Tweaked Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 Just got back from an expense account lunch at Vidalia...and I wasn't picking up the check! I like what they have done to the place, modern and sophisticated...and the food was damn good! Started with the Grillades and Grits - braised veal cheeks with creamy grits, tasso ham, green onions, tomatoes and capers...the veal cheek was lovely and went well with the creamy grits, the capers gave a nice sharp counterpoint Then went with the St. Mary's County Pork Tenderloin with pork belly, hog jowl bacon, savoy cabbage roll, braised greens, carolina gold rice, corned smithfield ham and old overholt rye pork jus...2 knobs of tenderloin wrapped in bacon, the tenderloin was perfectly pink inside...a nice cube of pork belly...the greens, rice and ham were wrapped in the cabbage roll...a very nice dish dessert went with the lemon chess pie...very lemony and very sweet...but after veal cheeks, bacon wrapped tenderloin and pork belly...perhaps a bit too much decadence! Vidalia is not cheap...but I was suitably impressed! Now I need a nap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan7147 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 I had a great lunch (even better then Ceiba yesterday) at Vidalia today. I am surprised that here hasn't been more talk of it on this topic. The whole menu is available with a few items supplemented anywhere from $3 for a couple of appetizers and desserts to $12 for three crab cakes. I started with the five onion soup which was made with a duck stock and had caramelized onions, Napa cabbage, duck confit and shiitake mushrooms accompanied by a sweet onion-cheddar crisp. Despite it being hot out this soup sounded so good to me that I had to order it and it did not disappoint (it was a $3 supp) Then I had the steak salad which contained seared prime beef (medium-rare) with ragout of wild mushrooms, summer vegetables, spinach, red onions, blue cheese and red wine-creole mustard vinaigrette. The beef was extremely tender and flavorful as were the wild mushrooms. Only gripe was that one of the slices was too fatty for my taste. My friend had a salad with goat cheese and the shrimp and grits which she enjoyed. We both had the trio of sorbets for desert. They were lemon, guava and blackberry and were a nice light end to a great meal. Service was excellent as well. I hope some of you all will get to Vidalia this week. It is well worth the RW promotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLK Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Is anyone here associated with Vidalia? I ask because Vidalia's OpenTable.com profile makes it look like the restaurant isn't open on weekends. Typo. Profile Hours of Operation:Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 2:30pm Dinner: Monday - Friday: 5:30pm - 10:00pm, Friday: 5:30pm - 10:30pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Vidalia is one of a number of excellent restaurants (Equinox comes immediately to mind) that are rarely mentioned on any board. It's really a by product of continually reinforcing the same restaurants which are "popular" on a particular board. When was the last time Kinkead's was mentioned on here? A dinner there two months ago showed this to be on the level of excellence when he was up for a Beard award. Which Jeff Buben won at Vidalia! Obelisk? Has this really fallen from the heights of two years ago when it was the first answer on CH for a great Italian? Or just that no one on this board has been in a while? I suspect the latter.There is a great deal of excellence and effort in the D. C. area that just hasn't been touched on. Does a search not bring up Vidalia? I am pretty sure that Vidalia has been mentioned on this board as I know for a fact that several of us have been a couple of time. Obelisk has not been visited as there have been rumblings about it not being anywhere near where it was in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 yes it has I stand corrected. Obelisk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadya Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Is anyone here associated with Vidalia? I ask because Vidalia's OpenTable.com profile makes it look like the restaurant isn't open on weekends. Typo.Profile I have it on good authority that Vidalia is indeed open on weekends, specifically on Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 (edited) And while we're at it, come to Vidalia and see me and two of my winemakers pour and schnook our wines at happy hour Tuesday, November 8! Edited October 13, 2005 by jparrott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stretch Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 And while we're at it, come to Vidalia and see me and two of my winemakers pour and schnook our wines at happy hour Tuesday, November 8! Just out of interest, who is it, Jake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Anzill Adams (chief executive) and Simon Smith (winemaker) from Louisvale and Hannes Coetzee (assistant winemaker and son of Jan "Boland") from Vriesenhof. The same night at Vermilion is a dinner with Cathy Marshall of BWC and Rijk Melck of Muratie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrescentFresh Posted November 11, 2005 Share Posted November 11, 2005 Three stars from Sietsema. Part of his three reviews on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe