Raffertys

It was such a beautiful evening, we headed to Raffertys patio. The patio is subject to lots of traffic noise from Scottsville Road, but when compared to the noise inside the restaurant, the humidity-free breeze under the stars was a winner. Inside Raffertys, youll find a multi-level dining area, loaded with brick and stone planters overflowing with plants, handsome furniture and lots of brass. The name Raffertys was derived from the internal architecture of the building the rafters. Since the name Rafters was already used by another restaurant, a ty was added and thus the name Raffertys. Despite their best efforts to provide many sound buffers, the noise level was high inside. Seating outside is on a first-come, first-served basis, but a table opened quickly so our wait was relatively short. Our server came to our table, preparing to give us quick, in-and-out service, but geared down nicely when she realized we werent in any hurry. She is the first server since this column began to offer to place our meal order after we had finished our appetizer. When the appetizer is 23 mushrooms (I counted), you need some extra time to devour them all. The mushrooms varied in size from quarter size to a few that were golf ball size. The breading was very light and the mushrooms were not greasy at all. The sauce for dipping was a horseradish base, but not so strong that it killed the wonderful taste of the mushrooms. Generally the Raffertys menu is pretty standard fare: steaks, fish and chicken. I would have been happy with a prime rib, or ribeye, but after studying the menu, Rustlers Roost Salmon caught my eye. The Rustlers Roost Salmon is marinated in an orange/bourbon concoction, then grilled, making a glaze of bourbon and orange. The glaze allowed the taste of the salmon to come through, but accented the enjoyment with a burst of unusual sweetness. My companion decided to go with fish, too, but opted for the catch of the day swordfish. It was grilled (blackened was an option) over hickory coals and served with scallions and an herb tartar sauce. It was tender, flaky and moist, even though it was a thick chunk. We left room for dessert because the White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie was so highly recommended. Its a graham cracker crust pie filled with banana cream and a tad of white chocolate. Sliced bananas were covered with a huge mound of whipped cream and white chocolate shavings. Raffertys offers call ahead seating. You call them and give them a time you think you might arrive and your name goes to the top of the waiting list. Its a nice service and one that more restaurants are adopting. I hope the trend continues. The reviewer is employed at the Daily News. He/she pays for his/her meals and his/her gym fees to maintain his/her figure. New restaurants are given an eight-week grace period before being reviewed. To comment, contact managing editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235.