Michael Landrum

It is unfortunate that you not only had a bad experience at Ray's but were so-actively challenged for expressing your opinion here. Your concern is a valid one--one with I actively combat each and every day: How to guide and constantly re-invigorate a restaurant that grows from serving 200 people a week to one that serves 3000, without sacrificing quality (which many will perceive regardless); while maintaining value despite rapidly escalating costs due to this growth; and while remaining "true" to all people's idea of what we are to them. One way which we have done this is to expand our beef program to include three distinct options: 1) Breed-specific, near all-natural (feed is not certified organic, is hormone-free, antibiotics may be used, but only to treat, however, this would almost certainly remove the steer from the program), traditional American pastured but grain and corn-supplemented High Choice/Prime Beef. This is vacuum aged 45-60 days in house--far beyond industry norms--and represents the core of our offerings and is what the vast majority of Americans expect from a top-quality steak. (BLT, by comparison and who I enjoy, uses straight CAB). 2) This same beef, short loins and primal rib, dry-aged in house 45+ days, hand-trimmed and carved each day. 45 days far exceeds industry norms. For example, Capital Grille dry-ages for 18 days, Smith and Wollensky, nominally 21. At Kraft Steak, I believe they offered 21, 30, 45, and 60 days with each break incurring a 20% price increase. 3) All-natural, hormone and drug free, pastured (2 head/acre) but with silage available in the field over the course of their entire lives (rather than lot-fed only prior to harvest) from a farm in Lexington, VA. This herd is managed specifically for us according to the same standards my family raises cattle in Argentina, and is hung as sides for 30 days before we finish them in-house an additional week. Your perception of our pricing is entirely correct regarding the latter two items, as is your perception of the "un-beef-like" flavor. (My guess is you were served a "grass-fed" cut, which in Argentina would not be aged for so long). "Retro" Ray's may be the place for you, and was certainly designed with many of your complaints in mind, where we offer all of our classic, straight-forward preparations using the traditional, core Steakhouse beef and most everything is in the high teens to mid twenties, price-wise. In fact, we lowered prices there for identical steaks by 5-10% based on an in-kind comparison. Additionally, I am not one hundred percent sure, but I don't believe we offer a single wine by the glass over $10. As a final note, our check average has remained an astoundingly constant $43/person for the past 3 years. As a server at the Capital Grille in 1995 it was $85/person. I hope this last experience has not escalated to where it has put you off us entirely.

http://jaheim fabulous

Ignoring what the web-site chose to put in bold-face, and their apparent need to confirm stereotypes... Read down a bit farther and you'll get to it. (Although "largest scrotal measurements" does have me in hysterics thinking about Luis Guzman in the movie "Waiting"...Batman!)

Well, my day, in contrast, was marvelous, simply marvelous--and all because of this one simple discovery while searching for potential cattle breeding information. http://www.irishblac...rishblacks.html Let me remind you all, that I lack all technological ability, and the one bold-faced breed characteristic was done so entirely by the creators of the website who are, presumably, also the promoters of the breed. "What you have been hearing about the breed is TRUE!" they boast... It is here you will find in bold-face the one trait the Irish prize most, apparently. Go figure.

The obvious answer. You are meant to take them out and wander round. Wander round. Sunshine and daydreams.

A most important question. Will they be offering any kind of prize to the first customer (or "guest" as Charles likes to say) who says: "Bread's all empty but I don't care" upon receiving a less than amply filled but still delicious sandwich"?

I just read about a new taqueria called "El Ray" opening. Can anyone help me? Is this one of my new restaurants? If so, does anyone know its location, menu, hours of operation, and how badly the wine list sucks so I can post the information on my "web-site"? And, most importantly, will it have its own thread here or just be mixed in together with the rest? Any information will be greatly appreciated.

Ahhhh...That is true of the "F" in English (which actually most often tends to the affricate, when followed by a liquid, or low vowel or dipthong--anything but a high vowel really), but in most Middle Eastern, African and Asian/Pacific Rim languages, it is closer to the voiceless bilabial fricative (the phi symbol in IPA) than the labio-dental. It's all fluid points on a continuum anyway, isn't it...unless you taught prescriptive linguistics (insert un-smiley Kolobok here). I never made it to college, so it appears my callowness is not limited to such a brief period and remains on-going, but in this case, I am not aware of any jokes. Now when it comes to effecting glottal stops, that's a whole 'nother matter... By the way, do you have a sister named Kat A. Phor whose always going on about the future?

I can't help but think how well-timed this discussion is, since Bravo TV will soon be airing a program that promises to do for the Persian-American culture what it has done to the restaurant culture here in America, bringing the class, illumination, authenticity and reality that only Bravo can, enriching the culture for all. I am sure all of our questions will be addressed in the most informative way possible and a whole new generation of cultural heroes will be born! Bravo TV? I say Bravo to YOU!

