Michael Landrum

Question for Michael:  What is the latest time one can show up and get an unhurried meal?

At Ray's The Steaks??? Unhurried???

Due to an extended and on-going bout of idiocy, I did not realize how much we actually charge for salmon on the menu (15.95); so we are re-pricing the fish option of the deal to $18. Thanks to everyone for coming out, especially the mysterious late night visitor (visitation??).

To encourage the renewed neighborhood feel at Ray's, and to cut a spring break for those whose appetites exceed their bank balances, we are now offering the following special:

$20 Bistro Dinner

Choice of:

Cup of Crab Bisque or Onion Soup/or Mixed Greens or Caesar Salad

Choice of:

Hangar Steak or Salmon (Diablo/Blackened/or Grilled)

Mashed Potatoes/Creamed Spinach

This offer is open to anyone, anytime (until further notice, but at least the next weeks) but Rockwellians can expect the usual second class treatment.

For those concerned about waits, so far the new system is working this way:

We are doing as much business, if not more, as before, but in a much more easy-going atmosphere.  However, waits are minimal--usually 20-30 minutes, sometimes 45, rarely up to an hour and 15 minutes (our average dining time is and always was a comfortable 75-80 minutes despite all the whining).  Those who arrive before 6:15 should be seated right away.  No promises, but that is the way it has been working so far.

I am going to post this in "Twenty Dollar Tuesdays" as well so that people who don't even bother with the Ray's thread, assuming that any new post is either a shrill attack or even shriller counter-attack, will hear about the deal as well.

Look forward to seeing you all soon.

As if I need another reason to go to RTS .... this is like making crack more addictive ....

OK, how's this...2002 Condado de Haza for $38, down from $46?

To encourage the renewed neighborhood feel at Ray's, and to cut a spring break for those whose appetites exceed their bank balances, we are now offering the following special:

$20 Bistro Dinner

Choice of:

Cup of Crab Bisque or Onion Soup/or Mixed Greens or Caesar Salad

Choice of:

Hangar Steak or Salmon (Diablo/Blackened/or Grilled)

Mashed Potatoes/Creamed Spinach

This offer is open to anyone, anytime (until further notice, but at least the next weeks) but Rockwellians can expect the usual second class treatment.

For those concerned about waits, so far the new system is working this way:

We are doing as much business, if not more, as before, but in a much more easy-goin atmosphere. However, waits are minimal--usually 20-30 minutes, sometimes 45, rarely up to an hour and 15 minutes (our average dining time is and always was a comfortable 75-80 minutes despite all the whining). Those who arrive before 6:15 should be seated right away. No promises, but that is the way it has been working so far.

I am going to post this in "Twenty Dollar Tuesdays" as well so that people who don't even bother with the Ray's thread, assuming that any new post is either a shrill attack or even shriller counter-attack, will hear about the deal as well.

Look forward to seeing you all soon.

To encourage the renewed neighborhood feel at Ray's, and to cut a spring break for those whose appetites exceed their bank balances, we are now offering the following special:

$20 Bistro Dinner

Choice of:

Cup of Crab Bisque or Onion Soup/or Mixed Greens or Caesar Salad

Choice of:

Hangar Steak or Salmon (Diablo/Blackened/or Grilled)

Mashed Potatoes/Creamed Spinach

This offer is open to anyone, anytime (until further notice, but at least the next weeks) but Rockwellians can expect the usual second class treatment.

For those concerned about waits, so far the new system is working this way:

We are doing as much business, if not more, as before, but in a much more easy-going atmosphere. However, waits are minimal--usually 20-30 minutes, sometimes 45, rarely up to an hour and 15 minutes (our average dining time is and always was a comfortable 75-80 minutes despite all the whining). Those who arrive before 6:15 should be seated right away. No promises, but that is the way it has been working so far.

I am going to post this in "Twenty Dollar Tuesdays" as well so that people who don't even bother with the Ray's thread, assuming that any new post is either a shrill attack or even shriller counter-attack, will hear about the deal as well.

