Range, Chevy Chase - Chef Matthew McGhee Replaces Matt Hill, GM Jon Barry Replaces Steven Fowler in a 14,000 Square Foot Space - Closed

[DonRocks]

Same menu, same prices at lunch.

BTW, is it just my bad memory or are many of the prices higher in person than they are on the online menu?

http://www.voltrange.com/pdf/menu.pdf

I enjoyed lunch, but I can't actually say there was a lot that would make me rush back. The brussel sprouts were the best I've had, and the salted caramel ice cream was fantastic, But everything else I had was good, but not particularly memorable. The dish sizes/values vary wildly...the pizzas and the burger are a great deal, but the pastas and meats seemed small. The desert chocolates are tasty, but for their size I think $1 each would be a bit more reasonable. I'd pay more, on the other hand, for the ice cream.

All in all, I'd go back if I was in a larger group of people, as that would really work well with the huge menu/small plate concept, but for a small party it's not as much of a slam dunk.

I noticed that on some items, too - the biscuits are $4 now, not $3.

And if you lose your ticket, FUCKASS MARCPARC WILL CHARGE YOU $26, EVEN IF YOU SHOW THEM YOUR RECEIPT.

[mtureck]

I noticed that on some items, too - the biscuits are $4 now, not $3.

And if you lose your ticket, FUCKASS MARCPARC WILL CHARGE YOU $26, EVEN IF YOU SHOW THEM YOUR RECEIPT.

Oh yeah, did I mention that Range doesn't validate parking? ;(

[jayandstacey]

Same menu, same prices at lunch.

BTW, is it just my bad memory or are many of the prices higher in person than they are on the online menu?

http://www.voltrange.com/pdf/menu.pdf

They quickly raised some prices at Lunchbox and Family Meal. And in the case of Family Meal, the online menu 'lagged' for some time, showing the old prices for the same stuff.

I'm OK with raising prices, even quickly, as every store has grand opening specials and even crack dealers know that the 'first one's free' plan works. But I believe that not updating price changes to the menu damages the reputation a bit - at least it does for me. Pricing to meet market demand is a business strategy. Advertising prices lower than what's charged at the table - that's wrong. Just sayin.

Now, I get that they are in the restaurant business, not the website business. But a change in price on the menu involves:

- deciding/approving the price change

- updating the menu file

- printing new menus

- stuffing them into menu holders

- updating the POS system

- informing staff.

....can't a file upload to the website be added to that list? I wouldn't expect daily specials to be there...but when your website causes customers (like me) to think twice about the business...maybe it should be added to the list.

So I went and had a wonderful meal. The service was really great - my 9 year old picky-eater son ordered a pizza and was kind of so-so with it. As we were sitting at the pizza station, the chef (I don't think it was Edan) talked to my son and made him a custom pizza based on the conversation. Why is that special?....It wasn't the free pizza, it was the attention that my son didn't like the first one, the conversation to learn why and the time to fix it. I'll return on that strength alone as it is rare and makes ALL the difference. Thank you pizza chefs!!

Only downsides - as vegetarians, it is kind of tough sledding through the menu. We bent our own rules a bit. Also, the pineapple soda had an odd malt-vinegar thing going on that would hit your nose hard, you'd plow through it, then get to the slightly sweet pineapple soda. I didn't say anything...are they supposed to be like that? It is an honest question as it still wasn't bad - I like malt vinegar and the soda tasted great - just different. I've never had a soda with a vinegar taste.

Cmon Range - if your website prices are old, update them - the WaPo review will get plenty of people in, and they aren't going to quibble over an extra $1 on the bread.

Unless their phone says it is $1 less than your menu.

[mtureck]

Also, the pineapple soda had an odd malt-vinegar thing going on that would hit your nose hard, you'd plow through it, then get to the slightly sweet pineapple soda. I didn't say anything...are they supposed to be like that? It is an honest question as it still wasn't bad - I like malt vinegar and the soda tasted great - just different. I've never had a soda with a vinegar taste.

Funny you should mention that...I had the same reaction. The first sip was a bit on the startling side...not in a bad way, just in a "whoa, that wasn't what I was expecting" kinda way. I did drink the whole glass, but I could never actually decide if I liked it or not. Yeah, I know that sounds weird.

I'd love to know how it was made.

I should note though, $3 for an interesting house made soda is one of the better deals there. If the price hasn't changed since Friday.

[jayandstacey]

Funny you should mention that...I had the same reaction. The first sip was a bit on the startling side...not in a bad way, just in a "whoa, that wasn't what I was expecting" kinda way. I did drink the whole glass, but I could never actually decide if I liked it or not. Yeah, I know that sounds weird.

I'd love to know how it was made.

I should note though, $3 for an interesting house made soda is one of the better deals there. If the price hasn't changed since Friday.

It was still $3 as of 5:48 on Saturday evening

Yeah, what was interesting was that the vinegar taste was more of a smell and not in the liquid. Like a creme brulee top, you kinda had to break through it. I wonder if the CO2 is what has that sharpness to it, as it seemed to fill the top of the glass, above the soda, before each sip.

Can CO2 be flavored? BTW - this is the kind of magic that comes from a really neat meal. Something you've not experienced before and that you might not be able to figure out, yet is compelling. The $3 soda was like that. Right where you'd expect nothing unique per se.

[synaesthesia]

Can CO2 be flavored? BTW - this is the kind of magic that comes from a really neat meal. Something you've not experienced before and that you might not be able to figure out, yet is compelling. The $3 soda was like that. Right where you'd expect nothing unique per se.

It's actually a shrub syrup. Depending on how it's made the fruit is either fermented with vinegar or a syrup is made and combined with vinegar.

[mtureck]

It's actually a shrub syrup. Depending on how it's made the fruit is either fermented with vinegar or a syrup is made and combined with vinegar.

