Ray's the Steaks

[pastramionrye]

another solid night at ray's...very stuffed; and with my first doggy bag to boot.

penfolds shiraz/cab

mixed greens

shrimp app

ribeye

more wine...

choc. mousse

coffee

nibbles.

thank you ray/mike for being in my neighborhood.

p.s. nice article morela posted...some people just can't help being good people. mike seems to be one of them.

[mnebergall]

Why Ray's will always be a neighborhood place...

Something to remember. I will at least, being down the street. Michael is a good egg.

You've got "eggs" on the brain.

[CarrotStick]

This just in....Ray's the Steaks kicks the Caucus Room's ass. This weekend involved back-to-back steak dinners.

Exhibit A: The Caucus Room. Service haughty, atmoshpere/decor nice. Filet Mignon (medium) overcooked, dry and tasteless. Creamed spinach watery, mashed potatoes adequate. Steak was rated a grudging 6/10 and we felt (party of three late-20s folks) like we were sitting at the kiddie table at Thanksgiving.

Exhibit B: Ray's the Steaks. Service friendly, welcoming. Decor- ok, Caucus Room wins this one. Crab bisque: moan-inducingly good. Filet Mignon (medium) au poivre with sauteed garlic. Fabulous- tender, tasty, perfectly cooked. Creamed spinach and mashed potatoes delish. Steak was rated a 9/10. Want to go back now!!

Ya'll already know Ray's rocks the house. Thanks, Michael and team for such a great place.

[mnebergall]

Zagat's rates the food at Ray's the Steaks at 27 out of 30, one of the highest in town. Michael is might proud of that accomplishment.

[iamthestretch]

Oy. At this rate, a temporal paradox will soon manifest in Ray's reservations system. In order to secure a table, you will have had to reserve it three weeks before you ever heard of the place.

[mnebergall]

Well, I got to do a sort of back-to-back "compare/contrast" with Ray's the Steaks and Charlie Palmer's. I had dinner at Ray's on Sunday evening and Charlie Palmer's on Tuesday evening.

I won't comment on the differences between the decor as everybody already knows about that and could care less.

Chef Michael brought us a couple of his famous grilled scallops that were about as good as they get: fresh, sweet and juicy. I had the "petite" 24 oz. bone-in rib eye steak cooked rare. The massive steak that arrived was cooked perfectly and was accompanied by the shaved garlic, crumbled blue cheese, and the grilled red onions. Absolutely heavenly.

At Palmer's, I had the New York "shell" steak which is a bone-in strip. The paltry specimen that adorned my plate would have crawled away in humiliation at the site of the monster that I had on Sunday at Ray's. Palmer's' steak was just ordinary. Of course you expect hoity-toity appetizers at Palmer's and one of the guys I was with raved about the soft shell crab and my tuna sashimi was excellent. But I don't go to a steak place for the appetizers, I go for the steak.

At Palmer's, they seem to spend more time worrying about the book-ends rather than what's in between. The appetizers and the deserts are stellar; but the focus of the meal should be the steak. The quality of the appetizers and deserts is not carried through to the cernterpiece of the meal, the steak.

Ray's the Steaks is just the opposite. His appetizers and deserts are very good but ordinary (I'm treading on thin ice here because Michael's crab bisque and his scallops are out of this world, but they are not sashimi tuna with soba noodles etc., etc.)(I'm sure Michael will recall this post the next time I'm in there) and his Key Lime Pie (my favorite by the way) is one of the best in town. But the point is that Michael puts all of his energy into what you go to his restaurant for: The Freak'n Steaks. He definitely has his eye focused squarely on the ball. Others could learn from him.

[landrumm2000]

Thanks Mark. I'll have your cash ready next time you visit. Just make sure to delete this e-mail from your hard-drive.--Michael.

[mnebergall]

Thanks Mark. I'll have your cash ready next time you visit. Just make sure to delete this e-mail from your hard-drive.--Michael.

I like large stacks of small bills.

[Minister of Drink]

Want to go back now!!

That's exactly what has been on my mind (and the minds of some others in the EG community) for the last week or so. As such, this Sunday's gorging and imbibing will take place at Michael's house, not mine!

[morela]

Michael, since I know you're reading...

If you can do the deviled eggs this Sunday, I'll wear my eatin' dress...

Eitherway, see you then.

[morela]

Michael,

Thanks for these guys...

Satanically good; everything was. The only difference tonight was that morela ate scallops and just like everything else, they were just cooked. Perfect velvet in my mouth.

Woof Woof. Our best dinner yet (so agreed all the grizzled resturant vets).

Yours Truly,

Deviled Egg (Wh)orela

[Minister of Drink]

Satanically good; everything was.

Booyaka! Rezpek. Tonight was da best yet at RTS. Unforntunately, the lot of us took an oath not to reveal certain yummies!~!!!!!!!!

So just go and put in your time and you will see, or taste!

[John W.]

If my seals were not lipped, I would add something, but unfortunately..they is. So. Michael's the Man. How can you not lurve the man who brings you THAT steak? If you haven't been, go now. That's all. Respekt.

[bilrus]

I have finally got through to make my first reservation at Ray's. I haven't gotten that many busy signals in trying to make a res since Per Se.

But I was unexpectedly able to get in for this Saturday. Not till 9:30, but I doubt they'll be out of beef by then.

