Ray's the Steaks and Retro Ray's (Next Door) - Michael Landrum's Steakhouses in Courthouse - Closed

[DanielK]

Dinner at Ray's East River tonight before the DC United home opener at RFK (sigh - same results as last year).

Crab bisque - same recipe as other locations, possibly served a few degrees too cool but just as tasty. Cup $1 less than other locations.

Wedge salad - $2 less than other locations, but no bacon. Would have happily paid $2 for my bacon back!

Steak and Cheese burger - a 5oz. Hell Burger, topped with about 3oz. of the steak & cheese mix (the steak & cheese is now on the East River menu.). ORDER THIS. Burger prices same as other locations.

Smoked fried chicken - seemed smokier to me than previous iteration. Price down to NINE FREAKING DOLLARS, still includes 2 sides, but down to 2-piece serving, which is plenty after an appetizer.

Website is updated with new menu; here's the wine list for those of you who want to complain about it.

[NovaLawyer]

Looking for a thread to report on my recent dinner at "Rays The Steaks," found nothing.

So if this needs to be moved to a proper thread, webmaster please do so.

Once upon a time I thought Ray's the Steaks served the best steaks in the DC region. No longer. Then for a while I thought that while that while standards on the main product had slipped, the place was still the best value amongst steak places in the DC region. No longer.

My last visit here during a slow weeknight brought a ribeye which was not marbled well, and had an unpleasant taste not reminiscent of beef. The sides were OK, but just. The wine list was acceptable, no complaint. What struck me dumb was the fact that the prices were probably 40% higher than my last visit here a year or so ago. Steaks in the $40s - when I am paying that much, I expect a top-grade piece of cowflesh.

I am hoping that for the kitchen's sake, it was just an off night. But because the menu prices have been inflated so much, I won't be back anytime soon. Too many really good quality steakhouses in this town at this same price point.

[mdt]

Looking for a thread to report on my recent dinner at "Rays The Steaks," found nothing.

So if this needs to be moved to a proper thread, webmaster please do so.

Once upon a time I thought Ray's the Steaks served the best steaks in the DC region. No longer. Then for a while I thought that while that while standards on the main product had slipped, the place was still the best value amongst steak places in the DC region. No longer.

My last visit here during a slow weeknight brought a ribeye which was not marbled well, and had an unpleasant taste not reminiscent of beef. The sides were OK, but just. The wine list was acceptable, no complaint. What struck me dumb was the fact that the prices were probably 40% higher than my last visit here a year or so ago. Steaks in the $40s - when I am paying that much, I expect a top-grade piece of cowflesh.

I am hoping that for the kitchen's sake, it was just an off night. But because the menu prices have been inflated so much, I won't be back anytime soon. Too many really good quality steakhouses in this town at this same price point.

Was it the bone-in ribeye? And if it did not taste like beef, what did it taste like?

[NovaLawyer]

It tasted like the stuff I used to eat at Western Sizzlin that they called "beef." Of course, there they charged me $7.99 not $40+.

Two points unfairly left off my previous comments. First, service was good (hard to get bad service in a nearly-empty restaurant, but credit where credit is due). Second, the beefsteak tartare "deviled" eggs were as good as I remembered them.

But it was pretty amazing to drop nearly $90 a head for dinner here, not when I didn't order bottles of wine or order any cocktails as I would in most steakhouses where they serve them.

[Jimmy Chandler]

What struck me dumb was the fact that the prices were probably 40% higher than my last visit here a year or so ago.

While I cannot dispute that you didn't like the taste of your steak, this claim of prices being 40% higher than a year ago at Ray's is just plain false. It's not even true that prices there are 40% higher than 10 years ago.

According to their menu, the bone-in "Cowboy" is $37. I don't believe this steak has ever been much less than $35 at Rays. The only $40+ steaks are dry-aged, which are $10 or more cheaper than anyone else's dry-aged steaks.

So A. you are just plain wrong about the prices and B. I don't believe your complaint about the taste -- Ray's quality hasn't gone down in my experience there at all.

