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Nice Steakhouse for a Well-Behaved 1st-Grader in a Coat and Tie


JimCo

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It will just be me and my (well-behaved) 1st grade son this weekend. He likes to dress up in a coat and tie. Was thinking it would be fun for us to dress up and enjoy an early (5:30 or 6) dinner at a DC Steakhouse. Anyone been to one recently that they'd recommend? I'm thinking about the Prime Rib as I think he'd enjoy the piano music. 

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10 hours ago, JimCo said:

It will just be me and my (well-behaved) 1st grade son this weekend. He likes to dress up in a coat and tie. Was thinking it would be fun for us to dress up and enjoy an early (5:30 or 6) dinner at a DC Steakhouse. Anyone been to one recently that they'd recommend? I'm thinking about the Prime Rib as I think he'd enjoy the piano music. 

He might like the cheese puff at BLT Steak (not so much the chicken liver pâté) - if you stick with hanger steaks, you can still get all the accoutrements (and have leftovers) for $34, which I think has gone up a bit in price - I'm not sure I've ever seen a hanger steak that's this expensive.

BTW, their Chef de Cuisine is now Marc Hennessy.

I haven't been to Charlie Palmer in awhile, but if you want to go there, I'll be happy to let (sommelier) Nadine Brown know you all are coming - she is as charming as can be, and my guess is that she's great with children.

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11 hours ago, JimCo said:

I'm thinking about the Prime Rib as I think he'd enjoy the piano music. 

I would pick BLT Steak and Charlie Palmer over the Prime Rib, too, although BLT Steak is perhaps the least dressy in my experience.  

Personally think that when in doubt for kid-friendly, go with hotel restaurants, they have great atmosphere and are more service-oriented to the general public.  Bourbon Steak is always a power crowd too, and they will dress the part for sure.  Have to think Pinea would be nice too.  

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I think I have seen kids almost every time I have been to a Ruth Chris, and remember going as a kid with my Dad because he loved Ruth Chris.  The one in Pentagon City has an amazing view of DC that could be fun.  I loved going to places that felt "old school" when I was little, made me feel fancy, so that is something to think about. 

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On 2/21/2017 at 1:51 PM, ktmoomau said:

I think I have seen kids almost every time I have been to a Ruth Chris, and remember going as a kid with my Dad because he loved Ruth Chris.  The one in Pentagon City has an amazing view of DC that could be fun.  I loved going to places that felt "old school" when I was little, made me feel fancy, so that is something to think about. 

As soon as I read this, I realized the child won't have any recollection, ten years from now, if he went to Ruth's Chris, Prime Rib, or Peter Luger - anyplace with fancy steaks and *good service* (and in this case, "good service" means places that are used to serving kids) will do equally. 

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So probably by age 8, I start remembering the food itself that we had and how good it was.  Before 8, it was all about the experience.  I remember getting my bananas foster lit on fire at Commander's Palace, all the powdered sugar getting all over us eating beignets.  I remember the mariachi bands in Mexico while we were eating.  I remember taking the funicular up to eat in Pittsburgh at a restaurant with a great view (they brought one of the same restaurant to Tysons).  I remember going to fancy places all dressed up and getting bites of my dad's food because he normally ordered more adventurous things than me.  I distinctly remember eating at Old Ebbitt's Grill with my Aunt in DC.  I don't remember all the food per se, but I do remember some of it.  The bigger thing I remember is just that I got to go out a lot, to nice places and eat a lot of different things, and it was always fun for me to get to be fancy because none of the restaurants in my small town were fancy.  I always liked places with views, or piano music or something like that, it just added an extra element of fun.  

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When in elementary school we had a family trip to the MidWest, Ontario, back East to Niagra Falls, Cooperstown, etc.

To this day I recall the time at Taffy Abel's SteakHouse somewhere in Ottawa as the best meal, roast beef and most melt in your mouth meal of my life.  My still younger sister ordered shrimp scampi in the tiny voice of a newly born bird.  She'll tell you today it was good.  Who can say what kids might remember.

(I also recall the thrill of getting firecrackers outside of Montreal.  That was beyond cool)

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On 2/21/2017 at 1:51 PM, ktmoomau said:

I think I have seen kids almost every time I have been to a Ruth Chris, and remember going as a kid with my Dad because he loved Ruth Chris.  The one in Pentagon City has an amazing view of DC that could be fun.  I loved going to places that felt "old school" when I was little, made me feel fancy, so that is something to think about. 

Yes.  Views are memorable.  Ruth's Chris Pentagon City is nice.  Also if you go to Charlie Palmer you can get memorable shots of the well dressed little man in front of the Capitol.  That's an awesome shot (even if Congress is miserable).

And as to childhood food memories this one must come from around first grade.  My parents took us to a fancy restaurant with others.  We were dressed up (I was not a fan).  The meal included intermezzo midway through the courses.  Intermezzo-- what was that??  It was like ice cream mid meal to my kid brain.  Loved it and still recall it.  I can count the number of times  on my fingers I've had intermezzo since then.  (Don't enjoy/do tasting menus  any more where it could be popular)

Your son might have a memorable experience and you will share it.  That would be fantastic.

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On ‎2‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 10:41 AM, DaveO said:

If you decide to go to Ray's the Steaks they are installing all new carpeting today.  Refreshed, it will look nicer, and still dramatically less expensive than the any other comparable steakhouse.

Ha! We actually went to Ray's on Sunday night. It was my first trip there in over a year. Not much has changed, and I mean that in the best way possible. I had the aged rib-eye medium rare which had great char, and the kids enjoyed their kids' sirloin. Thanks for all the ideas!

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On 2/21/2017 at 1:14 PM, Genevieve said:

Ray's the Steaks would also work well if you'd do a trip to Arlington, unless you wanted the full fancy steakhouse experience. All our meals there have been excellent, with very good service, and the price is less.

Staff at Rays has never been less than gracious to my son, and he was about that age when we first started going there.  

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