Interesting, never heard of that...thanks!

To save others the google search:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrub_%28drink%29

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/06/cocktail-101-how-to-make-shrub-syrups.html

[mdt]

They quickly raised some prices at Lunchbox and Family Meal. And in the case of Family Meal, the online menu 'lagged' for some time, showing the old prices for the same stuff.

I'm OK with raising prices, even quickly, as every store has grand opening specials and even crack dealers know that the 'first one's free' plan works. But I believe that not updating price changes to the menu damages the reputation a bit - at least it does for me. Pricing to meet market demand is a business strategy. Advertising prices lower than what's charged at the table - that's wrong. Just sayin.

What's even more annoying are restaurants that don't have any prices on their web site menus. Are they hiding something or just don't want to bother with it?

[monavano]

It's actually a shrub syrup. Depending on how it's made the fruit is either fermented with vinegar or a syrup is made and combined with vinegar.

I discovered shrub years ago in Colonial Williamsburg and they sell it there and on their online store. Great on vanilla ice cream.

[Choirgirl21]

What's even more annoying are restaurants that don't have any prices on their web site menus. Are they hiding something or just don't want to bother with it?

Maybe they're trying to avoid people getting pissed when the prices aren't completely up to date.

That actually bothers me a lot as well. Unfortunately budget does have to be a consideration when I'm deciding where to eat, especially when I'm looking for a place to go with a group of people that might have different budgets than I do. I have crossed restaurants off of the list simply because prices aren't listed and I can't factor it in.

[DonRocks]

The ironic thing is that this is hardest on restaurants who change their menu daily (and yes, I'm thinking CityZen, but there are many others). Corporate behemoths have no problem keeping their websites up to date because they change their menus four times a year.

[jayandstacey]

The ironic thing is that this is hardest on restaurants who change their menu daily (and yes, I'm thinking CityZen, but there are many others). Corporate behemoths have no problem keeping their websites up to date because they change their menus four times a year.

Absolutely agree. Which is why I have no qualms with websites only showing basics plus "daily specials" online. Or describing the type of food, then showing a sample menu with a note saying "this is from January 2013..." or even showing a menu with no prices. None are completely informative or as ideal as a current menu online...

But none of those are misleading either.

Cool info about the shrub soda BTW. Whodaa thunk it?

[drjimkim]

Had lunch at Range with the SO and my 21 month old son this past weekend. Great food, good but not spectacular service. Best (and most expensive) lunch we've had together in quite a while (dining with our son has limited our options). Was able to simply walk up and get a table right away without a reservation.

1. Skillet cornbread with bacon marmalade -- Had me at bacon marmalade. cornbread was good, but, oh that bacon marmalade. Wish they had given us a little more, since we ran out halfway through the cornbread. Son enjoyed the cornbread.

2. Potted foie gras. Loved this - my favorite dish. A pretty substantial portion, but my son ate half the brioche toast - the foie was so good, I just ate it straight from the jar once the toast was gone. The jam/puree (pear I think) that came with it was good, but not a perfect pairing with the foie, which was perfect on its own with the toast.

3. pasta with beef cheek and kale - not our favorite dish of the day, but the kale was really well prepared. pasta was perfectly cooked, but the thinly sliced beef cheek was unimpressive (not bad, just not up to par with expectations) and the sauce was a little bland.

4. roseta beef hanging tender (medium well) - cooked a little on the medium side (which I had no complaints about personally), but a really flavorful preparation, which matched nicely with the roasted shallot puree it came with. My SO and I both really enjoyed this dish, particularly with the mushrooms.

5. oyster and shitake mushrooms. a little on the salty side, but my SO couldn't get enough of these - the mushrooms were simply prepared, but had a great earthy flavor with a nice bit of char.

6. pinapple soda - never got past the vinegar, was a little over the top for both the SO and I. our server was clear about the vinegar content before we ordered it, however.

Skipped dessert - we were stuffed and the son was getting antsy, but the chocolates looked tempting.

Overall - its been too long since we've had a nice meal at a nice restaurant and Range was a fantastic break from our quick shopping trip. Not exactly something we'll do regularly (it was about $90 after tip & tax), but very pleased with our first visit to Range.

[DaRiv18]

I haven't had this particular shrub but I love the genre. This soda sounds like a nice non-alcoholic acidic beverage that would pair well with food. How does it compare to a lemonade? Less sweet?

[jayandstacey]

I haven't had this particular shrub but I love the genre. This soda sounds like a nice non-alcoholic acidic beverage that would pair well with food. How does it compare to a lemonade? Less sweet?

That depends on the lemonade

The soda isn't very sweet. The vinegar part is mostly in the nose, then the soda is pleasant - mine wasn't very sweet but nor did it taste of unripe, acidic pineapple. It is fairly light overall, not syrupy.

[porcupine]

Best pork rilettes ever.

[Cook In / Dine Out]

I made a return visit to Range and wrote about it on my blog today. I first wrote about it in February and really liked it a lot. Recently, I've been hearing gripes about its service, which I found surprising, given that our service earlier this year was excellent. So I had two aims for the piece: 1) sample the spring menu and 2) see if the service has changed. I was delighted to find that I was still quite happy with both. Really liked the pea ravioli in particular and we were treated well by the host, server and the manager.

[DPop]

I also got great service from a very attentive team of servers and the outstanding sommelier (not Kathryn, it was a gentleman). The only thing we had that we didn't love was the Rockfish Collar and that probably wasn't fair as we were comparing it to the insanely good Hamachikama at Izakaya Seki (before anyone gets technical on me, I realize that they are different fish, but the preps are very similar).

The pizza we had was the best I've eaten since Anthony Pilla was still working at Seventh Hill. The Everything Mashed Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts were divine. The yellowfin crudo was top sushi restaurant quality. And that bread basket. Oh that bread basket......