Look forward to seeing you all soon.

Here is an article on the upcoming closing of Fran O'Brien's in today's post.  it makes no mention of the ADA issue.

From The Post:

"Jim Mayer, a veteran who works at the Department of Veterans Affairs and who helped start the steak dinner tradition, is concerned that the hotel wants to eliminate the spectacle of hundreds of severely disabled soldiers coming in and out of its building or that the restaurant's repeated requests for a new elevator or escalator to accommodate them was too much.

But Hilton spokeswoman Lisa Cole said the hotel's position on the lease has nothing to do with the dinners. She said its decision was based strictly on business considerations."

1) According to my source, Fran O'Brien's always paid its rent. 2) There is a very strong trend in hotels to lease hotel space to steakhouses, both to offer the simple straightforward dining that business travelers demand and to relieve the hotel from the burdens and costs of operating an unprofitable restaurant (almost all hotel restaurants are), especially when the dreaded un-American unions are involved. For example, Sam and Harry's recently signed a deal to operate 14 Sam and Harry's in Marriots in Texas. 3) Fran O'Brien's is a very high-quality, if low-key, organization.

Except for the requests for the hotel to accommodate disabled patrons--hardly an onus to a responsible organization--the explanation of "business concerns" seems unlikely to be anything but self-servingly duplicitous in the most insulting way possible to our intelligence and to those who have lost so much (and to the people who nobly, quietly and selflessly try to help them regain the smallest part of that--some dignity).

I did not know there was an article in the Post today when I started this topic, so the Gals are free to ignore my exhortations.

By the way, apparently those irreverant and sassy gossip-mongering gals at the Reliable Source consider cut-and-pasting from this forum journalism, so maybe they will read this and stray from their usual etched-in-peroxide coverage of smug inanities and actually use the considerable power of their column to do something right.

Gals, if you read this, hollah!!!

I am not a serious, responsible journalist like, say, those sassy Reliable Source gals, so I am only reporting an unverified anecdotal follow-up investigation of a report I saw on the news--Channel 9--the other night.

As though there were not enough shame attatched to the Hilton name, the following seems to have occured:

Fran O'Brien's Steakhouse, located in the 16th Street Hilton--The Capitol Hilton, I believe--has for quite a while sponsored every Friday night a Free Steak Dinner Night Out for injured and disabled Iraq War Vets from Walter Reed Hospital. At first the restaurant picked up the tab until the event grew so big it had to be underwritten by defense contractors.

The Hilton is apparently not current-ADA compliant, and access to the restaurant involves a non-ADA escalator, which many of the Vets could not navigate. They therefore had to use the back SERVICE elevator to get to the restaurant. At one point these wounded war survivors began to complain about the affront to their dignity caused by the hotel's disregard for all disabled people, not just War Vets.

Due to today's cowardly, cravenly and slavishly sanitized press, many people are not aware of the horrible, horrible aftermath of war injuries and just how much these people suffer to regain lives and dignity--but the great people at Fran O'Brien's do. And their Steak Dinners, unpublicized at their own request, do so so much to help restore those interrupted lives.

After Fran O'Brien's management asked that the Hilton to correct this gross violation of decency by making the Hilton Hotel accessible to wounded and disabled people, they lost their lease. The Hilton claims that there is no link. They, however, do not directly claim that they also think we are stupid idiots who would believe anything.

Do we as a society allow this to happen? Let's mobilize against this outrage. (No Segway jokes, this is serious).

They look like they just got done auditioning for a slot with the Village People.

After my ignomious, some would say tragic, departure as "The Grill Cook" from The Village People following the ill-fated Philadelphia MOVE Organization Benefit Concert with the ensuing attempt by the Philadelphia PD to blame the infamously homocidal rowhouse blaze on a stage stunt involving me, tongs, live coals and what they claim was an overdone "T-Bone" but was in reality a perfect medium rare, there was no--I repeat NO--attempt ever made to re-fill the vacant hole I left behind.

