Del Merei Grille, Del Ray - Closed

[CrescentFresh]

Another Two-Star joint from Tom. Trailblazing steak dinners, huh? That's worth a go.

[Stretch]

OK, I'm a foreigner, but what the fruck are "frickles"?

If given the choice, however, most of us would probably forgo style for steak, fashion for frickles -- and a front-row seat on a family reunion.

[monavano]

fried pickles- frickles

[Stretch]

Now I feel really bad about eating those fruppies at the animal shelter benefit. Who knew?

[CrescentFresh]

Now I feel really bad about eating those fruppies at the animal shelter benefit. Who knew?

[mdt]

After originally planning on having a lickity-split lunch my friend and I decided to head up toDel Merei Grille.

The place was about 1/2 filled and we had a pleasant lunch that started with the frickles.

The frickles are thinly sliced dill pickles that are lightly battered and fried until golden. They are served with a spicy remoulade and make for a unique and appetizing starter.

I had the chili dogs with fries and my friend had the meatloaf sandwich with fries. The chili dogs are well, what you would expect for chili dogs. I was surprised to see that they came with a line of yellow mustard on top of the chili. I have never been to the Vienna Inn, so this may be what was served there. Overall a good spot for the lunch rotation.

This might be a good place for a DR.com get together since we can head down to get some custard for dessert!

Edited June 16, 2005 by mdt

[BookGuy]

A friend and I ate at the Del Merei Grill on Mount Vernon Avenue in Alexandria on Friday evening. Friend hadn't wanted to go because she had had some bad experiences in the Calvert Grill that was a prior restaurant at that location. We shared frickles, fried pickle chips, which were tasty enough but a little goes a long way. I had some excellent braised beef with potatoes and collard greens. She had steak with squash. The service was excellent and the beer and wine fine. It seems to be a pleasant neighborhood place with slightly better parking than in downtown Del Ray. The parking lot is rather small.

[Sthitch]

The wife and I could not decide where we wanted to go for dinner on Saturday, so we debated, and finally decided to give SoBe a try. When we sat down and were looking over the menu, I mentioned that we should go back to Del Meresi, and that neither of us ever remembers it when we are trying to figure out where to eat, and that it is too bad since our first meal there was so good. Here is what I wrote on e-Gullet on April 4, 2005 about my first (and so far only) visit:

I have bought some cheese from Jill, so I know that at least when it comes to formage I can trust her tastes. So my wife and I decided to try Del Meresi tonight. Being a homer for Bombay Curry Company I am quite familiar with its location, so I was not going to hold the drab, nee ugly exterior against them. The room itself is quite odd, but it is a victim of its location. It is wider than it is deep. They did there best to dress-up the place, and it was inviting. But who cares about the way it looks, we were there for the food.

We started off ordering the crab-artichoke-bacon dip. What we expected was the normal incepted version that you find at so many restaurants. I expected it to be nothing but cream that tastes of flour with a small piece of bacon, a few strands of crab, and one artichoke heart chopped up, served with warmed crappy bread, you know the type. Oh my, were we surprised. This dip was nothing like we expected. There was a nice crunchy top that hid a cup filled with baby artichokes, and lumps of crab. There was no physical evidence of bacon, but the taste permeated it. This dish has changed my perspective on what artichoke dip can be the same way that Corduroy did to my impression of spring rolls.

There are two different ways to order entrees. The first is to have what the chef has prepared, with the sauce and sides that he would match with the dish. The other is to order the type of meat (or a portabella) along with a sauce and two sides. We went with the later. I ordered a pork chop with blueberry compote, and sides of cheese grits, and southern style green beans. The pork was standard fare, nicely cooked, but a bit tough (what I would expect from the “Lean Generation” pork). The compote was nice, a bit too much allspice, and not as thick as I would make it, but matched well with the pork. My first impression of the grits is that they were too cheesy, but I soon became addicted to them, and while I am still full, I grave another dish of them. The green beans were cooked the way I like them, mushy. I know many people like them to have a snap, not me; I like them best when they have been cooked to hell and back. These are the type of green beans my mother never had to get at me to finish. They were flavored with pieces of sausage, and quite tasty.

My wife’s order the flat iron steak (medium rare), a blue cheese reduction, caramelized onion mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. Her steak was cooked perfectly (if you like it that cooked), and the sauce was a beautiful complement to the meat. Many blue cheese sauces tend to be a bit oily and take on the astringent quality that lesser cheese have, not this one, it was creamy, and had a wonderful smooth taste. Her potatoes were not my favorite dish of the evening, they needed more fat, butter or cream (preferably both). We skipped desert, but the bread pudding perked my ears, maybe next time.

The service was lovely. The young lady who waited on us was attentive, and thankfully did not think of us as her new best friends. The two courses and the wine were paced perfectly. They have a very interesting wine by the glass menu. Missing were super market wines, and Trader Joe’s “Two Buck Chuck”. My white Cote’s du Rhone tasted as if the bottle had been opened too long, but the Syrah I had, and the Aussie blend (Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourverde) were quite nice. I did not look at the wine by the bottle list, but if the by the glass selection were any clue, it has to be somewhat appealing.

After tonight’s meal we hope to be back soon.

[JimCo]

First time poster, but a big fan of the site.

Had a great dinner at Del Merei Grille on Sunday night, that followed a terrific dinner there just a few weeks earlier. My wife and I were looking for someplace nice (and not too pricey) to take my parents who were in town, and Del Merei was a perfect choice.

I started with the Chilled Iceberg Salad with blue cheese, carrot and onion tangle and a jalapeno blue cheese dressing. The onions provided a nice sweetness, and the dressing managed to provide just enough spice without being overpowering. My wife and my parents enjoyed the Lolla Rosa salad, which includes rasperries, spiced pecans and a vinaigrette. I didn't try it, but they seemed happy. For dinner, I ordered the Hangar Steak with mushroom truffle sauce and I would easily put it up against the steaks served at any of DC's nicest steakhouses. I believe the rap on hangar steak is that it can be too tough if it's not prepared correctly, but this managed to be an exceedingly tender steak with great flavor. The mushroom truffle sauce was mild, but completely unnecessary. The steak stood out on its own. I also had the horseradish mashed potatoes and the "southern style" green beans. The potatoes were good, but were served lukewarm. The green beans were mixed with bacon and a sweet glaze and were very good. The rest of my party ordered petit filets, which they all raved about. My father ordered the filet and crabcake (unfortunately known as the "Surfy Turfy") and seemed very pleased with both.

For desert, my mother ordered the bread pudding while my father and I each got a slice of pumpkin pie. I didn't try the pudding but my mom reported it was delicious. The pumpkin pie was one of the best I've ever had. It was incredibly creamy with a remarkably strong pumpkin flavor. My wife is not a fan of pumpkin pie, but tried a bite and wound up sneaking a couple more bites. I am no wine expert and won't pretend to be. But Del Merei does have a nice list of very affordable wines. We went with the Trapiche Malbec, which for $18 a bottle, suited our needs quite well.

I have had some friends make the comparison between Del Merei and Ray's the Steaks. That's inevitable, as both restaurants have similar ordering styles (picking your steak and your sauce). A ribeye I had at Del Merei on a previous visit wouldn't stand up well next to Ray's. It was too gristly. But the hangar steak I had on this visit was every bit as good as the hangar steak I had at Ray's. Del Merei also seems to have a more extensive menu -- with about ten additional menu items beyond steaks.

All in all, I'm finding Del Merei to be a very welcome addition to the Alexandria/Arlington area.