[NovaLawyer]

The menu you quote from their website is NOT the menu they hand you in the store. The steaks that I paid for in the mid-to-upper $20s a very short while ago are now in the $40s.

You are entitled to your own opinions about the quality of their steak, which I found on my last visit to be quite poor, and which you apparently like - hey Western Sizzlin gets lots of happy customers so who am I to judge their honesty? I won't judge yours, either.

But you are not entitled to your own facts. Prices have pretty much skyrocketed in this place. My last meal here cost me around $60 all in. Last time it was nearly $90. For the same meal.

[Jimmy Chandler]

The menu you quote from their website is NOT the menu they hand you in the store. The steaks that I paid for in the mid-to-upper $20s a very short while ago are now in the $40s.

Sorry, you are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts.

The last time I was at Rays -- in March -- the menu did match the online menu. I cannot believe that any steaks at Rays have increased from the 20s to $40+ in that time. You probably were looking at the prices for the dry aged steaks.

[DanCole42]

But it was pretty amazing to drop nearly $90 a head for dinner here, not when I didn't order bottles of wine or order any cocktails as I would in most steakhouses where they serve them.

How did you hit $90 a head without wine? Our four top last night had three excellent bottles and only just barely hit $90 a head.

As to the flavor, have you had real dry-aged before? It definitely tastes a bit different than regular steak, and it's not for everyone, so that could be why the flavor seemed off to you. I for one think it's freaking amazing.

I can confirm that the menu online is accurate as of last night. http://raysthesteaks.com/Images/2300_menu_2.10.11.pdf

[darkstar965]

Something strange here. I also haven't noticed any big price hikes or any decline in quality but my experience at RTS isn't recent; maybe 6 or 7 months ago with plenty of stops at Hellburger, HellburgerToo, Ray's To The Third and Retro since then (all exactly what the Ray's outposts have always been for me: the best values in steak/burgers in the region). Then again, NoVaLawyer's experience is very recent and backed up. Has anyone else been in the past week or two who can comment? This seems pretty odd and, at least at this point, pretty inexplicable. Maybe NVL was given a "special" menu a la Charlie Chang's

[Barbara]

I met up with a couple of people at RTC last month and really, really looked forward to a steak, since I hadn't been there in quite a long time. I got the 12 oz. New York Strip with peppercorns and that incredibly addictive mushroom/brandy sauce. I skipped the soup and salad business and ate every wonderful bite of that steak, along with a few bites of the creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. With a Peach Bellini and a glass of wine, the whole thing (with tip) came to about $50 or less. Nothing at Sizzlers (or its counterparts) could even come close. I'm still dreaming about that steak.

[NovaLawyer]

How did you hit $90 a head without wine? Our four top last night had three excellent bottles and only just barely hit $90 a head.

Going off the top of my head here, deviled eggs $7, steak $44, dessert $6, 2 glasses of decent cheap wine $16, plus tax and tip, about $90. Think it was a touch less. 90 bucks is a lot for this place. I can get a much better quality steak at BLT for about the same price.

Unless you order a pink slime steak there's no way to order an entree here plus 3/4 of a bottle of wine and leave here for under $50.

[tentimesodds]

Going off the top of my head here, deviled eggs $7, steak $44, dessert $6, 2 glasses of decent cheap wine $16, plus tax and tip, about $90. Think it was a touch less. 90 bucks is a lot for this place. I can get a much better quality steak at BLT for about the same price.

Unless you order a pink slime steak there's no way to order an entree here plus 3/4 of a bottle of wine and leave here for under $50.

The hanger steak is $20 and is one of the finest pieces of meat I've had the pleasure of consuming (a few dozen times, since I can't seem to ever convince myself to order anything else). I don't know what kind of wine you're having, but I challenge you to eat a steak and three glasses of wine at Outback Steakhouse and get out under $50 including tax and tip. A $44 steak at Ray's must be a dry-aged special, anyway.