H Posted November 11, 2005 Share Posted November 11, 2005 Three stars from Sietsema. Part of his three reviews on Sunday. From October 11th: (Joe H @ Oct 11 2005, 05:49 PM) Vidalia is one of a number of excellent restaurants (Equinox comes immediately to mind) that are rarely mentioned on any board. It's really a by product of continually reinforcing the same restaurants which are "popular" on a particular board. When was the last time Kinkead's was mentioned on here? A dinner there two months ago showed this to be on the level of excellence when he was up for a Beard award. Which Jeff Buben won at Vidalia! Obelisk? Has this really fallen from the heights of two years ago when it was the first answer on CH for a great Italian? Or just that no one on this board has been in a while? I suspect the latter. There is a great deal of excellence and effort in the D. C. area that just hasn't been touched on. It was encouraging to see Tom give both Vidalia and Obelisk three stars. Both restaurants are excellent and rate the kind of attention they received on several boards three or four years ago. Obelisk is a quiet, personal restaurant well suited to a special evening. At its best, as in Italy, it presents exemplery ingredients simply and deliciously. It is reassuring to know that its chef-from its heights in the late 90's-is back. At one time Playboy called this one of Ameica's 50 best restaurants. He was the chef when this was published. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted November 12, 2005 Share Posted November 12, 2005 Three stars from Sietsema. Part of his three reviews on Sunday. From Tom's review: Better to launch with sushi-grade yellowtail, cut into rectangles, lightly dusted with crushed pumpkin seeds and placed atop two little salads of diced squash, apple and almond. One mound glistens with a scooplet of ginger-olive oil sorbet, the other is draped with a frothy curry sabayon dotted with caviar. Both are scrumptious I tried this last night and it is a finely detailed piece of work. Expensive at $13.50 for a small portion, the cost can be mitigated by the bread basket: good brioche, cornbread and onion spread (the dry foccacia might have been an aberration). Cheers, Rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 (edited) From Tom's review:I tried this last night and it is a finely detailed piece of work. Expensive at $13.50 for a small portion, the cost can be mitigated by the bread basket: good brioche, cornbread and onion spread (the dry foccacia might have been an aberration). Cheers, Rocks. I had the crabcake from the bar menu yesterday and it was delicious. The breads were also head-turningly good. The little bar snacks were delightful. I wandered in out of the rain at about 4:20 yesterday, so they weren't really ready for me, but they made me feel welcome all the same. It's a beautiful space, and this will be my first choice for dinner the next time I want to indulge a bit (which of course will be very soon). Edited to remove spelling errors worthy of Foster Brooks Edited November 22, 2005 by Banco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLK Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Vidalia's dinner menu has been updated online. Although I'm not a big salad eater, the dish that really sticks in my memory is this one: House Cured Margret Duck Ham with raw and roasted heirloom beets, market beans, mizuna, blue goat cheese and cumin-tangerine vinaigrette 10.75 Fortunately my friend was very generous - I probably ate half the salad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Vidalia's dinner menu has been updated online. Well, that does it. I just made reservations for December 17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Probably the best restaurant in DC right now at its price point. Some of the plates can be a bit complicated, but the flavors and combinations are never forced. Doug Mohr oversees both a wine list that appeals to geeks and label-seekers alike (and, by way of disclosure, includes several wines that I import) and a service staff that is warm and engaging. Vidalia is the kind of place where diners can have either a private tete-a-tete or a slough-up feast with equally accomodating service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Spring is here!!!!!!!!!!!! The Mid Atlantic farms and coastal seaports are starting to produce. Our team of culinarians have just transitioned the menu to spring foods. We implamented the spring menu this weekend, with passover and easter falling in the same week, we were a little lighter then usual so the transition was smoother. Some highlights: "Pig in a Blanket", crisp tete de cochon with cheddar-rosemary bisuit, quail egg and red eye gravy. Citrus cured hamachi with compressed charentais mellon and lychee puree, verjus sorbet Foie gras terrine with rhubarb The ever popular southern Cassoulet Eastern Shore Black Bass In May we will be starting our Friday night wine dinners in the Cellar. Check out our web site for details. www.vidaliadc.