Ruthie's All-Day — Restaurant in Arlington

I finally got a chance to visit Ruthie's All-Day in-person, and it was such a delight. The food continues to be absolutely incredible, but the remarkably friendly service and delightful ambiance just brings it all up to another level. I visited Ruthie's for a late Saturday brunch and was immediately impressed by how beautiful -- and massive -- the space was. I love the slightly retro-style giant ball lights hanging from the ceiling, and the restaurant is flooded with natural light from their giant, floor-to-ceiling windows. The space is generally quite crowded, but there's enough space between the tables to feel like you have a bit of privacy as you eat. After a short wait by their lovely bright green check-in and take-out counter, we were taken to our table on the patio.

The patio was a little bit quieter, as there were only about 10-15 tables out there. We were shaded by giant umbrellas, and one side of the patio was opened to the street (although it did have a short fence), so you could easily exit from the patio after your meal instead of venturing back through the restaurant. I was feeling incredibly indecisive about what to order, but thankfully, our server was there to save the day. He walked me through a few of his favorites and, eventually, I settled on their vegetarian benedict and my friend got their biscuits and gravy.

The benedict was phenomenal -- it was a delightful little Southern twist on this classic dish, where they sub out the English muffin for one of their rich, buttery biscuits. It's then topped with a mini black bean burger patty, a perfectly poached egg, and a rich hollandaise sauce. The black bean patty was super flavorful and Ruthie's chefs managed to do the near-impossible by giving it enough structural integrity to hold up to the force of my knife and fork long enough to make it off the plate. I think this is the first time I've had a vegetarian benedict that offers a second protein with the egg -- vs. just spinach or a tomato -- so that was a really pleasant surprise. The egg was outstanding, with a beautifully gold, runny yolk that mixed together with the hollandaise to create the perfect sauce to coat the black beans and biscuit. Between the biscuit and additional protein from the black bean patty, this was definitely quite a heavy benedict; they served it with a small side salad, which was super fresh and a much-needed light, refreshing bite to break up the decadence of the rest of the dish.

My friend had an equal amount of love for her biscuits and gravy. They included the same rich, buttery biscuits with her meal, and then smothered them in a rich, flavorful, and incredibly aromatic gravy. It was packed with a generous amount of sausage, which gave such an incredible boost of flavor. The dish was also topped with two sunny side up eggs, which had perfectly runny yolks.

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I've also tried their barbecue fare for dinner, but as takeaway, and it's all incredible. The cauliflower truly lived up to its name as being "crispy and smoked," with its delightfully crispy outer shell and soft center. The outer char provided just the right level of smokiness and almost fooled me into thinking I was having actual meat. The harissa soy marinated cucumbers were packed with flavor and offered a lovely crunch that paired beautifully with the cauliflower steak. I also sampled their wood grilled salmon and grilled gulf shrimp, both of which were absolute perfection. The shrimp was subtly sweet, which paired delightfully with the wonderful smoky char from the grill and slight kick from the old bay curry sauce. The lemon butter made the salmon a touch too rich for my taste, but it was still incredible and I would 100%...

Rarely in my life have I left a restaurant in worse mood than when I entered. Perhaps spending a few years in the south spoiled us a tad when it comes to southern food. Upon arrival, we were warmly met and led to our table through a well decorated and inviting dining space. Immediately what caught my eye was a well appointed bourbon selection with a few stand out options. I will say, that Bowmans Cask Strength was a fantastic pour and well worth the $30 price tag.

To start us off, we were first met with the skillet cornbread that appeared to be delicious, but we were left wishing it had tasted as good as it looked. While we could tell the foundation of the cornbread was solid, it had overstayed its welcome in the oven, proving to be dry and reliant on the provided butter. The brisket was on the dry side as well, but that may have been due to the time of day we decided to dine (8pm). Despite the the lack of moisture in the brisket, the flavor was enjoyable and it was well seasoned.

When the hanger steak arrived, I began enjoying but noticed it had been medium on one end, and nearly uncooked in the middle pieces (blue/purple and cold). After informing our server that the steak had been cooked unevenly, she quickly took the pre-chewed steak on my personal plate without inquiring about the remaining portion left on the table (also raw). I was admittedly confused, but continued enjoy the satisfying mac & cheese I had ordered alongside.

To my complete shock our waitress came back with a single completely burnt piece of steak (that I had previously chewed and noticed was raw.) I was so taken aback that I had to ask she clarify what she had brought over. After smugly stating it was the steak I had previously chewed and spit out I was shocked. They had brought back a single tiny piece of completely burnt steak as a sign that said "I couldn't care less about your experience." From that point on, I couldn't have left this place fast enough. Feeling unwelcome after spending hard earned money on dinner isn't my idea of a good time.

I'll give credit where it's due, a friendly employee had seen what happened and had a manager remove the steak from the bill. A nice gesture to try and salvage an off-putting evening. Hope they're able to correct the service...

If you're in the Arlington - DC area head on over to Ruthie's All-Day for some fine Southern cuisine.

Rolling up to the brick and white facade one story building that sets prominently on a corner invites you in. For me a throw back to simpler times when you enjoyed a fine local meal with family and ran into friends doing the same.

The immediate friendly service by the hostess did not go unnoticed. Even Chef Matt who was up front greeted our party and asked where we were coming from. Those things are what set a great local apart from a chain. He cared enough to have that personal interaction. It was only a short wait and my party of three was led to a booth with menus.

The open air 360° view amazing. I could even see partial aspects of the kitchen line which was fun. The long counter was just in front of me and a thing of beauty with great looking cocktails flowing. I took notice as well to a sweet bourbon offering like Old Fitzgerald. The bright and cheery light from large windows made for a wonderful atmosphere.

Our friendly waitress came to the table for drinks and app orders. We started off with their well known Deviled Eggs and Apple doughnuts with strawberry sauce. That took no time at all to hit the table. Both were marvelous and recommend. But if just getting one, the eggs are the bomb!

The menu is good size with an eclectic Southern flair of items you cannot find at a standard restaurant. Maybe that's what makes Ruthie's special. However, the dishes must hit on the flavor meter too!

For mains it was the Big Bad Brisket Sammy for me which packed a punch. My daughter had pancakes, eggs and bacon that hit perfectly. My wife adored her Rad burger. All portion sizes are on the larger size and flavorful. We topped it off by sharing a chocolate chip cookie sundae which hit the spot.

All three of us felt that we were enjoying quality meals prepared by talented crew members. The passion emanating from the kitchen was heartfelt. I saw Chef Matt numerous times leading the line. The value was on par with expectations.

Can't wait until the next time in the Arlington - DC area to enjoy a meal and try other items from their marvelous menu. 4.5 rounding up with...