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


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Like, past Robek's?

Just past Robeks, you will notice this large restaurant-like space that occupies the entire front, left corner (Good, er, Five Guys is on the back right corner as you head out Wilson) and about 25% of the entire ground floor frontage of 2300 Wilson Boulevard, aka the Navy League Building. Ray's is actually at the corner of Wayne (one way going the wrong way, from Clarendon to Wilson instead of vice-versa) and Clarendon.

We still don't have awnings or permanent signs, just to fuck with people.

Just past Ray's on the right on Clarendon (Ray's at this point would be on the left as you travel down Clarendon) is a public garage where parking is, I believe, free after 6 (possibly 5).

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No opening night is without it's glitches...

Ha ha. I don't know WHAT Amit and Stephen are talking about. Our hood system failed at about 6 PM and the entire restaurant filled with smoke so dense that you could not see the wall 15 feet away.

Guests with asthma were leaving the restaurant choking. Other guests were getting up from their tables, eyes-watering and coughing, to get enough fresh air to be able to go back and get another bite of steak (kind of like when Tommy Lee Jones comes up for a breath of air so he can go back to trying to rescue stuck passengers in the airplane that is rapidly filling with water).

At any moment I thought that Shelley Winters and Ernest Borgnine were going to show up for a table, with Maureen McGovern singing in the background.

What we discovered last night was that someone had tampered with our gigantic exhaust fan on the roof (more than twice as powerful as required by code, by the way) and partially disabled it in a way that would not be immediately detectable and then bolted the housing shut so that it could not be accessed for repair without special tools. Diabolical.

What we discovered today, at 7 AM, when we removed the entire exhaust assembly to probe the 8-story tall duct column, was that a piece of insulation had been inserted into the duct about twenty feet down, which we snaked out.

When the system was tested with cool, dry smoke the system worked so well that the inspector threatened to fail us because the system was TOO good. When hundreds of thousands of BTU's and moist, grease-laden smoke began flowing through the system, the insulation, as it is designed to do, swelled up and expanded from the heat, and then lost all porosity as it became clogged with the ascending moist particles.

Tonight after service, we are going to weld out a hole for a worker to enter into the duct work from the ground floor so that he can ascend the duct system and physically clear out any possible remaining obstructions :P .

You may have won this round, Mr. Wabeck. But the battle is far from over, my fiendishly clever friend.

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Ha ha. I don't know WHAT Amit and Stephen are talking about. Our hood system failed at about 6 PM and the entire restaurant filled with smoke so dense that you could not see the wall 15 feet away.

Guests with asthma were leaving the restaurant choking. Other guests were getting up from their tables, eyes-watering and coughing, to get enough fresh air to be able to go back and get another bite of steak (kind of like when Tommy Lee Jones comes up for a breath of air so he can go back to trying to rescue stuck passengers in the airplane that is rapidly filling with water).

At any moment I thought that Shelley Winters and Ernest Borgnine were going to show up for a table, with Maureen McGovern playing in the background.

What we discovered last night was that someone had tampered with our gigantic exhaust fan on the roof (more than twice as powerful as required by code, by the way) and partially disabled it in a way that would not be immediately detectable and then bolted the housing shut so that it could not be accessed for repair without special tools. Diabolical.

What we discovered today, at 7 AM, when we removed the entire exhaust assembly to probe the 8-story tall duct column, was that a piece of insulation had been inserted into the duct about twenty feet down, which we snaked out.

When the system was tested with cool, dry smoke the system worked so well that the inspector threatened to fail us because the system was TOO good. When hundreds of thousands of BTU's and moist, grease-laden smoke began flowing through the system, the insulation, as it is designed to do, swelled up and expanded from the heat, and then lost all porosity as it became clogged with the ascending moist particles.

Tonight after service, we are going to weld out a hole for a worker to enter into the duct work from the ground floor so that he can ascend the duct system and physically clear out any possible remaining obstructions :P .