[DonRocks]

The place was about 1/2 filled and we had a pleasant lunch that started with the frickles.  The frickles are thinly sliced dill pickles that are lightly battered and fried until golden.  They are served with a spicy remoulade and make for a unique and appetizing starter.

I cannot bring myself to order these at Del Merei Grille or Acadiana. Has anyone else tried these things? Are they battered in dill dough? It just sounds like a nasty combination concocted in a psilocybin-induced thrasher-nightmare.

[Stretch]

It just sounds like a nasty combination concocted in a psilocybin-induced thrasher-nightmare.

Thrash-ing or Thrash-er? Cause Todd would juice 'em, not fry 'em.

[laniloa]

I cannot bring myself to order these at Del Merei Grille or Acadiana. Has anyone else tried these things? Are they battered in dill dough?  It just sounds like a nasty combination concocted in a psilocybin-induced thrasher-nightmare.

I had them once in Freeport, TX. They were much better then I expected. A little sour, a little crunchy, and batter makes everything better. My mistake was eating these before a 7 hour boat trip in 8 foot seas.

[JPW]

I cannot bring myself to order these at Del Merei Grille or Acadiana. Has anyone else tried these things? Are they battered in dill dough?  It just sounds like a nasty combination concocted in a psilocybin-induced thrasher-nightmare.

Fried pickles? A Southern staple. Then again Southerners will fry anything. I like them, but my favorite fried oddity is still lemon.

Edited November 23, 2005 by JPW

[Banco]

We found ourselves heading back into town from Franconia last night, and I knew we'd have to stop somewhere for dinner. So I consulted the trusty list of places here on DR and came up with Del Merei grill. Overall it was a good experience.

We started with the frickles, and I can say that they are really very tasty, though they could have been fried just a bit longer to attain a better crunch. If you like pickles, you'll like frickles. I followed with a radicchio salad garnished with apples, walnuts, and blue cheese. Everything was crisp and delicious, with a good harmony of ingredients. The dressing was too acidic, however, for such a large portion. by the time I had finished my plate, my palate had been exhausted by the vinaigrette, although I tend to like my vinaigrettes on the acidic side.

At Del Merei the specialty is steaks; you order the cut you want from a list of about 10 options, then your sauce and sides. I found all the options intriguing, but ended up going for the hangar steak medium rare with a mustard-horseradish sauce, served with creamed spinach and mashed potatoes with roast garlic. The steak was done perfectly, as was the spinach (still fresh tasting and green in spite of its creamy preparation), and the sauce had just the right balance of horseradish and mustard. The potatoes were good, but could have used more butter.

My wife had scallops done in one of various attractive ways. They were excellent specimens, but they had been so deeply seared on the grill that the charcoal flavor overwhelmed the delicate natural taste of the seafood, so that its freshness and quality were wasted.

This would have to be my overall criticism of Del Merei: Very good ideas in the kitchen and a commitment to fine ingredients marred by overly aggressive flavoring. The strong flavors of acid, charcoal, and heavy seasoning tended to overwhelm the basic goodness of what the chef is trying to do. This also applied to the kid’s menu: Our son the 4-year-old sybarite had grilled shrimp, which were done to tender perfection but too sharply seasoned and charred for his taste—and he can eat Dijon out of the jar. The exception to this was the steak, which can stand up to this kind of strong treatment, but perhaps the chef needs to adjust his techniques more carefully when dealing with other ingredients like vegetables and seafood.

None of these criticisms, however, would prevent me from going to Del Merei again. Chef Reid is obviously committed to turning out high-quality dishes, and his creativity really shows on the plate. The service was top-notch in every respect and the wine list is very good. I’m sure Del Merei is making many people very happy in the Arlington/Alexandria borderlands, and next time I’m in the area, I’ll definitely give it another try.

[Cooter]

I cannot bring myself to order these at Del Merei Grille or Acadiana. Has anyone else tried these things? Are they battered in dill dough?

We ordered them the first time we went to Del Merei. My wife LOVES all things pickle. She dips her grilled cheese and potato chips in pickle juice, always requires pickles in the fridge, etc. She was not a big fan of the frickles. While the batter was light, they came to the table pretty greasy and it was tough to eat more than a few. The side of aioli was pretty flavourless. In addition, and this isn't a bad thing, one order would easily serve a table of six.

Should say that we live in Del Ray and love the Del Merei Grille. Glad they took the beer cheese of the menu. Yikes!

[Free Wilma]

My wife had scallops done in one of various attractive ways. They were excellent specimens, but they had been so deeply seared on the grill that the charcoal flavor overwhelmed the delicate natural taste of the seafood, so that its freshness and quality were wasted.

I'm so glad you posted this. That is the exact experience I had with their scallops when I ate there in August. I just chalked it up to a dirty grill or an unexerinced hand. But it seems like it's a continuing issue, unfortunately. It wasn't bad enought that I wouldn't go back. But, like you, I plan to stick to the grilled meats in the future. Edited November 25, 2005 by Free Wilma

[Cooter]

For those who live in Alexandria and are looking for an excuse to try the frickles, there's a coupon for a free order in the Alexandria Restaurant Coupon Book that was mailed this week.

[Jacques Gastreaux]

Well, Rustico's was so crowded last night that we couldn't get a seat in the dining room. After several excellent beers, we started to get that feeling that the beer in our stomachs needed some company. We called over to Monroe's and they could not seat us until 9:30. So thinking about what was was on down the Mt. Vernon Avenue, we decided to give Del Merei Grille a shot and, if they couldn't handle us, then we would move on down the street to RT's. Well, Del Merei said they could get us in in 15 minutes. (Subplot-it's hard to get a seat at a decent restaurant in that area on Friday evening these days).

Del Merei Grill in on Mt. Vernon between Glebe and Commonwealth, right next door to Bombay Curry Company on the ground level of the Calvert Apartment Building.

I was pleasantly surprised. The food is quite decent. I had the grilled (that's gree-layed) pork chop and ordered the tasso gratin and haricots vert on the side. The chop was thick and meaty with a nice coat of seasons and was properly grilled. The gratin was surprisingly good with a smokey flavor from the ham permeating each bite. The haricots vert were only so-so, kind of overcooked. 2 out of three ain't bad. The bread pudding was good as well.

Our server made an error ordering one of our dishes and when the error was pointed out he promptly corrected it and took full blame. It was refreshing.

There's lots of over stuff on the menu that is worth trying and I'll let my dining companions weigh in with their impressions (some will be good, some not).

There is a place on down the sidewalk called Hector's that could be worth a look-see.

[mdt]

What, no frickles?

[crackers]

What, no frickles?

Not a frickle to be found at our table. Del Merei Grille seems to be a really nice nieghborhood joint - the bar was crowded with people watching the basketball games (this is a smoking bar btw). It also was the chef's birthday so there seemed to be even more celebrating going on. I enjoyed my sesame crusted salmon - a generous portion, accompanied by roasted garlic smashed potatoes and hericot vert (a fancy name for baby string beans). Nothing fancy about the preparation though - just straightforward and pleasant. A bunch of us had come straight from happy hour at Rustico, so we were already pretty happy about life. Depending on your mood, this little strip has some interesting choices - Indian at Bombay Curry Co., American here, or there is always the Pho King should you be into that.

[Sthitch]

There are two things I really like about Del Merei, one is the out of this world crab and artichoke dip, and the other is their beans. I don't consider them over cooked as much as I consider them actually cooked. They are green beans that have been braised with ham, not flash blanched. This is what will draw me back there yet again, as finding properly cooked green beans is almost as rare as finding a well made buttermilk buscuit.