I'm pumped.

[BackwardsHat]

I have finally got through to make my first reservation at Ray's. I haven't gotten that many busy signals in trying to make a res since Per Se.

But I was unexpectedly able to get in for this Saturday. Not till 9:30, but I doubt they'll be out of beef by then.

I'm pumped.

Congrats, you'll always remember your first time at Ray's with fondness... ;-) I should be there satruday as well, albeit a bit earlier...

[bilrus]

As expected, it lived up to its pre-billing. I had the house special (NY Strip au poivre with brandy mushroom cream sauce with blue chese). So many things happening, but so good together.

The crab cake appetizer was a surprise. I was expecting maybe two small balls of crab cake. What they brought out was a crab cake the size and shape of a good sized pancake, not too much filler and a distinctive mustard flavor.

One taste of my Strip made my wife vow never to order a filet in a restaurant again (which she did last night). Not that the fliet was bad, it just didn't measure up to the strip.

The taste I can't get out of my head is the creamed spinach (or should I say spinach flavored cream?)

We left with one question - how much cream must this place go through on a daily basis between the sauces, the bisque, the spinach and the potatoes?

Edited September 5, 2004 by bilrus (log)

[jmc8y]

As expected, it lived up to its pre-billing.  I had the house special (NY Strip au poivre with brandy mushroom cream sauce with blue chese).  So many things happening, but so good together.

The crab cake appetizer was a surprise.  I was expecting maybe two small balls of crab cake.  What they brought out was a crab cake the size and shape of a good sized pancake, not too much filler and a distinctive mustard flavor.

One taste of my Strip made my wife vow never to order a filet in a restaurant again (which she did last night).  Not that the fliet was bad, it just didn't measure up to the strip.

The taste I can't get out of my head is the creamed spinach (or should I say spinach flavored cream?) 

We left with one question - how much cream must this place go through on a daily basis between the sauces, the bisque, the spinach and the potatoes?

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i moved to vancouver recently and the thing i miss most (besides family) is RAYS THE STEAKS!!!!!!! if you are reading this Ray/Michael, please send me steaks and get me out of this godforsaken salmon loving town!

[Minister of Drink]

Just returned from RTS after having dinner with a business associate. Another superb dining experience -- a perfected medium rare Filet Mignon au Poivre. With Michael & company just around the corner, I don't think I'll ever cook another steak on the Weber at the ministry again.

There are some nice changes..... an addition of what looks to be a wine bar up front. Would be really cool if the plan is to put chairs there and let people smash out more wines by the glass. Also new (near the kitchen) is a more segregated (by another one of those old wooden government cabinets now filled with wine bottles) private party/group table. This looks really nice and intimate for groups of friends, business dinners, or if you just want to discuss clipping someone with your letharious underworld contacts.

Needless to say, I will be back soon!!!!!!!!

[mnebergall]

Chef Michael is indeed upgrading his wine service. He is in the process of acquring/installing a nitrogen system so that he can offer a wider selection of better wines by the glass. I think all will agree that this will be a weclomed improvment.

Now, did you happen to notice the hard-top for Michael's convertible sitting on top of the alcove that forms the doorway?

[Minister of Drink]

Chef Michael is indeed upgrading his wine service.  He is in the process of acquring/installing a nitrogen system so that he can offer a wider selection of better wines by the glass.  I think all will agree that this will be a weclomed improvment. 

Now, did you happen to notice the hard-top for Michael's convertible sitting on top of the alcove that forms the doorway?

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Good to know -- I can't wait. Like I said, I live a 10 minute walk from Michael's bovine Shangri-La. That mean's when I get home from work, I'll walk there with my dog, smash out a glass or two (dog tethered & waiting outide of course), and return home.

It was my business associate who noticed the hard-top -- now the Reindeer in the window has some company in the decorations/art department!!!!!

[Chef Shogun]

As expected, it lived up to its pre-billing.  I had the house special (NY Strip au poivre with brandy mushroom cream sauce with blue chese). 

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That sounds like a thing of beauty....

I really need to get over there one of these days. How much notice would I have to give to get a posse together to make a trip?

Edited September 16, 2004 by Chef Shogun (log)

[mnebergall]

That sounds like a thing of beauty....

I really need to get over there one of these days.  How much notice would I have to give to get a posse together to make a trip?

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Weekends are harder than weekdays. Also, I find that he can get you in on shorter notice if you can wait until about 8:30 to start your dinner. Call between 12 and 2 and you will likely get to talk to the ruminant regent himself.

[Gary Tanigawa]

I've probably had slightly better than a 50% chance of getting seated within 15 min as a walk-in at about 9 PM on a weekday. Good luck!

Edited September 16, 2004 by Gary Tanigawa (log)

[morela]

Good! If you can't be on par, go away...

[The Doctor]

While we're asking questions about first visits,

(and this may not even be a question that needs to be asked), would my party be treated as second class guests if no wine were ordered at the meal? My parents are coming next month and this is on my short list of places to go. We'd do wines by the glass if anything, and I couldn't guarantee that. Seems like the reputation steakhouse bills have for being skyhigh is half due in part to $$ bottles of wine. But from what I hear this is no ordinary steakhouse. Am I being paranoid? They're footing the bill so I'd prefer not worry about disappointment.