RT's

3804 Mount Vernon Ave

Alexandria, Virginia 22305

703 684 6010

This is a Cajun restaurant. The cooking is Southern, the deep South. If you haven’t experienced Delta or Gulf Coast cuisine and all those exotic spices, you might want to start with lunch – a cup of gumbo with sides like manqué chaux (corn relish), garlic parsley rice, or straw onions. The appetizer medley is always a good choice too, including dishes like fried oysters and crawfish beignets. Entrees cover the ‘Big Easy’ waterfront; from jamalaya and etouffee to crusted cats. Eating here is a lot cheaper than a trip to New Orleans.

The Monday night special will get you a bottle of wine and two entrees for less than $30. If you haven’t received your bail-out check or spent your check on bail, you can get a liter of table wine for less than $20 on any night. Indeed, the sommelier must be psychic. RT’s carries my favorite pinot (Mark West) and my favorite bubbly (Gloria Ferrer). If I gave value stars; this place would get all of them.

These folks have a great desert menu including profiteroles, pecan pie and Crème Brule – but you may want to save yourself. RT’s is just down the street from Del Ray’s most famous soft ice cream emporium – the Dairy Godmother. Dinner at RT’s, a stroll through the village of Del Ray and a big dollop of softie; this is as good as it gets.

If you can’t tear yourself away from main street Alexandria, the Warehouse on King Street is a good but not a better choice for sea food and Creole cuisine.