What: Steak Where: Ruth's Chris Steak House in Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills and Pasadena

Must-Order: Filet mignon, jumbo shrimp, lobster tail

The Verdict: As a child, steak was just another piece of meat to me. I even (shudder) used to eat it well-done. Heck, what did I know? I was just a kid. But in my older age I've come to appreciate a nicely aged, adeptly seasoned, superbly grilled steak. And yes, I've finally graduated to having it cooked medium-rare.

The chefs at Ruth's Chris are masters at the art of serving a fine steak -- in particular, filet mignon. It's soft, it's succulent and it even comes perched in a puddle of butter. It's just salty enough, just peppery enough, just seasoned enough. The best thing of all is that it's served on a 400° plate. This ensures that your steak stays piping hot up until the last bite. I don't know how they do it but that plate definitely stays hot.

Other can't-miss items are the jumbo shrimp and lobster tail. Both are cooked just right -- a minute or two longer on the grill and you'd be stuck with overcooked seafood. The shrimp has all the right spices, and the lobster of ample proportion comes with a generous serving of melted butter.