OT: Thoughts of Frederick MD restaurant Thacher & Rye?
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It’s a rebrand of Bryan Voltaggio’s popular ‘Volt’ restaurant but a bit more casual and accessible (Volt only had tasting menus, including a 21 course chef’s tasting menu). T&R is not quite fine dining, but also not completely casual. WaPo’s resident food critic Tom Sietsema raved about it and he’s notoriously grouchy. I ate at Volt back in the day and it was tremendous - I’ve eaten at other Voltaggio places and they were equally as good (noting they were more casual concepts). Definitely worth the drive I think and it’s cheaper than Volt was. If you’ve ever seen the Voltaggio brothers on Food Network or Top Chef you can see why they’re so well lauded - both are top tier American chefs. Splurge!
I watch a lot of cooking contest content on tv, love both Brian and Michael, but haven’t eaten at their restaurants
Headed to Frederick this weekend. May have to check it out
Why ask Ranger, just do it. If I was closer to Maryland, I would be there exploring restaurants on my meager retirement income.
www.thacherandrye.com
Dinner - Thacher & Rye by Bryan Voltaggio | Shipping Nationwide on Goldbelly
Diner Menu
Looks like my tailgate menu!! Well at least the bourbonWhy ask Ranger, just do it. If I was closer to Maryland, I would be there exploring restaurants on my meager retirement income.
Dinner - Thacher & Rye by Bryan Voltaggio | Shipping Nationwide on Goldbelly
Diner Menu
My brother is a bit of a foodie, and lives in Gaithersburg with friends in Frederick. He said he has been there, and thought it was "OK+" (His words, not mine)
I say take the trip.
BTW - I remember when Frederick was more wide open, as opposed to how it is now - used to be known as Fredneck.
I say take the trip.
BTW - I remember when Frederick was more wide open, as opposed to how it is now - used to be known as Fredneck.
The more or less definitive source of restaurant news in the Washington DC area is www.donrockwell.com of which I am an active member and moderator.
The most recent observation on Thacher & Rye on the Rockwell site is from October of 2020:
"Okay, so I had one takeout meal from here. The price point is a little high for what Bryan is advertising as a more pocket-friendly restaurant. I ordered the beef short ribs, and while the ribs had a nice smoky smell and flavor they, and I don't say this lightly, got disgusting to me after eating about half. I realize that this may be on me, as I should have expected some fattiness, but some of the slices were very fatty and maybe my body just didn't react well to the taste or the texture of the beef fat. Sides were unremarkable. My dining companion liked his braised cabbage but I tasted it and it was just OK. Maybe I expected too much? Don't take this as a definitive review, it was one meal, and takeout at that. No little gifts with the takeout, like Volt used to do with in-person meals. No takeout alcohol, either, which was a disappointment. Maybe I just had a bad day, take this with a grain of salt."
Frederick is a hike for those of us in the northern Virginia suburbs, so I haven't been there and I don't have it on my must-visit restaurant list. I would have to travel past the very good Wildwood Kitchen, Q by Peter Chang, Old Angler's Inn....not to mention that the Voltaggio brothers have a mediocre and obscenely expensive steak restaurant at National Harbor about 15 miles from my house, in the other direction across the Wilson Bridge.
The most recent observation on Thacher & Rye on the Rockwell site is from October of 2020:
"Okay, so I had one takeout meal from here. The price point is a little high for what Bryan is advertising as a more pocket-friendly restaurant. I ordered the beef short ribs, and while the ribs had a nice smoky smell and flavor they, and I don't say this lightly, got disgusting to me after eating about half. I realize that this may be on me, as I should have expected some fattiness, but some of the slices were very fatty and maybe my body just didn't react well to the taste or the texture of the beef fat. Sides were unremarkable. My dining companion liked his braised cabbage but I tasted it and it was just OK. Maybe I expected too much? Don't take this as a definitive review, it was one meal, and takeout at that. No little gifts with the takeout, like Volt used to do with in-person meals. No takeout alcohol, either, which was a disappointment. Maybe I just had a bad day, take this with a grain of salt."
Frederick is a hike for those of us in the northern Virginia suburbs, so I haven't been there and I don't have it on my must-visit restaurant list. I would have to travel past the very good Wildwood Kitchen, Q by Peter Chang, Old Angler's Inn....not to mention that the Voltaggio brothers have a mediocre and obscenely expensive steak restaurant at National Harbor about 15 miles from my house, in the other direction across the Wilson Bridge.