We will be back, sooner rather than later.

[Waitman]

Putting my crank hat back on after being nice about Red Hen.

A recent experience at Range left me wondering how low standards have fallen. Not that the food wasn't very good -- a broad variety of tasty treats well-prepared, and the vegetable offerings were varied and treated with respect. But nothing was great. It was kind like, "well, shouldn't this be the minimum we expect from a "quality" restaurant?"

The service was unfortunate, though not unexpectedly bad given the vast sprawl of the sterile space. I chuckled when I read DPops' praise for the sommelier -- not imply that he didn't deserve it -- but our wine service can courtesy of a Haley's Comet waiter (he came by the table every 76 years) who pronounced the famous French region CHA (like 'chat')-bliss.

A fine enough dinner, and I'd eat there again if I was in that neck of the woods (and try the pizza). But would I call two weeks out and cross my fingers for a reservation? Nah.

[jayandstacey]

OK, I'm going to offer a theory here, and seek comments on those who really know how restaurants work (I don't.)

My theory is that the management is outpacing the staff - that changes and such are happening faster than the staff can adequately handle. You might say "they're over-thinking it."

I went to Range recently and sat with my mother. We talked about the menu and she asked "Are you interested in the Rockfish?" "What Rockfish?" I asked and we compared menus. They were different. The only different menu item was the rockfish vs. somethingelsefish. But...for the rest of the items, the prices were different on about a dozen of the offerings.

So far, so good. Menus change and so do prices. And we happened to get an old menu and a new one. No big deal. What happened next was really odd though...

When the waitress came over, my mother asked "Why are there different prices on the menus we hold?"... we expected to have a chuckle and a "oh, sorry - you got one of our old ones." Instead, we got "they are different prices for different offerings - the main ingredient may be the same, but the preparation is different. So they are different prices for different things."

OK, so our next question: "OK, so this menu says 'Shrimp Coctail - $15' and this one says 'Shrimp Coctail - $17' - what's the difference in those? How do you know which version is ordered?" "Well, the pricing is also market based and can change based on our costs." OK, that's fine too.

So our next question. "OK, so what is the current price of the shrimp coctail" and the immediate answer was "$17, definitely."

We didn't mean to put her on the defensive. Our goal was to just know what menu was the real one - and we never got that answer, though one of the two seemed to have generally higher prices. I can only speculate, but the reaction was such that...it just had the feeling this wasn't the first time it happened.

And I wouldn't care a whit that prices change. But I've experienced this uniquely in the Voltaggio world. Here's my post in the Lunchbox thread, and a slight mention of noticing price changes in my post in the Family Meal thread- and even here in this thread. Despite this - I SWEAR I'm not looking for this kind of thing or out to get Range or Family Meal or any of that - it just keeps popping up.

Family Meal and Lunchbox are casual places; no big deal. But Range really isn't - and when management can't get the menus coordinated and the staff must defend against confused (and possibly agitated) diners - that's not a recipe for a top-notch experience. As I left, I couldn't help but think that the Clyde's group would NEVER allow an old menu to mix in with new ones - and probably wouldn't tinker with prices so much in the first place (did we get a higher weekend tourist menu or something like that?) - and would have their staff prepared to deal with it if such a mixup does occur.

I saw Voltaggio on the floor last week. This place cares and makes terriffic food. Why risk 'death by 1000 cuts' with (what seems to be) an obsession with tinkering? I came back the 4th time to experience what I experienced the 3rd (and 2nd and 1st) times - not to be market-tested to see if I'd withstand a $2 higher bill for that same experience.

[kwhitney]

We were at Range a couple of weeks ago. I was prepared to find fault, because I thought the menu was too trendy and expensive. All in all we both liked it. It was exciting to see everyone at the restaurant to be so excited about working at this new concept. We found all of the menu selections to be very tasty, and the cocktails were terrific. I didn't have a problem with the service, but we were there quite early, before 6:00p. I did wish my second drink came more quickly, and I would have ordered another if there was more timely delivery of the drinks.

My only complaint was on the menu. It was expensive, but that wasn't the problem. There were some dishes that were big enough to share, and others that weren't, There was no indication on the menu concerning which category the dish falls into. The price can't be used as a guide, as some of the smaller menu items are priced higher due to the cost of the ingredients.

[MsDiPesto]

OK, I'm going to offer a theory here, and seek comments on those who really know how restaurants work (I don't.)

My theory is that the management is outpacing the staff - that changes and such are happening faster than the staff can adequately handle. You might say "they're over-thinking it."

I went to Range recently and sat with my mother. We talked about the menu and she asked "Are you interested in the Rockfish?" "What Rockfish?" I asked and we compared menus. They were different. The only different menu item was the rockfish vs. somethingelsefish. But...for the rest of the items, the prices were different on about a dozen of the offerings.

So far, so good. Menus change and so do prices. And we happened to get an old menu and a new one. No big deal. What happened next was really odd though...

When the waitress came over, my mother asked "Why are there different prices on the menus we hold?"... we expected to have a chuckle and a "oh, sorry - you got one of our old ones." Instead, we got "they are different prices for different offerings - the main ingredient may be the same, but the preparation is different. So they are different prices for different things."

OK, so our next question: "OK, so this menu says 'Shrimp Coctail - $15' and this one says 'Shrimp Coctail - $17' - what's the difference in those? How do you know which version is ordered?" "Well, the pricing is also market based and can change based on our costs." OK, that's fine too.

So our next question. "OK, so what is the current price of the shrimp coctail" and the immediate answer was "$17, definitely."

We didn't mean to put her on the defensive. Our goal was to just know what menu was the real one - and we never got that answer, though one of the two seemed to have generally higher prices. I can only speculate, but the reaction was such that...it just had the feeling this wasn't the first time it happened.