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Sounds absolutely lovely. And, let me be the first to welcome you to this motley crew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edstaut Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Amazing dinner last night. After getting royally screwed by Circle Bistro, look up that post, Vidalia was good enough to fit us in. First thing I noticed on walking in, Vidalia smelled very nice, they had fresh cut flowers, and a pleasant but not overpowering perfume. The new spring menu was fantastic. To start we shared the "pig in a blanket" which was an interesting deep freid crust filled with hamy bits, covered with a quail type egg and red eye gravy- very tasty, good combo of flavors and textures. We also had a side of the macn'cheese. I don't know how anyone could go to vidalia and not get the mac and cheese, the top part is crusty and good and the bottom if a little soupy is so rich with the ham bits in it. I'm drooling just writing about it. I also like how they use big macaroni, that are easy to stab with a fork. I had a mint julep which although not quite minty enough for me, CAME OUT IN A SILVER/PEWTER JULEP CUP this is how you do it people! Real julep style, it was sweet but packed a punch. For the mains we had, the lamb rib eye, perfectly cooked as ordered. A great piece of lamb with goood flavor. I had the steak rib eye, two ways, the filet portion was in a port reduction/peaunut? sauce that was AMAZING, the loin part had a bernaise sauce, and there was a green chimichurri in the middle between the two, great mix of flavors. With some very nice potatoes on the side. The standout dish had to be my godmothers Southern cassoulet. It was not traditional cassoulet but rather deconstructed. It was two pieces of pork loin served on top of a lima bean succatash with a sausage on the side- but it was amazing- I stole as many bites as I could. The sausage had a great flavour and consistency, the pork tasted almost like a spare rib type pork, and the beans were rich but also had a freshness to them that lightened the dish rather than weighing it down. For desert we split the chocolate caremel tort- I'm not a big chocolate person but the ladies were agog over it. I focused on the cookies and cream, very light round caramalized sugar wafer cookies filled with a cofee flavored cream and a cube of espresso jello. AMAZING, great mix of textures and tastes, light and flufffy, but with a good crispness from the wafers. I also ordered tea with desert and it was some of the best tea I've ever had, the chamilie had visible hunks of fruits and herbs in it. Great meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sthitch Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Wow, I have not been in more than a year. I won’t make that mistake again. Last night I took my parents and my wife to dinner. My mother was concerned about what she saw on the sample menu on-line. She did not believe that she would find anything that she liked. Her worries were misplaced. The meal was fantastic; the Amuse was a wonderful cup of light celery soup, served with a celery seed cracker. My father opted for the pea soup; he didn’t leave a drop of it behind. My wife had a salad, and raved about it, but to me it is just a salad so I did not pay much attention. I had the soft shell crabs. They were nicely cooked and fried in a tempura batter. My mother skipped the appetizer course. For entrees my father and wife both ordered the Cassoulet. Expecting a traditional dish they were both amazed when it came out deconstructed. Every element was executed perfectly. The meats and sausages were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The butter beans were properly cooked with plenty of jowl bacon. I was almost jealous that I had not ordered this dish. My mother decided to go with the veal breast. It was rolled and slowly cooked. The meat was moist, tender, and intensely flavored. She called me this morning still raving about it. I decided to order a special called a “Steak Sandwich” which was a New York Strip served with a toasted slice of bread and cooked red peppers. The meat was the best strip I have had in this area; it rivaled many of the country’s great steak houses. The meat was far tenderer than I expect from this cut, and had all of the intensity of flavor that I expect from a strip. This was an unbelievably good steak, and to make things even better, they had not used a heavy hand in trimming the outer fat, so I got to enjoy a little bit of it with most bites of the lean. We finished off with some wonderful cheeses that they offered and a chess pie that was simply stunning. Chef Cooper has really turned this place around, I think that it has surpassed its former glory, I cannot wait to return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 What did you drink? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sthitch Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 What did you drink?2003 Les Cailloux, a young but stunning wine. I was happy that when I asked the Sommelier to recommend between the Les Cailloux and the same vintage Vieux Telegraphe that he actually recommended the less expensive bottle. While I loved ever minute of the Les Cailloux (and my father was stunned by it), I do wish I would have dropped the coin on the 1998 Telegraphe, as it is the wine that made me fall in love with CdP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgarden Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 Has anyone tried the Tuesday-night wine tasting at Vidalia? What is it like? Does it tend to get very crowded? Should I (or is it possible to) make reservations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capital