Escoffier

Absolutely. Full of squid and octopus and other seafood. The squid and octopus weren't overcooked so they were nice and tender. It was great. Almost Southern (US not Korean) style. Breaded in a great crispy crust, the meat was delicate and excellent (and extremely heat hot). This is a dish you could feed your grandmother and she wouldn't have any problem eating it. For around $36 (I think; I don't really remember), we ate enough for 4 people. The biggest problem with the food was it was so good, we didn't want to stop eating it.

He's probably shvitsn all over the place...

Meeguks are not Koreans...

From the review I read, the menu is in Korean and English. If you have any familiarity with Korean food, you can either point at someone elses plate or attempt a bit of Hangol. Koreans are shocked and pleased when Meeguks attempt Hangol.

and sadly missing in most day to day events.

If you were planning on taking that last seat on Friday you're out of luck. This Farmer's Table dinner is now officially full. I'm sure that I can talk Chef Will Artley into another one but for later in the year. The dinner will take place in Planet Wine which is right next door to Evening Star Cafe. The dinner starts at 7:00pm on Friday the 6th. See you lucky ones there. Attendees: The last seat is available. Good food, good conversation and good friends...what more could you ask for? Attendees: Grover Escoffier agm NotQuickDraw MeMc Nashman1975 Walrus+3 StephenB +1 TheMatt Merry Mary

The last seat is available. Good food, good conversation and good friends...what more could you ask for? Attendees: Grover Escoffier agm NotQuickDraw MeMc Nashman1975 Walrus+3 StephenB +1 TheMatt

Okay, the tension is building and Chef Will Artley is scheming. Grover and I had a bit of a preview of some of the courses on Thursday night and they are scrumptious. Neel the manager gave us a preview of the wines and they match the foods wonderfully well. If you miss this one you're really going to be sorry. The price is $65 for dinner and $85 for dinner and the wine pairing. If you like good wines, you'll love this dinner. Grover and I are looking forward to seeing everyone on March 6 at 7:00pm.

List updated: Only 2 seats left. If you miss this dinner, you'll be sorry... Grover Escoffier agm NotQuickDraw MeMc Nashman1975 Walrus+3 StephenB TheMatt

Matt, there is always room for you...we'll see you on the 6th...

The Evening Star Cafe Farmer's Table dinner is getting very close (March 6 at 7:00pm). Evening Star Cafe is on Mount Vernon Avenue in the DelRay section of Alexandria. DelRay has a number of great shops including Cheesetique, Meat on the Avenue and Dairy Godmother. Farmer's Table Dinner on March 6th. There are two places available due to people who cannot make it. Here is your chance to join the following folks at what will be a memorable dining experience. Grover Escoffier agm NotQuickDraw MeMc Nashman1975 Walrus+3 StephenB TheMatt

I'm not sure I can agree with this statement. The pressures at every restaurant are the same, make a profit, turn tables, satisfy your clientele and provide a satisfying experience. When any of service, food or atmosphere are lacking, it's hard to feel that you have spent your money wisely. There is no doubt that Ray's (especially in the old location) provided excellent value and excellent service and a funky "love it or hate it" atmosphere. The new site provides excellent value, lousy service (at least last night) and a rather sterile atmosphere. If you have to make an effort to find something to like in a restaurant atmosphere...

I have a hard time being an apologist for bad service. As Michael wasn't responsible for the bad service, I'm afraid those slings and arrows of outrageous fortune shall fall on fallow ground (and I think the people who do such things are hilarious and were probably strictly potty trained at a really early age)

Actually, I have no idea what the norm is in the new place. As this was my first visit to the new site, I have only my initial (not very favorable) impression of the service. That has now become my norm. I have no way of knowing whether this was usual or not. (and this wasn't a rant, you ain't ever seen a real rant from me )

If you were on the list for the original date, I assume that you will be present and ravenously hungry for the 6th. If for some reason, you cannot attend, please let me know. There are other people who have expressed an interest and it would be a shame if someone missed out on this great dinner.

You like lousy service? You like servers snatching plates off your table when you stop to take a breath? You like servers leaning across the table to put down the check only to return 30 seconds later to ask "Can I take that?" In all the years that I have been going to Ray's (and that started the week the original opened), I have never had a server reach across the table and attempt to take a half-full plate from in front of me..I've never had someone reach out and grab that miniscule bowl of cashews when it's half full, I've never had a server ask me if we plan on keeping the bread on the table 5 minutes after we've been seated. You definitely have a different idea of what constitutes hurried service versus what constitutes harried service. Amazingly, in all those years of going to the original, even though there was a unofficial 45 minute limit, I never had any of those things happen to me that happened last night.

I'm trying hard to even care....as crappy as the service was, we could have been eating in the old Trailways bus station on New York Ave...

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.

March 10 is Honey Pig. May not be a good idea to have that much Asian food that close together

Mondays are not very good for grocery shopping. Most people shop on the weekends so stores tend to do major restocking starting around Wednesday. That way when Friday comes the store is stocked for the influx. After the weekend, they try to move the overstock and get ready for another weekend.

Thanks. I fixed the error. I'm still a bit jet lagged but it's on Friday the 6th of March at 7:00 pm.Please let the original people who requested a seat have priority. As we get closer, I will start a wait list if the 14 places are full. Here is the list of people who have reconfirmed: Farmers Table Dinner on March 6th at 7:00 pm at Evening Star. (7 places remaining) Grover Escoffier dalaii agm NotQuickDraw MeMc Nashman1975

Absolutely. Thanks for the heads up...that's what I get for doing things after being on an airplane for 22 hours... We had one person drop out on the original date, so if you signed up for the 27th I'm going to assume you want to change to Friday the 6th. If this is incorrect, please let me know. If all of the original people decide to go on the revised date, I'll start a standby list.Here is the original list: Attendees: Escoffier Grover Walrus Tripewriter StephenB TheMatt MeMc dalaii aaronsinger nashman1975 walrus +1 (for the friends) aqm NotQuickDraw And here is the new list of people who have already confirmed for the new date: Available seats (8 remaining) Grover Escoffier dalaii agm NotQuickDraw MeMc

You are there..Available seats (11 remaining) Grover Escoffier dalaii

I have some good news and some bad news. Chef Will Artley has to cancel on the Feb 27th date due to an unforseen event. The good news is that the dinner has been rescheduled for March 6th at the same time and he's going to add some more dishes to the original menu. Please let me know if you would like one of the 14 places available for this dinner. Anyone who went to the first one knows how good this dinner is. Available seats (12 remaining) Grover Escoffier

Congratulations on the opening, Dave. I knew you could do it. Grover and I will be coming in soon for our trial run.