Ruby Tuesday's in Mentor, redux.

As you all know, I don't often review or write about a place more than once unless there is a need to do so. You also know that I rarely like the corporate-like entities. Ruby Tuesday's is a cut above the norm AND one that I think deserves another review. Sunday afternoon February 1st 2009, most people will know it as Super Bowl Sunday, since I have no feelings one way or the other about cry-baby athletes making more in a season (and bitching about it) than I will in a lifetime of education, the game means nothing to me, but I digress. I went to the Ruby's on Diamond Center Drive in Mentor at around noon. I was in the mood for a salad bar and knew from a previous trip that theirs was one of the best in the area. I was not disappointed this time either, but I will get to that.

When we arrived there were about seven or so people, all of one party ahead of us, some even slightly behind. I opened both of the entry doors for a young female, maybe about 20ish, and she said nothing while brushing past me into the restaurant. She did not even acknowledge I had done so. In fact, she even had the audacity to glare at me when I told her she was welcome. No wonder people say our youth have no manners. It is fucking true. But, that aside, because I do not want this to be about the assholes of the country, AND it had nothing to do with the restaurant, just some cloddish patron, I will get to the experience. After the rude girl and her family were seated, though no one said they would be right with as us they should have, we were seated at a requested table between the salad bar and the bathrooms. The booths seemed a bit too small, but for two, they were just fine. We were given menus and quickly brought our drinks. Our server asked if we were ready to which we answered in the negative. She gave us a few minutes and asked again, chuckling with us when we said we really hadn't yet gotten anywhere. She commiserated with us regarding the myriad choices and we promised her when she came back in about two MORE minutes we would be ready, which we were, kind of...

Anyway, after vacillating quite a bit, I decided on the New Orleans Seafood with a salad bar, of course, and my companion ordered the Top Sirloin with a salad bar as well. Most of you who know this particular companion are wondering what she could possibly garner from a salad bar when she doesn't even like dressing on her lettuce, but, and this is what I mean, the bar at Ruby's even has enough choices to make her happy. I'm telling you, it is that good and looks just wonderful, to boot.

My food came out after my second trip to the bar, yes I was full, but had to at least try it. When I saw the plate I almost laughed because the shrimp were so small and the rice that was supposed to have been brown looked like nothing close, though it was pleasing to the eye with its many colors of pepper. The Tilapia was done just right and though the shrimp were small, they were not bad in the divine Parmesan cream sauce. The sauce was so creamy it almost had the consistency of pudding but not quite as thick. My partner's steak was very tasty, but I really do not like cheap cuts such as sirloin, way too chewy for me, thank you very much.

For once, OK not only once but one of the few times ever, our server stayed with us as she should have. She did not leave before giving us the check and she still checked on us after dropping it off. Now for something that I thought, at first, was off-putting. (It grew on me after I realized how cool, albeit lazy as hell, it was for the average diner.) The check was split amongst the two of us including the tax as to what each of us ordered. This way we did not even have to try to split it ourselves, though I would like to look at the tax thing a little more closely. Then at the bottom there is a breakdown of different tip percentages and what they would be. Wow! People really don't have to think at all any more do they? Anyway, I DO believe it will alleviate a great deal of bitching so... what the fuck!!!! Above is a copy of the receipt just so you can get an idea of what I mean..