Icebox Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 Has anyone tried the Tuesday-night wine tasting at Vidalia? What is it like? Does it tend to get very crowded? Should I (or is it possible to) make reservations? On Tuesdays, the Sommelier at Vidalia does a themed wine tasting, usually from 3-4 different bottles. The tastings are fun and informative and don't cost a thing. At the bar you can get more than a dozen wines for under $7 a glass from 5-7, or a 3 oz. pour for half that. And there are free bar snacks, like devilled eggs and country pate, plus a bar menu of discounted appetizers (go for the sweetbreads!). This isn't limited to Tuesdays (except the free tasting) -- they have free snacks and discounted wines by the glass Monday through Friday, and there usually isn't anyone else at the bar. Now that it has shown up in Tom's chat and the Washingtonian Dirt Cheap Eats, though, that probably won't be the case for long. (Post originally from the Tom S. chat thread, but in retrospect it belongs here.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 It's not that crowded usually and you don't need reservations (nor are they taken for it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 We just fine tuned our summer menu that debuted on Saturday night. Lunch has a $19.90 3 course tasting menu. Dinner still offers $70.00 5 course. Appetizers Chesapeake Buster Crab Chowder with whipple farm new potatoes, applewood smoked bacon, sweet corn and chives 14.75 Hummingbird Farm Cherry Tomatoes with milk poached buffalo mozzarella, country ham, jalapeño, purple basil and tomato water 14.00 Chilled Cucumber and Yogurt Soup with beet and fennel pollen cured sea trout, vidalia onions, smoked steelhead roe and rye brioche croutons 13.50 Marinated Jumbo Lump Crab Meat with horseradish, coriander, tomato, seaweed salad and ginger vinaigrette 15.00 Pork ‘n’ Beans with slow roasted berkshire pork belly, braised broad beans and lexington barbecue glaze 12.00 Smoked Diver Scallops with summer corn prepared three ways, wild rice, madagascar vanilla-infused sea salt and cipollini onions 13.50 Crispy Veal Sweetbreads with fleur de lys crayfish and a modern sauce nantua 13.75 Whipple Farm Salad organic lettuces with crisp market vegetables, capers, fines herbs, applewood bacon, sheep’s milk cheese, egg and mustard-verjus vinaigrette 12.00 Wild New Zealand King Fish citrus cured with avocado, heirloom beets, baby mizuna, black olive vinaigrette and grapefruit-olive oil sorbet 13.50 Onion Sampler roasted vidalia onion stuffed with wild mushrooms, market onions and saba 12.75 Notice: Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of food related illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions. Entrees Shrimp and Grits sautéed “head on” gulf shrimp with creamy grits, crayfish, tasso, scallions and warm cherry tomato vinaigrette 29.75 One Two Hereford Beef strip loin poached in butter and roasted with sea salt, short ribs stuffed in cremini mushrooms with potato boulangère, spinach purée and foie gras hollandaise 36.00 Tasmanian Sea Trout braised in smoked butter with cucumbers, fiery potatoes, chorizo, smoked steelhead roe and matelote vinaigrette 29.00 Shenandoah Lamb with strip loin, kidney, tortoloni of braised breast, artichokes prepared three ways and lemon compote 34.50 Roasted Eastern Shore Flounder with sweet & sour heirloom radishes, shallots, grapes, pursalane and navarro verjus-verbena emulsion 28.50 Tuscarora Rabbit Saddle stuffed with sweetbreads, borlotti beans, candied baby fennel and licorice powder 32.00 Roasted Wild Halibut with lima bean ragout, honey mushrooms, onion “glass” and smoked ham hock emulsion 31.00 Smothered Chicken Sous Vide bantam chicken braised in black pepper gravy with summer root vegetables, hen o’ woods mushrooms and rosemary cream biscuits 27.50 Vidalia's Vegetable Blue Plate chef's daily selection of four composed vegetable plates featuring local and seasonal market produce 26.00 Farmers’ Quail cornbread and pecan stuffed breast, leg confit, sweet corn pudding and chanterelle mushrooms 34.00 Sides Baked Macaroni with Brad’s Goat Cheese and Summer Truffle 12.50 Sweet Corn Pudding with Herb-Garlic Popcorn 6.50 Braised Broad Beans with Smoked Pork Collar 5.50 Vidalia Onion Casserole with Smoked Bacon and Pecorino 6.75 7-8-06 Dinner Chocolate, Chocolate Warm Chocolate Souffle Cake with coffee cocoa-nib ice cream, espresso reduction and white chocolate foam 9.75 Silvano Garcia Dulce, Mourvedre, Jumilla, Spain 03’ 16.75 Chocolate Napoleon layers of rich chocolate and caramel mousses with tempered chocolate disks and caramel sauce 10.25 Cockburns 10 Year Tawny Port NV 16.25 From Orchards and Patches Local Bing Cherries with nancy’s camembert cheesecake, pistachio biscotti and port reduction 9.75 Jonesy Old Tawny Port, Australia NV 13.25 Toigo Orchard White Peach mille feuille with lavender sorbet, peach wine gelée and crisp butter pastry 10.00 Mas de Bellevue, Muscat, Muscat de Lunel, France 04’ 14.00 Seasonal Fresh Berries with chantilly cream or baked with sabayon 11.50 Flare Sparkling, Moscatel, Spain NV 15.00 From the Farms Sweet Corn Chiboust with bourbon glace and cracker jacks 9.50 Chamber’s Tokay, Muscadelle, Rutherglen, Australia NV 15.50 Sheep’s Milk Yogurt Panna Cotta with watermelon soup and mint-cucumber granite 9.75 Vriesenhof Melelo, Red Muscat, Stellenbosch, S. Africa 05’ 15.75 Classics Vidalia's