Are you looking for one of the best steakhouses in the area that has great ambiance and off-the-charts cuisine? Then I invite you to try Ruhlman's Steakhouse at 603 US Highway 6 in Ashland, Nebraska. Conveniently located between Omaha and Lincoln, (where he has a large following from both cities), this new restaurant was opened on July 31, 2024. Owner Phil Ruhlman fell in love with the city of Ashland and the friendly people. He has helped put it on the map with his restaurant's upscale design, incredible service, beautiful bar, and farm-to-table foods. They have even crafted their own bourbon, named Ruhlman's Bourbon. After retiring with 32 years of service at Gallup, he knew his next chapter would be fulfilling his dream of owning his own restaurant. Being a novice in this area he turned to Willy Theisen, the founder of Godfather's Pizza, for guidance and advice. Through Willy's connections, he was introduced to Chef John Benton. Knowing the restaurant wouldn't be up and running for at least a year, he offered to buy a food truck for Chef Benton to work from to perfect his incredible cuisine.
Chef John Benton, (who Phil made part owner in the restaurant), is a story all by himself. I have personally known John since he was a young man and he has certainly carved his own name in the culinary world. While attending high school he took a Cultural Food class, and teacher Sherry McCranie empowered him to compete in a program called ProStart through the Nebraska Hospitality Association. When asked about the program, John said "I loved it. I decided right then to become a chef and I never looked back". (Shout out here to all teachers. Never think you don't make a difference in student's lives!) He then went on to graduate cum laude from the world-renowned culinary arts program at Johnson & Wales University. John has traveled all over the world to hone his skills in wine and culinary cuisine. He can now boast that he has over 20 years of experience as a head chef in several prominent restaurants and country clubs. His dream of being an owner in his own restaurant has now come full circle with Ruhlman's Steakhouse.
The kitchen, which was perfectly designed by Sysco, runs like a well-oiled machine. I had the privilege of touring this magnificent space and got to witness how they dry age their meat in state-of-the-art Stagionello machines for the perfect temperature and ageing process. They cut and package steaks in-house, and use the sous vide method to cook meals using water in a precise temperature and timing process. Chef Benton and his amazing staff serve 2000 meals a week, 1000 of those on Fridays and Saturdays. Their pasta flour is imported from Italy, and seafood is brought in daily. They bake 150 loaves of bread a day, grind their own meat for their famous smash burgers, and for the 1200 meatballs they can make at one time. The meat comes fresh from family-owned Connealy Angus Ranch out in western Nebraska. This has allowed them to open a fresh meat market right next door to the restaurant, run by brother Paul Ruhlman. They also sell Chef Benton's line of spices for adding flavors to your own cooking process.
Ruhlman's is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. They are open on Sunday when they serve their famous prime rib from 11:00 a.m. until the last table is seated at 6:45 p.m. The beautifully designed dining room is lined with pictures from Nebraska artists, wineries, and beautiful places from all over the world. The restaurant can accommodate 250 guests, has a private room, and an outdoor seating area with fire pits for additional seating. They do take reservations and for more information, please visit their website at Rulhmansteakhouse.com.
The famous Virginia Woolf once said "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well". Welcome to Ruhlman's Steakhouse.
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