You may have won this round, Mr. Wabeck, but the battle is far from over, despite your fiendishly clever machinations.

For a man who just opened a new place, you have way too much time to be on-line! Looking forward to getting my butt in gear to get there soon.

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About one-third of the restaurant (50 seats, 16 tables) is advanced reservations, about one-third is same-day, call-ahead wait list, and about one-third is for walk-ins.

Considering that the original Ray's The Steaks at 1725 seats about 45, that should leave plenty of opportunity for availability under almost any circumstance--whether "the parents are coming into town in three weeks and I'd really like to take them to Ray's" or "man, I could really use a steak tonight" or "oh my god that hot, sweaty sex I just had for hours after surprising my girlfriend with flowers when she got home from work was fantastic, I have GOT to get a steak!" (Don will have to come up with a different excuse).

Reservations or same-day wait list can be done in person or by phone--(703) 841-RAYS.

In all cases, we would still request that guest limit lingering time after the completion of their meal while others are waiting for a table.

Thanks for laying that all out for us. Final question: Are the sunday night prix fixe three-course deals still in place at the new location? (If they were even still in place at the old location.)

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What we discovered last night was that someone had tampered with our gigantic exhaust fan on the roof (more than twice as powerful as required by code, by the way) and partially disabled it in a way that would not be immediately detectable and then bolted the housing shut so that it could not be accessed for repair without special tools. Diabolical.

What we discovered today, at 7 AM, when we removed the entire exhaust assembly to probe the 8-story tall duct column, was that a piece of insulation had been inserted into the duct about twenty feet down, which we snaked out.

Theories:

1) A Farewell Card from Guajillo

2) A Welcome Card from Me Jana

3) A Congratulations Card from Andy Myers and Jarad Slipp

4) A Thank You Card from Costco the National Cattlemen's Beef Association

"So, are you going to trash me, and tell everyone it's just not the same as before?" Michael joked to me last night.

"Actually, it IS the same, only bigg...

KLANG! - KLANG! - KLANG! - KLANG! - KLANG! - KLANG! - KLANG! - Klang! - Klang. Klang. Klangklangklang.

A red-wine goblet fell onto the concrete floor, but incredibly bounced and did not break.

"bigger."

Bacon-wrapped scallops.

Elegant Utensil Usage

On our previous visit to the old Ray's The Steaks, one of my tres charmante dining companions invented an advanced method of stowing the utensils between courses, which my young dining companion remembered and improved upon last night. You see, the knives at Ray's The Steaks are constructed so that when you lay them on the table, only the handle touches the tabletop. And the knives are wide enough so that the fork can rest comfortably on top, parallel to the knife, eliminating any need for metal-to-table contact. It is at once efficient and elegant, while at the same time being entirely unnecessary and pretentious. Perfect!

Cheers,

Rocks.

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Jesus Christ....I just read that and thought it said "masturbations". Maybe I should consider therapy.

No, you should just hang out here, you clearly belong. Spend the money on good food instead.

We have reservations for 6 this evening, definitely nice to be able to do that. My 9 year-old is eagerly anticipating her crab bisque.

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We have reservations tonight also. Am so looking forward to it after reading all the great comments. My hardest job will be deciding which steak to order!
I can't believe there's any reason to order anything other than the hanger steak. Is there a more delicious tasting cut? About once a month I feel like I'm in a rut and order something other than the hanger, and I'm always slightly disappointed.

Now...I'd love to see what Michael could do with a nice skirt. Skirt steak, that is.

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I can't believe there's any reason to order anything other than the hanger steak. Is there a more delicious tasting cut? About once a month I feel like I'm in a rut and order something other than the hanger, and I'm always slightly disappointed.

Now...I'd love to see what Michael could do with a nice skirt. Skirt steak, that is.

