Restaurant Review - Prime Only Steakhouse & Sushi Bar - Downtown Raleigh

Last night we visited Prime Only Steakhouse & Sushi Bar in Downtown Raleigh's Powerhouse Square. Prime Only goes for that Ruth's Chris or Morton's Steakhouse level and it did not disappoint.

We actually visited The Rat Pack Lounge which is a separate area from the main restaurant but they both share the same kitchen. We were lucky enough to take in the sounds of Joe Amato who is a dead ringer (voice wise) of Mr. Frank Sinatra. The dinner & a show (called Fly me to the Moon - a musical tribute to Frank Sinatra) was put on in conjunction with the North Carolina Theatre and was a great time. See this link for more information about the show if you are interested (it runs through October 11th).

I was concerned at first because the menu was a set 3 course meal - as described on the NC Theatre website - "a salad, your choice of a filet, salmon or chicken with a side of potato and vegetable, and dessert." Doesn't provide a ton of description does it? Of course my strategy was to call ahead (before I bought the non-refundable tickets) and speak with a manager and/or chef. They stated over the phone that all of their menu items are made fresh in house and can be customized to meet Gluten Free needs. We talked through the menu and ended up with the following...

*Salad - made fresh without croutons and with oil and vinegar dressing (Raspberry vinaigrette not safe). Croutons were added to other folks salads just before serving.
*Filet - salt & pepper seasoned only and broiled (not grilled).
*Baked potato with butter (replaced the mashed potatoes)
*Steamed veggies (peppers and green beans) with butter, salt & pepper
*Bowl of vanilla ice cream topped with fresh strawberries.

The original dessert was either chocolate or vanilla cheesecake - but they were more than happy to substitute for me. As is normal, my waiter wasn't the most helpful (I knew when he said "I think the dressing is ok") but I politely asked for the manager and or chef so that I could be 100% about ingredients. There is no "I think" statements allowed. We were pleasantly surprised when the owner actually came to our table and talked through the menu with us - a nice touch!

Overall, a great experience for the entire evening. It's nice to not be afraid to actually go and do things like other normal people. It just takes a little more effort to get what you need but you should always be able to have a good meal.

UPDATE - 10/1/2008 @ 10:33AM

Word on the street is that Prime Only has closed. Oh well.

Information
Prime Only Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
Downtown Raleigh - Powerhouse Square
505 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: 835-2649
Website: http://www.primeonly.com/

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Mr. Silly Approves