Ruth's Chris Steak House with Andrew Secunda

"Ruth's Chris Steak House with Andrew Secunda" is Episode 153 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Ruth's Chris Steak House with Andrew Secunda" was released on May 10, 2018.

## Synopsis

Writer and actor Andrew Secunda (*The Goldbergs*, *Curb Your Enthusiasm*) joins to review a fine dining favorite from his college days: New Orleans' own Ruth's Chris Steak House. Andy and Mitch reminisce about the eats of upstate New York, and compete to divine another mystery drink in a new edition of the Wiger Challenge.

## Nick's intro

When you think of New Orleans food, a unique fusion of primarily French and West African cooking, you probably think of Creole dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, po' boys, turtle soup, and beignets. But outside of fried chicken franchise, Popeye's, the biggest chain restaurant to come out of the Big Easy is actually a steakhouse.

Opened in 1927 in its original form, the eatery struggled for decades, being sold off repeatedly and coming to the brink of permanent closure on multiple occasions. Yet it finally found salvation and lasting success in 1965, when a divorced mother of two who worked as a lab tech at Tulane University mortgaged her house to acquire the business and enter the restaurant biz.

This risk-taking entrepreneur, whose last name was Fertel, found success where her predecessors failed by getting hands-on with every aspect of the chophouse, even learning to butcher the steaks herself.

And she gave her concept a signature by hiring a wait staff of fellow single mothers, making it New Orleans' first restaurant with all female servers, dubbed at the time as "The Broads on Broad Street."

Unfortunately, the curse of the original location returned as a fire destroyed the eatery in 1976; perhaps a blessing in disguise, as Fertel quickly found a new space nearby with over double the seating room. The new location thrived and Fertel's hands-on approach was evident in her decision to live the rest of her life in a house directly behind the restaurant.

As its reputation continued to grow, because of its sizzling steaks, seared at 1800 degrees Fahrenheit and served on 500 degree plates with a generous pat of butter on top, Fertel reluctantly agreed to franchise, expanding first throughout Louisiana and Georgia and then across the United States.

Fertel's pioneering success earned her the honorific, "The First Lady of American Restaurants," and though she died in 2002, her legacy endures, as over 100 locations now operate nationwide.

As for the business' unique name, contractual reasons prevented Ms. Fertel from retaining its originally incorporated title when she moved locations, so like a rock band touring without its original line-up, she modified it by adding her own first name.

This week on *Doughboys*: Ruth's Chris Steak House.

## Fork rating

* French Quarter 75
 Mike Mitchell
* Big Easy Hurricane
 Andrew Secunda
* Vodka Martini
 shared
* Veal Osso Buco Ravioli
* Lobster Mac & Cheese
* Lettuce Wedge Salad
* Creamed Spinach
* Sweet Potato Casserole
* Mashed Potatoes
* Ruth's Dipping Trio
* Porterhouse For Two
* Tomahawk Ribeye
* White Chocolate Bread Pudding
* Chocolate Duo
* Vanilla Ice Cream

With these scores, Ruth's Chris Steak House makes the Golden Plate Club!

## The Wiger Challenge

In the Wiger Challenge, Nick presents Mitch and the guest with a mystery beverage and they try to guess what it is. The closest guess is declared the winner.

For this episode, Nick brings an original flavor Monster Energy Drink.

## #hashtags

* #CarbonMonoxdied
* #WhatsYourSteakNumber
* #WhatsYourSteakCut

## The Feedbag

My question for you is: if a food place makes you sick, do you never go there again? Or do you wait awhile and order something different the next time? Do you have a 'three strikes and they're out' policy?

## Photos (from @doughboyspod)

Ginger Coconut Lemon DropVodka MartiniBig Easy HurricaneRuth's Dippin' TrioVeal Osso Buco RavioliBarbecue ShrimpLettuce Wedge SaladLobster Mac & CheeseSweet Potato CasseroleCreamed SpinachMashed PotatoesTomahawk RibeyeTomahawk RibeyePorterhousePorterhouseChocolate DuoWhite Chocolate Bread Pudding