I've been to Ray's The Steaks before, but this was the first time I had been to the new location and also the first time I was willing to spend a good deal of money on my dinner there. Richard decided we should continue our tradition of going out to dinner for each others birthdays. December 4th is Anderson O'Callaghan Jones' birthday and since he loves eating dead animals and drinking wine from the Andes, we decided on Rays.
One thing I noticed right off the bat was that the host/hostess sizes everyone up upon arrival and determines whether they will be eating in the "bistro" section or the "fine dining" section. Both have the same menu, but the service, I'm sure, is different. Also, the new place doesn't quite have the same cache as the old. The downgrades end there. The new spot takes reservations and you don't seem to be rushed out like you were at the original location.
We went on a Thursday and the place was packed. Our reservation was for 8 and they had our table ready upon arrival. Ray's cows are grass fed and actually chill in the back of the restaurant's freezer until they butcher them. The special that night was "dry-aged" steaks with the bone in. Multiple people went this route and it received rave reviews. The size of these steaks was hilarious. Fred Flinstone would have been proud at the looks our table got as the runners brought out the Brontosaurus Ribeyes. Richard had the black and bleu steak which he said was kind of disappointing, but I thought it was superb. Andy got the 'ol T-Bone a la George Costanza. I had a cup of crab bisque and a 9oz filet topped with mushrooms and 4oz of foie gras. The bisque here is legendary and almost every food critic has written about it. Try it. Thats all i can say.
I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I think that my steak was the best. The tenderness of the duck liver went great with the way they cooked the filet and the mushrooms were a great compliment as well. Each bite was very rich. Our waitress suggested a few wines that would go well with all of our meals (Olsani made the final decisions) and we put back 4 bottles over the course of the meal.
The presentation at Ray's is less than stellar, but to complain about that is missing the point of the restaurant. Ray's truly is Extraordinary food for the ordinary man. Stellar steaks for Longhorn Prices. Unlike EVERY steak place in DC, Ray's does not make you pay for your sides! All of the mashed potatoes and creamed spinach you can eat. If you have ever eaten at a BLT or The Prime Rib then you know this can save you about 20 bucks.
The new Ray's location may not have the same "secret" feeling that the old one did, but the food is just as good and the service is incredible. With prices ranging 19 bucks to 45 bucks for a great steak you can go here once a week if you want to...and maybe I will. Even my dog enjoyed the place when he got to eat the bones from the leftovers.
Rating: A
Highlights: Crab Bisque with huge chunks of meat, Steak Rossini, and prices
Lowlights: The welcome staff and the fact that they don't have liquor.
