Ray's The Classics, Silver Spring - Michael Landrum's Classic Steakhouse Sold To His Trusted Employees

[Heather]

Thanks for the update.

Grilled Applewood Smoked Slab Bacon

I'll see you tomorrow.

[MarkS]

First time last night to celebrate my son's birthday.

We all ordered from the menu, was not offered any of the special cuts when I asked the waiter. My son wanted to keep this low key so I did not push it.

The wine list is amazing-I ordered a bottle of Cain Cuvee. Very good wine for the price(65) I saw a Gigonda I will try next time but a good Cab is still the perfect match for this quality meat.

Michael took our orders and then I am assuming went back to cook the food. My boys liked that. Maybe I can become a regular and convine Michael to let me bring in some of the 1990 Bordeaux I bought when my son was born.

My 2 sons and wife each had a NY Strip. The boys had the 16oz and my wife had the 12oz as she wanted a steak that had no pink in it. They were all cooked perfectly and everyone joined the clean play clue. I had the cowboy ribeye "diablo style" a very flavorful, robust and huge steak. I am not a huge person but the bone was clean and I resisted the temptation of picking it up and gnawing on it.

The three of them had deserts, Cheescake, Root Beer Float and Key lime Pie, I thought I would be able to share theirs. Foolish me, they all did not want top share as they finished their deserts!!.

My boys also had Mac n Cheese for a side. They were first startled as it didn't look like Kraft, but it grew on them quickly and they insisted on taking home what was left.

A great experience. We all thought we would come back again at the next "special ocasion"..

[blakegwinn]

First time last night to celebrate my son's birthday.

We all ordered from the menu, was not offered any of the special cuts when I asked the waiter. My son wanted to keep this low key so I did not push it.

I believe the "special" cuts are usually listed on the menu. I think the word special is causing a misunderstanding. They are special cuts as in you don't usually see them on menus, not special as in "tonight's special cuts are...."

[Heather]

Hmmmm, I went back and reread the post and I'm still not sure if the bar menu is offered during lunch or whether it's evening only.

Chopped Steak Dinner--$15

"It's not chopped ham, it's chopped steak!"

[Heather]

While the grilled bacon is super, I have to ask..is there anything better than gravy? The chopped steak has more in common with the bifteck haché recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking than ye olde dreaded salisbury steak of yore. I recommend ordering it medium rare, as the carryover cooking is swifter in ground meat than in a steak.

[JPW]

The chopped steak has more in common with the bifteck haché recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking than ye olde dreaded salisbury steak of yore.

All i know is that it's beef-erific!

ETA - Drank the '04 Gigondas last night, it was pretty good but it needs a little bit of air. Matched the mushroom and bacon laden gravy very well.

[DanielK]

We ate in the dining room last night - we were celebrating a promotion for my wife, and she wanted the entire experience. So no bacon or chopped steak for us (Heather was nice enough to share a bite).

Nothing much new to report, though my 9-year-old polished off almost an entire 12 oz strip by himself, including some salad and sides (mashed, spinach, and mac and cheese). Krishna's Chocolate Layer Cake is fabulous, and that's coming from my wife, who used to have a small business making wedding cakes. Steven remains a terrific server, and Elliott is a gem at the front of the house.

I saw at least 3 other tables of Rockweilers OTHER than Heather and JPW (2 in the bar and one in the dining room) but I won't out them.

[cgarden]

I saw at least 3 other tables of Rockweilers

We were one of those groups - we ate at the bar and Owen had the bacon and chopped steak. He really loved the bacon (it did smell fantastic) and the gravy on the chopped steak. I had the scallop appetizer with a side of mac and cheese (one note about the mac and cheese, which is very good - it used to be available with blue cheese, and now that option isn't listed - if it's possible to ask for blue cheese, I'd highly recommend it as it gives the dish a nice tang). We brought home about two more meals' worth of leftovers.

[The Hersch]

"It's not chopped ham, it's chopped steak!"