How bizarre, remind me to bring my own menu with it's own prices.

[Choirgirl21]

I have to admit I was a bit nervous after the recent comments as we headed here as a group of 10 to celebrate a friend's (and DR member's) 40th birthday, but I needn't have worried. Aside from one somewhat bizarre service issue, we had a fantastic meal. We started at the bar with cocktails and I think everyone was pleased. I really enjoyed mine. Sadly I can't recall what it was called, but it involved gin, grapefruit shrub, vermouth and some bitters.

We were then led to our table, where we encountered our one issue. We sat there for a solid 20 minutes with no one coming to our table. I finally got up and said something to a staff person who was setting up a table nearby and a few minutes later our server appeared. From there on our service was pretty spot on, but by the time he arrived, gave his spiel and got our drink orders we had been at the table for 30 minutes, which was really offputting.

But honestly, we quickly forgot about it as the food started arriving. We started by sharing the charcuterie tasting and the bread basket. As someone who repeatedly claims to be "over" charcuterie, I was really pleasantly surprised by a few of the offerings, especially the head cheese and the country pate, and everyone at the table really enjoyed the rillettes.

Then came the ridiculous array of food. We definitely over-ordered by a couple of dishes so it's far too much for me to detail, but I'll just mention highlights and dishes that weren't as stunning.

Stars for me were the goat cheese seamless ravioli with meat ragu, the veal sweetbreads with country ham and chanterelles, the Roseda beef hanging tender with charred shallot, and the brussels sprouts (the combo of fish sauce with deep frying will win me over every time). The roasted mushrooms, cauliflower, and wood oven octopus were also tasty and the lamb shank and stuffed breast also seem well liked (I don't like lamb so can't say). The soft shell crab special was a bright light in terms of flavor profile amidst some really rich food. A vegetarian in our group also spoke really highly of the fennel salad, which included candied kumquats (not mentioned on the menu).

Things I might not order again, but still enjoyed are the rib cap, which was flavorful, but a bit chewy and the whole rabbit roulade, which was tasty, but just not a star and at the high end in terms of price. The only thing I felt really wasn't great was the fries. They had a tasty aioli accompanying them, but I didn't like the texture of the fries themselves.

We also had 2 pizzas at our table that seemed to go over well, but I didn't eat them, as well as the corn, which came wrapped in lardo (I snagged a bite of lardo, which was delicious, as fat often is ).

Most of us were too stuffed to eat dessert, but I ordered the carrot cake with blueberries and blueberry sorbet for the birthday boy (honestly, a bit disappointing) and ice creams for myself. The salted caramel was stellar (!) and the espresso was excellent as well. And I couldn't pass up a sesame malt truffle as I am a sucker for both malt flavoring and sesame seeds paired with chocolate. Honestly, that was one of my favorite bites of the night and that is not meant to put down the other dishes.

I stuck to just 2 glasses of rose since I was driving, but for $9 a glass enjoyed it and felt the pours were appropriate. Wines are poured tableside, which I appreciated. In general I think that speaks to the service, which is that of a high end restaurant without feeling stuffy in any way at all.

Aside from the one service flaw, this really was a stunning meal and they more than made up for that when I pointed out that our bar tab had not been transferred to our tab and the server came back a moment later to tell us not to worry about it, it had been taken care of. We were at that point the last table there so my guess is the tab had already been closed out, but it was appreciated nonetheless. Even considering that, I felt the meal was reasonably priced for what we had. Perhaps my only "critique" and it's not really that is that the food was almost entirely on the heavy/rich side. That was probably in part due to how we ordered and more noticeable given the sheer quantity of food we ate, but I also think to an extent it's the style of the restaurant. That's not a bad thing in my book, but it's worth noting (it's also not a particularly vegetarian friendly spot).

I am really looking forward to going back and sitting in seats at counter in the near future.

[Choirgirl21]

My only complaint was on the menu. It was expensive, but that wasn't the problem. There were some dishes that were big enough to share, and others that weren't, There was no indication on the menu concerning which category the dish falls into. The price can't be used as a guide, as some of the smaller menu items are priced higher due to the cost of the ingredients.

Meant to comment on this. I recalled you mentioning this so after the server gave us our first rundown and asked if we had questions, I specifically asked him to point out which dishes were larger and more meant for sharing, which he was happy to do. In general, I felt he was on target with what he said.

[Toogs]

As the aforementioned newly old guy from Choirgirl's review, I have little to add, other than

I'm still full. Also possibly still drunk. WTF Chartreuse?!

Our waiter was a riot (compliment)

We ordered all of the fattest things on the menu so that's why it was that way. Plenty of green things we didn't order.

Nice oyster selection

Restaurant time is generally not perceived fairly in real time, I think we waited more like 10 minutes before she went and found someone. I'm sure it was a situation in which one person thought the other had us, and vice versa. It happens.

Pizzas were awesome, and particularly well received by the pizza snob in our group.

Although amazing for a big group and really exploring the whole menu, I look forward to returning with 2 or 4 and really getting into a dish or 2.

[lekkerwijn]

Driving home in the rain last night around 6:30 we are not in the mood to cook and pull up the Opentable app. Maybe I'm a big dork, but think last minute openings on weekend nights at normally hard to get into places one of the few perks of summer in DC. There is a 7:30 Cityzen available, 8:45 Central, 9:00 Range. Nothing at Rasika before 10:30. We really want Rasika, but don't want to chance it on seats at the bar. We decide Cityzen is too early- no way to go home, walk the dog and be on that side of town in under an hour. We pick Range because it is five minutes from the house. It has been about six months since our last visit to Range when the service was so utterly abysmal that we contemplated tweeting Voltaggio to beg him to send someone over to refill our water glasses.