I had onglette regret last night; ordered the petite strip with the bone marrow topping and it was good, but not the eye-rolling good of the hanging tender. Our 9 year-old ordered the grilled salmon for the first time and it was much too garlicky for her tastes; we had been expecting a plain grilled salmon. They're definitely shaking out a few kinks from the move to a much larger location. We thought the crab bisque was served a bit cold (or had chilled from having very cold crab dumped into it just prior to serving), and like others, the potatoes seemed a bit less rich than before. Servers were bustling so much that they were bumping into tables a fair amount. And our daughter was disappointed that the check didn't come out with the tiger fudge.

On the other hand, my mother was delighted to hear about the possibility of reservations for her next visit to the area. It is pretty much impossible to get meat of RTS's quality where they live.

As to what Michael could do with a skirt steak, the mind boggles. That's what we cooked for our dinner this evening and the topic of "someone must have made a skirt out of this and photographed it" came up during dinner conversation. So far, have been unable to find any actual images on the web, though there are a ton of food porn pictures of more conventional skirt steaks.

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Many thanks to Michael and his crew on Sunday night. Took my parents there for their 41st wedding anniversary. Food and service hasn't skipped a beat since the move. I had my normal cowboy and the 'rents opted for the "bistro special" a app/entree/dessert for $24 with bacon-wrapped filets. Enjoyed the little demitasses of hot choc for dessert as well. Place was jammed when we left with a huge queue of folks waiting.

Michael--loved the bistro special, will you continue "A place at the table" on Sundays or is the special its replacement? Is that every day or just sundays?

Thanks

Nashman

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When you've had a full meal and are ready do be lulled into a food coma, don't look up into the powerfully hypnotic counter-rotating ceiling fans.

Love the news digs. Service and food are the same as always. In one room there are actually tablecloths. Tablecloths!

Oooh - I have a new hobby! Really, it's a fun way to waste time at work. Go look up the laughably horrible reviews of Ray's. Some gems:

1) They don't take reservations (which, while technically true before the move, hardly has anything to do with the food).

2) The things people say about the decor.

3) The food is way overpriced for a steakhouse (wait, what?).

4) My personal favorite: "go spend your money at a reputable establishment like Ruth's Chris."

5) The "condescending hostess." It's funny. Danielle is one of the nicest, sweetest, most together people I've ever met. Actually, she's a lot like my assistant at work. Although I would imagine, like my assistant (who I've seen REALLY turn on the bitch), I wouldn't want to get on her bad side.

I look at those review sites where there are a hundred five star customer reviews and a mere handful of one stars. Usually it's not about a bad experience, usually it's a sweeping generalization. I've got to ask those people if, looking at the ratio of good to bad reviews, whether the problem might not lie with them rather than the restaurant.

Oh, and the Bertolucci - the NY strip with the bone marrow - was fantastic. For some reason I kept cutting off pieces that were too big and nearly choking myself. I've never had bone marrow before, I'll have to give it a shot at home.

Thanks, Michael! Danielle said she could hardly keep up with your Ray's the Catch brainstorms... can't wait to see what you come up with!

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The food is as good as ever -- maybe even better. I, too, forgot to ask if the bistro special would be available every day or not. But I did see the (enormous) bacon-wrapped filet medallions that are part of the special, and this has to be one of the best deals in the city. The bisque was great last night, and even more rich than I remembered it. (This led me to think they could also pass off a bowl of the diablo sauce as a soup. I'd eat it.)

Service was great for being so crowded. The new place is three times as big, yet the demand for tables has increased right along with the size. So is the tablecloth section designated for those who have reservations? Hadn't pondered the difference.

The call-ahead system seems to be going well. I did the old fashioned walk-in (at 3 p.m. on a Sunday), and that worked, too.

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We went Sunday night. I was surprised to see how crowded it was; on the other hand, I heard some other places were pretty packed, too. Maybe it was the holiday.

Michael was working the door and doing a good job of keeping things moving and people happy it seemed. A few people left when they found out it'd be at least an hour or so before they could sit - we had reservations so it wasn't an issue for us.