[NovaLawyer]

I had the $20 hanger steak here once. Let's just be polite and I'll say it was "chewy." I moved on to other things that were better. Emphasis on "were." But to each his own. If you like it, $20 is a good price for a steak.

[agm]

Going off the top of my head here, deviled eggs $7, steak $44, dessert $6, 2 glasses of decent cheap wine $16, plus tax and tip, about $90. Think it was a touch less. 90 bucks is a lot for this place. I can get a much better quality steak at BLT for about the same price.

If you paid $44 for a steak, you ordered off the dry-aged menu. Those steaks are definitely more expensive, and have a very different flavor that some people adore and others can't stand. The regular options are significantly cheaper (most $32 or less) and have a more traditional beefy flavor. You paid a lot for food you didn't enjoy, and that's unfortunate. But that doesn't mean that Ray's has jacked up their prices, or sacrificed their quality. It means you ordered off the wrong part of the menu (for you).

[tentimesodds]

I had the $20 hanger steak here once. Let's just be polite and I'll say it was "chewy." I moved on to other things that were better. Emphasis on "were." But to each his own. If you like it, $20 is a good price for a steak.

If you hated it so much, why did you go back? What else have you tried there? I just find it interesting that half of your 10 posts here are slamming one place.

[Ericandblueboy]

If you hated it so much, why did you go back? What else have you tried there? I just find it interesting that half of your 10 posts here are slamming one place.

To be fair, most of his posts are his responses to others slamming him challenging his credibility.

[mdt]

Going off the top of my head here, deviled eggs $7, steak $44, dessert $6, 2 glasses of decent cheap wine $16, plus tax and tip, about $90. Think it was a touch less. 90 bucks is a lot for this place. I can get a much better quality steak at BLT for about the same price.

Unless you order a pink slime steak there's no way to order an entree here plus 3/4 of a bottle of wine and leave here for under $50.

For reference from the BLT web site, Bone In Rib Eye 22oz 47.

[NovaLawyer]

The most interesting thing I can say about this thread is the direct message I received that told me (after my first, somewhat but not entirely negative review) that "you have a lot of cojones saying what you said about Rays." Now I understand what the correspondent meant!

There are some people here who can not hear any criticism of this place. I accept it. But to be honest, as a long-time customer, one who started when it was just a strip-mall place on Wilson, I have now concluded that it sucks for the price it charges, and it is no longer worth the price they charge.

You folks who like it, keep on liking it and saying why. I admire your loyalty. Me? I'm just going to find a better piece of steak, for a better price, elsewhere. Until there is a reason to come back. Which I will do if it is appropriate.

[NovaLawyer]

For reference from the BLT web site, Bone In Rib Eye 22oz 47.

Yep - the same price. Call me a liar for a $3 difference. Ray's steak was no where as good as the last one I had at BLT. There was NO comparison.

[weezy]

So you didn't like the flavor or texture of the (significantly more expensive) dry-aged ribeye that you ordered recently, as compared to the less expensive ribeyes that you've ordered there previously. Fine; you're the eater, your taste is your taste. However, please don't conflate the facts. The traditional wet-aged ribeyes are still priced in the mid-upper $20 range. You ordered something entirely different and didn't enjoy it, and I'm sorry you didn't. But I don't think it is fair to fault the restaurant due to your unfamiliarity with dry-aged beef (and is it Roseda beef? I don't remember, but if it is, the flavor will be quite different than corn-raised beef) about the differences that are clearly delineated on the menu.

It isn't that you're "taking on Ray's." It's that you're complaining about oranges tasting bad when you obviously ordered apples.

[NovaLawyer]

Weezy, this was not my first rodeo. I've had dry-aged beef before, many a time. I thought their steak sucked, and was overpriced to boot. Period. End of story.

[RWBooneJr]

Please! This is supposed to be a happy website. Let's not bicker and argue over who killed who.

[jparrott]

Yep - the same price. Call me a liar for a $3 difference.

BLT price does not include sides.

[NovaLawyer]

BLT price does not include sides.

The potatoes were gummy and cold. The spinach was better, but mainly in the sense of coming out hot. I call it a wash.

