Redrock Canyon Grill, Gaithersburg, Maryland

I was skeptical when I went to the Redrock Canyon Grill in Gaithersburg, Maryland for my sister’s birthday. I had glanced at the menu on-line and thought this was just another barbeque franchise. However, the choice was not mine to make, so we loaded up and prayed for good traffic on the beltway. It was certainly worth the drive.

The service at the Grill was excellent. Our waitress, Jackie, had a great sense of timing and was unfazed by our side table of children. We were promptly brought drinks and found an enjoyable wine from their primarily moderately priced wine list. The team member who delivered our drinks explained that although Jackie was our waitress, Redrock embraces the team approach to serving their guests. I wish more restaurants had this cooperative approach.

The crab dip appetizer changed my ordering decisions. With such big chunks of crabmeat, I was willing to bet the crabcakes would be equally meaty. I was grateful that I could order a single crabcake instead of the whole platter since I didn’t bring a sufficient appetite for many of their entrees. I wished I had been less conservative. I love big lumps of crabmeat.

There is nothing run of the mill about the salad dressings at the Grill either. If you are strictly a ranch or French dressing eater, then this is not your restaurant. The uniqueness of the dressings required that Jackie recite the options of few time. She did so in great detail with unflagging enthusiasm. I chose the balsamic blue cheese and found it quite tasty. The croutons were made from their sweet and spicy cornbread. The spiced pecans were another treat among the greens.

Others in my party enjoyed the ribs, rotisserie chicken, steak and rockfish. The thick juicy burgers at the kids table were also alluring. The shoestring fries were not a big hit with the kids, although I found it difficult to stop snitching them. The mashed potatoes on the adult plates were flavorsome with a hint of Rosemary.

I was truly sorry to be so full when Jackie described the desserts. My nephew ordered the monstrous “Something Chocolate” that were all able to sample and still leave plenty for him. I was most intrigued by the bourbon pineapple upside-down cake, and I bet the key lime pie would be terrific too with its pecan walnut crust.

My kids decreed that we should return to this restaurant located in an attractive shopping center by a pond and fountain. We immediately began thinking of our upcoming events. I will definitely return the Redrock.

Dahlia - Spring Valley, Washington D.C.

I happened upon this shopping center restaurant after a medical appointment and was pleasantly surprised. My daughter and I were just before the lunch crowds when we were seated in a corner of this this clean, bright, but underdecorated dining room. The host, waiter, and busboy were all three friendly and efficient.

Perhaps the dinner menu appears more permanent, but the lunch menu was simply printed on two sheets of paper. Despite its flimsy presentation, the list of menu options was wonderful. I had a tough time selecting between one of their uniquely topped pizzas, beefy black and red bean chili, and scallop salad to name a few. I decided on the crab cake sandwich and my daughter the hamburger.

The waiter brought me iced tea which tasted as though it had been brewed in the coffee maker. He was kind and quick about trading it in for a Diet Coke.

For a starter, I was delighted with the pear & blue cheese salad in a white basalmic viniagrette. An unusual flavor, familiar, but unidentifiable was mixed in with the greens. When I inquired, my waiter immediately knew it was the shaved fennel. Very interesting and delectable.

By the time our entrees arrived, the dining room was filling up. I noticed the patrons at lunch were predominantly female. One table had a lone male diner and another party had a couple. I wouldn't have identified the decor or menu as necessarily girly, but the lunch crowd was mainly girlfriends. The interesting part about that was the conversation. The dining room is one square room filled with tables. The conversations were not only easy to overhear, but difficult not to enjoin. I know they weren't talking to me or my daughter, but there were some fascinating things going on.

After her initial puzzlement over the mechanics of ingesting such a thick burger, my daughter polished off every bit of her burger. She didn't even realize she was eating onions until she was almost finished.
Although I was underwhelmed by my crabcake, the unique side of coleslaw perked it up. If we hadn't scarfed down the fries, we might have enjoyed a dessert.

I did appreciate our waiter's efficiency in bringing the check at the end. I hate to be kept waiting just to pay the bill.

I think I will be sure to schedule our future medical appointments around lunch. I am looking forward to sampling some more of my future favorites.