The only quibbles were minor. They were out of a lot of the wines, but the waitress brought over two different suggested wines so we didn't have to wait. The sides didn't come out with our steaks but our waitress quickly corrected it, and it took a good bit of flagging to get her attention for the check. I didn't get any hot chocolate but I doubt I could've drank it.

I had the crab bisque and we also split the blackened scallops. Yummy. Then I got the cowboy cut which I hadn't had before and oh my goodness that was a delicious steak. I definitely ate way too much and was regretting being so full for about 24 hours...

The realization that the ovaltine & scotch is a breakfast drink maens I'll have to wait to try it. :P I'd hoped to talk to Michael a bit about a CFF Brewer's Ball donation but I was so addled by red meat I couldn't think straight. :D

And my friend who manages at Fleming's is jealous that I "cheated" on him...though I've never eaten at Fleming's...

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Just past Robeks, you will notice this large restaurant-like space that occupies the entire front, left corner (Good, er, Five Guys is on the back right corner as you head out Wilson) and about 25% of the entire ground floor frontage of 2300 Wilson Boulevard, aka the Navy League Building. Ray's is actually at the corner of Wayne (one way going the wrong way, from Clarendon to Wilson instead of vice-versa) and Clarendon.

We still don't have awnings or permanent signs, just to fuck with people.

Just past Ray's on the right on Clarendon (Ray's at this point would be on the left as you travel down Clarendon) is a public garage where parking is, I believe, free after 6 (possibly 5).

Love the new space man. Looks great. Now, can we please get some beer over at Hell Burger? Thank you.

:P

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Great meal at the new space last night. Wonderful service. despite running 2-3xs as many covers per night as the old place. Steaks were top notch, the bistro special was soup or salad, hanger or scallops and dessert for 24 bucks, GREAT DEAL. Parking was validated and there were many new wait staff. All the wine is back in stock.

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Great meal at the new space last night. Wonderful service. despite running 2-3xs as many covers per night as the old place. Steaks were top notch, the bistro special was soup or salad, hanger or scallops and dessert for 24 bucks, GREAT DEAL. Parking was validated and there were many new wait staff. All the wine is back in stock.

Do you have to sit somewhere specific to get the bistro special (e.g., the bar area - is there one?)? Thanks.

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There is no bar (but I wish there was), and from my understanding you have to sit in a seat, any seat, to get the Bistro special. But I can not speak for management, only flip the occasion verbal bird at them :P. My future father in law loves Ray's, his recent visit promted the following comment "And the Steak place was just what a steak place

should be. Noisy and lots of food. Your guidance helped us enjoy that Blue Crab dish".

BTW Specials this week included Lamb Chops, Crab Royal, the Bistro steal special, and a few others, ask your wait staff they are very helpful

Do you have to sit somewhere specific to get the bistro special (e.g., the bar area - is there one?)? Thanks.
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There is no bar (but I wish there was), and from my understanding you have to sit in a seat, any seat, to get the Bistro special. But I can not speak for management, only flip the occasion verbal bird at them :P. My future father in law loves Ray's, his recent visit promted the following comment "And the Steak place was just what a steak place

should be. Noisy and lots of food. Your guidance helped us enjoy that Blue Crab dish".

BTW Specials this week included Lamb Chops, Crab Royal, the Bistro steal special, and a few others, ask your wait staff they are very helpful

Excellent information, thanks! Can't wait to get over there...

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How noisy is the new RTS? I ask because, as much as I loved the food and the service, the last time I dined there the noise level was so high that I couldn't hear anything my server said to me, and she could barely hear me. Because of my hearing impairment, this made for an extremely difficult dining experience, and I haven't been back. If the new place is less noisy, I would love to try it.

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How noisy is the new RTS? I ask because, as much as I loved the food and the service, the last time I dined there the noise level was so high that I couldn't hear anything my server said to me, and she could barely hear me. Because of my hearing impairment, this made for an extremely difficult dining experience, and I haven't been back. If the new place is less noisy, I would love to try it.