[Michael Landrum]

The most interesting thing I can say about this thread is the direct message I received that told me (after my first, somewhat but not entirely negative review) that "you have a lot of cojones saying what you said about Rays." Now I understand what the correspondent meant!

There are some people here who can not hear any criticism of this place. I accept it. But to be honest, as a long-time customer, one who started when it was just a strip-mall place on Wilson, I have now concluded that it sucks for the price it charges, and it is no longer worth the price they charge.

You folks who like it, keep on liking it and saying why. I admire your loyalty. Me? I'm just going to find a better piece of steak, for a better price, elsewhere. Until there is a reason to come back. Which I will do if it is appropriate.

It is unfortunate that you not only had a bad experience at Ray's but were so-actively challenged for expressing your opinion here.

Your concern is a valid one--one with I actively combat each and every day: How to guide and constantly re-invigorate a restaurant that grows from serving 200 people a week to one that serves 3000, without sacrificing quality (which many will perceive regardless); while maintaining value despite rapidly escalating costs due to this growth; and while remaining "true" to all people's idea of what we are to them.

One way which we have done this is to expand our beef program to include three distinct options:

1) Breed-specific, near all-natural (feed is not certified organic, is hormone-free, antibiotics may be used, but only to treat, however, this would almost certainly remove the steer from the program), traditional American pastured but grain and corn-supplemented High Choice/Prime Beef. This is vacuum aged 45-60 days in house--far beyond industry norms--and represents the core of our offerings and is what the vast majority of Americans expect from a top-quality steak. (BLT, by comparison and who I enjoy, uses straight CAB).

2) This same beef, short loins and primal rib, dry-aged in house 45+ days, hand-trimmed and carved each day. 45 days far exceeds industry norms. For example, Capital Grille dry-ages for 18 days, Smith and Wollensky, nominally 21. At Kraft Steak, I believe they offered 21, 30, 45, and 60 days with each break incurring a 20% price increase.

3) All-natural, hormone and drug free, pastured (2 head/acre) but with silage available in the field over the course of their entire lives (rather than lot-fed only prior to harvest) from a farm in Lexington, VA. This herd is managed specifically for us according to the same standards my family raises cattle in Argentina, and is hung as sides for 30 days before we finish them in-house an additional week.

Your perception of our pricing is entirely correct regarding the latter two items, as is your perception of the "un-beef-like" flavor. (My guess is you were served a "grass-fed" cut, which in Argentina would not be aged for so long).

"Retro" Ray's may be the place for you, and was certainly designed with many of your complaints in mind, where we offer all of our classic, straight-forward preparations using the traditional, core Steakhouse beef and most everything is in the high teens to mid twenties, price-wise. In fact, we lowered prices there for identical steaks by 5-10% based on an in-kind comparison.

Additionally, I am not one hundred percent sure, but I don't believe we offer a single wine by the glass over $10.

As a final note, our check average has remained an astoundingly constant $43/person for the past 3 years. As a server at the Capital Grille in 1995 it was $85/person.

I hope this last experience has not escalated to where it has put you off us entirely.

[NovaLawyer]

One thing I will say, it has always been clear to me that you are loyal to your employees. I admire this, especially in the food business.

I can perfectly accept a kitchen can have an off night.

Classy response, Michael. Kudos.

[Michael Landrum]

Now unfortunately, all of this Brobdingnagian brouhaha has kept me from sharing the real exciting and fun news for the day.

And that is, at Ray's To The Third--that's the one with a bar but not the one next to the original Ray's The Steaks, which is really the new Ray's The Steaks with Retro Ray's next door which is kinda like the real original Ray's The Steaks but up the street from the old Ray's The Steaks, across the street from which is Ray's To The Third, which unless I've confused myself, is the one I'm talking about in this post--we will be serving free snacks at the bar and at the bar high-tops Sunday through Friday, 5:00-6:30.

Good snacks. Sunday-Friday. 5:00-6:30. Free.

[DonRocks]

BLT price does not include sides.

