Steak Your Claim

Hands down the best bang for your buck, lip-smacking steak-house experience in DC area has to be Ray's the Steaks. Located just a block from the Courthouse Metro in Arlington, this no-nonsense, cure for the common over-priced steaks, offers affordable prime cuts, cooked to perfection. Their specialty steaks start at $18 for a juicy 14 oz New York Strip (my favorite) to a $34 8 oz filet topped with seared fioa gras, and everything in between. Each order comes with creamed spinach and sauteed mushrooms (delicious!).

Better yet has to be the wine selection. A bottle of 08 Castle Rock Pinot Noir, for example, will run you $26. A far cry from the $40-something listing for the same label at other establishments.

Dinner for 2. Appetizer, 2 entrees, bottle of wine, will run you as little as $65. An unbelievable value for what I consider to be 4.5 out of 5 star steaks.

Pascal's Miami

In terms of culinary delights, Pascal's is tops.  My recent trip to Miami made me realize that anybody who travels to the Cuba of the South would be a fool to not reserve themselves a table at Pascal's of Miracle Mile.  

The dining room is small and intimate, ten tables max, fifty people per seating.  

I had THE MOST AMAZING MEAL OF MY LIFE at Pascal's over my Christmas Vacation.

If you want a sure bet, to impress coworkers, dates, in-laws... a hands-down, no-brainer, of a restaurant experience, you would be remise in not taking three hours out of your life to not enjoy the amazing food at this French culinary wonder.

I would even go so far as to say if you had only three hours in Miami that you should spend it as Pascal's, and you would leave Miami satisfied.

The meal might run you $100 apiece, but you would be a fool not to make this sure-fire intestinal investment.  

MY MEAL:

I had the fois gras special, which was seasoned for 48 hours and spiced rubbed.   They have two fois gras on the regular menu, and I suggest trying either one.

I also relished the opportunity to taste their gnocchi appetizer, drizzled with white truffle oil... best I have ever tasted... sorry Grandma.  Seriously though, I have never been held speechless over food until that point.

My main course was the Veal Shank, which, suffice it to say, needed no knife, and only a fork to peel the delicate layers of non-pretentious proteins from their supple bones into my mouth until only the hollowed-out bones remained.  

We (Eve and I) also ordered the Souffles special for dessert.  Normally, I am not a "dessert person" but figured it was only appropriate to complete the circle of culinary delight we had experienced in the previous two hours.  

The service... incredible.  The food... words do not exist that can describe.  The atmosphere... beyond delightful.

HANDS DOWN THE BEST MEAL OF MY LIFE, you will not be disappointed.

If you want to impress those whom need impressing, look no further.

Trust Me.

Bryan