The section off to the left (with tablecloths) is much quieter; I actually remarked to Michael that senior citizens would be comfortable there. (Tom, you may wish to sit in both sections and do a double-decibel reporting job, rather than simply an average of the two, because the difference in noise is markable.) I'm not saying the quiet section is a library, but trust me: Get a reservation on the quiet side.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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The section off to the left (with tablecloths) is much quieter; I actually remarked to Michael that senior citizens would be comfortable there. (Tom, you may wish to sit in both sections and do a double-decibel reporting job, rather than simply an average of the two, because the difference in noise is markable.) I'm not saying the quiet section is a library, but trust me: Get a reservation on the quiet side.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Huge difference between the two sides. We sat in the loud side tonight since the girls were with me and didn't want to bother any real couples.

Said hi to a few Rockwell friends tonight - and dinner was incredible!

Marrow on top (smile smile). Mac and cheese (yay)

New servers and they were great - nice, friendly efficient and had a smile while being very busy. At 6pm very full

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My husband and I dined at RTS for the first time on Tuesday night (celebrating Valentine's late since I had to work Saturday). We were very impressed with the food quality and quantity. Both had the hanger steak on recommendations from this and other boards. He had a salad and I had the crab bisque as starters - bisque was truly awesome! The hot chocolate at the end is to die for - I think hubbie thought it was the best part of the meal!

Only question I had was about the bistro special: had read about it and though it was available every night. But when we asked our server about it, she said it was only on Sunday night. Then we overheard another server telling her table about the special. So we were a little disappointed in that inconsistency. Maybe I can confirm when it is actually available and will insist if a staff member tells us otherwise next time!

Certainly would recommend making a reservation and sitting on the 'tablecloth' side - quite a bit quieter than the other side. But if RTS was closer to home, I could definitely see dropping on on a moment's notice!

Thanks all!

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Saturday night Mrs. & me had our first dinner at the new RTS.

It was divine.

The tablecloths had us wondering whether the old magic was gone. But our meal soon proved otherwise.

The menu, as well as the number of tables, has expanded and includes a page of butcher's cuts and some new appetizers and salads. But for this visit, we stuck mostly with old favorites.

We started with Gruet sparkling rose and Devilishly Good Eggs filed with steak tartare. Then a small plate of scallops for Mrs. and a caesar salad for me.

For our mains, a Black & Blue New Yorker and my favorite, a medium rare hanger steak as well as a bottle of Mulderbosch "Faithful Hound" 2005. The steaks and sides (mashed potato and creamed spinach) still have their mojo -- although we didn't see it, I am sure the Jolly Roger must still be flying over the RTS grill.

Desserts were strawberries & cream and Key Lime pie: both too tempting to pass up!

The room was packed, but the front of house service and hospitality were still tops. We're already plotting our next visit.

Kudos to Michael Landrum for his continued commitment to quality, hospitality and for adding a reservation option at RTS.

If you haven't been, GO NOW!

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Walking past the old location today and windows were "curtained" with signs saying "filming in progress." :P ??

This was posted on CraigsList yesterday:

MOVIE EXTRAS NEEDED - 02/22/09 (Arlington, VA)

from craigslist | tv/film/video/radio jobs in washington, DC

Extras needed, Sunday, February 22, 12PM-8PM, for independent film in Arlington, VA. We need 15-20 extras to fill dining area of indoor restaurant scene. We also need 5-10 men or women to act as Secret Service Agents (must wear black or navy blue suit). Restaurant located at 1725 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA. If interested, please e-mail KenBeaver@comcast.net and let us know if you are interested in being a restaurant patron or Secret Service Agent.