Ah, that takes me back:

A-1 Steak Sauce

This one aired around '83-'84. A family's sitting around the dinner table eating burgers, and this blonde-haired kid who looks to be about twelve gets a nauseated look on his face, and blurts out, "Mom!!! Uncle Barney's putting A-1 Steak Sauce on his HAMBURGER!" Uncle Barney then counters, "my dear nephew: what IS hamburger, chopped ham? NO! It's chopped STEAK! And what tastes better on steak than A-1? Here, have a bite!" The kid then tastes it, and Uncle Barney continues, "A-1's blend of spices combine with the meat's natural juices to make a hamburger a steakburger!" The rest of the family follows suit in pouring A-1 on their burgers. The father tastes his and replies, "this is good!" The mother adds, "yeah, it's really juicy and tasty!" The blonde kid then says, "that's because it's a steakburger," to which Uncle Barney warns, "hey! Your UNCLE's steakburger!" The family breaks up, and the voiceover man says, "A-1 Steak Sauce. It makes hamburgers taste like steakburgers."

[DanielK]

(one note about the mac and cheese, which is very good - it used to be available with blue cheese, and now that option isn't listed - if it's possible to ask for blue cheese, I'd highly recommend it as it gives the dish a nice tang)

I think it's supposed to have bleu cheese by default - or at least it did when we had it last month. In fact, last night when we ordered it, our server specifically said "do you want me to have them hold off on the bleu cheese for the kids?" We did, and the kitchen did, and my kids were happier for it.

[mnnchas]

I'm planning on making my first trip to RTC with my +1. Will we have much trouble finding a place in the bar area on a weeknight? Thanks!

[DanielK]

I'm planning on making my first trip to RTC with my +1. Will we have much trouble finding a place in the bar area on a weeknight? Thanks!

This past Thursday, when I arrived at 6:30p, all but one of the bar tables were free, and only about half of the bar stools were occupied.

[xcanuck]

We held Lisa's graduation dinner at RtC on Sat night with some of her friends and family. Everyone was blown away by the food and the service. We've all done the now standard worship of the steaks so I won't go into that. However, we got a wide variety of appetizers, including some peaks at the bar menu. Michael introduced the chopped steak by saying "Don't hate me if your appetizer tastes better than your entree" and he wasn't far off. The chopped steak a HUGE hit with our group. Someone commented that it "tastes almost exactly like my steak, but with someone having done the chewing for me"

And the grilled bacon - oh, my! Large chunks of piggy goodness. This is what bacon should be! Picture slab bacon cut to triple thickness and then done on the grill. Amazing stuff.

We also got some servings of the boar bits. My only regret was that we didn't get this before the steak or bacon - it would have been a great lead-in to those more powerful appetizers. Very tasty but the chopped steak and grilled bacon were my favorites that night.

Crab bisque, seared scallops, and prawns rounded out our appetizers. I think you could have stuck a fork in us by the time the entrees arrived. But that's OK - leftovers last night were delicious!

A great big THANK YOU to Michael and the staff for their wonderful and generous hospitality.

Now, if only I could remember how I got home that night.........

[xcanuck]

At Don's request...posting today about my last dining experience. Look up one post....

[ruslev]

After reading the most recent Ask Tom on Washingtonpost.com, I am getting the impression that Ray's the Classics has moved towards becoming a Ray's the Steaks Silver Spring? The restaurant is no longer the one that opened awhile back. I was there early on when it opened and I thought it was fine, but I am still a RTS fan. I have never had a bad experience in Arlington. When you go, there is a certain expectation and adrenaline rush knowing that you will eat in lightening speed (about 1 hour) and have a fine steak dinner. I am prepared to be literally pushed out the door. I have come to know and understand the experience, but really enjoy it every time.

Do you think RTC is moving towards or has already become a RTS?

[silentbob]

What are the chances that my friends and I will find seats in the bar area if we arrive at 6:30 on a school night?

[JPW]

What are the chances that my friends and I will find seats in the bar area if we arrive at 6:30 on a school night?

Depends on how many people. 2 people, no problem. 4 people, you may have to get Elliot to do some minor crowd rearrangements but should be able to find contiguous spaces or push a couple of the bar tables together without much of a problem.

[jm chen]

We've been able to seat 4 at the bar tables at 6:30 on a Thursday several times, never a problem. I think service is faster if you sit at the actual bar and not tables, though, because the bartenders have to cover both the bar tables and, well, the bar.

[hillvalley]

Two questions;

1. What are the non meat offerings like these days? (I know, I know, why would you go to Ray's and not have steak but meat, shellfish and chicken are out of the question.)