Support the bikers!!! Give them all the BIKE support they need!! They rock and they roll!!!

and surprises throughout the evening for all of us

Finding myself entirely too sober to continue the drive home yesterday afternoon, I stopped off at Firefly for a measured dose of soul-sustaining serum, enough to enable an attempt at the already swerving bridge--oh how I long for the days when I too lived on Connecticut Avenue and I and my low-borne ills could disport freely with my high-born chums. Rather than being able to enjoy my several spirit-emboldeners in glum silence, I found the 3 o'clock in the afternoon Firefly, usually in the furtive hush of cheap hotel affairs, instead a whirlwind of verve, moxy and entirely unwelcome energy (there was even some vim)--all in preparation for this dinner of unheard-of deliciousnesses and indulgences.

I too attempted to include my own surprise geule-teaser on this menu of surprises--a crustini of some sort, but was roundly denied participation and rightly drubbed into departure, only the lingering traces of my Hi-Karate giving any hint at all of my previous presence.

Then how do so many restaurants get away with having me sign CC reciepts that only have the last four of the number? Odd!

That would be your copy, most likely on thermal paper, that you take with you out of the restaurant. The copy that stays in the restaurant needs to have the entire number. If not, the restaurant risks losing any challenge to the validity of a contested charge--which is, of course, its right.

But that signed copy of the reciept does not have to have the entire CC number on it.

Yes, it does. Would a check without your bank account number be valid?

I'm always surprised at the vehemence with which people react to bad service. I get bad service, eh, I probably won't go back. But these folks "vow to never return" and "swear to never set foot near the place again."

My goodness people are grumpy, huh?

Believe it or not, that same vehemence is sometimes expressed by people who have never even been to the restaurant they disparage repeatedly!!!

Currently the things we have are food related, but we're open to other offers.  I'm still finalizing a few things on this front, so I don't want to speak too soon about some things we may be raffling off.  However, I want to go ahead and give a big thank two DR.com members for their very generous donations:

Danny Boylen for donating dinner for two (tasting menu and wine pairing) at Notti Bianche

Michael Landrum for donating dinner for two at Ray's

We'll be giving those away that evening.  There's still some room, so please send me a PM if you're interested.

Please note: This is a Special Third-Class Dinner for Two at Ray's The Classics. Many of you have already experienced second-class treatment at Ray's The Steaks, but this dinner will be third-class all the way!!!

Ray's The Steaks will be open Saturday, April 1. We will not be accepting reservations. We will be seating complete parties only on a first-come, first-served basis. We will be open 5 days a week, starting at 6 PM, Tuesday through Saturday.

We still do not have a bar, we still do not have a waiting area. We have even fewer seats than before. I do not recommend that anyone make a special trip to dine with us.

I thank everyone for their support, it has been invaluable to me. My apologies to anyone who may feel duped into rushing in for a "last" dinner at Ray's, but I did not have any idea when I might reopen or with what format until I could examine the issues from an unbroken perspective. I take my responsibilities, and my promises, to both guests and to co-workers very seriously, and any decision must consider these responsibilities fully--which in the case of my co-workers means to re-open as soon as possible.

I may not be able to post replies to questions on the forum or to answer PM's, but again, my thanks, and I truly look forward to seeing you soon.

Playing his violin in that little whorehouse ten miles outside of town.  Delete, delete!

Ahhh, Nadya, sweet, glorious Nadya. If only you were that violin....What fiery music we could make.

This is probably the makings of another thread, but I absolutely love the food and wine info in the weekend Wall Street Journal.  I think it's top notch.  Very limited in content each week, but between food, wine, service, restaurants, shopping and books, I think it's intelligent coverage and very broad in scale from upper echelon restaurants to simple burger joints.  They cover stuff from most every price point.

Their recent article on beef and steakhouses was sloppy, inaccurate, misinformed and misinforming, and uncritically parroted the deceptions and obfuscations that the large steakhouses use to overcharge and cheat their guests. Perhaps they had a member of the editorial staff write the piece given the special nature of the cattle grower/lobbyist/steakhouse/politcian axis of banality.

