Sneak Peak: Ruth's Chris Steak House
What: The world’s biggest high-end steakhouse chain opens in China
Where: 4/F, 5 on the Bund, 20 Guangdong Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu. Web: www.ruthschris.com
Why: Here’s the beef – and it’s good
For the past decade, red meat consumption in China has grown 10 per cent every five years. That statistic becomes jaw-dropping when you calculate overall meat consumption since pre-Reform & Opening: from less than 10 million tonnes per year to well over 71 million today, one quarter of the entire world’s supply. It’s no wonder that foreign steakhouse brands, like Morton’s – see page 31 for review of their new IAPM spot - and Outback, are flocking to China. Now Ruth’s Chris, the largest luxury steakhouse in the world, is staking its claim on the Bund.
In a restored historic building just a few floors below Glamour Bar, Ruth’s Chris uses its limited, but valuable, space wisely. A masculine low-lit bar stocked with lumbering leather booths and orderly bar stools welcomes diners for aperitifs. The dining room seats 130, and it’s all smooth dark wood and white tablecloths; you get a great Bund view out the iron-rimmed windows from practically every seat in the house.
While most of Ruth’s Chris’ 135 outlets around the world proudly call themselves “The Best USDA Prime Steak Restaurant”, Asian branches have been forced to turn to other continents for beef. In Shanghai, it’s Australian Wagyu on your scorching hot plate. Be careful not to make contact - the steak is seared at nearly 1,000°C and the blistering serving plates are heated to 260°C to keep the meat sizzling, a Ruth’s Chris signature that means you’ll hear your cut coming before you smell it. We tucked into a marbled ribeye (RMB 550 for 12 oz, RMB 630 for 16 oz) cooked to a perfect medium rare. The fatty cut comes dripping with half an ounce of butter and fried parsley; the only sauce necessary when the steak is already that good.
Like any American-style steakhouse, the sides and appetisers matter almost as much as the main course, and Ruth’s Chris does not disappoint. Crab cakes (RMB 180) come out sizzling like the meat. Each disc is pure lump blue crab without a lick of filler, and the tangy sauce whispers in a Cajun accent. Another nod to the restaurant’s New Orleans heritage on the appetiser menu is the piquant remoulade topping the juicy barbecued shrimp (RMB 150).
Desserts were big and brassy, like a good Creole jazz band. The creamy cheesecake (RMB 110), encased in supple graham cracker crust and smothered in sour cream sauce, was an excellent rendition of the decadent dessert. And we had forgotten all about how good banana cream pie (RMB 110) can be until we tucked into their caramelised version.
A ten per cent service surcharge is tacked on to the final bill, the cost of a Bund address and a taste of the Big Easy. But in a city where really good steaks can only be found at a few hotels and choice spots, it’s a small price to pay.