have a hard time understanding how anyone could possibly need more butter unless they are planning on taking it home to make a dozen pies for Christmas. My steak was sitting in a pool of at least 1/3 cup of butter and the flavour rather overpowered the delicate flavour of the fillet.

I wondered what Ruth's Chris would do to appease the angry mob who complained (before the restaurant opened) that it served only USDA beef, which you can imagine is a cardinal sin in a city like Edmonton where 90% of the vehicles on the road sport "I Heart Alberta Beef" stickers. As a nod in the direction of these peculiarly Albertan sensibilities, amongst the many USDA cuts of beef offered, there is one Alberta beef selection. The menu invites diners to order both and make the comparison. A risky proposition in these parts. I've got to say, I didn't think the USDA beef was any different from Alberta beef I've had around town. I am, however, slightly offended by the prospect of shipping meat for so long a distance where there is a fresh and ample supply right here. It seems a waste of resources really and not very responsible to the local economy or the environment.

Cakes had the stuffed chicken. Of course I tried some - that's been part of the deal ever since we got married! I have never tasted chicken so flavourful and tender at the same time. It was absolutely perfect. The large breast, with leg attached, comes stuffed with the perfect amount of savoury cheese and herbs. I am not exaggerating when I say I've never had a tastier piece of chicken- with gorgeous crispy brown skin and the tender-moist interior that the chicken. I suspect it was heavily basted with butter. Even if it wasn't it, like the steak, came in a sea of butter, which wasn't necessary at all.

Because the main courses at Ruth's Chris are a la carte, you must order your side dishes separately at $8 each. This adds up when you consider the average steak there runs between $45 and $50. There are eight to ten potato selections and a similar number of vegetable selections. Each dish would probably serve four people, but we ordered two between us. We decided to go with the selections marked as the Ruth's Chris specialties: Scalloped potatoes and creamed spinach. They were both good, but way too creamy and cheesy and buttery (the potatoes were positively swimming in a cream sauce and topped with a half inch of solid melted cheese!), especially on top of everything else. I really do recommend that you try to choose one of the lighter sides, or a salad if you'd prefer not to be uncomfortable by the end of the meal.

We were feeling so full and unpleasantly gorged by the end of the meal that neither of us wanted desert, which is like saying hell has indeed frozen over. But, we rallied long enough to take one for the team. I had the crème brulee and Cakes had the bread pudding. They were both excellent, if basic, examples of their respective genres. The bread pudding was exactly as I remember the bread pudding I learnt to make in New Orleans, right down to the delightfully boozy sauce. And the crème brulee, which must have been made with 40% milk fat cream, was wonderfully textured and beautifully paired with tart berries. But at the end of this particular meal it was just far too much. Next time I'd probably try the sorbet instead. That is if I had room.

The final bill was pretty pricey - just shy of $200 for three courses including tip, but without any wine.  This is a restaurant worth trying, but I'd save it for special occasions when you've saved up enough dollars and weight watchers points to justify it! It would make an ideal restaurant for entertaining clients or celebrating special occasions, but it's probably not an everyday sort of place.

Give it a whirl, and tell me what you think.

Comments

[doctorj]

Ruth Chris Steak House was founded by New Orleanian Ruth Fertel. She was a true New Orleanian that fed the city after Hurricane Betsy. After her death, the company went public but still had its headquarter's in New Orleans. Immediately after Hurricane Katrina, the headquarters deserted New Orleans for Orlando. This was very hurtful to us, esp. in light of the support Ruth showed the city. Many New Orleanians vowed NEVER to cross it's threashhold again. PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT THIS ESTABLISHMENT! They do not deserve your support.

[Alanna]

High-end chains are a craze in the U.S. ... I suppose they have their place, for those who want to know exactly what they're getting for that $200. Not my pick, but for some for whom consistency is important, sure. I'm guessing the creamy spinach you had is the same creamy spinach I drooled over, hmm, let's just say, two states and a few pounds ago!

[Stephanie]

I grew up hearing ads for Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (and an aside: weird name, isn't it?) during Pirates baseball games. That's about 150 miles from my hometown.

I also grew up thinking this was a Pittsburgh restaurant.

It wasn't until I moved to California that I learned it was a chain!

My parents went once (or was it twice?), and they loved it.

I've never been, and under the circumstances...am unlikley to ever set foot in one. But I've only ever heard good things.

