Ruth's Chris Steak House, customarily open for dinner only, now is serving lunch, but with two qualifications: Lunch has been added to the Sacramento site only, and only on Fridays. The Sacramento branch of Ruth's occupies the site of the former Mace's Restaurant in the Pavilions shopping complex, which during its 20 years became a popular Friday afternoon hangout for local tycoons, among others, who wanted to get an early start on their weekend partying. Customer requests for Ruth's to revive that tradition led to the change in the usual corporate policy, says Tim Ruys, the restaurant's general manager.

The Friday lunch menu is a lot like the dinner menu, including appetizers like "sizzlin' blue crab cakes" and barbecued shrimp, a whole lot of salads, a few meaty entrees such as the cowboy ribeye ($41.95), and sandwiches of steak tenderloin, grilled chicken, prime hamburger and crab cake. An extensive selection of wines by the glass also is available, including the champagne Veuve Clicquot ($24), a Peter Lehmann shiraz from Australia's Barossa Valley ($12), and a Caymus cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley ($35).

Lunch is being served 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., with the lounge to remain open through the dinner hours.