2. Are the steak tartar deviled eggs still on the menu?

[JPW]

Two questions;

1. What are the non meat offerings like these days? (I know, I know, why would you go to Ray's and not have steak but meat, shellfish and chicken are out of the question.)

2. Are the steak tartar deviled eggs still on the menu?

1. Grilled eggplant and portabello stack

2. No

[DanielK]

1. Grilled eggplant and portabello stack

Longer post to come later, but my vegetarian sister-in-law on Saturday pronounced this to be the best vegetarian dish she's ever been served in a non-vegetarian restaurant.

[monsterriffs]

Longer post to come later, but my vegetarian sister-in-law on Saturday pronounced this to be the best vegetarian dish she's ever been served in a non-vegetarian restaurant.

My girlfriend got this the last time we went up there, and she couldn't finish it, and the bartender was cracking up because apparently no one can ever finish that dish when they order it. Yet, people can destroy a steak when they go...Love it.

[hillvalley]

2. Are the steak tartar deviled eggs still on the menu?

2. No

BTW-If you want a Saturday night reservation make sure you call more than a week in advance. We called Monday and they already had a waiting list.

[DanielK]

BTW-If you want a Saturday night reservation make sure you call more than a week in advance. We called Monday and they already had a waiting list.

Even two weeks out for a Friday or Saturday table, you'll get an offer for 6p or 9p. They take reservations about 4 weeks ahead - if you want prime time on a Friday/Saturday, or need something larger than a 4-top, call early...

[DanielK]

Grilled eggplant and portabello stack

Longer post to come later, but my vegetarian sister-in-law on Saturday pronounced this to be the best vegetarian dish she's ever been served in a non-vegetarian restaurant.

My girlfriend got this the last time we went up there, and she couldn't finish it, and the bartender was cracking up because apparently no one can ever finish that dish when they order it. Yet, people can destroy a steak when they go...Love it.

We were there last weekend with out of town guests (my wife's sister, her husband, and their 12-y.o.) to celebrate my wife's BD. Nothing new to report on the fabulous food and service, except for the aforementioned veggie dish. Michael wandered by as we were looking at menus, and I mentioned our out of town guests. Once he found they were from Texas, his first question was "I hope our steaks measure up". That was when my sister-in-law volunteered her veggie status, and he immediately recommended the eggplant/portabello dish. She then mentioned her general dislike of eggplant, so Michael basically says "you tell your waiter exactly what you like and don't like in the menu description, and I'll take care of it." So she orders the dish with all portabello, no eggplant. And I'm telling you this was larger than some of our steaks at the table. She definitely needed help finishing it, including some of us who decided to take more of our steaks home so we could have more of the portabello now. Wow.

And more converts to the crab bisque, coconut cake, and key lime pie.

Oh, and Michael, the steaks measured up. Mr. Sister-in-Law said it was better than the steak he had at III Forks last month.

[mdjordy]

Lunch?

Went by there on Thursday to meet a friend for lunch..locked up tight at 12:10. SOmeone was on the phone at the front desk...but did not see (or want to see) me at the door.

Is Ray's not open for lunch any longer?

[LizH]

interesting. I went a month or so ago and we were one of two tables, so maybe they don't have enough customers? We were there @ 1:00 on a Friday and I also thought they were closed, but the door was open and they said come on in. I did love that steak salad though, one of the best I have ever had.

[wahoooob]

Does anyone know what the average price on drinks and apps at the bar is(or if there are any after-work specials?) Thanks!

[bookluvingbabe]

Lunch?

Went by there on Thursday to meet a friend for lunch..locked up tight at 12:10. SOmeone was on the phone at the front desk...but did not see (or want to see) me at the door.

Is Ray's not open for lunch any longer?

When I was there mid-June, I noticed a sign in the window saying that they wouldn't be doing lunch during the summer.

FYI--the chopped steak dinner is insanely good.

[ol_ironstomach]

BTW-If you want a Saturday night reservation make sure you call more than a week in advance. We called Monday and they already had a waiting list.

By some bizarre stroke of good fortune, Gubeen and I walked in just past 8 on Saturday evening and lucked into an available two-top. Go figure.

