Ruthie's All-Day Diner

This new addition to Glebe Road has been a darling of the local food critics and a favorite of some friends and family but I have to say that a recent visit made it clear it is neither veg-friendly nor a particularly good choice for those wanting to eat healthy.

The menu online doesn't reflect what is on the actual menu and on the day I arrived the only sort-of healthy option on the menu was the yogurt. I paired this with Hash Browns, figuring I could count that as both my carbs and fats for the day. The other options were either loaded with sugar or had meat.

As we sat there a large truck drove up to the back. After getting my food I realized this must have been delivering the food. For a diner they offer no fresh eggs and it was clear that the kitchen was mostly about reheating pre-made food or adding water (for things like the oatmeal).

My yogurt with "strawberry, local honey and granola" was a cup -- much like what you buy at DCA before flying. The "strawberry" was a jam with more sugar than fruit and the granola wasn't particularly crunchy. It was clear that this yogurt parfait thing had been made at least a day earlier.

The Hash Browns were no better. They really weren't Hash Browns, they were two overcooked and slightly greasy Latkes. But not as good as Latkes. They came with some bizarre dipping sauce which tasted more like something you would get with Buffalo Wings. I like a good dipping sauce but this was just foul.

One of the people with me got a biscuit with their meal. Like everything else it was clearly not fresh. The outside had a nice crust but the inside was leaden. It was served on the same plate as my Latkes so there was some confusion as to who it was for, and the butter was next to the dipping sauce so it was momentarily confused with sour cream.

Adding to my complaints, the Manager couldn't keep his mask on and wore it on his chin during our entire visit. Needless to say, I won't be going back.

Ruthie's All-Day Diner -- Diner with limited menu and bar-style food
3411 5th St. South, Arlington
https://www.ruthiesallday.com/

Comments

Afghan Bistro

With family members moving to Springfield, it has been a struggle to find good places to eat so far afield. After flirting with some chain restaurants near the mall, we tried a Pakistani restaurant (there are many, many Pakistani restaurants there), but it fell flat. Finally, someone suggested this amazing place. It's a little hole-in-the-wall in a strip mall. With oilcloth table coverings, the vibe seems questionable. For about a minute. Then you are warmly greeted and given menus with a plethora of choices. My party ordered a great number of items and every dish rose above expectations. The staff are eager to please and checked in to make sure everything was okay, from food to drink needs. When a member of my party dropped a piece of silverware on the floor one of the waiters swooped in with a replacement before we could even ask. But onto the food. We ordered the Potato and Leek turnovers, the Aushak (leek and sc...

First Watch

Meant to invite some family members here but a friend beat me to the punch. We compromised and went together. Unfortunately, this is a place where it looks better than it is. Across the board. The funky design scheme makes it an echo chamber and, with the pumping music, very loud. Conversation was difficult. The menu is covered in glossy photos and descriptions of the food but ... I started with the Morning Meditation Fresh Juice, a pretty blend of citrus and beet. Or I tried to. Took three reminders to the waiter and when it finally arrived, halfway into the meal, it was 90% ice and 10% juice. My companions opted for coffee. It was ice cold. Another long wait (about 20 minutes) to get new coffee -- and included a reminder to staff that they wanted fresh cups as well. I ordered the Vegetarian Quinoa Bowl, which was described as having up to 12 ingredients. It had three. The quinoa, an egg, maybe two teen...

Dera

Was looking for a good Pakistani restaurant in Springfield and this one had some of the best reviews, so I gave it a shot. Arrived for an early dinner to find some regulars around a table in a cavernous room. The restaurant staff looked at us like we had interrupted a private party. We sat and were grudgingly given menus after asking. Tepid water in questionably clean glasses were eventually brought. One member of the party ordered a salad. It arrived in a large mixing bowl and was mostly iceberg lettuce. A plastic basket of cold bread was literally "dumped" on the table, then the waiter disappeared. Eventually we were able to get someone to take our orders, which included a curry, a biryani and a kebab. Portions were huge and the rice, again, came in what looked like a mixing bowl. It was enough to feed ten. The food wasn't bad. Sometimes the seasonings were a bit heavy handed (particularly for the rice) but it was...

DCVegEats

Search This Blog