Not taking any sides in this at all, but BLT's price does include a humongous popover and some chicken liver pate with toast (neither of which are as good as they used to be, but that's a side issue I suppose).

[DPop]

Also not taking sides, but are the steak preparations and sauces different at Ray's To The Third and RTS up the street? I had dinner at the bar recently, had the Blue Devil with a side of brandy mushroom cream and both were markedly different than the ones I've had at RTS. Not sure if this has been discussed already, if it has I apologize, but the prep at R^3 was not to my taste whereas the one I had at RTS (at least 8 months ago) I absolutely loved. Are things changing everywhere or is this a kitchen by kitchen difference?

[Michael Landrum]

Also not taking sides, but are the steak preparations and sauces different at Ray's To The Third and RTS up the street? I had dinner at the bar recently, had the Blue Devil with a side of brandy mushroom cream and both were markedly different than the ones I've had at RTS. Not sure if this has been discussed already, if it has I apologize, but the prep at R^3 was not to my taste whereas the one I had at RTS (at least 8 months ago) I absolutely loved. Are things changing everywhere or is this a kitchen by kitchen difference?

Ray's To The Third (like Ray's The Steaks at East River) is an entirely different restaurant, with entirely different goals and price points. However, we strive for consistency across the board with our sauces and preparations--even when the actual underlying cut of meat differs.

At Ray's The Steaks, you most likely paid $29 for a Rib-Eye that was prepared "Diablo-Style".

At Ray's To The Third and at Retro Ray's, if you order the "Steak Diablo" you receive a Top Sirloin for $17.

The extra fat of the Rib-Eye definitely changes the inter-play between meat, marinade and grill sauce and the result can be quite different. It is no surprise that if you are used to the $29 version you would prefer it over the $17 version.

However, and I am not sure if this clarifies or confuses, but at one point, the Diablo at Ray's The Steaks was made with a portion of the NY Strip (Top Loin) that the Top Sirloin we currently use at Retro and The Third is slightly superior to (but virtually indistiguishably from, except slighly to the better--at least according to my taste).

Was the brandy mushroom cream noticeably different? (Although I disavow all responsibility for the tastes of someone who mixes Diablo Sauce and brandy mushroom cream...). Winky-smiley-thing.

By the way, for some strange reason, I am reminded of one of my dearest books, Champi Meconnu...

[Michael Landrum]

Not taking any sides in this at all, but BLT's price does include a humongous popover and some chicken liver pate with toast (neither of which are as good as they used to be, but that's a side issue I suppose).

BLT is one of the three essential pillars of the Archibald's/BLT/St. Regis-based civilization as we know it, and I am eternally grateful to their popovers and chicken liver pate for what in Aramaic is described as "Koach-Gavra".

[u-bet!]

"Retro" Ray's may be the place for you, and was certainly designed with many of your complaints in mind, where we offer all of our classic, straight-forward preparations using the traditional, core Steakhouse beef and most everything is in the high teens to mid twenties, price-wise. In fact, we lowered prices there for identical steaks by 5-10% based on an in-kind comparison.

To clarify, the dry-aged cuts available at the adjoining RTS are also presented as ordering options when you are greeted by your server at Retro Ray's (at least that was the case the last time I ate at the bar). But you still can't get coffee (at least that was the case the last time...)

[fuzzy510]

And that is, at Ray's To The Third--that's the one with a bar but not the one next to the original Ray's The Steaks, which is really the new Ray's The Steaks with Retro Ray's next door which is kinda like the real original Ray's The Steaks but up the street from the old Ray's The Steaks, across the street from which is Ray's To The Third, which unless I've confused myself, is the one I'm talking about in this post--we will be serving free snacks at the bar and at the bar high-tops Sunday through Friday, 5:00-6:30.

Aaaaaaaaaand my head just exploded.

[JPW]

Now unfortunately, all of this Brobdingnagian brouhaha has kept me from sharing the real exciting and fun news for the day.