Bruce knows the DC food scene very well. I still think you should always try something so you can form your own opinion….and Frederick is pretty cool.
Springfield VA and anywhere that good food is on offer.
Springfield is known (right now) for being a food wasteland. We have the best Afghan restaurant in the DC 'burbs, Afghan Bistro, and its same-family cousin Aracosia is knocking down awards in McLean. Other than that, there's not much in Springfield proper.....BUT, up the road in Annandale is Little Korea, and not far from there is Little Vietnam in Falls Church, so we're OK.
Pretty much the same where I live but I can get to everything worthwhile fairly easily. Here’s a recommendation for you if you’re ever in my neck of the woods - very high quality, everything from scratch. Plus great bottles of Greek wine too.
Home | Thelo Greek Kuzina | 10123 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls, VA
Home of the Best Damn Gyros. Thelo Greek Kuzina is a full open kitchen with 30 open seats in a cozy Greek tavern setting serving Greek staples & few classic plates.
www.thelogreek.com
Thanks Midnighter. I've eaten at Our Mom Eugenia and L'Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls. I'll have to check it out.Pretty much the same where I live but I can get to everything worthwhile fairly easily. Here’s a recommendation for you if you’re ever in my neck of the woods - very high quality, everything from scratch. Plus great bottles of Greek wine too.
Home | Thelo Greek Kuzina | 10123 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls, VA
Home of the Best Damn Gyros. Thelo Greek Kuzina is a full open kitchen with 30 open seats in a cozy Greek tavern setting serving Greek staples & few classic plates.
Its my favorite in the area. Small operation, very grassroots in their marketing. But, really really good. We go to Chez Francois and it’s fine, but for an upscale French place they need to have better fries
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By the way, aren't you the same guy on the old board who talked about walking down M Street in Georgetown with a loaded crossbow?
If so, suffice to say, I doubt any local restaurant would offer you a bad meal.
Live in Mount Airy so not far away, be sure to give us your take on the grub.
Although I can honestly say that I've never had a bad meal on Neptune
Black Ankle Vineyards, Frey's Brewing, Laurienzo Brick Oven, and Brick Ridge get mentions, although I can't say I've been there...
If you are eating fries at Chez Francois, you are doing it wrong.Its my favorite in the area. Small operation, very grassroots in their marketing. But, really really good. We go to Chez Francois and it’s fine, but for an upscale French place they need to have better fries
Pfft. Any French restaurant worth it's salt knows fries are *the* thing. It's not a side. If you can't do proper fries, and claim to be a French restaurant (noting Chez Francois does distinguish itself as 'Alsatian'), you need to try harder. I've eaten at top restaurants in Paris - they know how to do fries.
Then you might be more at home at MacDonalds.In Paris of course.
Their fries are awesome. But, steak frites are on almost every French menu anywhere. Up your fry game.
Also interested in opinions about some other DC area restaurants: Q by Peter Chang and The Dabney.
I'll never convince my wife to eat there, but would like to know whether any of you had eaten at the Inn at Little Washington. It's Michelin 3 Star... Wow!
I'll never convince my wife to eat there, but would like to know whether any of you had eaten at the Inn at Little Washington. It's Michelin 3 Star... Wow!
Inn at Little Washington, check. Best food east of Chicago and south of New York, and that's not just me saying that. However, if you happen to be in Washington, VA, and don't want to spend $600 for a meal, then Patty O's is Patrick O'Connell's more casual concept, and the Restaurant at Blue Rock will both make you happy at a far lower cost.
Q by Peter Chang is now his flagship and is quite good. I happen to be a fan of his Mama Chang's in Fairfax, where the duck-filled egg rolls, the pork/shrimp filled egg rolls, tofu skin salad, dry fried cauliflower, and Peking Duck are all incredible. I think most of them are available at Q. The Dabney, where Chef Patrick "Opie" Crooks joined Jeremiah Langhorne in the kitchen in 2020, is a very impressive dining destination. I've had the fired Chesapeake sugar toads, pumpernickel tartine, and milk-poached egg, and all were excellent. The Dabney is right up there with Corduroy (Tom Power) and Metier and Kinship (Eric Ziebold) as leading chef restaurants in the DC area.
ILW is truly superb. But it costs $308pp, additional $208pp for optional wine pairings, a kitchen table apart from the dining room $595. You can also buy wine by the glass or bottle.
Ate there a few years ago.
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