It's been a while since we ate in the dining room instead of the bar, but there were some notable changes. There are now polite warnings on the menu encouraging unwary diners to speak up in advance if they don't prefer their steaks cooked to high-char perfection, and the regular steak choices in the dining room have been pruned down to NY strip, filet mignon, and the cowboy, although special cuts remain a possibility. Luckily there were a couple of my beloved hanger steaks available. The shift in emphasis toward the grill station has been dramatic, with nearly every entrée now built on a grilled component. Fortunately, Michael's new grill chef is pretty much up-to-snuff...all of our items were as delicious as ever, including the shellfish. Do try the onion soup - not your typical oignon gratinée served in the ubiquitous crock, but a soup plate of the roastiest, beefiest onion soup in ages. Marvelous.

[monsterriffs]

I think everytime I hit up RTC, I love it more and more. I know a lot of people love RTS, but I can't argue with the selection or proximity of RTC to my house. Last night, after having spent the day out at the AT&T National, gf and I had the hankering for a nice meal, and headed over to Silver Spring to put a cap to an already excellent day.

The Bar menu is a godsend. Interesting, for you conspiracy theorists, the bar menu reads something like "Ray's The Steaks at Ray's The Bar." I chose not to read into it because my stomach was becoming irate. So, while gf opted for the awesome deal of the chopped-steak dinner, I decided to go with the hanger steak dinner w/ onion soup and the coconut cake. The spiced nature of the onion soup is glorious and you can't argue with the hanger steak perfection, but really, for me, the highlight was actually the coconut cake. Light, fluffy, and just the right amount of sweetness, I had to finish the entire damn piece because it was so good and I felt guilty if it were to go to waste.

Best of all, this was the best value on a meal I've gotten at RTC yet, and I'm looking forward to making the restaurant one of my haunts from now on.

[silentbob]

We've been able to seat 4 at the bar tables at 6:30 on a Thursday several times, never a problem. I think service is faster if you sit at the actual bar and not tables, though, because the bartenders have to cover both the bar tables and, well, the bar.

Due to traffic issues, we didn't arrive until 7:00 on a recent Wednesday but three of us easily secured a bar area table. Service from the bartender was great.

On future visits, I will probably stick to the hanger or rib-eye (unless one of the special cuts are available). Chopped steak is not my thing, not sure why. My friends, who were newbies to Ray's, still have not stopped raving about their meals. And one of them is fortunate to live two blocks away.

[gnatharobed]

Dinner at the bar is the best deal ever! I had the wonderful crab bisque, hangar steak, and a piece of key lime pie for something like $23? Michael can correct me if I'm off by a dollar or two. But seriously-- for dinner? Who can beat that???

[Heather]

The moist, fresh coconut cake I brought home tonight was easily the best I've had there.

Those of you addicted to your Gold Card awards might want to take note that they no longer accept American Express.

[DPop]

I had the diver scallops for the first time the other night and was kicking myself immediatly afterwards for having never gotten them before. They were so good they made the fantastic onion soup seem kind of ordinary by comparison.

The mac and cheese is much improved, as well, it is considerably less soupy and carried more flavor than the last time we had it.

[blakegwinn]

I got a bunch of apples at the farmer's market when I was in DC on Sunday and I am trying to recreate the charlottes from RTC days of yore. Any ideas?

[mr food]

Kliman disses RTC in the October Washingtonian. I haven't been in several months so can't agree or disagree.

[synaesthesia]

Well to counter that Carman has a fabulous article on Landrum this week in City Paper.

[StephenB]

I don't think the Washingtonian mention is a diss, as I understand the term. People continue to go to Ray's the Classics, and they continue to have high praise for the food. But because they keep ordering the same things, apparently based on what they know and love from Ray's the Steaks, the menu had to reflect that, and that constitutes a change but not necessarily for the worse. That is a comment, not on the restaurant, which continues to get high marks, but on the clièntele, which does not care to experiment. As for the Tim Carman piece, I agree that Michael Landrum is an interesting character and worthy of journalistic focus. I knew he went to Andover because he sometimes refers to time spent at the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library, which is where it is. But what about the published assertion that he did a tour in the Israeli army? And as for staying free and clear of bank loans, there have been references right here on dr.com that estabishing Ray's the Classics put him in serious hock. Carman seems to deny that without addressing it directly. And then there is the issue of chefs. Apparently, Landrum himself is manning the grill at RTC. Is that a long range plan? And who is continuing to turn out the wonderful chops at RTS, especially the mysterious but delectable calotte, which I have blissfully consumed on two recent occasions? Last time, the waitress said, "Here's your culotte." I said, "'That's a pair of pants, honey, I just want some meat." Under any name, it was very, very good.

