It was with much anticipation that I went to Ray’s: The Steaks with Big Red two weeks ago. (And this week, too, but I get to that later.) Ray’s is the anti-steakhouse, steakhouse. As Ray’s story (pictured above) talks about his is a non-corporate joint for those who truly love beef. The place doesn’t even have a website for crying out loud. And you have to appreciate a place that suggests that if you don’t like their ‘eat and leave’ policy, then maybe you should find a different place to eat.
According to Big Red, the place always has a wait. And according to our waitress, Mondays are the slowest nights, when the wait is only 45 minutes. You can make ‘day of’ reservations, but you have to physically be there and come back at your appointed time. The reason, people would make reservations on the voicemail, and then blow them off. Ray would have nothing to do with that. Hence the in-person reservation policy.
The place in located in a non-descript strip shopping plaza in Arlington, VA. There a liquor store, a Mexican restaurant and a couple other retail stores there. The decor is minimal, if not stark. The walls are painted a plum color with tan trim. There are no pictures, and only a vast selection of premium, but moderately priced wines, provide the ambiance of the restaurant. The floor plan, is packed tight with tables, to make the most of the cramped space, with a large booth at the front of the restaurant, several four-tops on angles to the right of the main aisle, and 3-4 rows of 2 tops that can be pushed together for multiple group sizes. The kitchen is relatively open, and small. Again likely to maximize seating capacity. What’s nice is this place has a feel of a neighborhood gathering place. It’s not pretentious. Conversation, as well as the wine and beer, flow, adding to the atmosphere where locals know a gem, and out of towners feel like their back home.
As you can see from the menu, there is a wide selection of beef. I love how Ray states the temperatures at which each cut is available for service. I also sat in anticipation of the heavy char that they put on the steaks. That, as regular readers of SteakMatters know, is my favorite part. After a review of the options, and a recommendation from Big Red, I chose the 16-oz New York Strip. NYS’ are standard fair, but at Ray’s they are something special.
For starters, each meal comes with a side of mashed potatoes and cream spinach. Other a’la carte items are available, but not necessary, as both included sides were excellent. (But even if you get additional sides, the potatoes and spinach come too.) As for my main course, the picture does not do this piece of beef justice. It was easily more than the as advertised 16-oz. Hell, it was thick, it was grilled on 4 sides. Using my knife, it was like gently slicing into a 2x2x8 stick of warm butter. The marbling, combined with the searing and grilling, made for one hell of a steak. Prepared medium, the meat was tender and full of flavor. The texture, combined with the flavor, brought me back to the days of my Pop’s real-charcoal grill, when he would treat the family to summer’s evening cookout. The middle of the steak was a deep red, with the juices flowing. Each bit was better than the last. Complimenting the meal was another recommendation of Big Red, a blend of cabernet and shiraz.
Needless to say, it was an excellent meal and well worth the trip out of DC. I’d go back again, when time and schedules, and of course the right client, deserving of such a locals experience is along for the ride.
- POTUS
According to Big Red, the place always has a wait. And according to our waitress, Mondays are the slowest nights, when the wait is only 45 minutes. You can make ‘day of’ reservations, but you have to physically be there and come back at your appointed time. The reason, people would make reservations on the voicemail, and then blow them off. Ray would have nothing to do with that. Hence the in-person reservation policy.
The place in located in a non-descript strip shopping plaza in Arlington, VA. There a liquor store, a Mexican restaurant and a couple other retail stores there. The decor is minimal, if not stark. The walls are painted a plum color with tan trim. There are no pictures, and only a vast selection of premium, but moderately priced wines, provide the ambiance of the restaurant. The floor plan, is packed tight with tables, to make the most of the cramped space, with a large booth at the front of the restaurant, several four-tops on angles to the right of the main aisle, and 3-4 rows of 2 tops that can be pushed together for multiple group sizes. The kitchen is relatively open, and small. Again likely to maximize seating capacity. What’s nice is this place has a feel of a neighborhood gathering place. It’s not pretentious. Conversation, as well as the wine and beer, flow, adding to the atmosphere where locals know a gem, and out of towners feel like their back home.
As you can see from the menu, there is a wide selection of beef. I love how Ray states the temperatures at which each cut is available for service. I also sat in anticipation of the heavy char that they put on the steaks. That, as regular readers of SteakMatters know, is my favorite part. After a review of the options, and a recommendation from Big Red, I chose the 16-oz New York Strip. NYS’ are standard fair, but at Ray’s they are something special.
For starters, each meal comes with a side of mashed potatoes and cream spinach. Other a’la carte items are available, but not necessary, as both included sides were excellent. (But even if you get additional sides, the potatoes and spinach come too.) As for my main course, the picture does not do this piece of beef justice. It was easily more than the as advertised 16-oz. Hell, it was thick, it was grilled on 4 sides. Using my knife, it was like gently slicing into a 2x2x8 stick of warm butter. The marbling, combined with the searing and grilling, made for one hell of a steak. Prepared medium, the meat was tender and full of flavor. The texture, combined with the flavor, brought me back to the days of my Pop’s real-charcoal grill, when he would treat the family to summer’s evening cookout. The middle of the steak was a deep red, with the juices flowing. Each bit was better than the last. Complimenting the meal was another recommendation of Big Red, a blend of cabernet and shiraz.
Needless to say, it was an excellent meal and well worth the trip out of DC. I’d go back again, when time and schedules, and of course the right client, deserving of such a locals experience is along for the ride.
- POTUS
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