And that is, at Ray's To The Third--that's the one with a bar but not the one next to the original Ray's The Steaks, which is really the new Ray's The Steaks with Retro Ray's next door which is kinda like the real original Ray's The Steaks but up the street from the old Ray's The Steaks, across the street from which is Ray's To The Third, which unless I've confused myself, is the one I'm talking about in this post--we will be serving free snacks at the bar and at the bar high-tops Sunday through Friday, 5:00-6:30.

Good snacks. Sunday-Friday. 5:00-6:30. Free.

Aaaaaaaaaand my head just exploded.

Mine would too if I lived in or frequented Arlington with any regularity.

Thankfully, Ray's the Classics, although a much different restaurant than when it opened, is still in the same place with the same name in downtown SS. There are no other Ray's in SS, making life much simpler for me. My favorite bar stool is still third from the far end. It has been since I walked in on opening day.

[DPop]

Was the brandy mushroom cream noticeably different? (Although I disavow all responsibility for the tastes of someone who mixes Diablo Sauce and brandy mushroom cream...). Winky-smiley-thing.

Very much so, and the reason that I liked the interplay between the two when I had it at RTS is that the Diablo marinade was more cooked into the meat, not giving a wet outer sauce type feel like the cut I had at R^3. The brandy mushroom cream, which I love and always get a side of no matter what steak I order (sue me), did a good job of cooling off some of the heat coming off the marinade.

The cut of meat that I had at R^3 was not markedly different from the one I remember having at RTS, it was the Diablo marinade/sauce covering it and the brandy mushroom cream. The Diablo was portioned onto the steak with a heavier hand and came across sweeter than what I had remembered before, but the big difference was the brandy mushroom. It looked different, tasted different, and the consistency was much thicker than at RTS. More 'mushroom soup' than 'brandy mushroom cream'. I had a couple dips of it and left it to the side, it was not to my taste at all.

[Michael Landrum]

Very much so, and the reason that I liked the interplay between the two when I had it at RTS is that the Diablo marinade was more cooked into the meat, not giving a wet outer sauce type feel like the cut I had at R^3. The brandy mushroom cream, which I love and always get a side of no matter what steak I order (sue me), did a good job of cooling off some of the heat coming off the marinade.

The cut of meat that I had at R^3 was not markedly different from the one I remember having at RTS, it was the Diablo marinade/sauce covering it and the brandy mushroom cream. The Diablo was portioned onto the steak with a heavier hand and came across sweeter than what I had remembered before, but the big difference was the brandy mushroom. It looked different, tasted different, and the consistency was much thicker than at RTS. More 'mushroom soup' than 'brandy mushroom cream'. I had a couple dips of it and left it to the side, it was not to my taste at all.

Thank you for the description. It is both useful and informative.

Based on what you describe it sounds like either a "new-opening" or "one-off" inconsistency with a very simple fix.

I hope in the future should you find the same problem you will bring it to our attention on the spot so that we can make a more accurate analysis (and of course, immediately redress the defect as well).

Again, thanks.

--Michael

[hm212]

I had the bone in rib eye last Sunday night along and this was as flavorful and tender a steak as always. I think we also had a 12 oz NY strip along with a couple of sides, the mac and cheese was spot on after the past few times being a little disappointed in the mac and cheese. I know this has gone through a few recipe revisions over time, but the one we had Sunday night was perfect - Creamy without drowning and the perfect amount of cheese flavor.

The bacon wrapped scallops as an appetizer done perfectly!!!

It was dinner for two for two nights - including tip $ 120, not cheap eats, but the this is still an incredible value given the quality of the food and service.

[Sundae in the Park]

Anyone know if the onion fries at R^3 are different from the onion rings at the other Ray's locations? They are AMAZING, almost tempura-light and by far the best of the fried things we had (regular fries and tots). Also, they have an excellent milkshake well worth the $5.

[rbh]

R^3 has added NY Strips to the menu

[The Doctor]

Two items for discussion today:

-Is the chicken served at Ray's to the Third the same as the chicken served at East River? The ER menu makes reference to it being smoked then fried, but from what I recall, the Third menu doesn't say smoked and calls it Hell Chicken.

