Signature Dish: New owners improve upon Red Osier’s classic prime rib

Steve Foster and Tim Adams knew two things when the purchased the Red Osier Landmark Restaurant in April: they wanted to update the look of the iconic eatery and continue to feature its famous prime rib. Two months later, they have done just that.

But they claim to have done one more thing that will interest diners — both the longtime regulars and the newcomers. They say they’ve improved the quality of the prime rib.

“I have worked here for 20 years, and we had heard that the prime rib quality was going downhill,” said Foster, who started as a server. “Over the years, as somebody else was taking over ... they missed steps. We’re here to implement the steps and make sure the prime rib is perfect.”

To improve upon the prime rib, which is known throughout the region, the new owners have added one more step to the preparation process, a secret step. The all-day cooking process remains the same.

Even when pressed, Foster and Adams wouldn’t reveal the change.

“I’m not going to say, because it’s a secret to us,” Foster said. It’s one step extra than what were used to doing for our prime rib.”

They swear it has improved the quality and the taste of the prime rib and that the customers are “loving it.”

I sampled the prime rib on Wednesday and compared it to what I tried last year. They are right. It’s better now.

Prime rib is king at Red Osier, but the new owners also want to be known for their seafood. Their signature dish, the Classic Signature Dinner, combines the best of both. It pairs a 12-ounce (queen cut) prime rib with twin 4-ounce lobster tails. It also comes with choice of potato and fresh vegetable.

It’s not a new creation; it has actually been on the menu for more than 20 years. But Foster and Adams felt it was important to keep.

The Classic Signature Dinner is a popular item. The restaurant will serve about 30 in a week. And it’s a lot of food.

The prime rib is still carved tableside by a “prime minister,” a feature implemented by previous owner, Bob Moore. It then gets laid on a metal plate and imbrued with the au jus — the real star of the meal.

Cooked to the diner’s preferred doneness — medium for me — the prime rib is tender from spending eight hours slow-roasting in the oven. It has a great meat taste that isn’t overpowered by a lot of seasoning. It’s beef that is allowed to taste like beef.

The lobster tails are light and fluffy, as they should be, and sprinkled with some paprika.

Then there’s the choice of potato — I had the divine Roquefort mashed potatoes — and a fresh vegetable.

“Yeah, it’s a lot of food,” Foster said. “We have a lot of to-go boxes.”

The Classic Signature Dinner sells for $39.90.

By MATT KRUEGER, Batavia Daily News
http://www.thedailynewsonline.com/bdn05/signature-dish-new-owners-improve-upon-red-osiers-classic-prime-rib-20160618