Del Merei Grille in Del Ray

[Jill Cheese Lady]

Just had my second meal at the Del Merei Grill on Mt. Vernon Avenue. The food is southern - which earns a warm place in my Kentucky heart. Last night I had the bbq beef ribs and they were outstanding - succulent and juicy, falling off the bone. Paired with cooked collards, it was a little slice of heaven.

Other things I've tried are the creamed spinach, which was nice and spinach-y (a good thing) and the frickles - fried pickle chips. Great with beer, I imagine.

The place opened a few weeks ago and for a brand-new spot, the service is really pretty smooth. Anyone else been yet?

[mnebergall]

Is this where the Calvert Grille used to be located? In the ground level of that high-rise apartment building?

[Jill Cheese Lady]

Is this where the Calvert Grille used to be located?  In the ground level of that high-rise apartment building?

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Yes - it's where the Calvert used to be. But man, has the place changed.

[DCMark]

Welcome aboard Jill! Keep us posted of your happenings.

[JPW]

More importantly is the fact that that is where Bombay Curry Company is located.

[Sthitch]

Do they serve beer or wine? All they have listed for beverages are non-alcoholic.

[Jill Cheese Lady]

Do they serve beer or wine?  All they have listed for beverages are non-alcoholic.

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Wow - excellent point. Yes, they have a full bar (adjacent to the dining room but separated with a wall). There's a good bar menu there as well, complete with Vienna Inn chili dogs (the owner's grandparents owned and operated the Vienna Inn for over 50 years). They have a really nicely priced wine list (we had a yummy zinfandel last night for $26). Of course, they also have cocktails.

[Jill Cheese Lady]

More importantly is the fact that that is where Bombay Curry Company is located.

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Ah yes - Lamb Korma. Bring it on.

[iamthestretch]

Saw this place the other day on the way down to the weekly swollen artery biathlon at Taqueria Poblano and Cheesetique and idly wondered what it was like. Now know. I love eGullet, and Cheesetique, and Jill (in a platonic, cheese-mentor kind of way, obviously), and Del Ray. Couldn't have found it on a map six months ago, now may as well just move down there.

[laniloa]

the frickles - fried pickle chips. Great with beer, I imagine.

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I had my first taste of fried pickles last summer in Houston. They were unexpectedly addictive but not the best snack before an 8 hour boat ride in very rough seas. I think I need to try again on dry land.

[bilrus]

Saw this place the other day on the way down to the weekly swollen artery biathlon at Taqueria Poblano and Cheesetique and idly wondered what it was like. Now know. I love eGullet, and Cheesetique, and Jill (in a platonic, cheese-mentor kind of way, obviously), and Del Ray. Couldn't have found it on a map six months ago, now may as well just move down there.

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And yet you don't attempt to be a true tri-athlete and make a stop at Del Ray Creamery?

Weak.

[JPW]

Saw this place the other day on the way down to the weekly swollen artery biathlon at Taqueria Poblano and Cheesetique and idly wondered what it was like. Now know. I love eGullet, and Cheesetique, and Jill (in a platonic, cheese-mentor kind of way, obviously), and Del Ray. Couldn't have found it on a map six months ago, now may as well just move down there.

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You couldn't afford DelRay now. Nobody can. Which brings up the mystery of who is buying there. We could probably just afford to split one of the two bedroom townhouses.

[Sthitch]

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.

Edited April 7, 2005 by Sthitch (log)

[eljo]

Thanks for the report. It sounds very promising.

I am glad you liked the artichoke dip, but just curious - why did you order it?

  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. 

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[Sthitch]

I am not sure why I ordered it, as it is not something I usually order. I was happy that I did. Next time we will start with the Lime Shrimp.

[Free Wilma]

Anyone know if they're open on Sunday evenings?

[MelGold]

Their sign says 7 Nights a week...

[Swankalicious]

My dining companion and I sauntered into Del Merei at around 7pm on a Saturday night. The place was half-empty and we were seated right away.

Our waitress was REALLY happy to be there: incredibly enthusiastic and made sure to praise our choices. She was also honest in steering us away from some things (the rosemary steak sauce, for example).

To start, we split an order of Frickles. These were incredibly tasty - basically tempura'd pickles--although the sauce tasted like ranch salad dressing. We also ordered the Grilled Romaine Wedge with Jalepeno Bleu Cheese, which was disappointing. The lettuce was stringy and burnt, doused in a heavy sauce that tasted neither of bleu cheese nor of jalepeno.

We moved on to entrees: I ordered a grilled portabello mushroom with a side of cheese grits and creamed spinach. The sides were amazing! The healthy dollop of grits was just perfect--thick, creamy, almost puddinglike. As another poster mentioned, the spinach is only tinged with cream. My humble companion adored his garlic mashed potatoes and also enjoyed his Ribeye. He also ordered green beans which were smoky, mushy, and delicious.

By this time the place had become packed, mainly skewed toward an older crowd. The waitstaff seemed unfazed and continued to be quite attentive. We finished with an incredible blueberry pie, crispy and sweet. All in all, without wine, the bill came to a mere $50. We'll definitely be back, and I would definitely recommend this place!