Filet – 6oz Grain Fed USDA Prime Beef
#TriedNTested:
It’s Friday afternoon, and we’re off for a newly launched brunch at Ruth’s Chris. We’re visiting to try out the newly launched brunch menu which is an a la carte experience which we are looking forward to. Yes, we’ve dined at Ruth’s Chris before and yes we are fans, but we are intrigued to try out the new menu and to see what is in store.
At first glance the new menu offers enough choices to satisfy our hungry appetite and we are more than happy to see some of our favorite dishes on the menu. The deal is that you can order as many dishes as you want from the menu. Each dish is roughly two thirds of the normal portion size and is cooked to order. Perfect! No more wandering around an endless buffet, or spending time away from the table rather than enjoying the company of your guest(s).
Brunch starts at twelve and ends at four so there’s plenty of time to enjoy a casual and relaxed brunch and also time to order and space out your food. We don’t arrive until nearly two so brunch is almost half way through but there’s still plenty of time to relax and to order plenty of food.
Starters are old favorites of ours, the Ahi Tuna never fails to impress and it’s a light start to lunch. My guest eats the calamari and spicy shrimp so I can’t comment on their taste, but am told they were good. We move swiftly on to a refreshing Mozzarella and Kumota Tomato salad which is perfectly seasoned and refreshing.
Our mains arrive on piping hot plates surrounded by hot butter, to be honest we will ask for the no butter option next time. Beware of the heat the plates are sizzling hot and even though we are warned of this every visit, there’s still always a reason to adjust the plates and get a swift reminder of the heat.
The lamb chops are cooked perfectly and two chops instead of three is a great portion size. The beef is beautiful tender and worthy of a second order if we visit again. We also order salmon, which is apparently from the children’s menu and is not that special – we think sticking to the meat is better suited to our palate. We are offered sauce, and order, but slightly confused with being told there’s an extra charge for it. Sides include buttery mash, mushrooms and creamed spinach, a little light on the garlic front, we would have liked more, but heavy on butter and cream and your waistline!
Desserts are served in a flurry as our late arrival condenses the experience a little and we are are served small portions of everything on the menu. The cheesecake is still a firm favorite and thankfully it’s size has been reduced to a manageable portion. The creme brûlée is rich and indulgent and the sugary topping has to be smashed through with a spoon, just as we like it.
We round off the brunch with coffee and a cheeky espresso Martini for me – well it is coffee after all ….
Would we go back? Yes – relaxed a la carte brunches are something that we enjoy, there are still items on the menu we want to try again and a few new ones which we’ve not had yet. We loved the laid back atmosphere and the entertainment was great. This is a fantastic brunch suitable for couples through to groups, we spotted a few lively people dancing at the end of brunch, but mainly it’s a casual and relaxed affair.
Pricing :
There are three packages to choose from and all come with unlimited a la carte dining from the brunch menu, juices, fever tree, coca-cola, water, tea & coffee.
The Orleans – Mocktails and soft drinks – 300/aed The Happy Jack – Selected Beverages 460/aed
The Ruth – Free flowing champagne 495/aed (Veuve Clicquot Yellow label)
There is one thing that slightly puzzles us about the pricing, whilst you can order unlimited food and drink from the menu, order one of the two sauces which go with the steak and you will be charged an extra 10/aed – shouldn’t this be included in the overall price?
Disclaimer: We visited Ruth’s Chris as invited guests and this is our honest opinion about our experience of the Friday brunch experience. [Images by Debbie Rogers]
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address, Dubai Marina. Tel :04 454 9538 For info, visit Ruth’s Chris.