Joe Garrett, the general manager and part owner of Broken Arrow’s swanky new steakhouse, looks every inch a Marine. And he was – deployed to Djibouti 20 years ago. Like all Marines, he’s a team player. Ask him what makes Rustic Chophouse special, and he won’t mention the tuna tartare, made with a blend of Japanese ponzu sauce, black bean relish and crème fraîche that makes your mouth come alive. Not one word about the rich, memorable crab cakes with orange lobster cream, or the perfectly cooked puff pastry that coddles the salmon Wellington, or the smooth, creamy mac ‘n’ cheese. No mention, even, of the glorious, sizzling, USDA-Prime steaks, dry-aged for 28 days.
Instead, he’ll point to a distinguished grey-haired server.
“That’s Rick. He worked at Michael V’s for 12 years and French Hen before that. There’s Aaron,” he continues, pointing toward a sleek, grey-toned metallic bar next to the floor-to-ceiling plate-glass windows. “He worked at Four Seasons Portland. There, in the kitchen,” and he nods toward a stocky, capable man in front, his hands a blur as he preps. “That’s Rigo Vazques, our executive chef. This is a team, and everyone here is an essential worker. We wanted to build a really nice steakhouse for Broken Arrow, but we didn’t want a stodgy, expensive place you’d visit once a year. We tried to make it cozy, warm, inviting and fun, a place where people would come back to once or twice a week, a place which people would think of as their own.” 210 S. Main St., Broken Arrow; rusticchophouseba.com
Instead, he’ll point to a distinguished grey-haired server.
“That’s Rick. He worked at Michael V’s for 12 years and French Hen before that. There’s Aaron,” he continues, pointing toward a sleek, grey-toned metallic bar next to the floor-to-ceiling plate-glass windows. “He worked at Four Seasons Portland. There, in the kitchen,” and he nods toward a stocky, capable man in front, his hands a blur as he preps. “That’s Rigo Vazques, our executive chef. This is a team, and everyone here is an essential worker. We wanted to build a really nice steakhouse for Broken Arrow, but we didn’t want a stodgy, expensive place you’d visit once a year. We tried to make it cozy, warm, inviting and fun, a place where people would come back to once or twice a week, a place which people would think of as their own.” 210 S. Main St., Broken Arrow; rusticchophouseba.com