[xcanuck]

Hrmmm - what was said in the Washingtonian? Can't find it online. Carman's article is interesting. Who knew?

As for the calottes - what is served at RtS and RtC are two different cuts. ML ran a butchering class for dr.com early this year and spent much time describing the difference between the two. I haven't had it at RtC in a long time Also, I'm 99% sure there's a regular grill guy at RtC. Michael was definitely chatting at the bar with customers the last few times I was there while steaks continued to come out of the back.

[monavano]

Hrmmm - what was said in the Washingtonian? Can't find it online. Carman's article is interesting. Who knew?

As for the calottes - what is served at RtS and RtC are two different cuts. ML ran a butchering class for dr.com early this year and spent much time describing the difference between the two. I haven't had it at RtC in a long time Also, I'm 99% sure there's a regular grill guy at RtC. Michael was definitely chatting at the bar with customers the last few times I was there while steaks continued to come out of the back.

Kliman mentions the menu items which are no longer available as well as the valet. He seems to think that RTC has become RTSII. And while he says it's not a bad thing, he calls it a knockoff.

I seem to recall ML making the case (here) that new restaurants should not be reviewed for a while, in order to let themselves sort out who they are and what they do. He seems to be right.

[FunnyJohn]

Last time, the waitress said, "Here's your culotte." I said, "'That's a pair of pants, honey, I just want some meat." Under any name, it was very, very good.

Wasn't one of the factions during the French Revolution known as the "Sans Culotte"? Maybe if RTC is sans callote it signifies a revloution of its own.

[monavano]

Well to counter that Carman has a fabulous article on Landrum this week in City Paper.

Great article too.

[monsterriffs]

That is a comment, not on the restaurant, which continues to get high marks, but on the clièntele, which does not care to experiment.

You could argue that "Ray's The Classics" is a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's not called "Ray's The Avant Garde," so maybe people subconsciously think that by going to a place that emphasizes the classics, they are going to do just that, and stick to their favorites from RTS.

That said - please don't get rid of the jumbo prawns. Those are fantastical.

[FunnyJohn]

ML in a previous life.

[DameEdna]

ML in a previous life.

Those shoes, I thought they looked familiar.

[DameEdna]

The last time we were at RTC, some of the other customers (sniff) looked as though they couldn't get a

resy at Clyde's so ...

Those who try to find out "What's up?' by trying to do a Vulcan mind-meld on ML

often find the experience disquieting.

I find it almost unimaginable that RTC would be sucked down to the pathetic level of the

geo-gastronomy of Silver Spring.

[incoherent ramblings ... I must stop here]

[JLK]

Wow! ML is looking quite handsome and svelte.

[Nutty Buddy]

You could argue that "Ray's The Classics" is a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's not called "Ray's The Avant Garde," so maybe people subconsciously think that by going to a place that emphasizes the classics, they are going to do just that, and stick to their favorites from RTS.

That said - please don't get rid of the jumbo prawns. Those are fantastical.

I think Kliman's Needle ignores and posts suggesting customers' tastes were the deciding factor in menu changes at RTC oversimplifies all the myriad factors that impact a restaurant's menu. Customer tastes and demand is certainly one factor, but you also need to consider how the kitchen is set up, what it can efficiently accommodate once it is up and running at full speed, the workflow, etc. A restauranteur won't know how these factors will impact the food until the place has been run through its paces.

Kliman makes it sound like the changes at the restaurant equal a slide in quality ("statement maker" to "knockoff") instead of conscious and deliberate decisions based on the performance of the restaurant over many months. My bet is on the latter.

BTW: valet parketing is gone but the parking behind the Lee Building is now free.

[Nutty Buddy]

I was starting to get worried that Michael might think I didn't like his food since whenever I was at RTC I would order 1 of three things:

1. wine

2. the scrumptious coconut cake

3. both

So, last night I stopped by and saw Crab Royale on the menu. Incredibly, I had never noticed it before. It was fabulous! Lightly (extremely lightly) breaded, exceedingly moist.

Of course, my arm was twisted and I broke my one dessert a day rule and inhaled er I mean ordered the coconut cake. Mmmmm.