Others have noted that pricing and service are the biggest issues with this restaurant. I would argue that those issues extend to their valet service. On a nice night we would have just walked there, but it was raining. To valet park your car it is $12 cash and you must exit the vehicle without overhead cover. If you self park it is $6 and you don't have to go outside.

We are there right on time at 9 pm and the place is packed. On one of our first dates twelve years ago we went to the Cheesecake Factory in the Chevy Chase Pavilion and sat on the floor in the mall hallway for over 90 minutes waiting for a table. Last night while waiting for a table in the same mall hallway we reminisced about being young, naive and willing to sit on the floor for 90 minutes in a mall hallway waiting for a table at the Cheesecake Factor until about 9:15 when they seated us.

The food and drink there is really good, at times even great. The oyster special was fantastic. Who wouldn't like something that tastes like a sea breeze and strawberries? It felt like a steal, 6 oysters were $18. 1/2 an ounce of cured salmon for $12, while being a great tasting plate looked more like two amuse servings. The pizza with roasted tomatoes, fennel and calamari was tasty but also a little wet. No biggie, it is good folded over. The four small pieces of flaccid calamari didn't add much to it. The English pea ravioli with goat cheese was pretty. But the dish comes with three small raviolis with mealy filling and some goat cheese foam. Are they worth $4 each? No. The roast pork loin over chickpeas on the other hand was delicious. For dessert we shared the "Dark Chocolate". I'm over these deconstructed desserts. This one arrives and it is two torn little pieces of devil's food cake, some crumbs of unidentifiable schmutz, a smear of something sweet and white, frozen chocolate something else, and a quenelle of olive oil gelato. The olive oil gelato and frozen chocolate something else were the best part. They make legitimately great ice cream. Why do they even have these contrived desserts on the menu? We would have been way happier with a couple scoops of ice cream and a little something from the bake shop.

I will say that service was significantly better at this meal than it was six months ago. But still not to the level you'd expect. Two different waiters approached our table before one took our drink order and a different one took our meal order. The pacing of the meal was fine and they seem to really love to clear your plates. We finished our drinks just as the pizza was being served. The waitress asks if we'd like order another drink. We say yes. She comes back with a drink menu. We eat and finish the pizza. They clear the pizza. Our waitress reappears and is chatting up the table next to us. They're old buddies, she says she's going to bring them some goodies for dessert. They bring our pasta and pork loin. She asks if we'd like to order another drink. At this point in the meal, we're happy with water. Are you reading this Master Chef Voltaggio? Not only did the lackluster service lose you two drink orders it cost you the dessert she gave the other table.

I'm so over this place. I like the food but I'm in no rush to go back. I'm just not cool enough to appreciate the tragically hip vibe of this restaurant in a mall overlooking CVS and the Embassy Suites filled with tan, grey haired men in their fifties wearing linen pants and loafers with no socks on dates with women in their 30's.

[pizza man]

Goodnight DC.

[DonRocks]

Goodnight DC.

Have a good summer, Edan.

[Marty L.]

Goodnight DC.

?? Leaving the area? (hope not) Or only Range? Or merely vacation?

[MsDiPesto]

?? Leaving the area? (hope not) Or only Range? Or merely vacation?

All is answered here.

[eroica38]

The wife and I finally got to try Range this Saturday evening and it was not a happy experience at all.

First the good: We were immediately seated, our waiter expertly explained how the menu worked and we ordered a good bottle of Rhone wine through the Sommelier.

From there it was down hill. We ordered a sequential set of four dishes - goat cheese ravioli, a pizza, pan seared halibut and hanger steak. Alas each one arrived at tepid room temperature. We were quite hungry when the ravioli arrived and we each tucked in before realizing it was quite cold. When our cold pizza arrived we were on guard and returned it. The replacement pizza arrived at the proper temperature. We did not fuss the lukewarm halibut but returned a cold portion of hanger steak. It was replaced by an equally cold new portion.

The manager finally came over and apologized. He took the steak off the bill and comped us one dessert.. That was a nice gesture but the meal was quite lumpy. On leaving Range I watched the food delivery process for a bit. IMHO it is flawed - food sits for a long time waiting for server pickup, the plates are not pre-warmed, and the distance from kitchen to the far reaches of the dining room is long. The result is room temperature food delivered to the table.

[schulju]

First visit to Range this past Saturday night. I was not permitted to see the bill (thank you, Jh), and since I thought I was paying, really didn't pay attention to the menu prices (also, I didn't have my reading glasses and it was DARK in there! )

The Not So Great:

We started off a bit concerned with our experience at the bar...one beer drinker and three vodka drinkers. No Grey Goose, no Kettle One, just Tito's (hey, I use Tito's in cocktails, but in a martini, ick), Finlandia (yep, the airplane vodka) and one other none of us had ever heard of. A vodka-based craft cocktail from the menu was unbalanced and frankly, undrinkable.

We were shown to a nice table, aisles on both sides, didn't feel crowded in...but oh, was that table small! It would have been a two-top in any other restaurant. Although I didn't feel crowded by other diners, it was so loud in the restaurant, I could barely hear each other across the table. I felt like I was shouting all evening. The room was reminiscent of a Vegas hotel restaurant. Lots of glass, lots of moving lights (thanks to the light display in the atrium of the mall), just not the most comfortable space.

The Great:

The wine list had a number of really nice bottles including Far Niente and a very nice Paul Hobbs. I wish they would put the wine list on the web site, it's quite large and I would have appreciated being able to peruse it before arriving. We ordered a number of dishes between the four of us:

A half-dozen oysters were fresh, and seemed to be enjoyed. I didn't partake, so can't really comment.

The tasting of all cheeses came with a very nice bread that was happily (if not terribly quickly) refilled. I thought the portion was generous given other cheese boards in town.

The potted foie gras was very good although I thought the brioche served along side needed a bit more toasting, it's a minor quibble and a personal preference.

