Ruth Ann’s: where classic salmon ‘croquettes’ conjure up family memories in Columbus

Ruth Ann’s has been a staple in the Columbus community for decades and has served generations from Columbus and all over who stop in for a delicious breakfast or lunch.

However, if you’re from out of town be warned that you better stop in between 6:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m at its Veteran’s Parkway location Wednesdays through Sundays to satisfy your cravings. The eatery is only open those times and days.

I grew up coming here for breakfast and would get the country ham with red-eye gravy. I can still remember how it perfectly complimented the salted pork that I dipped in it. I may get it again sometime soon.

These days I typically order off the lunch menu because I have found one item I seem to love even more than my beloved ham: salmon croquettes.

Now, I’ve always referred to the dish as “salmon patties” while my grandfather always called them “croquettes”, and out of my fondness of him, I now occasionally refer to them as “croquettes”.

These balls of fried goodness are coated in a fried outer shell with soft, warm, and flavorful salmon on the inside. The taste of what I assume is onions, garlic, some salt, and other seasonings dance around my tongue. A certain richness in the dish blends them all together into a beautiful harmony tantamount to the feeling of jumping into a cold spring on a hot summer day.

The croquettes sat atop a bed of white pepper gravy that added a creaminess and flavor to the main course. I paired the croquettes with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy that I believe could rank in the top three mashed potatoes and gravy I’ve eaten in my life.

People occasionally think that because mashed potatoes are going to be paired with gravy they don’t need to season them. However, Ruth Ann’s knows how to season their mashed potatoes. I could eat these creamy potatoes every day even without the rich brown gravy.

Lastly, I finished the meal with some collard greens and a roll. Good collard greens are measured by whether you absolutely have to put pepper sauce on them to make them edible. I didn’t put a drop of pepper sauce on the greens, despite my love for spiciness.

I don’t know how they season their greens at Ruth Ann’s, but I know I’ll be coming back for more.

I washed the meal down with some great sweet tea and left happy and full.

This story was originally published June 27, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Ruth Ann’s: where classic salmon ‘croquettes’ conjure up family memories in Columbus."