Lemon Chess Pie buttery crust filled with rich lemon custard garnished with raspberries and sweet cream 9.25 Baumard, Chenin Blanc, Coteau du Layon, Loire, France 03’ 13.25 Georgia Pecan Pie served warm with bourbon butterscotch, praline ice cream and cocoa nib 9.75 Chamber’s Tokay, Muscadelle, Rutherglen, Australia NV 15.75 Triple Scoop house made sorbets or ice cream with crisp vanilla cookies 9.00 Flare Sparkling, Moscatel, Spain NV 12.50 Hope to see ya'll!!!!!!!!!! The gracious staff of Vidalia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 RJ, can you still cook off-menu for people here who want you to get super creative? What's the best way for people to request that, and how much does it normally cost? Cheers, Rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 Heck Yeah!!!!!!!!!!! You can do it either way. Plan ahead and let us know when making a reservation, how many courses, dietary restrictions ect. or We can do it spontaneously. It is a minimum of 5 courses for $70.00 and an average of 12 bucks a course when adding on (depending on ingredients of course). You can also put Doug and Mike to work pairing wines. Lots of cool food in house now!!!!!!!!!! Rocks I cant do that sea trout again. Only 1 time for your palate only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wabeck Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 Heck Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!You can do it either way. Plan ahead and let us know when making a reservation, how many courses, dietary restrictions ect. or We can do it spontaneously. It is a minimum of 5 courses for $70.00 and an average of 12 bucks a course when adding on (depending on ingredients of course). You can also put Doug and Mike to work pairing wines. Lots of cool food in house now!!!!!!!!!! Rocks I cant do that sea trout again. Only 1 time for your palate only. RJ...are you the man or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escoffier Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 Heck Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!You can do it either way. Plan ahead and let us know when making a reservation, how many courses, dietary restrictions ect. or We can do it spontaneously. It is a minimum of 5 courses for $70.00 and an average of 12 bucks a course when adding on (depending on ingredients of course). You can also put Doug and Mike to work pairing wines. Lots of cool food in house now!!!!!!!!!! Rocks I cant do that sea trout again. Only 1 time for your palate only. Now if Brenna is there, Grover and I will be there Saturday night. The carmelized onion spread...yum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meaghan Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Chef RJ Cooper may be a dude on a bike and a comic, who in generous spirit will autograph a menu “Keep eating, fat [pick a noun],” after more than five hours of feeding you. He’s modest and fair-spoken at the table, gracefully disguising the intensity of his labors, making it all look second nature. I will say this, if you haven’t eaten at Vidalia in a while, you’re doing a disservice to yourself. I had to ask myself last night, where have I been? Why wasn’t I swiping my credit card here all this time? Why?! Vidalia may be a culinary booty best known for shrimp and grits, corn bread, the buttery lust of southern tradition, but what’s most outstanding is less seen in the heart of Georgia. The raw courses and the lightly cooked; every piece of fish tastes clean and fresh and of the highest quality. The creativity and the way these plates dance and pair so perfectly with the wine in house; I would more expect this in San Francisco, Seattle, maybe Vancouver or a place I haven’t been. It’s my favorite kind of food in the world. Raw, Asian-influenced, artistic without too much complication...and along side the right wines, served at the right temperatures, poured by someone who really cares and is passionate about what they do? I couldn't wish for more. I can’t tell you everything now because I need a day (to exercise and rest so I can go to CityZen later). But until then, here’s is a window into my birthday celebration (this, a copy of the menu that awaited me at the table): Happy Birthday Meaghan Amuse Bouche cucumbers, caviar corn, morels Raw fluke, seaweed, ginger Lightly Cooked tuna, beans, peppers Offal foie gras, onion, saba Shellfish scallop, sweet pea, truffle Finfish taz trout, arugula, tomato The Other White Meat belly, barbeque Pastures lamb, eggplant, lemon Cheese surprise Dessert peach, lavender chocolate Mignardises Doug Mohr, the sommelier, is of the nicest, most professional guys in town. I felt like he genuinely respected me, showing me and talking to ME (not like a dummy) about his wine picks. I'm going to have to consult with my dining companion to truly recollect every wine that I drank. The service was tremendous, and a number of the courses stood out as some of the best food I know. Thank you RJ and the gracious staff of Vidalia for making my birthday so damn special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escoffier Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Chef RJ Cooper may be a dude on a bike and a comic, who in generous spirit will autograph a menu “Keep eating, fat [pick a noun],” after more than five hours of feeding you. He’s modest and fair-spoken at the table, gracefully disguising the intensity