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Or maybe when he wasn't ?!?!
hmmm, I thought the e-mail address in the casting call (KenBeaver@comcast.net) sounded a little, I dunno, Boogie Nights-esque....and the papered over windows a little Zack And Miri Make A Porno...throw in the escalating Archibald's references and, as Julia Child was wont to exclaim at the climactic shot-on-video moment, "Voila!!"
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hmmm, I thought the e-mail address in the casting call (KenBeaver@comcast.net) sounded a little, I dunno, Boogie Nights-esque....and the papered over windows a little Zack And Miri Make A Porno...throw in the escalating Archibald's references and, as Julia Child was wont to exclaim at the climactic shot-on-video moment, "Voila!!"
Possibly on to something here, or almost -- actually if it involved a casting call for "Secret Service Agent" types I'll bet it was for the film in progress of DC's own little real life porn show -- President Bill and Monica. I'm told that they still need someone to play Clinton, but I'm thinking Michael could be fetching in a little blue dress.
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"Only question I had was about the bistro special: had read about it and though it was available every night. But when we asked our server about it, she said it was only on Sunday night. Then we overheard another server telling her table about the special. So we were a little disappointed in that inconsistency. Maybe I can confirm when it is actually available and will insist if a staff member tells us otherwise next time!"

Still waiting patiently for an answer to this question ....

Thanks!

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Quick comment on dinner at Ray's tonight...

Food: good

Service: lousy

Overly grabby, "can I take that?"..."have you finished that?" and my absolute favorite, "Are you still working on that?" Why yes I am. I've already constructed a neat little sculpture with the mashed potatoes, I'm making a lawn with the spinach...

The bowl of cashews half full (half-empty?) that are unceremoniously ripped from the table, being asked 20 times in 5 minutes if we're finished...blah!!!

I think the new place should be named Ray's the Classics of Clarendon. The expense report/business write-off people were out in full-force. None of the funky charm of the early incarnation, none of the personalized service (even if it was hurried), none of the indefinable something that made Ray's the Steaks what it was. The new place is a nameless, faceless place. Without Danielle at the front, I could have been in any of a thousand steak places in a thousand different cities and wouldn't have known the difference. I certainly don't want anyone to think that I don't wish Michael to succeed, the world should only have many more like him, I just don't feel any warmth or individuality in the new Ray's.

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Quick comment on dinner at Ray's tonight...

Food: good

Service: lousy

Overly grabby, "can I take that?"..."have you finished that?" and my absolute favorite, "Are you still working on that?" Why yes I am. I've already constructed a neat little sculpture with the mashed potatoes, I'm making a lawn with the spinach...

The bowl of cashews half full (half-empty?) that are unceremoniously ripped from the table, being asked 20 times in 5 minutes if we're finished...blah!!!

Reluctantly, I have to agree with my friend M'sieu Escoffier on the rough service, all the more surprising since they were trained by the rigorous Michael Landrum, who coincidentally was not on site during this meal. There was a sense of rushing us through. The waiters awkwardly leaned across the table to scoop up plates. My cutlery disappeared after the appetizer and was not replaced until I flagged down a waiter. I was served a bottle of beer without a glass. The waiter first said they had rack of lamb (for 1) and then after checking with the kitchen at my insistence said no, it was lamb chops. All in all, it was what I would have expected on opening night except that opening night was much smoother.

As for the other clientèle, I have no idea if they were expense account people or visitors from Mars. But business continues to thrive. At 7 p.m., only one table was unoccupied.

The thrust of all this is that we have very high standards regarding Michael's restaurants, and this was just an off day. If Wm Blake were there, he would have said (to continue Michael's "fearful symmetry" image), Did He who made the lamb make thee?

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I am sure that Mark will have more to say on the subject, but first let me enthusiastically state how proud and happy I am to have the opportunity to work with one of the most accomplished, passionate and knowledgeable wine experts in the world, as well as one of the most gracious and most genuine individuals I know.

Our goal is nothing less than to create the most radicalized and subversive wine program in the country.

