Ruth's Chris: So much more than just an upscale atmosphere

This post was written by a Butler University student about their experience at one of 40+ restaurants involved in Devour Downtown – a prix-fixe way to experience some of Indianapolis’ best downtown restaurants twice a year. Check out all the posts written about Devour Downtown on the Indiana Insider Blog

Valet parking.  Dim lighting. Romantic atmosphere. Those were the first three things that I noticed about Indianapolis’s Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse during the Devour Downtown special, but this acclaimed restaurant was so much more than just an upscale atmosphere.

Immediately after being seated, my guest and I were greeted by our assistant waiter. I’ve seen it in movies, but I personally have never had the privilege of dining somewhere that actually had an assistant waiter, so you can imagine that I was impressed from the beginning. When our waiter came to the table, he made it a point to ask if we had ever dined there before, and because we hadn’t, he made recommendations for drinks and appetizers and gave the warning that the plates are served at a sizzling 500 degrees.

For the first course, I ordered the steak house salad with iceberg, romaine, and baby lettuces, cherry tomatoes, garlic croutons, red onions and ranch dressing. This seemingly simple dish was the tastiest salad that I’ve had in a long time by far. Next up was the six ounce fillet and mashed potatoes with a hint of roasted garlic. In my experience with ordering steak at a restaurant, I have always had to season it more myself, but not this time! The meat was perfectly cooked, seasoned, sized, and plated and the potatoes were an exceptional addition to the meal. After being served two outstanding courses in a row, I was expecting dessert to be nothing short of mouth-watering, and it didn’t  let me down. It’s called the Symphony Dessert, which is a pairing of Cheesecake and Chocolate Pecan Bark, and it was a scrumptious ending to a meal worthy of a standing ovation.

The portions at Ruth’s Chris were just right and left me feeling full, but not to the extent that I needed to change into a pair of my favorite sweatpants. Our waiter was polite, charming, and attentive all throughout the meal. I am so glad that the Devour Downtown deal gave a college student like me a chance to experience fine dining while still staying within my budget!