Dinner Last Night -Rathbun's Steak

I have been complaining for the last year that the restaurants in Atlanta have many reoccurring issues that make me very unhappy with the whole scene. Uninteresting, ill-prepared food. No consistency. Staff that has no knowledge of what they are selling or just plain rude. But people keep coming back to these places and keep them in business. It's unfortunate.

My feelings about this are strong for many reasons. One, I have eaten everywhere and everything. I know what is a good dive restaurant and what is worth paying on a credit card to have the opportunity to eat at. The main issue is "Is it quality?" My home-chef status makes me picky too.

So Rathbun's Steak opened a couple of weeks ago. I have been really looking forward to this opening. Many a steak house have I been too. But this one really took it up a notch. From the food to the drinks to the service, it was the best meal out we have had in a very, very long time.

We arrived slightly early, but were promptly seated. Ed ordered a scotch and I ordered a Hanger One appletini. (yes, I still drink those. Love'em, never have tired of them.) Best appletini I have ever had. The waiter, Matt B., was accomodating to my questions and let us sip our cocktails before we ordered. I would ask for him as a server again. The bread basket was brought out which had a variety to select from and included a grainy mustard with the butter. My favorite was the onion roll. For the appetizer we ordered the seafood tower. This is alot of food, but I knew that I wanted to focus my meal on this rather than steak. The tower included, six oysters, 3 jumbo shrimp, lump crab and 1/2 lobster tail. The oysters were not the best we had ever had. The lobster was perfect. The shrimp and crab were quality. We went with Matt's recommendations for wine. Two Wives Sauvignon Blanc and Albarino (sp). Both were excellent.

On to the main meal. I had told Ed to order what he wanted since this would be our last, big dinner out before his move to College Park, MD for a post-doc. And we wanted to have an early celebration for his graduating with his Phd. in Neuroscience. Well, he did. The prime, bone-in ribeye, all 22 oz. of it, was coming his way. The restaurant offers sauces/butters to choose from as sides for the meat. I asked Ed to order the black-truffle butter so that I could taste it. The steak came and I got a bite with the butter. It was beautiful. Perfectly cooked, medium rare, per RS's list of meat temperatures listed on the menu. The butter is rather decadent.

I could not eat a steak after all that shellfish. I ordered a side of creamed spinach and the twice baked potato of the day. The sides are not the typical steak house sides. The twice baked potato included smoked salmon. It is very small, much smaller than what is normally served at Bone's or Chops. The potato was creamy and flavorful. The smoked salmon was not overpowering. The creamed spinach is lightly creamed and on a plate rather than a soupy mess in a gratin dish. No nutmeg is added to the spinach. This I greatly appreciated. We went with Matt's wine recs again. Ed ordered a Steven Vincent Cabernet and I had a Newton Claret. Once again, right on target.

We are not dessert people. We prefer adult beverages for our caloric intake. I had wanted to order a port to finish of the evening, but the port selection is lacking. There is not even a 10-year Fonseca. Ended with a Grand Marnier instead. Matt recommended letting him heat the beverage for 10 seconds to bring out the bouquet. I had never had it served that way. It was good for me because I can't smell anything. Ed has a sensitive nose and it was overpowering for him.

I finally have somewhere new and interesting to look forward to returning. Kevin Rathbun had another winner. It was a lovely evening made better by excellent food, service and company.