Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee: Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Director of sales and marketing Hawaii Emi Espinda (at left) sits with Anne Lee as the two ladies sample some of the delightful food and beverages from Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

ANNE LEE speaks with Ruth’s Chris director of sales and marketing Hawaii EMI ESPINDA

Ruth’s Chris Steak House all started in 1965 when Ruth Fertel mortgaged her home to buy a little neighborhood steak house in New Orleans called Chris Steak House. After investing her life savings, she proudly added her name to the original and it became wildly popular. Ruth’s Chris now has more than 150 locations worldwide.

“Our Hawaii restaurant opened in May of 1989. Randy Schoch was the Hawaii franchisee until he sold the restaurants to RHGI in 2017,” shares Emi Espinda, director of sales and marketing Hawaii. Here, she elaborates on what makes Ruth’s Chris Steak House such a hot topic throughout the 50th State.

Lobster Mac and Cheese ($26)

AL: What type of cuisine does the restaurant specialize in?

EE: At Ruth’s Chris Steak House, you’ll only find exceptional steaks, selected from the top 2 percent of the country’s beef and served piping hot — broiled in an 1,800-degree oven and served on sizzling hot on 500 degree plates.

The New Orleans-inspired cuisine features the finest USDA Prime steaks, fresh island seafood, award-winning wine list and a wide variety of appetizers, side dishes and desserts.

Shrimp Cocktail ($23)

AL: What makes each of Ruth’s Chris’ six Hawaii locations unique?

EE: Families have been dining at Ruth’s Chris Steak House for generations. The one thing that ties our Hawaii restaurants together is our aloha spirit. This culture inspires all of our team members to exceed expectations every time.

• Our Honolulu and Lahaina restaurants – traditional steak houses.

• Waikiki, Wailea, Mauna Lani and Kauai restaurants – island designs.

• Mauna Lani – Beautiful views of Mauna Kea from the lanai, sometimes during the winter you can see the snow capped mountains of Mauna Kea. This location is half indoors and half outdoors that has a wonderful bar area. This is our largest location.

Seared Ahi Tuna/Sashimi ($23)

•Lahaina – The only location with breathtaking views of the sunset and the island of Lanai.

• Kauai – Our newest venue is located in Poipu and the only restaurant in the complex where you can dine in air-conditioned comfort.

• Wailea – Recently renovated and added a beautiful and comfortable lounge.

• Waikiki– Popular with visitors and kamaaina; great bar and lanai seating where you can enjoy the entertainment while dining!

• Honolulu – Celebrated our 30th anniversary in April. Popular with our kamaaina. Great venue for celebrations as well as business meetings and private parties.

AL: What is the most popular dish?

Bone-in New York Strip ($76)

EE: All our steaks! Ribeye, Filet, Porterhouse for Two. The only seasoning we use while cooking the steaks is a little bit of salt and pepper. We drizzle the steak and plate with our Steak Butter, then sprinkle with parsley. And while steak is king, the menu also includes expertly executed island seafood, lamb and poultry dishes, as well as classic appetizers, side dishes and homemade desserts. The award-winning wine list features world-class international and domestic labels.

Ruth’s Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole ($13)

Ingredients

Crust Mixture:
• 3⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup flour
• 3⁄4 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
• 1⁄4 cup melted butter

Sweet Potato Mixture:
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes 1 egg, well beaten
• 1⁄4 cup butter

Process

1 . Combine crust mixture in mixing bowl and put to one side.
2. Combine sweet potato mixture ingredients in a mixing bowl in the order listed. Combine thoroughly.
3. Pour sweet potato mixture into buttered baking dish.
4. Sprinkle crust mixture evenly onto surface of sweet potato mixture.
5. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.