On February 8, Trust Restaurant Group will open the doors of its fourth open-flame steakhouse concept Rare Society in Mill Creek, Washington. The San Diego-born Rare Society is the brainchild of acclaimed Chef/Owner Brad Wise, who has woven inspiration from vintage Las Vegas steakhouses into a modern dining aesthetic to feature his signature wood-fired, Santa Maria style-grilling for meats alongside sustainably-sourced seafoods, and a progressive cocktail program. Mill Creek will be Rare Society’s first location outside of Southern California, with plans to open an estimated 15 locations throughout the U.S. over the next five years.
Chef Wise’s passion for live-fire grilling takes center stage at Rare Society, which features a menu of premium proteins grilled over flames using locally-sourced American Oak and showcased in an open exhibition-style kitchen. Inside the 3,800-square-foot, 130-seat space, guests are greeted by a 14-foot custom fireplace and wine display upon entering the doors, evoking the intimacy and comfort of a timeless neighborhood steakhouse.
Cuts of dry-aged ribeyes, Snake River Farms American Wagyu, classic filet mignon, and Santa Maria-style tri-tip complement bedrock steakhouse specialties such as Oysters Rockefeller, shrimp cocktail, and Caesar salad and are punctuated with indulgent touches like seafood towers, house made sauces, impeccably crafted cocktails and fine wines, and a decadent dessert selection. On display in stainless steel meat cabinets are Rare Society’s dry-aged cuts, all aged in-house per Chef Wise’s specifications.
Rare Society’s luxurious one-of-a-kind meat boards are signature menu standouts. Offering two options — The Executive and The Associate — family-style selection of cuts (chef-determined nightly) are presented on a custom-designed, mahogany Lazy Susan. The shareable platters showcase a variety of the restaurant’s 30-40 day dry-aged steaks, as well as a selection of the kitchen’s favorite prime cuts. The boards are served with a variety of house made sauces such as bearnaise, horseradish and Chef Wise’s signature Santa Maria-style salsa.
“Bringing Rare Society outside of California was always a dream of mine. I fell in love with the Central Coast and its Santa Maria-style grilling, and Rare Society takes inspiration from the region’s cooking techniques,” said Chef Brad Wise, Chef and Owner of Rare Society. “Somehow this dream is coming true and here we are. We look forward to welcoming locals, who will find the menu unique and exciting — we’re cooking over a live fire, burning American Oak, and serving tri-tip and salsa, but redefining it with our own approach. It’s my hope that Rare Society provides residents and visitors alike with a place to gather and build community around the table — the core founding principle of our restaurant group.”
The bar program at Rare Society pays homage to the steakhouse cocktail classics, with American whiskeys and bourbons at the heart of its menu. The restaurant’s signature Rare Old Fashioned offers a riff on the classic by using dry-aged fat-washed bourbon, rosemary oleo, bitters and a lardo garnish to add a subtle element of meat to its flavor profile. The menu also features a number of cocktails inspired by Rare Society’s newest Pacific Northwest locale. The extensive wine list offers a collection of approachable Old World and New World styles as well as local selection from the Washington region that beautifully complement the restaurant’s protein-forward menu.
Designed by GTC Design, Rare Society Mill Creek is a tribute to the infamous retro steakhouses that once laid claim to the Las Vegas Strip. Along with the classic vintage gold, varying textures of black, and the warm leathers that envelope the space with retro Vegas aesthetic, GTC incorporated a bold forest green as a tribute to the landscape of the suburbs of the Pacific Northwest. The kitchen is on full display at Rare Society Mill Creek, illuminated by a field of lights and opening to the dining room, offering diners a view of the action. Together, the design elements create the elevated and old-world Vegas motif while also respecting the beauty of the Seattle suburbs. The space also touts outdoor dining on an attached patio that will be available during the warmer summer months.
Trust Restaurant Group is a San Diego-based hospitality collective helmed by Chef Wise that includes five distinct brands which run the gamut from fine dining to a butcher shop to an ice cream window. Numerous accolades, including both a Michelin Plate Award and Condé Nast Traveler nod, have cemented its status as one of the premier culinary groups operating in Southern California today.
Rare Society is located at 13223 39th Ave. SE in Mill Creek. The restaurant is open Wednesday – Sunday from 5:00 p.m. until close. Happy Hour will later this month and will be from 3-5 p.m. at the bar.
