24 replies to this topic

[SeanMike]

Just saw this thanks to Twitter.

Ray's the Steaks location will be "Ray's the Net" next year...

[The Doctor]

Just saw thanks to Twitter:
http://www.washingto...bites/9540.html

Ray's the Steaks location will be "Ray's the Net" next year...

Maybe I'm out of the loop, but I thought it was supposed to become a meat-and-three place?

[Michael Landrum]

Maybe I'm out of the loop, but I thought it was supposed to become a meat-and-three place?

Would love to answer more in depth but only have a minute.

The meat and three idea which was planned for 1725 Wilson will be best executed, and its mission best served, by Ray's The Heat and its historic location.

Thereby leaving the original Ray's The Steaks location free for something new and more neighborhood-appropriate as out-lined with the Ray's The Net idea.

Best not to get too attached to anything I say or what the press pre-emptorily reports, as all is in flux--Chaos reigns, and the situation is excellent!

Is serving frozen croaker and whiting sustainable? Rest assured there'll be a fryer...

"Just came from fishing couldn't get a catch/
Downtown they probably had a batch.
A whiting sandwich and a Guinness stout/
But with the pillow I had a bout.
So I exchanged it for some apple juice/
I had the blues but I shook them loose."

--Tribe Called Quest

Oh, and I left my wallet in El Segundo.

Come and spread your arms if you really need a hug.

[diddy]

I was going to post this in the Ray's the Steaks topic, but it is locked for some reason. Does anyone know when Ray's the Net/Catch is supposed to open?

[Michael Landrum]

Does anyone know when Ray's the Net/Catch is supposed to open?

No.

[diddy]

wow. where else can u get a response straight from the source like that?

[DanCole42]

Arlington Weekly News has the inside scoop on Ray's the Catch from the man himself...

[DanielK]

Arlington Weekly News has the inside scoop on Ray's the Catch from the man himself...

Good lord, what a horrible interviewer, though. I lost count after the 10th time she interrupted him to say, well, nothing.

[tentimesodds]

Arlington Weekly News has the inside scoop on Ray's the Catch from the man himself...

What did he say? I can't use Youtube on this computer...thanks in advance

[ol_ironstomach]

What did he say? I can't use Youtube on this computer...thanks in advance

What he said was "two to three weeks", and (paraphrasing) "the bargains are UNBELIEEEEEEEVABLE".

[GennaroE]

I can't believe that she's allowed to do interviews. Maybe I'm just venting my anger over the fact that I'm leaving DC for the summer and thus will miss the impending opening of Ray's The Catch (and I'm much more of a seafood fanatic than a meat one), but it seemed to me like any of the random crew of students on my school's newspaper could have done a better job.

"A number one"...really? Makes me want to run over immediately.

[Al Dente]

That was A1 super-duper #1 Grade-A hilarious... If Landrum ever resorts to local TV advertising, THAT is the format the ads should be in.

[Halloween]

I especially liked the orange and black ensemble and the snow boots. Tres chic.

[DPop]

It felt more like a SNL sketch than a serious interview, from her outfit to ridiculous maneurisms and the constant interruptions.

On topic, I can't wait. The wife and I are going to do what we can to be in on the first night. Mark, are you going to be working at RTCatch at all or strictly RTS?

[ruslev]

do you think Michael found an old crisfield's recipe book while walking the streets of silver spring - "simple preparations"

[Hannah]

Wow. The sound guy's either deaf, or she's killed him by constantly shouting into the mike like that.

[lekkerwijn]

I just watched the Youtube video. Is the location in Deanwood not happening anymore? Michael only mentions one restaurant in development, not two.

[DanielK]

Ray's the Catch is still a week or two away.

If you search, I think there's a quote with the same timeframe from the week after the new RTS opened.

There's a $10 special -- cheeseburger, any side, and any drink -- great deal.

My recollection is that the $10 special has existed at lunch almost since opening day. Having it at dinner time would be something new, I think.

[Scott Johnston]

Same thing they said to me last night at RTS "a couple of weeks...." sounds fishy

[hm212]

Same thing they said to me last night at RTS "a couple of weeks...." sounds fishy

If you remember when RTC was opening - it was "a couple of weeks" for about 9 months.