The leg of lamb was excellent. Perfectly medium rare. A nice portion for one, perhaps small if you're intending to share.

The hanger steak was also well received.

Sides are not an after thought at Range, the mashed potatoes were fabulous; asparagus, beets and rotisserie potatoes were all well executed.

All in all I was quite pleased with the food and while the prices are a bit steep for the 'burbs, I don't think they're out of line with typical DC pricing for food of this quality at a restaurant with this sort of star power. We had no service issues at all; we were greeted immediately upon being seated, water and wine glasses never sat empty, and dirty plates were promptly removed. If we don't rush back to Range it will be because of the venue.

[DanielK]

No Grey Goose, no Kettle One, just Tito's (hey, I use Tito's in cocktails, but in a martini, ick),

That makes sense, since there's no vodka in a martini.

[schulju]

That makes sense, since there's no vodka in a martini.

Pshaw! Just ask Bond, James Bond!

[Simon]

Haven't yet tried Range. This makes me a bit nervous about doing so but we'll still take the plunge there.

I'd say the best of Range (the rabbit roulade, e.g.) relies on far simpler preparations than those you've described here.

[DonRocks]

I'd say the best of Range (the rabbit roulade, e.g.) relies on far simpler preparations than those you've described here.  

Note that Range has lost it's charcutier (Shapiro) and pizzaiolo (Macquaid) since it first opened, both of whom were highly publicized.

[Josh]

Note that Range has lost it's charcutier (Shapiro) and pizzaiolo (Macquaid) since it first opened, both of whom were highly publicized.

I had a business dinner at Range last week, and was way underwhelmed.  We tried the rabbit rillettes and found them very, very wanting.  Dry, and without much flavor at all.

Hamachi crudo was nice...no complaints there.  I had the uni/kimchi pasta, which was an interesting failure, but a failure nonetheless.  I like the idea, but the kimchi needs to be toned way down to play nice with the uni, otherwise what you end up with is a salty, acidic sauce with none of the unctuousness (may be making up words here) of the uni.  The seared beef heart was merely ok...again, not much going on in the seasoning department, though it was well cooked to med-rare.  My partner's octopus dish was bad enough that he left 1/2 of it on the plate.

The service was friendly, but despite it being obvious that each person at the table was ordering personal dishes, they served things one at a time, tapas style, creating really awkward waiting/nibbling until everyone got something put in front of them.

[darkstar965]

HIGH LEVEL

The best parts of our maiden voyage to Range tonight were at the very beginning and then again at the end.

Just after being seated, our server asked if we'd like to speak with a sommelier so, of course, I nodded enthusiastically. Meredith Bearov, formerly of the Inn at Little Washington, came by and was wonderful.  Not a bit of pretentiousness, so engaging and clearly as expert as one might expect given her Advanced Sommelier cert. She told us Kathy Morgan was a mentor and the "reason why [she] became a somm."  She steered us toward a smooth, fruit-forward Oregon Pinot Noir from Bergstrom (2011 vintage; $64).  I'm no wine expert but know a little and the Wilammette Valley is an area I do know fairly well having travelled there many times.  I didn't know Bergstrom and we all very much enjoyed the wine, which evidently is one that was served by the glass at the Inn.  It paired well with many of the varied dishes we had.

At the end of the meal, I ordered a Capp (they use Ceremony as their coffee/espresso provider, a Good Thing) with the dessert suggested by our server: a salt caramel pot de creme with chocolate ice cream.  Delicious.

Walking around Range is impressive. There's so much to see between the meat locker, wine cases, chocolate shop, bakery, huge amount of kitchen space, counters and even a shop leveraging their partnership with Williams Sonoma.  Maybe a bit too much going on but explained more below.

SPECIFIC DISH REACTIONS

Between meeting Meredith/uncorking the Bergstrom and finishing off that fantastic pot de creme, we were four so ordered maybe 12-14 different dishes.

Overriding themes for most were inconsistency and underseasoning without any really jumping out as memorable or eyebrow raising as a place like Range should prompt.  More specifically, a few of the dishes we tried included:

- Andouille and Garlic Sausage served with a pear compote, mustard and some fruits ($22; $11 for 4 half-dollar sized slices of each of the two types).  This dish, while fine, made me wonder what the charcuterie must have been like when Poivrot Farci was here.  Both were mildly flavored without much difference between them.

- Bread Basket ($10).  This included some country whole grain, cornbread and maybe one other type. Again, nothing wrong with it but the bread provided without charge by Le Diplomate puts this to shame.

- Beet Salad with Goat Cheese ($11). Again, good but fairly typical of many similar dishes served at many better restaurants.

- Hamachi with Hearts of Palm ($14).  The fish was fresh but my issue here was with the pairing of the hearts with the yellowtail and the thickness of both. Fish sliced more thinly with a more delicate and more complementary partner might improve this.

- Kimchi Spaghetti ($16).  I suspected this dish, cleverly described on menu, might disappoint and tried it because one of our friends ordered it. Sure enough, the pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente but the kimchi was nearly indiscernible.  Maybe they reacted to JoshNE's feedback on the dish just above and over-reacted turning down the kimchi. Disappointing. The scallops that came alongside the pasta were seared nicely but seemed out of place on the dish. Odd composition.

- Lobster Mac ($18).  Maybe one of the better dishes but, again, not distinctive in any way.  Generous portion of well cooked lobster, al dente pasta and lighter on the cheese (or other?) sauce.  Not bad.  Good even.

- Pork Cheek Ravioli ($15).  Like most of the dishes, this was fine but really lacked the savory quality and richness I expected.  Served with nice chanterelles though.

- Pork Chop ($26). This dish was the most obviously overpriced simply because it was probably the most disappointing. Our server suggested this with enthusiasm so I ordered it based on that.  He suggested medium rare for temp and I agreed to that too.  It was at least medium and not medium rare. It came sliced with roughly half the slices moist and the other half dry.  Underseasoned; very mild on flavor.

