This may be the classiest restaurant we have visited in all three years of shooting Julia Tries Everything—but don't you worry; it didn't stop me from wearing my stretchy pants. We were lucky enough to visit Ruth's Chris Steak House, a New Orleans inspired steak house that was started by a single mom (Ruth!) nearly 40 years ago where the steaks come out sizzling on 500 degree plates and the sides come in large bowls made for sharing. Here are the best things to order the next time you find yourself at Ruth's.
Best App: Veal Osso Buco Ravioli
The saffron-infused pasta screams luxury. The balance of saltiness with the richness keeps you from getting bored after a few bites and is honestly so damn delicious that it could be your main meal.
Honorable mention: barbecued shrimp. If you recall my burning love for Texas Roadhouse's garlic butter shrimp, this will give you those same emotions.
Best Cocktail: Pomegranate Martini
This looks like a straight-up Christmas cocktail with the bright pink color and sugared rim, luckily though, it's available year-round. This is highly chuggable and will make you pucker.
Best Steak: NY Strip + Filet
Yes, I made the best steak category a tie—I make the rules! The NY strip is a bone-in cut that's full bodied when it comes to flavor. It's also one of Ruth's favorite steaks. It's rich, buttery, and slightly firmer than the filet cut. However, if you're looking for a softer, more tender cut I highly recommend the filet with the Oscar style (lump crab cake, asparagus, and béarnaise sauce on top). Either of these are wins in my book.
Best Side: Sweet Potato Casserole
This is a sweet potato cookie. The golden brown sugar crumble (with candied pecans!) on top tastes like Thanksgiving. I'd order this for dessert if it was socially acceptable.
Honorable mention: Potatoes au gratin—it's better than the mac & cheese. I wouldn't lie to you.
Best Entree: Garlic Crusted Sea Bass
The filet is tender and sweet but what really makes this dish sing is the panko garlic crust with lemon butter. It reminds me of a Ritz cracker topping dish my mom made for the family back in the day—it's buttery, crunchy, and you simply can't get enough of it.
Best Dessert: Classic Cheesecake
Instead of getting it by the slice, Ruth's Chris gives you your own mini cheesecake which means double the graham cracker crust. If you're a crust person (ahem, me) this is your cheesecake dreams coming true. The cheesecake is tangy and more crumbly than smooth, but I can forgive the texture for the crust.
Watch season three of Julia Tries Everything on YouTube now.