Never has a product description made me need one so badly. One? I meant one hundred! I will have them. With so many good friends and Valentine's Day just around the corner, will one hundred even be enough? Not to mention all the phones all those restaurants I'm opening will need!

You must have debuccalized by mistake.

Sean Mike, I believe in youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

They are both voiceless bi-labials, so it's not really a change, just a shift from a plosive to a fricative.

Interestingly enough, the word "peach" is actually derived from the word "Persian", or "Persian apple" to be more precise. While the peach tree is native to China, it was brought to the West by Persian traders, hence the name. Iran is a political designation instituted by Reza Pahlavi in rejection of the Greek-derived (or so he thought) Persia. Iran means "land of the 'Er'", or Iranian people (don't we just love recursiveness on this board?), and is related to the word "Aryan". Er, and Iran, are indigenous to the region, and pre-date Pars, Farsi, Persian, etc. which all come, historically, from Arab invaders and occupiers of the region. So, to come full circle, it seems that in order to signal connection to the authentic culture, Persians of today are rejecting the indigenously derived--but politically motivated--name in favor of the name given by invaders, conquerors, occupiers and colonialists.

Forget working on a factory floor. After sexing chicks using the Japanese Anal Method*, there's nothing in the world that even comes close. *Cuttlefish and asparagus, anyone? Hold on Kyle, I believe in youuuuuuuuuuu!

I am surprised that none of the wiser eminences grises among us have chosen to remind us of the cautionary tales surrounding Maxim's, Il Raddichio, Citronelle, Paolo's, Todd English in toto (and no, I am not accusing him, despite his many and obvious transgressions, of fetishistic Wizard of Oz-themed bestiality), Eric Ripert's Marriott Outlet-Stores, and others, to be sure, while the younger among us supply a suitable Jimmy Cliff soundtrack. And no, the irony that I may belong somewhere on that list someday is not lost on me

And the Seventh Day Adventists could do the managing while the Jews do the accounting! A special strike team of Eastern Orthodox and Jehovah's Witnesses could open on the real Christmas, and the Jehovah's Witnesses would handle Easter alone!

No comparison. We have Sonic The Hedgehog, they have Yozhuk v Tumane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRsXU4Q6a0Q

Done.

If you "mouse-over" the screen it lets you click on the sub-title option. In Soviet Russia, the short films animate you. (By the way, Gena's "Birthday Song" and "Blue Wagon Song" are classics--morosely, achingly, beautifully, and both smally and greatly, inspirational in a way only the Russians can express--and not to be missed).

It is obvious that in this narrative, Don is clearly Gena, DCDining.com is the House of Friends, Spike is Chapeau-Claque, and we all work as employees at the Zoo Park: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkb9ys_russian-animation-gena-the-crocodile-english-subtitles-1969_shortfilms

I do not mean this as a comment on any of my colleagues, or anyone under discussion here, but each and every time I hear the words "Top Chef" it makes me yearn for the moment when we all say: "Adios, Johnny Bravo TV" : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0531070/

You are entitled to your opinion and judgement, but I am incredibly shocked at how you chose to express it here.

Comments in response to the recent Post article on dining options in Wards 7 and 8: FishBulb 2/19/2012 11:21 PM EST Hasn't Ray's been "closed for renovations" for months? NewEra 2:58 AM EST I doubt Ray's will ever reopen. Too bad. Ample parking, good food and moderate prices. Guess the profit margin wasn't large enough. MichaelLandrum 5:07 AM EST Actually, Ray's The Steaks at East River has been open now for several weeks, according to plan and ahead of schedule, a fact that was not reported by the Post. The impression that we would not be re-opening, which several of the posters below accepted as fact, was merely the result of deliberately misleading insinuations by another Post reporter, Tim Carman, an error in judgement and professionalism which apparently he could not be bothered to correct. One that also, wrongly and unfairly, adversely impacted the reputation of the neighborhood in an attempt to damage mine. We are proud and to serve Wards 7 and 8 for a long time to come, and to welcome back all of our neighbors and friends. --Michael Landrum It would be interesting to share the e-mail exchange I shared with Mr. Schwartzman as to why I declined to comment for his article, but parts of that would be too hurtful to some, even by my standards.

Uncirculated pennies, just like the billions of dollars of tax withholdings that go unclaimed each year by undocumented workers living in fear, are a recondite free gift to the Treasury--without the both of which our entire economy would collapse almost instantaneously. Therefore, neither the penny nor the cowardly branding of fellow human beings as "illegals" will ever go away.