172532 Wed Nov 24 14:23:13 -0800 2004 13 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 926877 Can any of you chow's offer information regarding B-Van's. Invited for dinner Friday night and would like to know what to expect? I thank you in advance. Wed Nov 24 14:23:13 -0800 2004 0 red or green 1 926880 Very good dry-aged strips and ribeyes, but nothing bone-in (grr). Decent hash browns. Wackily overpriced wine list (I think last time I was there Moet White Star was $98!!!). But Double Diamond Ale on draft, which cuts through the gaminess of the steak (yum!). Wed Nov 24 15:50:54 -0800 2004 926877 0 Jake Parrott 2 926897 I dine out in DC 2-3 times a week. Can honestly say I received the worst service ever at Bobby Van's. Food was fine, service was rude, inattentive and condescending. Wine list is way, way overpriced. Wed Nov 24 18:47:01 -0800 2004 926880 0 Kelly Drew 3 926899 I can believe it. I've only eaten at the bar, and the bartenders are good, but not particularly friendly. And I actually believe that a good pale ale or hoppy lager is a really good match for a heavily dry-aged steak, so I can skip BV's list without too much worry. Then again, their list wouldn't be priced there if they couldn't move wine, so others' mileage may vary. Wed Nov 24 18:52:01 -0800 2004 926897 0 Jake Parrott 4 926912 RE: prior post's comment "Then again, their list wouldn't be priced there if they couldn't move wine, so others' mileage may vary." I think the key point is who they are moving it to - value conscious chowhounds who appreciate quality at a fair price (even if a fair price is high), or expense-account philistines who don't really grok what they are or aren't getting for their bucks, but just want to impress by springing for something expensive that "must be good at that price". I'll leave it to chowhounds who know wine (I admittedly don't) to clue us all in on which is the case here. I want to give my dollars to the place that provides fair value, whatever the final bill may be. Thu Nov 25 09:52:06 -0800 2004 926899 0 Warthog 5 926916 From their standpoint, it doesn't matter, as long as they move wine. For my palate, there are very few lists in this area that I want to buy off of anyway (Corduroy, Zaytinya, Les Halles are three notable ones), so it doesn't pain me a whole lot to drink beer at Bobby Van's. Nor should it for you. I think that (tangentially) answers the question :-). Thu Nov 25 11:23:56 -0800 2004 926912 0 Jake Parrott 5 926933 Thank you for adding nothing to the discussion about Bobby Van's. I see that you have been reading up on your Mother Jones and come away with some moronic myths about those who have access to expense accounts. I know they are beneth you, as you are the arbitor of all that is food and dining. If you would actually see how sensible people use expense accounts they generally impress by what is in the glass, not what label is on the bottle. By the way, Bobby Van's low end wines are over-priced, but their high-end offerings have in the past been decent, at a fair restaurant price. Fri Nov 26 12:53:45 -0800 2004 926912 0 Sthitch 6 926944 for what it is worth... I think that Warthog's comments about "expense-account philistines" can be taken in either of two ways. On one interpretation, he is accusing those folks who use expense accounts of being philistines. This is how Joe and Sthitch took it (perhaps because, as folks who do some expense-account dining, they are particularly sensitive to comments like that). But on the other interpretation (the one I took when I read it), he is just saying that of the set of people who use expense-accounts, there is a subset who are philistines. That is certainly true. It's true of the set of non-expense-account diners, too, of course. But since it seems reasonable to assume that people pay less attention to value when others are largely responsible for footing the bill, Warthog's comments, interpreted in this way, do not seem so outrageous, do they? So which interpretation should we take? My practice, in general, is to take the less offensive of plausible competing interpretations. E-mail and bulletin-board posts, usually written very quickly, seem to be fairly lousy means for accurate communication. When I see something that is possibly offensive, if there is another reasonable interpretation I take it and put the ambiguity down as a mistake. Fri Nov 26 19:58:49 -0800 2004 926933 0 PoolBoy 7 926961 Well, at least somebody got it. Referring specifically to "expense account phiilistines" is not the same as saying "all people who have expense accounts are philistines." If that had been what I'd meant, that's what I would have said. I'm talking specifically about those persons who care nothing about food who use high tabs (paid with their employer's money) as a way to "keep score" and try to impress. If you're not in that category, I'm not talking about you. If you've never met such a person, consider yourself fortunate. Like it or not, there are restaurants who cater to such folk, and the comments on this thread about high prices (at comparatively poor value for the money) on the wine list raised the question of whether this restaurant *might* be one. Again, I'll leave that call to those who know about wine. I don't As for the prior "Mother Jones" comment - what pray tell does my politics have to do with food, wine, or the dinig experience? And why is it OK to make such non-food related presumptions about me after blasting me about the assumptions one projected me as making? As to the other comment about me considering myself "the arbitor of all that is food and dining" - if that were the case, why would I have admitted that I know nothing about wine? Why would I admit that