A Throwback Restaurant Review - Kevin Rathbun's Steakhouse

I had dinner with Sporty.

Last week, for my birthday, I gave myself a present and sent Sporty a book I made by hand, just for her. In was some poetry, some quotations and a story I wrote that put on the table the reasons for a whole lot of things. I was my birthday and I can do as I damn well please. So I sent her a book. A book I wrote for her.

She said it made her laugh, and it made her cry. That will be the best review I ever get for anything I'll ever do.

So, anyway, this morning at she hits at before dawn, letting me know she's on the plane. When we were rolling, I used to know her whole travel schedule, so this is a throwback move. She's in town for the weekend, seeing everybody, but tonight it's just me and her hanging out. Dinner is at seven, but after three I suddenly get the willies...I'm nervous about seeing her again. But I suck it up, and head down to Kevin Rathbun Steakhouse down in the Inman Park area.

I actually run into Sporty in the parking lot, as the valet is taking our cars, so there is no movie moment of drama. It's just two folks who hadn't see each other in a while happy to see each other. She was beautiful. Her skin was brown as a nut from the sun and that same light had her hair turned a bright blond, dressed in white pants and black black tank with a black vest...(and wait, I had on a white shirt and black pants. Spooky?)

Rathbun's Steakhouse is a nice spot and worth the money you'll pay. Done over in a brick with sleek black booths and seats, our waiter Charlie was quick and always within visual range, unlike a lot of restaurants where every so often you wish the servers were GPS enabled. There is kind of an arty feel with antler-ish chandeliers and jazz playing in the background. Sporty liked it.

We got the crab cake to start, and I had the fillet and she had the ribeye. The steaks are juicy, the mashed potatoes are light and airy, and just so you know, the scalloped sweet potatoes have cheese in them. Sporty tried them but they switched her to the twice baked potatoes, which again had taste we couldn't identify, but were still good. We skipped dessert.

She and I ate, drank and told stories...for the better part of three hours. Our waiter, the formerly happy to have us there Charlie had to wonder why we'd locked down his table, but he did stay friendly.

We talked about Dallas and it's schisms and how she misses Atlanta. We discussed her school and my school - she made the most compelling argument for full time law school I've yet heard - and we talked about her old situation and then, for a long while, we talked about God and faith and where she is spiritually right now. She told me I need to ask God for what I want....but then what I want is her, so there you go. But I'm a firm believer in that when you love someone, you care about them more than yourself. So again, there you go. She's turned into a real philosopher since last I spent time with her. She's different...but the same. It's a zen thing, since we dressed as yin and yang. She got my jokes when I tried to be funny, but she was thoughtful, and made me think. She was Sporty.

And I still love her.

If you need a steakhouse and aren't afraid to spend a few bucks, Mr. Rathbun has a fine establishment, if this there is no doubt. And if you need a good waiter, ask for Charlie. And if I don't go back to being a broke student immediately, and if Sporty comes back and wants to go again (although we did agree if I go to law school full time we'll hookup at the Waffle House on her return trips)...I'd gladly take this steak. It came with good memories.