[Eric Reid]

Thanks, I'm glad everyone enjoyed their meal.

[MelGold]

Thanks, I'm glad everyone enjoyed their meal.

Happy Belated Birthday, Eric! It was a lovely meal, enjoyed with a lively group. Some dude picked out a nice Tempranillo that worked nicely with all five of the differing dishes on the table, and I lucked out by ordering the best dessert (IMO) at the table - a wide warm slice of sweet blueberry pie accompanied by a massive dollop of whipped cream. (The place serves frickles, tater tots & chicken fried steak but not a vat of Cool Whip to be found? Absurd!)

[Oooo, that was good, Crackers!]

[Eric Reid]

So this morning we got a phone call from dc101. We are the featured Restaurant tomorrow on Elliot in the Morning. Should be a fun show. Mary and I are supposed to be in Rockville by 8am, which requires me being up by 4 to prepare the food!

Just thought I'd throw that out there. Is anyone up that early?

[Michael Landrum]

Ohh, dude--see how many times you can say "frickle" on air!!!

[Eric Reid]

slow cooked beef bbq, thanks to any and everyone that went and participated at the carpenter's shelter cook off. it was a great turnout for a great reason.

[flowerblossom]

I cannot bring myself to order these at Del Merei Grille or Acadiana. Has anyone else tried these things? Are they battered in dill dough? It just sounds like a nasty combination concocted in a psilocybin-induced thrasher-nightmare.

"Are they battered in dill dough?" . . .classic, just classic.

[Michael Landrum]

I once had frickles prepared for me by a lovely and gentile Southern Lady from Montgomery, Alabama. I believe the original recipe does indeed call for a dill dough, but when frying time came around it had disappeared so an alternative quick batter was improvised. They are most properly served with what she called "Comeback Sauce."

[Eric Reid]

are we looking for a recipe?

[Barbara]

are we looking for a recipe?

Frickles

[mdt]

Frickles

Me thinks the ones at Del Merei are different (and better) than that recipe. I would love to have it Eric.

[DLB]

We tried this place last night for the first time, maybe I made the wrong choice of a dish. The horseradish crusted yellowtail snapper was so overcooked it had the texture of a chicken breast, the crab and potato hash was ok. My wife seemed to enjoy her salmon she picked from the grill selections. I don't think I can ever get over my fish dish to give this place another shot. It's been a long time since I considered sending a dish back, and really wish I had last night.

[mdt]

We tried this place last night for the first time, maybe I made the wrong choice of a dish. The horseradish crusted yellowtail snapper was so overcooked it had the texture of a chicken breast, the crab and potato hash was ok. My wife seemed to enjoy her salmon she picked from the grill selections. I don't think I can ever get over my fish dish to give this place another shot. It's been a long time since I considered sending a dish back, and really wish I had last night.

Certainly does not resemble my past meals. Why didn't you send it back? Mistakes happen on occasion and things like that can be corrected.

[DLB]

Certainly does not resemble my past meals. Why didn't you send it back? Mistakes happen on occasion and things like that can be corrected.

Well, looking back I really wish I had. You would think the kitchen would not let something like that get to the customer. I was just tired last night, and really did not want to wait for a new dish. I am sure my wife would have been done by that time. I just took the lost and wasted $18

[LaShanta]

There are two things I really like about Del Merei, one is the out of this world crab and artichoke dip,

I notice on the menu that the crab & artichoke dip has bacon in it. That's a surprise. I don't think I've ever seen that before. The bacon didn't overpower the rest of the flavors?

[Sthitch]

I notice on the menu that the crab & artichoke dip has bacon in it. That's a surprise. I don't think I've ever seen that before. The bacon didn't overpower the rest of the flavors?

Not in the least bit, it was very complementary to the flavor of the crab. I recently had to suffer through a birthday dinner at McCormick & Schmicks, and one of the appetizers that were ordered was their crab and artichoke dip. After the first bite, I longed for Del Merei's version.

[Jill Cheese Lady]

I don't think I can ever get over my fish dish to give this place another shot.

DLB, I can't stress enough how out-of-character this is for Del Merei. My husband and I have eaten there at least once a week since they opened and we have literally never had a bad dish. I know that Eric and Mary would have been happy to quickly resolve the problem if they had known. I definitely encourage you to visit again - this place deserves it.

[DonRocks]

I definitely encourage you to visit again - this place deserves it.

Agreed. I've eaten there twice this year and had great meals both times (and yes, I liked the frickles very much).

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Escoffier]

Agreed. I've eaten there twice this year and had great meals both times (and yes, I liked the frickles very much).

Cheers,

Rocks.

We eat there fairly often as well (it's pretty close to our house) and the only time we've had a complaint it was because a table of very loud (on the way to being drunk) guys. I don't know why someone would seat 6 noisy, cackling people by Grover and I and 2 older ladies, but there we were. Fortunately, we only had to sit through about 15 minutes of loudness before we left. We did say something but were told "there's nothing we can do about it" even though there were other open tables. It did leave a bad taste but not from the food.

[DonRocks]

I don't know why someone would seat 6 noisy, cackling people by Grover and I

Because they were angry at the 6 noisy, cackling people?

[Michael Landrum]

by Grover and I

by Grover and me?

Long live frickles!

Never chew a frickle with a little slap and tickle. You've got to throw a stone to get the pond to ripple.

Don't forget the comeback sauce! Y'hear?

[Escoffier]

by Grover and me?

Long live frickles!

Never chew a frickle with a little slap and tickle. You've got to throw a stone to get the pond to ripple.

Don't forget the comeback sauce! Y'hear?

Gosh Michael, I didn't realize you were there as well...mea culpa...many a slip twixt cup and the lip (and I am totally curmudgeonly when it comes to English usage too)

[Heather]

Never chew a frickle with a little slap and tickle. You've got to throw a stone to get the pond to ripple.

The official Donrockwell.com Cool For Cats post of the week.

And as for the noisy table - unless the patrons are settng themselves on fire, or having a food fight - what can the restaurant do?

[Escoffier]

The official Donrockwell.com "Cool For Cats" post of the week.

And as for the noisy table - unless the patrons are settng themselves on fire, or having a food fight - what can the restaurant do?

Uh, offer to move us to another table in a quieter location? Say "sorry for the drunken louts"? Perhaps not seat them near a table with two older ladies, Grover and me (especially when there are other 6 tops across the room in an area where there are few patrons)? Three suggestions in 15 seconds...not too bad. We neither asked for or expected to be comped anything, just a simple "sorry for the loud customers" would have gone a long way toward making it easier for us to go back. We're somewhat hesitant now.

[Heather]

Uh, offer to move us to another table in a quieter location? Say "sorry for the drunken louts"? Perhaps not seat them near a table with two older ladies, Grover and me (especially when there are other 6 tops across the room in an area where there are few patrons)? Three suggestions in 15 seconds...not too bad.

Sure, but might they be angering the other table while accomodating you? What if the 6-top got insulted and left? Maybe they made the calculation that you were almost done and they didn't want to approach the noisy people.

I'm not saying they were right. Just wondering what goes into the decision. I can imagine whether or not they were drunk and might make a scene would come into play.

[LaShanta]

I'm going here on Sunday before the Corrine Bailey Rae concert at the irchmere. Other than the frickles and the crab & artichoke dip, is there any dish that I must try?

[Jacques Gastreaux]

I'm going here on Sunday before the Corrine Bailey Rae concert at the irchmere. Other than the frickles and the crab & artichoke dip, is there any dish that I must try?

