Cowboy UP! @ Rays

Believe it or not, my sister and brother-in-law are the real foodies in the family. So when they make it a priority to check a place out, it is usually worth my while to follow them up. They were traveling between Richmond and their home in Brooklyn, and they made a stop at Rays the Steaks in Arlington, VA near the Courthouse Metro stop, and after hearing about it, I knew I had to check it out. So when I happened to be in the area on Saturday, and felt like I should take advantage of the opportunity.

The place is snuggled in a small strip mall and it was packed. I was fortunate to find seating but that was probably based on the fact that there were only two of us. The space was very minimal: white walls, little decor, soft lighting, and tight seating. The menus were paper. This to me was a good sign. Packed house with no atmosphere means good food.

My suspicions were correct. I started the evening with an appetizer of blackened scallops. The dish was two large scallops perfectly cooked on each side. There was enough spice on each side to give it very tasty crust. I then followed it up with an iceberg salad with applewood smoked bacon and blue cheese. Again this was wonderful, especially with the generous amounts of bacon. Dinner was a hard choice. I heard the hanger steak was the way to go, but I was finding myself forced to choose between the cowboy steak and the Brazilian pichana. My partner in crime convinced me to stick with the cowboy steak. My compromise was that I received a side of the chimchurri sauce. The steak was nice and charred on the outside and red and wonderful on the inside. The chimchurri had a perfect spice to it, and the horseradish sauce was also great with its creamy kick. We complimented the meal with an old vine zinfandel.

If I had any complaint with the evening, it was the service. I knew from other people that I would feel rushed. I just didn't like getting my steak while I was still eating my salad. To me this was a minor concession for such good food. And trust me, I hope to be back again in the near future.