It's all about the service

Twice a year, select Madison restaurants participate in “Restaurant Week”. For five glorious days some of Madison’s premier restaurants offer a specialized $25 per person 3-course prix-fixe menu. Diners can choose from one of three appetizers, entrées and desserts for $25. It’s totally a deal and also an excellent opportunity to try some different eateries without completely breaking the bank.


My perception is that restaurants that participate in Restaurant Week do so with an equal amount of dread and hope. It’s busy. I’m sure they are not making money; however it does drive in traffic during the dismal month of January and provides a very competitive Madison market the opportunity to showcase what they do in hopes of earning repeat diners.

This week I took said family to Ruth’s Chris steakhouse. I have never had the opportunity to dine at a Ruth’s Chris. I have had the opportunity to dine at Flemings,  which is another high end steak house where everything is ala carte, the cocktails are generous and service is outstanding. Happily three of my four visits to Flemings have been on my fathers dime. (Insert choir of angels here). All of my experiences at Flemings have been outstanding.

Ruth’s Chris has a similar reputation. High end steakhouse and (supposedly) service to match.

Supposedly.

Now I could lower my expectations during restaurant week, by why would I?  Restaurant participation is optional. So if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Ruth’s Chris was, I am afraid, a disappointment. In a competitive Madison market with a number of high end steakhouses, both chain and private, where all have good steaks, service is the differentiator. Case in point:

• I should not have to ask three times to get a napkin because my place setting had none.

• I should not have to ask twice for sugar with my coffee. It should be offered.

• We were left waiting for 15 minutes for our server to greet us. And then there was no greeting. No “Hi my name is Ryan”. No “Thanks for your patience”. No “Do you have any questions”. We received “Are you ready to order”…clearly diners ordering off the restaurant week menu are viewed with the same ilk as the steerage passengers were in Titanic.

• My husband’s steak ordered “well done” (that’s the equivalent of shoe leather) arrived “medium”. We didn’t bother to send it back – god knows we couldn’t flag a server down.

As for the food. It was respectable. I don’t think I am a fan of the 5000 degree sizzling plate and steak drenched in butter. I like butter on pretty much everything but the plate is hot hot hot and the butter browns which I found un-appealing. Seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Even more telling is that I sent some feedback to Ruth’s Chris about this experience and 6 days later, have still received no response. I rest my case.