menu are a study in technique and masterful 
skill in perfecting what could easily—in 
the space of less than a minute’s time—be 
either undercooked or overcooked, so time-
sensitive is the cook on a steak. From New 
York Strips to T-bones and Porterhouses, 
the array of meat is artfully prepared under 
the experienced hands of Executive Chef 
Ruston Johnson and his team, his nearly three 
decades of experience brought to bear on each 
plate that leaves his kitchen.

Making everything from scratch, every 

sauce and puree displays the same adherence 
to quality and flavor that Ruth Fertel herself 
was passionate about. And whether ordering 
the seared tuna with house made mustard 
beer sauce as an appetizer, Ruth’s signature 
creamed spinach as an accompaniment to one 
of the perfectly crusted steaks or specialty 
seafood dishes, or indulging in one of the 
decadent desserts like crème brulee or the 
chocolate explosion, one underlying fact 
remains: everything is done in excellence.

That excellence extends from the plate to 

the service, creating an experience that truly 
matches the caliber of the food. “We pride 
ourselves on how Ruth treated her guests,” 

says General Manager Mike Sable. “She 
treated them like family, with New Orleans 
hospitality, and wanted them to have fun. A 
lot of fine dining restaurants can feel ‘stuffy,’ 
but we’re definitely a celebration place—
though we also have a regular following of 
guests we see weekly and sometimes nightly.” 
With good reason, as #1 Billboard Charting 
Artist Michael J. Thomas is part of a regular 
rotation of live music acts that Ruth’s Chris 
in Destin is celebrated for. From smooth jazz 
to lively covers of old favorites, this is one 
restaurant that offers the perfect steak—and 
an accompaniment to match.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House is located at 

15000 Emerald Coast Parkway, Silver 

Shells Resort, Destin. Open Monday-

Saturday 5:00 p.m.- 10:00 p.m., Sunday 

5:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. Winter hours are 

Sunday thru Thursday 5:00pm -9:00pm, 

Friday & Saturday 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

For more information, call (850) 837-7884 

or visit www.RuthsChrisDestin.com.

•

December 2018   |   59  

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs

3/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 tbsp. blackening seasoning

2 tbsp. Creole or Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. fresh chopped parsley

16 oz. jumbo lump crabmeat (fresh or 

canned)

1 cup butter crackers, finely crushed

DIRECTIONS:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs 

and next five ingredients until 

fully mixed. Add crabmeat to the 

sauce, stirring in gently to maintain 

the lumps. Gently fold in cracker 

crumbs until fully mixed, then 

portion into 3 oz. cakes and place 

on a greased baking sheet.

Yields 12.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Position the baking sheet on 

the middle rack and bake for 

seven minutes or until internal 

temperature reaches 150 degrees 

and the exterior is golden brown. 

Remove cooked crab cakes from 

oven and serve with melted lemon 

butter or sauce of choice.

photo by

 

Jimmy Baez

XX-XX CoastalCuisine.indd   2

11/27/18   9:45 AM