Monday Restaurant Reviews--Rays the Steaks

I can safely say that both Chris and I would rate Rays the Steaks as our most favorite restaurant in DC. We're there, on average, about once a month. In 2005, it was the official post-race restaurant of the Jenn-Chris Race Series. We were there after our 10 miler, after our 10K-er, and even after our 5K. Heh.

I especially love the fact that it's on our way home, many nights we've made it over for a weeknight dinner.

Our standards include:
Blackened scallops. These guys are almost meltingly tender, and the blackened spices pack a flavorful punch. These little slivers of garlic, so charming and intoxicating, come with the scallops. They tasty on their own.

Crab bisque. Creamy but not heavy, you really taste the crab (and they do not skimp on the crab meat--there's tons of it in the soup).

Caesar salad. They don't put croûtons in their salad, which is a huge plus in my book. The dressing is strong in flavor, but not too creamy. I like it because they use a strong lettuce.

Hanger steaks (onglet). This is the only cut of meat I get. Chris sometimes ventures into NY strip territory, but I love my hanger. It actually tastes like beef! Medium rare (or even rare) is the way to go here. It's also perfectly portioned--not too big, not too small. If you want to take part of it home, you won't feel like you're leftovers aren't enough for lunch the next day. Diablo style is a great way to go if you like spicy, but honestly, the steaks taste so good plain, you may just want to try that first before you try any sauces.

Mashed potatoes and spinach (which come complimentary with the steaks). First, a comment about the potatoes--they are smooth but not mushy, and very tasty. But the GARLIC mashed potatoes are even better. I've only had that when I've been with a bigger group (they brought out regular and garlic mashed potatoes). I like the spinach because the flavor is clean, not overly creamy, and the spinach is not overcooked.

Desserts. On Sunday, they had pumpkin pie, which is not always on the dessert menu. It was awesome--the texture was more like sweet potato pie, and the spices were mild. We usually have key lime pie, or the chocolate mousses (they have white, milk, and dark--my favorite is milk).

And the best part? The price. On Sunday, our total bill, including tax and tip was about $130. We ordered scallops to share, we each had a soup or a salad, we all had hanger steaks, and we had two desserts.