my opinions are just that? Prior posters commented on the wine pricing seeming out of line. I offered one *possible* explanation. Why read more into it than that? Sat Nov 27 13:21:35 -0800 2004 926944 0 Warthog 5 926940 "expense account philistines..." I wouldn't even know where to begin with a comment like this. For what it's worth I entertain a lot; on the one hand I am fortunate that I can do this. On the other if I didn't I would not be successful in what I do. But most importantly, every single penny that I spend is mine. Not anyone else's. I don't think you should think for a second that a penny on a dinner like this matters any less than a penny on a dinner for my wife and I in, say, Moby Dick. Or that what I am served is any the less important. I also think you seriously underestimate others' knowledge with your "philistine" comment. Sorry, but I cannot help but respond to your attitude. Fri Nov 26 16:18:18 -0800 2004 926912 0 Joe H. 1 926887 When three of us went recently, we ordered the porterhouse. The meat was excellent, just the doneness we requested. But they sliced the steak into silver dollar-size pieces and put it back on the bone. Next time I go I'll ask them not to do that. Wed Nov 24 16:52:03 -0800 2004 926877 0 StephenB 1 926984 We went to Bobby Van's for my son's birthday (his choice) since he wanted their famous porterhouse. The decor is nice, very steakhousy with blond wood, and lots of large format bottles of wine around. They have a nice wine enclosed wine cellar that you can see from most of the tables. Service was very good, with one small exception described below. The breads were very good and they kept the basket full. There were three different breads (french, olive and raisin) and some flat crackers with seeds that were quite good. For appetizers my son had the blue point oysters on the half shell, excellent but expensive at $13.50 for a half dozen. I had the soft shell crab, also $13.50 (you can get one as an appetizer and two as a main course) It was prepared perfectly, just a touch of spice and not at all over-cooked and served over a light fresh tomato sauce with a piece of cornbread. My wife had the crab cake. The first one was cold in the middle and she sent it back, the second one was very good with no filler at all and nicely spiced, though she would have preferred it broiled to fried, but she didn't ask so I don't know if that is an option. We had been tempted to order the seafood sampler appetizer, and watched several go by, they were huge, with shrimp, crabmeat and a lobster tail. I am afraid to think what they charged for those. They are famous for their dry aged steaks, and the steak was cooked just like we wanted it, very rare. If you order the porter house for 2-4, everyone must have it cooked the same way (obviously) and it came as ordered. The steak was chared on the outside and blood red in the middle. It was already cut for us and served up nicely. However, it was not as tender as I expected, not tough at all, but no better than some other steaks I've had at other restaurants that do not specialize in steaks. At $34.50 a person, it was not the best deal either. My wife had the broiled scallops with lemon butter which were quite good, and a large serving. Sides are ordered separately and except for the baked potato, are for two. The mashed potatos were good, but not exceptional, though they were very hot. The creamed spinich is very creamy, too much so. The baked potato on the other hand, was huge, cooked perfectly, and served with sour cream, chedder cheese, and applewood smoked bacon as toppings (served on the side) Desserts were good, though the bread pudding a little dry, but the apple crumble was excellent. The cream broule was wonderful. Coffee ended the meal and was very good. The wine list is extensive, and for what is there not as over-priced as some places in this city (though I couldn't find any red for less than $40) but when I ordered a 1999 Franciscan Oakville, they brought a 2000. I sent it back and ordered a different wine. This came as advertised. (a 1999 St. Frances Cab for $60) I would have liked it if they had said the 99 was no longer available and asked if I wanted the 2000 (I didn't) before bringing it. But it was the waiter, not a sommelier so I guess I am being picky. He had no problem taking it back and getting something else. Mon Nov 29 08:11:16 -0800 2004 926877 0 dinwiddie 1 927023 Wow, sorry to have stirred up such a storm. Let me start by saying this, our meal was paid for with hard earned cash, and a lot of it I may add. We found Bobby Van's to be an unfortunate dinning experience. I take food very seriously, maybe a bit to much at times, but for the price this was unacceptable and unfortunate. The appetizers were fine, two types of calamari both fried to perfection. However, my fillet and my wife’s special Cajun spiced strip were both cooking incorrectly. Mine like a charcoal briquette and hers so rare we had to send it back. The service was on top of it immediately, and they continued to be very accommodating throughout the meal. Side note, take your own bottle of wine they charge $20 for corkage. Of the eight people that joined us for dinner only two seemed to be fine with what they ordered. In summery, I would go to Ray’s the Steaks or Carlyle Grand for a good reasonably priced steak. The service was fine, ambiance nothing special, the food really left to be desired and for the price go elsewhere. I always appreciate your commentary. Mon Nov 29 14:44:56 -0800 2004 926877 0 red or green 1 927095 Double Diamond no longer on tap. Burger just OK. Ray's the Steaks exists. No longer any reason to eat here. Tue Nov 30 09:05:34 -0800 2004 926877 0 Jake Parrott