My goal is to have Mark make Ray's: The Steaks a national destination for wine lovers to explore and discover new and exciting wines at some very low price points and to make available world-class and distinctive wines that are not readily available otherwise at prices below what would be paid retail or at auction, and dramatically lower than at other restaurants. Honestly, our prices will make the competition's, both retail and restaurants, shit run scared--as well it should.

Mark's unequaled depth and breadth of knowledge, and passion for gracious service, are the perfect counterbalance to my unfettered insanity--and with his efforts we will turn this into a beautiful thing, the likes of which have not yet been seen.

There are so very many surprises in store as well to further this madness that will just have to develop, and be made known, in time.

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My goal is to have Mark make Ray's: The Steaks a national destination for wine lovers to explore

Michael, will Mark be directing his efforts only at Steaks, or will Classics (and other future locations) also be part of his program?

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"Only question I had was about the bistro special: had read about it and though it was available every night. But when we asked our server about it, she said it was only on Sunday night. Then we overheard another server telling her table about the special. So we were a little disappointed in that inconsistency. Maybe I can confirm when it is actually available and will insist if a staff member tells us otherwise next time!"

Still waiting patiently for an answer to this question ....

Thanks!

The bistro special is offered Sunday through Friday for $23.95 for a three course meal, based on availability. Typically, that involves either soup or salad, either a hanger steak or jumbo scallops, and desert.

In the first three days or so of being open in the new location there may have been changing availability.

I would have answered earlier, but subsequent postings seemed to have answered the question.

It is always best to insist on speaking to a manager should any discrepancy arise, or pose your question directly to me.

Feel free to PM should this not suffice.

PS: I briefly served as a corporal in the infantry, and have a gored out shin bone to prove it, until I was busted back down to private, and managed to survive two court-martials, one for not wearing pants (literally) and both due to an open mouth, without any time served, so you can only imagine the respect and fear I have for a lieutenant. I have heard that the officers' club at Ft Myers serves an excellent dinner, with open-grinned Pullman Car-like service where you will never have to insist on anything.

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PS: I briefly served as a corporal in the infantry, and have a gored out shin bone to prove it, until I was busted back down to private, and managed to survive two court-martials, one for not wearing pants (literally) and both due to an open mouth, without any time served, so you can only imagine the respect and fear I have for a lieutenant. I have heard that the officers' club at Ft Myers serves an excellent dinner, with open-grinned Pullman Car-like service where you will never have to insist on anything.

Thank you for the answer to the bistro special question - next time we'll ask for a manager.

I'm a Lieutenant with the Alexandria Police Department, so you're pretty safe from any more court martials! So Ft Myer isn't an option for me ;-)

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I am sure that Mark will have more to say on the subject, but first let me enthusiastically state how proud and happy I am to have the opportunity to work with one of the most accomplished, passionate and knowledgeable wine experts in the world, as well as one of the most gracious and most genuine individuals I know.

Our goal is nothing less than to create the most radicalized and subversive wine program in the country.

My goal is to have Mark make Ray's: The Steaks a national destination for wine lovers to explore and discover new and exciting wines at some very low price points and to make available world-class and distinctive wines that are not readily available otherwise at prices below what would be paid retail or at auction, and dramatically lower than at other restaurants. Honestly, our prices will make the competition's, both retail and restaurants, shit run scared--as well it should.

Mark's unequaled depth and breadth of knowledge, and passion for gracious service, are the perfect counterbalance to my unfettered insanity--and with his efforts we will turn this into a beautiful thing, the likes of which have not yet been seen.

There are so very many surprises in store as well to further this madness that will just have to develop, and be made known, in time.

Mark is a maverick. Working with him, a walking wine encyclopedia. Most talented expert in wine that walks our planet. Mark is a great teacher and inspiration. I believe you, this is going to be a great opportunity and more flexibility. No doubt. He will definitely make it one of the best destinations for wine in the nation, "a national destination for wine lovers to explore and discover new and exciting wines." I have a feeling it's going to be amazing! Mark is a great investment! Bravo Team!

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