My recollection is that they serve a worthy pork chop.

[Nadya]

I went with a friend last Friday night and was completely charmed by a plate of BBQ ribs with collard greens. I'm a BBQ novice so I can't tell you any which style it was cooked, but tender and juicy it was, and even better the next morning over a warmed-up biscuit. Frickles are not to be missed, they are completely addictive. Very worthy wine list as well.

[ladle]

Hi - I'm new to posting and just happened to try out Del Merei on Saturday night. I'd happily eat a meal of just their side dishes, though I'd be sad to miss out on the very satisfying buffalo hanger steak. My husband was just as pleased with their NY strip. Dessert sounded tempting but for us it's just not possible to be that close to The Fairy Godmother without heeding its call...mmm, blackberry sorbet and a ginger cookie.

[Jacques Gastreaux]

Hi - I'm new to posting and just happened to try out Del Merei on Saturday night. I'd happily eat a meal of just their side dishes, though I'd be sad to miss out on the very satisfying buffalo hanger steak. My husband was just as pleased with their NY strip. Dessert sounded tempting but for us it's just not possible to be that close to The Fairy Godmother without heeding its call...mmm, blackberry sorbet and a ginger cookie.

Welcome to DR.com ladle. Try the pork chop next time.

[CrescentFresh]

From reading this post, I can clearly see that I have got to start paying more attention to Del Merei. Funny!

[TinDC]

I ate here for the first time last night and really enjoyed it. First of all, those frickles are outstanding! I can barely write about them because it makes me want some right now. I am generally not a pickle lover or even liker so I didn't think I would like the frickles. But they are so thinly sliced and the batter is so great that it wasn't an overpowering pickle flavor. And I loved the accompanying dipping sauce.

We also ordered the crab bacon and artichoke dip which was very nice. It is true, there are no discernable chunks of bacon in the dip (though there is some bacon sprinkled on top) but the dip has a nice smokey flavor.

We all ordered crab cakes as our entree which turned out to be a mistake. Although in the shape of crab cakes, and with some lumps of crab (though not particularly flavorful), these cakes also contained chunks of red onion, halved grape tomatoes, overpowering spices etc Fortunately all of the sides we ordered made up for the lacking crab cakes. The fries are awesome, the garlic cheese grits come baked in a ramekin and are very good. The creamed spinach was rich but addictive and the mac and cheese was nicely cheesy.

I ordered the grilled donut with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for dessert and was not disappointed. My husband ordered the pie of the day, blueberry, and this was a real winner. Another ordered the fried bananas foster and ate it so quickly I didn't get a bite.

Service was excellent. I will return, even though it somewhat of a trek from home.

[merei mary]

Thanks for your feed back TinDC... on another note we recieved another invite to be the featured restaurant on Elliot in the Morning on DC101 again on the 18th. So if you're up and listening, stay tuned!!!

[Eric Reid]

Thanks for your feed back TinDC... on another note we recieved another invite to be the featured restaurant on Elliot in the Morning on DC101 again on the 18th. So if you're up and listening, stay tuned!!!

and here we go...

at 5:45am

on air at 8am

[Free Wilma]

There was a lovely article in the Gazette this week featuring the Del Merei Grille......

[Jimmy Chandler]

My wife and I finally went last night after reading good tings and having a work colleague insist it was better than RTS; our overall impression was that it was pretty good. I had a few complaints, including I found my steak (filet) was somewhat dry and cooked a little past what I ordered. The deviled eggs, Nicole's crabcake, and our sides and sauces were all excellent.

My other three complaints, interestingly enough, were exactly Tom Sietsema's complaints in his review from June 2005:

With a few small changes, Del Merei Grille could be an even better restaurant. The young servers are likable, and they seem to know the menu, but I'd like it better if they checked in more often. As for the cooks, they need to use the salt shaker less often -- and rethink the recipe for pumpkin bread pudding, which tastes like a wet loaf of plain bread. (Far superior: fruit pies baked in-house.) Red wine served too warm continues to be a problem at too many restaurants, including this one, which otherwise offers good value, better-than-average labels and fine stemware.

Our waiter ignored us (he never checked to see how our entrees were after they were delivered), the steak was too salty for me, and the wine was served too warm (we had the trapiche malbec, which was nice). Note: I did not read this review until after we returned last night from the restaurant. What does it mean if a restaurant has the same problems almost two years after being reviewed by Tom?

We complained, mostly about the service, when the manager came by to ask how we were doing at the end of our meal. I insisted I didn't want anything, but that she should inform our server. She gave us a $25 gift certificate. We will go back to try again; maybe I'll try the Kansas City Cut next time (which our server had recommended).

[Al Dente]

Fried pickles? Well, it sounds like it could be interesting, but I doubt I'd find them all that good.

They're as tasty as can be. As was everything else I had last night. Just like grandma used to make-- if grandma made awesome mashed potatoes with carmelized onions, grilled asparagus, and perfectly medium rare buffalo flank steak with stilton and shallot butter dabbed on top.

It was my first visit, but my parole officer is nearby, so I imagine it'll be a somewhat regular stop in the future. Good thing the gun was unloaded when I car-jacked Rocks...

[DonRocks]

Fried pickles? Well, it sounds like it could be interesting, but I doubt I'd find them all that good.

Sez you.

[Dave Pressley]

Eric does an exceptional version, but fried pickles are hardly a new food concept. They've been an item on Southern menus for years--Hell, pick just about anything and fry it in the South (or the North...you know what I mean)! If you haven't had them, try Del Merei's version. The batter and the "fry" mellow out the sharp vinegar taste just enough to make them comfortably predictable in taste yet different enough to crave. Fear the pickle!

[beezy]

Sez you.

I have to say, I thought that they were the blandest pickles EVER.

I'm in agreement with the service issues at DelMerei, although I think they're well-intentioned. I've had bend-over backwards service, and I've had a debacle involving two rounds of raw chicken followed by raw fish. I'd never returned, except for the abject apology and good make-it-rights.

I'm glad that more people are trying to have a good priced-right neighborhood restaurant, but not very many people are executing it well. Instead, we're getting a lot of Harry's Crap Room types of places (the place I have the biggest hate on for, largely due to their heinous service, cold food, and bizarrely prepared dishes) that overcharge for mediocre food because they make it out of (what they claim are) organics, small-producers, or otherwise quality ingredients. Old Majestic was wildly inconsistent (haven't been to the new one); I seem to be the only person to have a great experience at Liberty Tavern.

How come we don't have more Ray's the Steaks? God knows it's successful....

[DonRocks]

Ryan Meyer Reid, born September 10th, 10:22 PM

Congratulations to proud mom Mary, and to uncle Eric!

Cheers!

Rocks.

[MelGold]

Ryan Meyer Reid, born September 10th, 10:22 PM

Congratulations to proud mom Mary, and to uncle Eric!

Cheers!

Rocks.

Congrats to the entire, growing Del Merei family!

[goldenticket]

I had a lovely meal at Del Merei Grille with a few friends last night. 3 of 4 of us ordered steaks. The flank steak was medium-rare as ordered, nicely chewy and well-seasoned. I ordered it with the peppercorn brandy sauce, mac-n-cheese, and collard greens. I didn't use a lot of the sauce but it had a nice flavor that complemented the steak. Mac-n-cheese was gooooood - a huge portion (which I of course devoured), creamy and cheesy, penne was the pasta of choice, and there was a lot of melted cheddar on top. Collards were good - large greens, still intact, not cooked to smithereens. The northerner in the group found them very good as they were, but us southern-raised folks were wishing for some Crystal vinegar to add a little tang and spice . The bbq braised beef ribs were a hit with the person who ordered them - and the portion was huge - some of them went home for another meal.