[Pepper]

As for the prices, the grade of meat served at Ruth's Chris is a couple of notches above that served at Von's or Ric's, which use the 'Sterling Silver' rating that spans Choice to AAA. Anyway, I am looking forward to trying the new place out.

Great when reviewers have blogs that tell the rest of the story - the reviewer's blogs in the NY times and SF Chronicle are more interesting than the actual reviews. (I also appreciated that you pointed out the annoyingingly practice, in your Flavours review, of clearing plates before the whole table is done.)

[Teena]

I've been to the one here in Toronto and it's pricy.

[stef]

We celebrated our 2nd anniversary (15 years ago) at Ruth's Chris. At the time a Petite Butterflied Filet Mignon was about $25. We spent a little over $100 for the whole meal, including wine. It was one of the best meals we ever had, and we still remember the experience fondly. At the time I had no idea they were a chain, and at the time a $100 meal was a major splurge for us, esp. since we just had a baby. But it was worth every penny, and at that price level, the service and the food was first class.

[Jena]

If I'm going to spend $200 on a night out, I think I'll stick with the Hardware Grill.

[Shannon]

I LOVE RUTH'S CHRIS! I HAVE EATEN THERE MANY TIMES, AND I LOVE THE FOOD, SERVICE AND ATMOSPHERE. I TEND TO ORDER THE SAME DISHES JUST BECAUSE I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED STEAK BUT UNTILL I ATE AT RUTH'S CHRIS, I HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD BE THE BEST STEAK I WOULD EVER EAT! IF YOU LOVE STEAK, BE GOOD TO YOURSELF AND GO TO RUTH'S CHRIS!

[Susan DuPree]

The petite filet mignon I ordered wasn't a filet mignon at all. It was a piece of roast beef and I didn't care for it not the price I paid. If I order steak, pay for steak, then I want steak.

The country fried steak had a wonderful sauce. The salad and salad dressings were delicious. I can make much better Chicken Picatta at home.

I wish the person who wrote the main review on this website would learn that "learnt" isn't a word.

[Darren]

We dined at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in May 2007. We were not impressed. We decided to go nuts and have the most expensive item on the menu - the Porterhouse Steak for Two. It's basically an insanely huge t-bone looking steak with a a striploin on one side and a filet on the other side. We ordered it medium rare and it came out medium well. The striploin side was really tough and overcooked. For $105.00 (that's just for the steak alone) it had better be the best steak we had ever eaten, but it was far from it. When we expressed our concern with the maitre de, he went to speak to the chef. He came back and said that it continues to cook on the extremely hot plates while it is at the table. We had to argue that it was actually way overcooked from the first bite. He eventually offered us complimentary dessert, but it was a little annoying that we had to fight for it.

Everything else was good. The atmosphere was good, the service was ok, and the other items we ordered were heavy and delicious.

My wife had previously dined there with work and had the most amazing filet mignon of her life. She brought one home for me, and even reheated it was fantastic. I never order steak in a restaurant because the filet I make at home is better than any restaurant steak I have ever had, but the Ruth's Chris Filet is an exception.

If you're going to Ruth's don't have the porterhouse steak. It's not worth the money. Have the filet.

In my opinion, if you're going to spend $200 on dinner, you'll probably enjoy your meal and experience much more at the Hardware Grill.

[Grace]

Actually, "learnt" is a perfectly acceptable alternate way to spell "learned" when used as a verb. Spellcheck will underline it for you, but check a reputable dictionary. "Burnt" is used in the sense of "burned" and is also acceptable usage, especially as an adjective, ie: burnt toast.

[Heat]

Grace: Bah-hah-hah! You beat me to the "learnt" comment. I wonder where Susan "learnt" to use commas?

Susan: Let's not be pretentious about matters we don't fully understand ourselves, m'kay?

[Bill]

Hmmm I was there once years ago...

[Joe]

I ate at Ruth's Chris for the first time last week. The ribeye steak was disappointing - tougher and more gristly than I expected. At those prices they should be offering an unparalleled steak experience that you just can't buy anywhere else. I routinely make better steak on my outdoor grill, and I'm no chef.

Considering the price of the meal and the overall quality, there are far better options in Edmonton, some of which were mentioned above.

This overpriced restaurant chain has little chance of surviving the current economic downturn, and that's a good thing.