Ruth’s Chris Hearkens to the Day of True Fine Dining
by Grayling Holmes / photos provided by Grayling Holmes and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
On my desk sits a souvenir split of Nicolas Feuillatte champagne from the Chouilly, France, which is famous for its high-quality Chardonnay grapes used by the mostprestigious Champagne houses. The bottle shares space with my most prized keepsakes – and this one, is a keepsake I received on my first visit to Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Chesterfield.
As the valet parked my car, I saw the restaurant’s massive glass door where I was welcomed by General Manager Joey Kelly. He then escorted me into an elegant private dining roomfeaturing a long mahogany table that was set for fine dining and for me, an elevated experience in cuisine with an unforgettable three-course wine pairing. (In addition to being general manager, Joey is also a sommelier).
Ruth’s Chris Chesterfield General Manager Joey Kelly welcomes guests.
For our first pairing, we sampled a Nicolas Feuillatte champagne along with a veritable mountain of hot shoestring fries. Joey admitted: “One of the guilty pleasures of a sommelier is eating fries with Champagne. Because the fattiness that you have from the oil from the fries goes really well with the carbonation and acidity of the champagne. It makes for an incredible taste treat with something so simple as fried potatoes, and something so complex and elegant as fine champagne.”
General Manager Joey Kelly pours his Private Dining Director Sebastian Mitchell a glass of Post & Beam Cabernet Sauvignon.
Joey explained that Nicolas Feuilatte started as a businessman selling coffee, then decided to sell champagne. One of his first clients was American “royalty,” the Kennedy family. You can see that it has a clean, elegant and complex taste with a freshness on the finish. Now, grab a pile of shoestrings. Taste how good they are with the champagne.” I did. It did.
Ruth’s Chris Chesterfield, MO.
Our next selection was a beautiful gold-labeled bottle of Riesling, “Eroica” which was inspired by Beethoven’s Third Symphony because of the wine’s floral notes and bold taste. It was paired perfectly with one of the restaurant’s signature appetizers: Lobster Voodoo, a succulent lobster, lightly fried, tossed in a spicy cream sauce along with a tangy cucumber salad. The pairing was exceptional -- a nice sweet dry Riesling complimented with a sweet and spicy appetizer.
Ruth’s Chris famous Lobster Voodoo, one of their signature appetizers.
Our final pairing was with a Post & Beam Cabernet Sauvignon with another of the restaurant’s signature menu favorites, Filet sliders. “One of the most classic pairings- especially at a steakhouse - is a Filet with a Cabernet Sauvignon. Here at Ruth’s Chris, we broil each of our USDA Prime cuts of steak at 1800 degrees for a perfect sear on the meat. The filet is the leanest, most tender cut and paired with the high tannins in the Cabernet – it’s a perfect blend.”
Ruth's Chris Filet Sliders.
I enjoyed each sip of this bold Cabernet which enhanced the flavor of the sizzling Filet sliders which were topped with Ruth’s barbeque butter and crispy onion straws. A perfect trio and my palate was sated.
But just when I thought our tasting had concluded, Joey and his Private Dining Director Sebastian Mitchell handed me one of Ruth’s Chris’ red and black “to go” bags with the largest piece of its three-layered, creamy, carrot cake that had just been made by their executive chef.
Don’t ask but I ate every scrumptious bite before bedtime!
It was an evening for the senses. Yes, I’ve dined at 5-star restaurants, but the ambiance, mouth-watering appetizers, extraordinary wines and gracious service – 10 stars to Joey Kelly and his Ruth’s Chris team!