Those frickles are frickin' good ! I liked the light, crispy, salty, and tart thing. Is it bad that we had 2 orders of them .

We shared the carrot cake for dessert. The cake itself was very moist, with all the spices I expect in carrot cake. The one thing that caught me off guard was that it didn't have any frosting on it, but was plated with what appeared to be a large scoop of some sort of ice cream. Well, it wasn't ice cream, but was a scoop of (yummy) cream cheese frosting. A different presentation but one that worked, as you could fix your bite up the way you liked it with a little or a lot of cake and or frosting.

Service was polite and efficient; plates were cleared promptly and water glasses were kept full.

This is a nice neighborhood place - the second one of these in a week where I've thought "I should come here more often"!

[DonRocks]

If you run out of Viagra, go to the bar at Del Merei Grille and get the chili dogs - it may not help your erectile dysfunction, but you'll be so happy that you won't care. Zadie's Dogs ($8) were topped with a little diced onion, a mustard squiggle, and ordered with a side of hand-cut fries ($4.50). If someone gets a bee in their bonnet, and wants to one-up these things by casing their own organic sausage, shooting an elk to make chili with, and baking their own rolls, please get in touch with me ... you know where I'll be - sitting at the bar at Del Merei Grille, having the best down-and-dirty chili dogs in town. Wow!

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Kibbee Nayee]

If you run out of Viagra, go to the bar at Del Merei Grille and get the chili dogs - it may not help your erectile dysfunction, but you'll be so happy that you won't care. Zadie's Dogs ($8) were topped with a little diced onion, a mustard squiggle, and ordered with a side of hand-cut fries ($4.50). If someone gets a bee in their bonnet, and wants to one-up these things by casing their own organic sausage, shooting an elk to make chili with, and baking their own rolls, please get in touch with me ... you know where I'll be - sitting at the bar at Del Merei Grille, having the best down-and-dirty chili dogs in town. Wow!

Cheers,

Rocks.

Count me in, pal. I used to love the Vienna Inn version washed down with plenty of suds. I believe the next level has been hit with Zadie's Dogs.....save me a few!

[Joshua Grinnell]

I just wish I could get the Dogs in the dining room- maybe as an appetizer, perhaps? Hell, if you're worried about them chilli-dogging down the classiness of the room, maybe they could be in a vertical presentation? Or... mini-chilli dogs? Served in a brace of eight?

[Eric Reid]

We're working on new menus, bring in your card and I sell you some dogs.

in the dining room

[Kibbee Nayee]

Question for Eric, or anyone else in the crowd. My girlfriend and I go to the Birchmere a lot. Del Merei is less than a half mile walk away. Does it make sense to come to Del Merei ahead of the event, or afterwards?

Do you offer a pre-theater dinner? If so, we would probably have to get to the Birchmere by 6:30 to get through will-call and get good seats. It almost doesn't seem like a good idea....

But afterwards, if we were to just have a few drinks and an appetizer at the Birchmere, how late do you stay open for dinner?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Eric Reid]

Question for Eric, or anyone else in the crowd. My girlfriend and I go to the Birchmere a lot. Del Merei is less than a half mile walk away. Does it make sense to come to Del Merei ahead of the event, or afterwards?

Do you offer a pre-theater dinner? If so, we would probably have to get to the Birchmere by 6:30 to get through will-call and get good seats. It almost doesn't seem like a good idea....

But afterwards, if we were to just have a few drinks and an appetizer at the Birchmere, how late do you stay open for dinner?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Dinner begins at 5, so you should have plenty of time to eat and have a round or three. We have lots of guests that come in before a show at the Birch. We do not offer a pre-theater dinner but here are our hours...

Mon-Thurs 5-930

Fri-Sat 5-1030

Sun 5-9

Hope to see you soon.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Thanks Eric! See you Sept. 4 (Boz Scaggs), Oct. 31 (Delbert McClinton) and Nov. 26 (BB King). Can I get the chili dog in the dining room?

[Eric Reid]

bring in your card and I sell you some dogs.

in the dining room

all good shows, see ya then

[DonRocks]

Seeing Michael's post about the Ray's The Steaks chalkboard reinforces my impression that restaurants are beginning to make changes, trying to adapt to these psychologically taxing economic doldrums we're all in.

One of them is Del Merei Grille, which has begun offering a less expensive menu in their main dining room.

The BBQ Quesadilla ($8) is enough for four people to split as an appetizer, and reminds me that I've never left Del Merei Grille hungry. I liked this because the gouda cheese moistened it without making it too gooey, and leaves the shredded chicken as the focus of the dish.

If you like a sweeter Sloppy Joe ($8), then this one fits the bill. My personal preference is for a more chili-like version, but that's because my mom used to throw in a bunch of McCormick's chili powder. You may want to take the "elementary-school cafeteria" theme of this sandwich to the limit and order it with tater tots.

The default cheese for the Cheesesteak ($11) is American, but I ordered mine with Swiss (they didn't have Provolone). Since it's served on a super-soft roll, the fried onion rings on top bring a lot to the sandwich, which is also served with a massive pile of house-cut french fries.

One of the biggest strengths here is the list of wines by the glass, which hover in the $5-7 range (as opposed to the usual $10-14 range that has become the norm). I can't remember what the Sancerre I had last night was, but it was $6.50 and it was good.

Portions at Del Merei Grille are enormous, and you can stuff yourself silly here for not a lot of money. A lot of people are tightening their belts, but this is one restaurant where you walk out needing to loosen yours. I finally met Merei Mary last night, and I broached the possibility of an inexpensive Monday-night dinner for members here. She was all for it. Nothing fancy, nothing multi-course; just something good and cheap that will get you home in ninety minutes. Any interest?

Cheers,

Rocks.

Del_Merei_Grille_Small_Plates.pdf

[Cooter]

Are these items available at dinner? We dined at Del Merei last Thursday night and did not receive this menu.

I've been sad to see the steak options available on the memu shrink over the past couple of years. It was great when they regularly had a 'different' type of meat, such as venison or elk, regularly available. This is just druthers, however, as Del Merei continues to offer great food for a great price. The $16 flank steak with bearnaise, grits and collards is a fantastic value and is my go-to meal.

With the addition of Pizzaiola, the quality and diversity of food available in this . . . what is it? Mini-mall? Apartment complex? Shopping center? . . . is astounding.

[Eric Reid]

Are these items available at dinner? We dined at Del Merei last Thursday night and did not receive this menu.

I've been sad to see the steak options available on the memu shrink over the past couple of years. It was great when they regularly had a 'different' type of meat, such as venison or elk, regularly available. This is just druthers, however, as Del Merei continues to offer great food for a great price. The $16 flank steak with bearnaise, grits and collards is a fantastic value and is my go-to meal.

With the addition of Pizzaiola, the quality and diversity of food available in this . . . what is it? Mini-mall? Apartment complex? Shopping center? . . . is astounding.

Thanks for your kind words, in regards to the different steak options, we had to with what the most popular items were. Buffalo sold alright, elk ehh, venison every now and then. If we have guests request a special meat, I have no problems bringing it in to run as a feature.

The new menu Don is talking about debuted on Tuesday, it is available at dinner all week long. We are also now selling the Chili Dogs in the dining room as well as chicken pot pie, fried chicken breast, burgers and our Beef BBQ Sliders that were also featured on Art on the Avenue this past weekend. We're real excited about this menu because we believe it should be able to bring more people in without having to break their wallets.