For all of those going to the dinner at Ray's Guajillo is much more than just a lounge for Ray's:  it is worth a visit entirely for itself.  To go there and just have a drink is a real loss; you should go and have dinner sometime.  It is excellent in its own way. 

Once again, I am in complete agreement with Joe H. Plus, their sipping tequilas are also exemplary--perhaps the perfect accompaniment to a post-prandial cigar.

Oliver "Three Generations of Imbeciles are Enough" Wendell

Exactly. The same Holmes whose name so proudly adorns the library at the spawning ground of privilege and elitism from which I emerged. I am glad it was you who played detective in the Holmes mystery, and not Jacques. Now if I can only evade the cursedly relentless Javerts of Connecticut Avenue...

Is this yet another Ray's stunt or more of the same?

In my short-lived and ill-fated, little-known but still-hotly-debated-in-certain-circles role as "The Grill Cook" in The Village People I had the reputation of "the stuntsman" with the boys.

In fact, it was my spectacular, "coup de tete" stunt performed once only--at the tragic MOVE Organization benefit concert which put an end to my "fully-fledged" (in the Shakespearean sense) fledgeling career--in its glorious, and, ultimately, disastrous splendor that both gave rise to the first, early comparisions with Mr. Holmes and, as the Philadelphia Police Department later outrageously claimed in a criminally false act of self-exoneration, triggered the horrible brutalities that followed.

I have since left stunts behind and these days survive only as pale fires and waxwings slain in my penumbral status today as "The King of Wilson Boules-vard."

Those planning to attend Sunday night's festivities need not fear any such gruesome revelations.

Ever seen anyone eat an entire "King of Wilson Boulevard?"

I have.

It was quite a sight.

Took some doing, that did.

The profound animus towards Ray's the Steaks and this current episode certainly raises some red flags regarding what, if anything, is going on in Sietsemas' alleged mind.  Are he and his staff totally lacking in good judgement?

To be fair--no matter how much I disagree with Tom airing the complaints about (not Ray's, but) the fairness of our reservation system (and its fairness is always the source of the complaints) and the amount of time I devote to answering the phones (previously over 30 hours a week, but not enough for many)--Tom in his chats is responding to the needs and concerns of his entire constituency and readership, which are often quite different from ours, as is often the starting off point of knowledge and sophistication.

I believe his chat is always the most frequently page, including news stories, when it is run live and the most frequently viewed chat by far.

He produces an astounding amount of copy--probably close to 2000 words, most of it thoughtful, witty, informative and pleasantly descriptive--in a very brief period of time. Further to his credit, he is also doing so in his pajamas. Try doing that.

Also to be fair, many of the egregious questions or assertions scan as reasonable and genuine at first glance. Tom is just too much of an optimist in not assuming the mal-intentions that inform many of the reports that we later take issue with.

If Ray's is doing it for love, why do they kick your tush to the curb after 90 minutes?

I'm confused...Did this happen to you when you visited Ray's? As far as I know, what you describe has never occured at the restaurant. Please share your experience.

I'm feeling the need -- and have my mother coming into town -- but can't seem to wrangle a reservation! I'm having a bad day...can you tell?

When can I call to get a reservation for Sat., April 1?

We're not taking reso's for April yet (in fact we are not taking reservations after March 26), and won't be for awhile, until I can find a way to figure out how to put an end to all this reservation/bad publicity madness. I know just shutting my mouth would take care of most of it, but that's not going to happen.

Seriously though, I do need to figure out a way where we can continue taking reservations without continuing to take so much shit for the way we do take reservations--which is the only way we can take reservations and make it work.

I also am not sure what our hours of operations will be or even what days we will be open yet.

Soon as I do know, I will let you all know.

I don't think there's a greater pan on this planet.  And my scallops turn out great in it.  So does the steak.  It still won't keep me from coming to eat at your house from time to time though, Michael.  I can't make Key Lime Pie for shit.

If I teach you how to make key lime pie, then will you stay away? Don't you read the Reliable Source?