-

[TSchaad]

It does look like they are making progress. I took a look in the window Saturday mornng. It looks like the kitchen is set up and they have all the tables and chairs in position (not a huge difference from the original layout). Of course, with the reputation of the building and health inspectors of Arlington County that may not be saying much. Can't wait for it to open.

TSchaad

[Loweeel]

It does look like they are making progress. I took a look in the window Saturday mornng. It looks like the kitchen is set up and they have all the tables and chairs in position (not a huge difference from the original layout). Of course, with the reputation of the building and health inspectors of Arlington County that may not be saying much. Can't wait for it to open.

TSchaad

Neither can I. I ran into Michael Landrum outside Hell-Burger about 10 days ago, and he was kind enough to let me pepper him with questions ranging from Obama's sadly-overcooked burger to when The Catch would open. He told me it would be opening "any day now."

I cannot wait. I will be there the first night it opens, ready to stuff my gullet with fish in my best imitation of a half-starved pelican.

[Joe H]

Michael, what is the date that you are currently hopeful that the restaurant will open by?

[FunnyJohn]

I cannot wait. I will be there the first night it opens, ready to stuff my gullet with fish in my best imitation of a half-starved pelican.

Most of the half-starved pelicans I have observed in action are the ones that annoyingly go after your baited hook after you have dropped it in the water and then get the hook caught in their gullets requiring you either to hoist the hook with disturbed bird attached up and try to recover your tackle, or (more wise, but then you loose your stuff) cut the line.
I am picturing customers hovering about the entrance waiting for their tables with strands of fish line hanging from their maws.

[Michael Landrum]

Neither can I. I ran into Michael Landrum outside Hell-Burger about 10 days ago, and he was kind enough to let me pepper him with questions ranging from Obama's sadly-overcooked burger to when The Catch would open. He told me it would be opening "any day now."

I cannot wait. I will be there the first night it opens, ready to stuff my gullet with fish in my best imitation of a half-starved pelican.

Alas and alack, I may need to seek the safety of the arras.

Sadly, I must report that it does not appear that Ray's The Catch will be opening anytime soon (meaning probably not this summer). It's not all bad news, though, so don't kill me. Yet.

The increased demand at Hell-Burger from President Obama's visit shows no sign of tapering off--in fact, it continues to increase, week after week, incessantly and relentlessly. And despite every effort to increase efficiency, proficiency and quality, it has become impossible to maintain a satisfactory level of service and guest accommodation at 1713 Wilson alone. Not only have we been running the risk of alienating and failing our long-term clientele, we are constantly pushing up against our own breaking point, personnel-wise, production-wise and at the systems and physical plant levels.

This is a situation that requires top priority and an immediate solution.

Further, at this point it would be irresponsible and a real disservice to the guest were we to embark on a new endeavor while existing guests are not being served or accommodated as well as they deserve in the current operation, as long as an immediate solution is at hand.

Consequently, this week, perhaps as early as Woden's Day, we will be shifting our regular Hell-Burger service to 1725 Wilson Boulevard (the erstwhile location of Ray's The Steaks, and still-future location of Ray's The Catch) and 1713 Wilson will become The Hell Express, for take-out, overflow and ice cream, floats and (maybe) shakes. It will still be counter service at 1725 and no, there will not be beer or wine, and no, Jake, begging will not help. But there will be more and better-spaced seating and better bathroom access in addition to hopefully shorter lines.

What does this mean for the future of Ray's The Catch? Well, perhaps by the end of the summer the madness will die down (fat chance, I know, unless we decide to intentionally suck (as opposed to occasionally and unintentionally sucking now)) and the simple transition to Ray's The Catch will occur at 1725 early Fall. Or the madness will ever ensue, in which case Ray's The Catch will have to wait until a new location of Ray's Hell-Burger is opened, thus drawing off demand sufficiently to proceed with our previous plans--an event which is already in the works and in a most surprising location (for me at least).

It seems that once again I am foisted on my own petard, so feel free to have at me if you so please.