With the addition of Pizzaiola, this strip is turning into a quite diverse area.

I would love to do a family style dinner on a Monday or Tuesday for the Rock Heads, with items to be passed around the dinner table. Mary and I had a great conversation with Don and Matt last night about this dinner. The dessert however will have to be planned by MattRocks, and I would love to execute it with him. As my sweet tooth is not very big.

So lets get this dinner rolling...

[Eric Reid]

(they didn't have Provolone).

Cheers,

Rocks.

I do now.

[goldenticket]

I finally met Merei Mary last night, and I broached the possibility of an inexpensive Monday-night dinner for members here. She was all for it. Nothing fancy, nothing multi-course; just something good and cheap that will get you home in ninety minutes. Any interest?

I'd be up for it - As long as Chef Reid's request that MattRocks be the co-pastry chef for the evening is part of the deal

[aaronsinger]

I'd be up for it - As long as Chef Reid's request that MattRocks be the co-pastry chef for the evening is part of the deal

I'm in, too, considering I live upstairs.

[Walrus]

I think we'd be in! Chicken pot pie, chili dogs, and fried chicken...mmmmm...

[rkduggins]

I'm in as long as I can be out by 7 PM.

[goodeats]

For the non-steak/beef eaters, what do you all recommend? Based on my not-super close reading, all I see are frickles (which I plan on ordering) and beef-items (other than the BBQ Quesa.) recommendations.

It appeared to be family-night at Del Merei, as I found it comforting that gebaby was to be in good company upon hearing a wee babe's cry right after step out of the revolving doors. The place is cozy yet spacious, the atmosphere welcoming kids and I really wished I found this place much earlier than just now. Brian was a wonderful server, making great suggestions all-around.

The Buttermilk Biscuit started the evening off very nicely -- warm, buttery, soft & fluffy. It was the best biscuit I have had for a long time, if not ever. The wine recommendations of a Tempranillo for me and Don's/Brian's choice of Sancerre for my friend complimented our dishes nicely. The Pan Roasted Muscovy Duck Breast with its orange-date sauce really hit the spot tonight. I think ordering it slightly under medium is probably more ideal, though I enjoyed my medium cut very much so. The sweetness of the date + sauce + moist duck meat was very satisfying. My friend's was a bit unsure about the cream sauce that accompanied her Jambalaya Pasta but it was really done well with this twist, along with Chef Reid's spice choices for that dish.

However, the real hit of the evening is this seasonal dessert: Cinnamon Pumpkin Crume Brulee Cheesecake (I am unsure of the exact name, as my friend ordered it). WOW! It was sugar-crusty, the just-right creamy, not-too pumpkin tasting and airy, which is how cheesecake should taste. Perfect to hoard or to split, but a definite must-get.

Edited October 23, 2008 by goodeats

[u-bet!]

This was going to be about Evening Star until I walked into the bar and found all the seats taken, so I walked back out. I drove back up Mt. Vernon Ave. to Del Merei Grille, where I found plenty of open seats at the bar. No more Dogfish Head on tap (at least not right now), so I had a Bell's Two-Hearted Ale. It had been a while since I had this beer, so I kind of forgot whether I liked it or not. Oh yeah, I remember, I do like this stuff - hoppy enough for this hop-head, but not overwhelmingly so.

I began with the Deviled Eggs, which were sufficiently bacony (good), but a bit too mustardy (not so good). After carefully considering the Duck Breast and Pan Fried Grouper as entrees, I settled on the 12-oz. Kansas City Strip Steak. You get to choose from a variety of sauces and two sides. I chose the DMG Steak Sauce and Smashed Potatoes with Garlic for one side and Creamed Spinach for the other. I like my steaks THICK and this one was not, but it had a very nice flavor, not from any apparent seasoning, but from being a quality piece of meat. I ordered it medium rare, and it was more toward medium, but not outrageously so. The DMG Steak Sauce was a thinner consistency than I expected, and had a prominent tomato flavor. Overall, the sauce wasn't quite substantial enough to enhance the flavor of the steak. The Creamed Spinach was excellent, and the Smashed Potatoes were very good.

Even though I now live in the neighborhood, I haven't visited often enough to be a regular, so I felt a little like an intruder, since it seemed like everyone sitting at the bar knew each other. This was a very enjoyable meal, like others I have had here, and good value for the money, especially considering the obvious quality of the ingredients and cooking. That said, I think my future visits will focus on other menu offerings, and I'll save my steak $ for that noisy place in Rosslyn.

[DonRocks]

Don R: Are you working? Sent: Mon, Dec 8 5:45 PM

Eric R: Holiday party on the bar side Received: Mon, Dec 8 5:46 PM

Don R: Is it a bad night to have dinner there? Sent: Mon, Dec 8 5:47 PM

Eric R: Dining room is fine Received: Mon, Dec 8 5:48 PM

Don R: K defrost me a steak Sent: Mon, Dec 8 5:49 PM

Eric R: In the microwave now Received: Mon, Dec 8 5:50 PM

---

Eric R: Where you at? Received: Mon, Dec 8 9:47 PM

Don R: Came, had dinner, and left two hours ago Sent: Mon, Dec 8 9:51 PM

Eric R: And? Received: Mon, Dec 8 9:52 PM

Don R: Sucked, as always Sent: Mon, Dec 8 9:54 PM

Eric R: Glad to hear Received: Mon, Dec 8 9:54 PM

Don R: Pleased 2 B of service Sent: Mon, Dec 8 9:56 PM

[Eric Reid]

Don R: Are you working? Sent: Mon, Dec 8 5:45 PM

Eric R: Holiday party on the bar side Received: Mon, Dec 8 5:46 PM

Don R: Is it a bad night to have dinner there? Sent: Mon, Dec 8 5:47 PM

Eric R: Dining room is fine Received: Mon, Dec 8 5:48 PM

Don R: K defrost me a steak Sent: Mon, Dec 8 5:49 PM

Eric R: In the microwave now Received: Mon, Dec 8 5:50 PM

---

Eric R: Where you at? Received: Mon, Dec 8 9:47 PM

Don R: Came, had dinner, and left two hours ago Sent: Mon, Dec 8 9:51 PM

Eric R: And? Received: Mon, Dec 8 9:52 PM

Don R: Sucked, as always Sent: Mon, Dec 8 9:54 PM

Eric R: Glad to hear Received: Mon, Dec 8 9:54 PM

Don R: Pleased 2 B of service Sent: Mon, Dec 8 9:56 PM

Don R: I just fucked you on the internet Sent: Mon, Dec 8 10:00 PM

[Kibbee Nayee]

Not to interrupt the reparte between DR and Eric, but had dinner there last night in a party of four. We all split The Plate, and that was the first time I ever had frickles. They were salty, to be sure, but quite good, and the deviled eggs were outstanding. Two of us had the sirloin special, marinated nice and spicy. It was cooked to perfection and mouth-watering. The other two had the Scottish salmon -- we asked the server why it was called "Scottish" and she had a nice recital on wild-caught and organic, but not on Scottish. Anyway, the salmon was superb too, and cooked to a perfect medium/medium rare. I'll be back often.

[mdt]

Not to interrupt the reparte between DR and Eric, but had dinner there last night in a party of four. We all split The Plate, and that was the first time I ever had frickles. They were salty, to be sure, but quite good, and the deviled eggs were outstanding. Two of us had the sirloin special, marinated nice and spicy. It was cooked to perfection and mouth-watering. The other two had the Scottish salmon -- we asked the server why it was called "Scottish" and she had a nice recital on wild-caught and organic, but not on Scottish. Anyway, the salmon was superb too, and cooked to a perfect medium/medium rare. I'll be back often.