-Is the Blue Devil no longer being served sliced? At my most recent visit to the Third, it was sort of a deconstructed version, with a full steak topped with diablo sauce, and the onions, bleu cheese, and garlic serviced on the side.

And as a final note, the sirloin skewers at the Third are an insane amount of food for the price. For $13/$14, you get a ton of steak and sides -- who says delicious meat needs to be served in one piece?

[mdt]

Two items for discussion today:

-Is the chicken served at Ray's to the Third the same as the chicken served at East River? The ER menu makes reference to it being smoked then fried, but from what I recall, the Third menu doesn't say smoked and calls it Hell Chicken.

-Is the Blue Devil no longer being served sliced? At my most recent visit to the Third, it was sort of a deconstructed version, with a full steak topped with diablo sauce, and the onions, bleu cheese, and garlic serviced on the side.

And as a final note, the sirloin skewers at the Third are an insane amount of food for the price. For $13/$14, you get a ton of steak and sides -- who says delicious meat needs to be served in one piece?

R^3 usually has both fried and hell chicken on the menu. The hell chicken has a spicy crust and is served with two hot sauces. I love the dish with the half-n-half option.

[The Doctor]

R^3 usually has both fried and hell chicken on the menu. The hell chicken has a spicy crust and is served with two hot sauces. I love the dish with the half-n-half option.

Thanks for the clarification! I guess I should have asked if the fried chicken is the same at both locations.

[Pat]

My husband and a group of colleagues had a post-meeting dinner at R^3 last night. My husband considered the hell chicken but went with lobster mac and cheese, which he loved. Other than one person who got salmon, he said that most everyone else got steak. It sounded like they all enjoyed their meals, which is good, since I recommended the place .

[rbh]

And today's discovery about R*3.... now they have the desserts from the original: key lime pie, carnegie deli cheesecake, and the chocolate mousses.

[catharine]

And today's discovery about R*3.... now they have the desserts from the original: key lime pie, carnegie deli cheesecake, and the chocolate mousses.

That is exciting news! The dark chocolate mousse is one of my favorite desserts of all time. Give me a Calette steak, some creamed spinach, followed by some mousse and I'll be in heaven.

[VABoy]

TODD KLIMAN ‏@toddkliman

Attn: food nerds. More sommelier news -- Mark Slater, the dean of DC somms, has left Ray's the Steaks. #DCrestaurants

[CajunJason]

TODD KLIMAN ‏@toddkliman

Attn: food nerds. More sommelier news -- Mark Slater, the dean of DC somms, has left Ray's the Steaks. #DCrestaurants

This is a huge loss, in my opinion, for the Ray's empire. Though these restaurants are known for well prepared food at a reasonable price, the aesthetic & ambience of each eatery are abominable. Mark changed that simply by his warm presence, a true host through & through. Shame.

Best of luck Mark on your future endeavors!

[Annandaler]

Went to Retro Ray's last evening.

Searched this thread for any updates on Retro Ray's. The website still shows the Retro Menu. The signs on the door still advertise "Retro Menu - Retro Prices". But we were given the regular RtS menu. Asked our waiter about the Retro Menu - his reply was "We aren't doing that anymore".

Disappointed not getting what we quite reasonably expected.

[jparrott]

Bravo to Mr. Slater for providing an excellent wine experience under challenging (space and temp-control) conditions.

From day 1, Ray's has always kept a small corner of their list for the type of wines I prefer with steak: angular, mineral, high-acid, old world wines. I presume this will continue.

[jandres374]

Went to Retro Ray's last evening.

Searched this thread for any updates on Retro Ray's. The website still shows the Retro Menu. The signs on the door still advertise "Retro Menu - Retro Prices". But we were given the regular RtS menu. Asked our waiter about the Retro Menu - his reply was "We aren't doing that anymore".

Disappointed not getting what we quite reasonably expected.

This is why we have given up going to any other than the basic Ray's. Too much of a guessing game as what concept and food will be offered. Very frustrating in this day and age.