of his labors, making it all look second nature. I will say this, if you haven’t eaten at Vidalia in a while, you’re doing a disservice to yourself. I had to ask myself last night, where have I been? Why wasn’t I swiping my credit card here all this time? Why?!Vidalia may be a culinary booty best known for shrimp and grits, corn bread, the buttery lust of southern tradition, but what’s most outstanding is less seen in the heart of Georgia. The raw courses and the lightly cooked; every piece of fish tastes clean and fresh and of the highest quality. The creativity and the way these plates dance and pair so perfectly with the wine in house; I would more expect this in San Francisco, Seattle, maybe Vancouver or a place I haven’t been. It’s my favorite kind of food in the world. Raw, Asian-influenced, artistic without too much complication...and along side the right wines, served at the right temperatures, poured by someone who really cares and is passionate about what they do? I couldn't wish for more. Ah, so that was you and your better(?) half across from us on Saturday night. We did exactly the same tasting menu but followed that with a visit to RJ in the kitchen. A most amazing dinner. The wine/course pairings were outstanding. I couldn't believe when we left that I had eaten that much food, drank that much wine and felt so good being over-stuffed. The pacing was exactly right, and the food...well, what can I say that would be more descriptive than the above? All told, a great dinner with great service from Brenna our favorite Vidalia server. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escoffier Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 I was there on Friday, actually. I think would have requested to move if you were across from me! Only if you got between us and the great food...I find the service at Vidalia is excellent. It seems everyone is out to make your experience the best it can be. The service (along with the food) keeps us going back. A shame you weren't there on Saturday, we'd have raised a glass to your birthday... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grover Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Escoffier and I had an excellent dinner and the service from Brenna was outstanding. We had the 5 course Chef's Tasting Menu. Amuse Bouche 1. Tuna wrapped with thin cucumber and caviar topping 2. Corn soup with a morel mushroom piece. The plate was decorated with the corn husk and corn silk (it was very beautiful and creative) The wine: Sparkling white wine (Napa Valley?) Chef's Tasting menu Sashimi of mid Atlantic Fluke with pole beans, marinated sweet peppers, yellow pepper gastrique and American osteria caviar The wine: Godello, Val de Sil "Monte Novo", Valedeorras, Spain 2005 (very nice white wine) La Belle Farm Foie Gras roasted and basted with vidalia onion broth, roasted heirloom onions, spiced plum puree, sage and white truffle infused saba The wine: Mourvedre, Silvano Garcia "Dulce", Jumilla, Spain 2003 (sweet as dessert wine, I remember that it was Muscadette) Mid Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna seared raw with wild arugula pesto, heirloom tomatoes and country olive tapenade The wine: Lagrein Rose, Cantina Terlan, Alto Adige, Italy 2005 (it was a bit dark for a Rose but fabulous) Merguez Wrapped Shenandoah Lamb Rib Eye with organic eggplant puree, almond-apricot pilaf, curry dust and meyer lemon-lamb jus The wine: Nero d'Avola/Frappato, Planeta "Cerasuolo", Sicily, Italy 2003 For dessert: Chiboust of Davon Crest Farm Sweet Corn with caramelized corn, bourbon caramel and cracker jack The wine: Muscadelle, Chamber's Tokay, Rutherglen, Australia NV And as a final piece de'resistance: A chocolate bon bon The wines matched with dishes perfectly. Thanks a million to the chef and Brenna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithA Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Tomorrow for lunch will be my first time to Vidalia. Any recommendations on what dishes should not be missed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 Tomorrow for lunch will be my first time to Vidalia. Any recommendations on what dishes should not be missed? RJ's on vacation - you're going to get a line cook slinging shrimp and grits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelicatt Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 RJ's on vacation - you're going to get a line cook slinging shrimp and grits. Hey, one of those line cooks is my SO ...but he works at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Finished up restaurant week with an excellent dinner at Vidalia last night. Dinner started with the Pork 'n' Beans and the Fried Green Tomatoes. The pork belly was slow roasted and had a nice crispiness on the outside to contrast the creamy inside. I did not try the tomatoes, but they were given the thumbs up. Dinner was the Tuscarora Pork Charcutière (tenderloin, country sausage, smoked ham hock with house made sauerkraut, new potatoes and spicy pickle brine sauce robert) and Sorghum-Five Spice Glazed Duck Breast (with duck leg confit, forest mushrooms, wild rice and pickled cherry-ginger beer gastrique) which were excellent. And to drink we had a bottle of '05 Avondale Pinotage. (Yes Jake, I do enjoy this wine!) We shared a cheese plate before dessert that had a nice selection of 3 cheeses. For dessert we ordered the Lemon