Could it be that it was from Scotland? Click Which of course makes me wonder why it was not mentioned.

[MarkS]

Our family went here last night and all 4 of us were not impressed. My sons had burgers which were thin(their words) and charred. My wife had a NY strip that was thinly cut and I had broiled shrimp which was plain. Nothing jumped out on the menu. We only went here because we were picking up my son from the airport. We live in Rockville and will stick to Addies, or Garret Park Bistro both of which are neighborhood spots.

I wasn't sure what Mel Merie Grille wanted to be and not sure they suceeded either.

[DonRocks]

For only the second time in my life, but also the second time in two nights, I saw the Mama's Little Yella Pils this evening at Del Merei Grille. I ordered a pint, and sipped it over the course of about fifteen minutes.

I can't say I really like the beer, which is offered by Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, Colorado, the same brewery that sent us Dale's Pale Ale a couple of years ago, and was one of the pioneers of "good American beers in cans." To me, Mama's Little Yella Pils is a small step away from "Mama's Little Yella Piss," as it's relatively flavorless, but perhaps has an extra degree of alcohol that makes it seem more serious. I don't dislike it, but I'm in no rush to order it again.

A truly funny moment came when the bill arrived and it was $5.17. I asked my bartender, "How did you come up with $5.17?"

He replied, "Oh, it's the Alexandria city tax that does it."

My response, "Well, how much is it without the tax?"

"$4.63."

Cheers,

Rocks.

[bbhasin]

You have to watch out for that ' extra degree of alcohol', Rocks. 4.75 + 9% tax = 5.1775.

You are lucky they did not round it off, would have cost you a penny more

[silentbob]

I think my future visits will focus on other menu offerings, and I'll save my steak $ for that noisy place in Rosslyn.

That seems to match my experience. Strip steak was cooked to the right level of doneness but tasted really dry and could've used much more seasoning. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed The Plate (even though some frickle pieces didn't seem to have any pickle and was just fried batter), especially the taquito and dipping sauces. Pie was also pretty tasty, although a more meager-sized slice than expected.

[Pizzaandbrew]

Del Merei lets the diner choose how they would like to "dress" their steak, so if you aren't happy with how its seasoned (but it is cooked as you requested), does not some of the blame fall on yourself? As an operator, when you offer this service to your guests, you can't season every steak the same. Its been a few months since we've been, but I recall pepper grinders and salt shakers on the table. To paraphrase Michael Landrum, "don't criticize us for what we don't do (or don't offer), criticize us for what we offer and don't live up to". Great wine list, strong beer offerings, an eclectic menu and food cooked the way you ask... $ for $, Del Merei is a hidden gem in a neighborhood (Del Ray, Alexandria) full of them.

That seems to match my experience. Strip steak was cooked to the right level of doneness but tasted really dry and could've used much more seasoning. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed The Plate (even though some frickle pieces didn't seem to have any pickle and was just fried batter), especially the taquito and dipping sauces. Pie was also pretty tasty, although a more meager-sized slice than expected.

[KMango]

Del Merei lets the diner choose how they would like to "dress" their steak, so if you aren't happy with how its seasoned (but it is cooked as you requested), does not some of the blame fall on yourself? As an operator, when you offer this service to your guests, you can't season every steak the same. Its been a few months since we've been, but I recall pepper grinders and salt shakers on the table. To paraphrase Michael Landrum, "don't criticize us for what we don't do (or don't offer), criticize us for what we offer and don't live up to". Great wine list, strong beer offerings, an eclectic menu and food cooked the way you ask... $ for $, Del Merei is a hidden gem in a neighborhood (Del Ray, Alexandria) full of them.

A few weeks ago, I ordered takeout from Del Merei and was completely underwhelmed. Chili mac from the DEL-icous menu that was sort of OK (void of seasoning; pedestrian pasta), buffalo oysters that lacked zing, unappetizing placement in the packaging for both. Based on that, I'd taken them off my radar screen. But the posts here show that was short-sighted. I ordered the wrong things and takeout is always a diluting medium.

I'll have to go back, have a seat, and check out the full experience. Another comfort food option (with their more-accessible parking) would be a boon so close to home.

[Eric Reid]

I ordered the wrong things and takeout is always a diluting medium.

It's funny you should mention that. When we first opened I had opted against to go food in fear of certain items not traveling well, steaks being overcooked in the togo containers and items becoming soggy. Mary on the otherhand, wanted carryout due to the popularity of togo items at Monroes. Obviously she won that arguement.

No excuses, but the items you ordered do not travel well. Thanks for chiming in.

[Cooter]

It's funny you should mention that. When we first opened I had opted against to go food in fear of certain items not traveling well, steaks being overcooked in the togo containers and items becoming soggy. Mary on the otherhand, wanted carryout due to the popularity of togo items at Monroes. Obviously she won that arguement.

No excuses, but the items you ordered do not travel well. Thanks for chiming in.

Eric, with a five month old at home we haven't been going out as much as we used to. Some take out Del Merei would be great on the weekend. Is there anything in particular that you would recommend that would travel well? My wife is partial to the chicken-fried-chicken, but I'm guessing that that wouldn't be the best option.

[Jimmy Chandler]

Del Merei lets the diner choose how they would like to "dress" their steak, so if you aren't happy with how its seasoned (but it is cooked as you requested), does not some of the blame fall on yourself? As an operator, when you offer this service to your guests, you can't season every steak the same. Its been a few months since we've been, but I recall pepper grinders and salt shakers on the table. To paraphrase Michael Landrum, "don't criticize us for what we don't do (or don't offer), criticize us for what we offer and don't live up to". Great wine list, strong beer offerings, an eclectic menu and food cooked the way you ask... $ for $, Del Merei is a hidden gem in a neighborhood (Del Ray, Alexandria) full of them.

You aren't seriously suggesting that diners are supposed to suggest to the restaurant how much salt/pepper they want on their steak? If a restaurant uses too much or too little seasoning, that's a legitimate critique in my book.

[DonRocks]

Congratulations to Mary Abraham, and her son, Turner Bass Reid, 6lbs. 3oz., born today. Everyone is doing well. :-)

[Escoffier]

