AN EVENING TO REMEMBER

Yesterday, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary, and I decided to take her to a staple of the Cincinnati restaurant scene - Jeff Ruby's Waterfront. Neither of us had ever been there - the bright pink riverboat docked on the south shore of the Ohio River, in Covington, KY - yet we've heard many great things about the place.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Jeff Ruby, the man has built a small restaurant empire based on an American staple - steak - and he has done it well for a really long time. With 5 restaurants in Cincinnati (including Waterfront), as well as his signature place in Louisville, KY and his place at Belterra in Indiana, the empire is solid.

My wife and I went to dinner early - because we don't do well in the nightlife these days - and were greeted warmly at the door. Good friend Tommy, longtime staple of the Cincy restaurant scene and manager at Waterfront, took us to our table, overlooking the Cincy skyline, and got us good and comfortable. Our server team of Jennifer and Rory took excellent care of us from start to finish, and Tommy graciously dug around the wine cellar to find us a nice Aussie red. At the Waterfront, steak is the specialty, however they have a phenomenal sushi bar and the chef turns out some top notch sushi. We were overwhelmed by the precision of service and the knowledge and teamwork displayed. Jeff Ruby and his managers should be proud of the exemplary ethic and care taken of each and every customer.

The only complaint my wife and I had last night was that we were completely full. Not a bad complaint I might add. The food was delicious, the atmosphere sublime, and Tommy, Jen, Rory and the staff were fantastic. I don't do restaurant reviews but I have to thank them all for a great evening. And I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone looking to have an equally wonderful dinner, to try Jeff Ruby's Waterfront. You won't be sorry.