Chess Pie and Pecan Pie. Both were very good. Not only did they have some special restaurant week drinks on the menu, but they had a selection of about 14 white and red wines that were all under $30/btl! According to their web site, click, they have 20 wines for $7/glass until 7pm Monday-Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 Berkshire pork belly and beans last night.......mmmmmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demvtr Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 I finished up Restaurant Week on 8/20 at Vidalia with a party of six, and while all of the dishes were either good or very good, the vichyssoise (which is not listed in the chef's post above or on the online menu) was excellent: cool, creamy, sweet, and full of chunks of apple and vegetables. If I hadn't been with my girlfriend's parents, I might have ordered it again for dessert. As it was, I was more than satisfied with my lemon chess tart with sweet cream. The dessert cannot be compared on a one-for-one basis with Morrison-Clark's stop-the-presses lemon chess pie, because Vidalia's version is a tart, and thus has a higher pastry dough-to-lemon filling ratio than Morrison-Clark's pie. But Vidalia's lemon chess tart is still top-shelf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 I finished up Restaurant Week on 8/20 at Vidalia with a party of six, and while all of the dishes were either good or very good, the vichyssoise (which is not listed in the chef's post above or on the online menu) was excellent: cool, creamy, sweet, and full of chunks of apple and vegetables. If I hadn't been with my girlfriend's parents, I might have ordered it again for dessert. As it was, I was more than satisfied with my lemon chess tart with sweet cream. The dessert cannot be compared on a one-for-one basis with Morrison-Clark's stop-the-presses lemon chess pie, because Vidalia's version is a tart, and thus has a higher pastry dough-to-lemon filling ratio than Morrison-Clark's pie. But Vidalia's lemon chess tart is still top-shelf. We do the lemon chess tart only for restaurant week.......On our regular pastry menu we have our traditional lemon chess pie. Come in and try this pie its the best I have ever had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sthitch Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 We do the lemon chess tart only for restaurant week.......On our regular pastry menu we have our traditional lemon chess pie. Come in and try this pie its the best I have ever had.My wife agrees. She loves that pie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treznor Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 We do the lemon chess tart only for restaurant week.......On our regular pastry menu we have our traditional lemon chess pie. Come in and try this pie its the best I have ever had. I absolutely agree. I've only been in to Vidalia once (we keep meaning to go back but don't get around to it), but I made certain to try the pie as I had heard it was wonderful. It lived up to everything I had heard about it, absolutely wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Announcing two new arrivals at Vidalia: Bridgette Lynn Cooper, 3 pounds 5 ounces, 17 inches Ava Josephine Cooper, 5 pounds 3 ounces, 17 1/2 inches Born Thursday, September 7th, 9:53 PM at Sibley Hospital (4 weeks premature, but very healthy) Congratulations R.J. and Judy! Your lives as you knew them have now ended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brr Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 Announcing two new arrivals at Vidalia:Bridgette Lynn Cooper, 3 pounds 5 ounces, 17 inches Ava Josephine Cooper, 5 pounds 3 ounces, 17 1/2 inches Born Thursday, September 7th, 9:53 PM at Sibley Hospital (4 weeks premature, but very healthy) Congratulations R.J. and Judy! Your lives as you knew them have now ended. Congratulations!! Having had two preemies at Sibley you can rest easy knowing they are in good hands....can't say enough good things about the nursing staff there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 The chill of fall is in the air and we at Vidalia are busy coming up with our fall menu. Posted is the new dinner menu do out Saturday night. We will also be posting about our wine dinners. Stay tuned and check our web site. www.vidalidc.com Happy Eatting. RJ Cooper Chef-Vidalia Appetizers Five Onion Soup cabbage stuffed with duck sausage, sweet garlic soubise and sweet onion glass in a rich onion duck broth 12.00 Truffled Heirloom Potatoes roasted with crispy pork belly, garlic cream, shaved truffles and juniper infused sea salt 14.50 Sweet and Spicy Cured Hamachi molasses cured and seared raw with pear almond kuri squash relish, date espresso purée and ginger-olive oil sorbet 13.50 Hand Rolled Pumpkin Cavatelli with crisp veal sweetbreads, chanterelle mushrooms and sage butter fondue 13.00 Ducks in a Row foie gras parfait, smithfield style duck ham and duck rillettes 13.75 Steak & Egg Tartare prime raw beef tartare with poached quail egg, frisée bacon salad and toasted brioche 13.25 Chesapeake Oyster Toast with globe artichokes, country ham, swiss chard, black pepper brioche and champagne-chive emulsion 12.75 Whipple Farm Salad organic lettuces with crisp market vegetables, capers, fines herbs, applewood bacon, sheep’s milk cheese, egg and mustard-verjus vinaigrette 12.00 Diver Scallops chorizo crusted