So finding a place open on Christmas eve where we figured we had a reasonable chance to get good food, I made a reservation at Del Merei Grill. We arrived (early, about 10 minutes early) to an empty restaurant devoid of servers, hostesses or anyone, really. Apologizing for being early, we took a seat and told the runner that we'd wait until everything was prepared as we were in no real rush (no Santa Claus for the Escoffier/Grover house). Our server came by and asked if she could get us drinks, however as we were without menus, we decided it would be better to order a glass of wine if we knew what was available. Ten minutes later, we were given menus and a short course in "by the glass on the left, bottles on the right" and "would you like 5 minutes to study the menu?". We took that 5 minutes and then 5 more minutes when, once again our server dropped by to ask if we'd like 5 minutes more to study the menu. Now, I don't know if you've seen the menu at Del Merei, but in 15 minutes, you can memorize the entire menu including every bottle of wine, every wine by the glass and most of the appetizers. We selected glasses of wine and ordered quickly. We ordered the beef BBQ taquitos and the calamari to start. The taquitos were the star of the "starters". For some reason, everybody seems to turn calamari into breaded and deep fried rubber bands. The accompaniment for the calamari was rather interesting as well. It appeared to be pickled green something and red something. There was a layer of juice of some sort moistening the bottom of the serving dish. Strange and somewhat off-putting, but tasty. For mains, I ordered the lamb shank and Grover opted for the shrimp and grits. We waited and waited, as our server evidently decided that the 8 top she was serving absolutely had to have their wine before our food could be delivered from the kitchen. Eventually, someone (another server? the runner? my Uncle Frederick?) delivered our food. The lamb shank was quite a substantial piece of LUKEWARM to cool shank riding on top of a layer of corn-pudding and stewed? tomatoes and okra with pistachios. Grover's shrimp and grits seemed to be more polenta than grits and was also lukewarm. I can only conclude that both dishes sat at the serving window for a time before someone noticed that we hadn't received our food. At the initial delivery I asked that we be provided with forks (eating with your fingers is so declasse, you know) and we were provided with one fork. I asked for and received a second fork so that we could tackle dinner. That's when the cold food made itself known. After a couple of minutes, we finally got the attention of someone and told them that our food was a bit chilly to the touch. Both dishes were whisked away and we waited...and waited...and waited...and waited to the point where I was ready to ask for a bill for what we had managed to eat up to this time so we could leave and find dinner somewhere. Grover played the soothing partner and so we waited (did I mention we had already waited a considerable amount of time already?). Finally the dishes were returned (at least the food was warmer than the first time) and we ate. Now for the lamb shank, it was a bit fatter then the lamb shanks I have eaten at other places but it was tasty. I managed to fill a bread plate with bones and fat from the shank. Grover found her shrimp and grits (polenta?) to be appetizing and of a considerable size. I didn't try any of the shrimp so I don't know if they had been frozen before cooking or were fresh and frankly, at that time, I really wasn't interested in finding out. The bill was around $80 and, quite frankly, we could have gone to Brabo and eaten better and at a lower cost. I don't usually tip 15%, but there was no way I could justify tipping any more than that and I had an internal argument before I settled on that. I don't think we'll be interested in returning, which is a shame. We started going to Del Merei when it opened and saw a lot of promise. Somehow (at least for tonight) that promise was gone.

[hillvalley]

Merry Christmas Escoffier. Sounds like you could use some cheer.

(Is a negative post really necessary tonight?)

[DonRocks]

I heard from the restaurant, who does not wish to speak poorly of their customers (and therefore does not wish to post). However, at my request, they allowed me to mention that we talked.

So finding a place open on Christmas eve where we figured we had a reasonable chance to get good food, I made a reservation at Del Merei Grill. We arrived (early, about 10 minutes early) to an empty restaurant devoid of servers, hostesses or anyone, really.

You really should have added that you arrived at 4:45, and the restaurant doesn't open until 5:00. The staff was exchanging holiday gifts at the bar when you walked in, which is why the only person there was the busboy cleaning the revolving door. In their minds, they were happy to let you wait at a booth for fifteen minutes, rather than waiting outside in the cold.

We waited and waited, as our server evidently decided that the 8 top she was serving absolutely had to have their wine before our food could be delivered from the kitchen. Eventually, someone (another server? the runner? my Uncle Frederick?) delivered our food. The lamb shank was quite a substantial piece of LUKEWARM to cool shank riding on top of a layer of corn-pudding and stewed? tomatoes and okra with pistachios. Grover's shrimp and grits seemed to be more polenta than grits and was also lukewarm. I can only conclude that both dishes sat at the serving window for a time before someone noticed that we hadn't received our food.

You're correct and they are apologetic for this - your food sat on the window for longer than it should have. They had 90 confirmed reservations that evening, and 62 of them were between 5 and 6 PM, which is not an excuse, but is at least an explanation.

Ten minutes later, we were given menus and a short course in "by the glass on the left, bottles on the right" and "would you like 5 minutes to study the menu?". We took that 5 minutes and then 5 more minutes when, once again our server dropped by to ask if we'd like 5 minutes more to study the menu.

...

Both dishes were whisked away and we waited...and waited...and waited...and waited to the point where I was ready to ask for a bill for what we had managed to eat up to this time so we could leave and find dinner somewhere. Grover played the soothing partner and so we waited (did I mention we had already waited a considerable amount of time already?). Finally the dishes were returned (at least the food was warmer than the first time) and we ate. Now for the lamb shank, it was a bit fatter then the lamb shanks I have eaten at other places but it was tasty. I managed to fill a bread plate with bones and fat from the shank.

Your meal didn't begin until 5 PM, you ordered and ate both appetizers and entrees, and you paid your check at 5:46.

I didn't try any of the shrimp so I don't know if they had been frozen before cooking or were fresh and frankly, at that time, I really wasn't interested in finding out.

And you took what was left home in a carryout box.

There really are two sides to every story.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[ema]

I haven't been to Del Merei Grill yet, but I have been to Los Tios and Bombay Curry Company, and I didn't find them to be impressive even though both received many positive remarks online. I think people tend to give neighborhood joints higher praises due to convenience, which is something I tend to do when I review a restaurant too.

[Escoffier]

I heard from the restaurant, who does not wish to speak poorly of their customers (and therefore does not wish to post). However, at my request, they allowed me to mention that we talked.

Great. If they have something to say, why not say it? I'm quite willing to listen to anything they have to say and perhaps others might also want to hear it.

You really should have added that you arrived at 4:45, and the restaurant doesn't open until 5:00. The staff was exchanging holiday gifts at the bar when you walked in, which is why the only person there was the busboy cleaning the revolving door. In their minds, they were happy to let you wait at a booth for fifteen minutes, rather than waiting outside in the cold.

and if you bother to read my post, you will see we arrived at 4:50 and opened the door only to realize that they didn't open until 5:00 after which we apologized profusely (more than 5 times if I remember correctly) about being early and said that we would wait out of the way while they got ready to open. (and incidentally, the busboy came out from the kitchen and asked if we'd like anything which we refused because we realized we were early and didn't want to interrupt their preparations).

You're correct and they are apologetic for this - your food sat on the window for longer than it should have. They had 90 confirmed reservations that evening, and 62 of them were between 5 and 6 PM, which is not an excuse, but is at least an explanation.

If you aren't prepared to serve the reservations you have made, perhaps you shouldn't open at all (or bring on more staff or take fewer reservations). It's amazing how forgiving people are when you explain that you weren't prepared for the number of reservations that had been made. A simple "sorry, this sat longer than expected and we'll warm it for you" would have gone a long way to alleviate the wait.

Your meal didn't begin until 5 PM, you ordered and ate both appetizers and entrees, and you paid your check at 5:46.

The time we paid the bill is one thing that you got correct. And if you had asked you would have learned that more then 50% of what we ordered was still on the serving plates. I did not ask for my left overs to be boxed, as a matter of fact I wasn't interested in seeing them again. Grover on the other hand wanted what was left of the shrimp and polenta or grits or whatever. We ate the appetizers because they happened to be at a roughly correct temperature to be eaten. If our entrees had been approximately the correct temperature, we would have eaten them as well. As it happened, they weren't and we didn't. That we paid the bill at 5:46 is correct and we also left a half finished glass of wine sitting on the table and refused the offer of coffee and dessert because we were tired of having to flag down servers and runners to get any kind of service.

And you took what was left home in a carryout box.

One of which was entirely unasked for. You would think when there is more than 50% of a meal left sitting on a table that you might consider asking if there might be a problem.

There really are two sides to every story.

There certainly are. Nice to see the sincere apology for the cold food and the rather indifferent service.