- Leg of Lamb ($24).  This was cooked nicely as ordered (med rare) but also lacked flavor.  Aside from the consistent underseasoning we perceived, this simply lacked the definitive lamb taste one would expect from good meat.  No off taste at all. Just ordinary.

Service was good. Almost overly attentive at times.  For example, my +1 didn't want to drink too much wine but we probably had 4 or 5 different staff try to refill her glass including one who did so twice despite being told twice.  Not a big deal; just a slightly too-obvious emphasis on emptying a first bottle to sell a second.

A VENUE NOTE

No need to describe since so many have been and so many pages written on Range already. But maybe good to offer a reaction.  The design and sheer scale of the place are impressive.  Seats are elegant and comfortable. The long two sides of counter surrounding all the cooking stations are interesting. Just walking around is literally like a mini Newseum for food fans.  But, as with the menu, maybe a bit too ambitious?  Aside from the obviously huge expense of operating such a place, some of the design choices interfere a bit with functionality. None of these are big deals but, as example, the combination of back-weighted silverware and non-symetric and gently sloped plates looks cool but leads to falling forks.  We had two at our table and I'd bet this happens a lot at Range.  The restrooms, also impressive, are a bit counterintuitive.  The sliding door. Unclear if there's a way to control temperature at the sink basin.  Need to experiment with the soap dispenser to determine whether it senses motion (it doesn't).  Again, none of this is a big deal and, big picture, the space is cool in an 'air and space museum' sort of way.  I just wonder how much the expense of the build and operations adversely impacts the creeping menu pricing (see upthread) and decisions on ingredients, staffing and policies (e.g., parking).

BOTTOM LINE

IMHO, the food here is more accessible than at Volt since it's not molecular gastronomy based. But I think Range falls victim to what one might hypothesize about the overall concept: it may be too ambitious.  With so much square footage, such an expansive and beautiful venue, so many food stations, huge kitchen and the dozens of staff needed to keep the place running, it must be very challenging to do any one thing exceptionally well and consistently.  Maybe Range is a place I should have visited earlier when they had all the culinary all-stars leading the different lines who are now elsewhere.  Just one visit so maybe another would change the impression but it seems an expensively developed concept that has settled into good-enough status with pricing not totally justified by the quality or portioning. Maybe that'll work over the long haul given the location in Friendship Heights close to Bethesda.

[pizza man]

Is Steve still the GM at Range? He is no longer listed as such on the website.

[darkstar965]

Is Steve still the GM at Range? He is no longer listed as such on the website.

I can't say.  Nothing prompted us to ask to speak to a manager or to ask that question when there.  There were two gentleman dressed in GM-type garb (also saw BV there behind the line) but can't be sure. Had brief, more superficial interactions with one but not to the point of introductions being made.  Someone else here may know or someone else going this weekend or soon could ask.*

Hope you're doing well.  We'd have ordered pizza had you still been there but steered clear of that since you weren't.  No joke.

*Hmmm.  Does come to mind Don was soliciting resumes for a higher-end-place GM recently.  Hmmm again.  I wonder.    

[astrid]

In my experience, the offerings from the roasting station seems to be the weakest, so the high proportion of items from that station that might have affected your experience there.

I find that room temperature-ness of dishes to be a common fault at both Range and Volt.  Bryan V's cooking style just require so much fussing with ingredients and techniques and plating (I sat through a Table 21 dinner where it seems like 90% of the kitchen staff's time was spent on assembling the plates) so the food always tastes like it might have sat five to ten minutes too long.  Add the large size of Range's dining room, the coldness of the AC, and confusion of the staff - I've found some otherwise excellent dishes to be marred by the long wait.

[ktmoomau]

I wanted to try out Rose's Luxury or Baby Wale Friday night, but those were a little adventurous and Hubby has been out a lot recently so he wanted more american type food.  We ended up going to Range.  I was a little worried after all the reviews, but we ended up really liking it.  I will say we were seated in the depths of the place, and next time I would request a better table.

We had the pumpkin foccacia.  This was very good bread, I liked the pumpkin a lot, it would have been better with real apple butter, not chunks, but I really liked it, will probably make some pumpkin foccacia now for T-day.  We also got the ham tasting.  This was a lot of ham.  I didn't prefer the Benton's which was very dry and the Range ham was ok, but didn't even come close to the two Spanish selections.  But this was a generous portion and we liked it.  We also got the kale caesar.  They have this salad at Family Meal, I love it there and I love it here too.  I have tried to recreate this salad, I have come close, but my dressing is off, will keep trying.  This may be my favorite casear salad ever and the one in which all others should be judged against.

We had the roast carrots, which I thought had great flavor and were roasted really well.  I also had the sweetbreads which I loved, while not a big plate they were rich and I liked the puree and accompaniments, they were cooked well and had nice flavor.  I also had the beef heart which was seared and sliced thinly, it is not as good as Palena's beef heart, but it was very good and I enjoyed the very umami sauce and farro with it, as well.  I will say Palena's beef heart is the best beef heart I have ever had, so it is tough competition.  Hubby got the lobster mac, I didn't try it but he liked it.

We were so stuffed we ended up with leftovers and no room for dessert.  But we want to go back and try more of the menu.  It wasn't oh my gosh this is life changing food, but it was all really well prepared and very tasty.  It is kind of like a Blue Duck Tavern type of place, I want solid, good tasting classics type of place.  And we had really good service, all of our servers were really nice and very friendly and helpful.

[jandres374]

They do have a lot of talent there, almost too much. And that's what worries me.

Kathy is working only part-time - another MS, Keith Goldston, is the Wine Director. And let's not forget Owen Thomson is behind the bar.