with cauliflower purée, roasted cauliflower, olive leaf arugula and curry oil 13.50 Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with chow chow relish, sweet potato chips, spiced butternut squash and spicy crab aïoli 13.00 Flight of American Caviar three selections of caviar with cured salmon pavé, smoked trout parfait, cornmeal blinis and crème fraîche 44.00 Notice: Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of food related illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions. Entrees Shrimp and Grits sautéed “head on” gulf shrimp with creamy grits, davon crest farm chard, sweet onions, scallions and crayfish-tasso emulsion 29.75 Hereford Beef Sirloin pan roasted with yukon potato purée and root beer braised short ribs layered with cipollini onions and wild mushrooms 32.00 Trout in a Blanket tasmanian sea trout wrapped in phyllo with herb butter, crisp pork belly, honey cap mushrooms, beluga lentils and pinot noir essence 29.00 Red Tail Venison Loin with black pepper-brioche crust, heirloom onions, huckleberry-horseradish purée, chestnuts and venison-red wine reduction 33.00 Atlantic Black Bass pan roasted with black-eyed peas, fennel, oven roasted tomato-cuttlefish ragout and roasted garlic fines herbes emulsion 29.50 Tuscarora Rabbit Loin wrapped with applewood bacon, heirloom pumpkin purée, crispy grits cake, chicory, acorn marmalade and birch beer rabbit jus 32.00 Carolina Mountain Trout deviled crab stuffing with fingerling sweet potato-smoked surry sausage hash, arrow leaf spinach purée and brown butter pecan emulsion 27.00 Suckling Pig with amish braised red cabbage, peanut potato confit, pearl onions, rye-cider gastrique and red wine apple butter 31.00 Vidalia's Vegetable Blue Plate chef's daily selection of four composed vegetable plates featuring local and seasonal market produce 26.00 Farmer’s Farm Quail with chestnut wild rice and apple stuffing, boudin blanc, brussel sprouts, blue plum mustard and rosemary 34.00 Sides Baked Macaroni with Brad’s Goat Cheese and Shaved Truffles 14.50 Fall Mushrooms with Creamy Grits 6.50 Oyster and Applewood Bacon Hush Puppies 7.00 Sweet Potato Custard Soufflé with Glazed Pecans 6.25 9/23/06 Dinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 Announcing two new arrivals at Vidalia:Bridgette Lynn Cooper, 3 pounds 5 ounces, 17 inches Ava Josephine Cooper, 5 pounds 3 ounces, 17 1/2 inches Born Thursday, September 7th, 9:53 PM at Sibley Hospital (4 weeks premature, but very healthy) Congratulations R.J. and Judy! Your lives as you knew them have now ended. Missed this the first time around, but I must say that this is a most excellent date on which to be born! Best to all.PS - It's bad enough for me and I'm only outnumbered 2 to 1. 3 to 1? Dude, you're in trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 Missed this the first time around, but I must say that this is a most excellent date on which to be born! Best to all.PS - It's bad enough for me and I'm only outnumbered 2 to 1. 3 to 1? Dude, you're in trouble. When you go from a one-on-one defense to a zone, that's a good sign of trouble ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Okay Rockheads!!!!!!!! I'll let you all in on a great new tradition at Vidalia. We have brought back or Friday night wine dinners. They will start on October the 6th with the first dinner theme being "Old Vines, New Wines" taste of Spain. A sparkling wine reception with canapes follwed by six courses to match the wine the Doug has chosen (see below) is a great way to spend a Friday night. Our second dinner will be on the 20th of October and will be theme Parker's 90pt. Value meal, more details to come. Cheers 2002 Gramona "Grand Cuvee", Cava, Penedes 2004 Lusco Do Mino, Albarino, Rias Baixas 2004 Naia "Naia Des", Verdejo, Reuda 2000 Costers Del Siurana "Dolc De L' Obac", Priorat 1996 Muga "Prado Enea" Gran Reserva, Rioja 2003 Clos Erasmus "Laurel", Priorat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 And the Menu for the dinner Old Vines & New Wines of Spain Friday, October 6th, 2006 Reception with Passed Hors d’Oeuvres 2002Gramona “Grand Cuvee”, Cava, Penedes Amuse Bouche Pinenut Risotto with snail ragout and smoked bacon emulsion First Course Sea Urchin Panna Cotta with cold poached chesapeake oyster, albino adriatic caviar, sea beans annd albariño-meyer lemon emulsion 2004 Lusco Do Mino, Albariño, Rias Baixas Second Course Iberian Ham with poached sekel pear, valdeon, honey gastrique and almond-milk puree 2004 Naia “Naia Des”, Verdejo, Reuda Third Course Foie Gras parfait with plum mustard, spiced pecan and blis sherry vinegar beignet with blackberry-tellecherry peppercorn syrup and white chocolate powder 2000 Costers Del Siurana “Dolc De L’ Obac, Priorat Fourth Course Squab Breast with slate roasted chicken of the wood mushroom-gizzard brochette, kennebeck potato dumplings and smoked chorizo consommé 1996 Muga “Prado Enea” Gran Reserva, Rioja Fifth Course Piedmontese Beef Strip Loin with crispy chic pea cake, onion glass and cocoa nib mole 2003 Clos Erasmus “Laurel” Priorat Dessert Giant White Chocolate-Honey Truffle with vanilla yogurt, apricot sorbet and macadamia nut crunch 2005 Casta Diva “Cosecha Miel”, Moscato, Alicante Mignardises RJ Cooper III-Chef de Cuisine Jeff & Sallie Buben-Proprietors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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