So what worries me? Againn (as one example) did the same type of thing, front-loading the restaurant with talent when it first opened. I'll be very curious to see where Range is a year, or two years, from now.

It's a legitimate business strategy, "If you build it, they will come." They, of course, being the restaurant critics, with reviews that are available for purchase, framed. "They" also being bloggers and customers drawn by rave reviews from critics and bloggers.

In the Dining Guide, I had Againn rated as the number one restaurant downtown east of 16th Street for quite awhile; it now sits down at the bottom of the list, in small font, because it has closed. You can look at Inox as another example, although that was not a good time to be opening in Tysons Corner - there will come a time, if that time has not already come, when I'm the only person to remember just how great that restaurant was.

Nobody is pulling for Range more than I am, and I hope they succeed and continue to grow, but it never hurts to be mindful of the past.

Owen Thomson has left.

[darkstar965]

Owen Thomson has left.

Of course obvious to say that comments given to the press may or may not represent reality.  I continue to think that Range, for all it's good points and dishes, may be overly ambitious in scope.  And, trying to do too much will cause cracks in any foundation with regard to quality, service and, yes, key staff retention.

[schulju]

Second visit to Range for dinner with one old and several "new to me" friends Tuesday night.  An evening spent in good company is always enjoyable, but I don't think Range will be on my list of dining rooms I want to visit again any time soon.

I just re-read my post above from my first visit back in July, and am finding it hard to believe this was the same restaurant.  This time we had nothing but service issues which began right from the first and continued through paying the check.  Our server was disinterested at best. When asked to provide a recommendation bewteen two menu items, her first response was "no".  Really?  Haven't we all asked a server to help us break a tie before?  Thereafter she was simply not around.  Dishes went missing, entrees were delivered cold, water glasses were in need of refilling and no one was ever asked if they wanted a second drink although empty glasses were evident.  I noticed that table near us who were also in her section were having the same experience.  It's possible that she had a number of tables on the other side of the restaurant that were outside of our field of vision, but she certianly never appeared to be "on the floor".

Since we weren't sharing plates, I won't detail the food, I will note however that four out of five at the table commented that their food was served far below ideal temperature.  I actualy sent my pasta back.  It had arrived in a piping hot plate, but when I actually tasted the pasta it was completely cold.

I understand that their shtick is multiple kitchens and items come to the table as they are prepared.  I think this works fine when you have a table of communal diners.  In our case, everyone was pretty much odering and eating individually and the result was that some mains weren't even delivered by the time others had finished their entrees.  Similarly, we ordered three items of the "bakery" section of the menu to start and two were delivered together. The third item wasn't delievered until after the mains started showing up.  It's awkward to always have a few folks eating while others are sitting looking at empty plates.

I still think the prices are in line with the area and I don't have an issue with them.  But at this price point, there are lots of other options where you can count on really good service and meal pacing that is a bit more coherent.

I get what ktmoomau means above when she makes comparisons to Blue Duck Tavern.  There are certianly dishes here that share an ethos with BDT, but the service and execution at BDT is so much better it's hard to compare the restaurants at all.

[dinoue]

Did Sunday brunch the other day for our son's 2nd birthday. (How many kids get to go to a restaurant like Range for their 2nd birthday?)

Like others have noted, service was spotty. Sometimes very good, but more often frustrating in that we asked for things such as a second bowl to split the soup for our kids, and it took forever to come out, during which time the soup was getting cold. Since we were sharing dishes, timing wasn't an issue, though I would note that when they say dishes are meant for sharing, it really is for two people to share, not really any more.

Amongst the 3 adults and 2 kids, we ordered two of the prix fix lunches and additional dishes of roasted carrots, goat cheese ravioli and lamb leg. For the prix fix, we got one of each choice as there are two options.

The kale salad was the most generous portion of all the dishes and one where we felt it was really appropriate for sharing in that everyone got a decent portion, though this was also one where the kids did not want any of it. The soup was different in that the kids ate all the tomato soup and wanted more. Was tempted to order another bowl for them. The roasted carrots were good for the ones that weren't burnt, but about a third of them were charred black all the way through the carrot.

The meat dishes were all delicious, but very small portions. The leg of lamb could have been any random part of the lamb as it was not distinguishable as any particular part. The swordfish and hangar steak were likewise very small portions. Fort he prices charged for those dishes, the portions should be larger. Most restaurants charge int he 20's for an entree size plate, these were appetizer sized.

Desserts were very nice and light endings to the meal.

Overall, the tastes are all very good for the food. I woulkd describe it as solid traditional cooking with some experimentation, but nothing too out there. Flavors are matched well in each dish and don't suffer from over thinking of the dishes which has been a peeve of mine lately. Food doens't need to be fancy just for the sake of being fancy. There has to be some purpose to everything the dish is trying to do and Range does this very well.

Outside the prix fix, I found it to be very overpriced. While it is very good food, it's also not the level of technique that Volt utilizes and shouldn't be commanding the prices that Volt might.

[hungry prof]

Outside the prix fix, I found it to be very overpriced. While it is very good food, it's also not the level of technique that Volt utilizes and shouldn't be commanding the prices that Volt might.

While I don't necessarily disagree with Range being expensive for what it is, I would suggest that the rent for Range on Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase is probably just a wee bit higher than the rent for Volt in downtown Frederick.  There's more that goes into pricing than technique or ingredients. . .

[Pat]

According to Tim Carman, Matt Hill is leaving Range after Restaurant Week concludes on January 19.

[DonRocks]

According to Tim Carman, Matt Hill is leaving Range after Restaurant Week concludes on January 19.

This is starting to remind me of the Agatha Christie novel, "And Then There Were None."

[MsDiPesto]

I was invited to go with a couple of friends to Range on the 19th. Good thing I'm going before anyone else leaves.