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Smith & Wollensky on the menu for last night. I'd definitely go there again for RW. We had great service and great food. There was none of that "red-headed stepchild" feeling you get at some restaurants during RW. We weren't rushed (in fact, it took us quite a while to get the bill settled!) and our server was gracious. I had: -Blue Point oysters -Casear salad -Filet mignon (served w/ wild green and matchstick frites as sides and Béarnaise sauce) -Cheesecake My gripe: slim menu selection. I wish there was more to choose from for the apps than just 2 salads and pea soup. The desserts were carrot cake, cheese cake or fresh fruit. It would've been nice to mix it up a bit and have some originality but the filet made up for it...a bit. The filet was very good & tender - suprising considering you'd expect restaurants to skimp on the quality of the meat during RW. Perhaps we didn't get the center cut filet but whatever cut of filet we got, it was great. The oysters were good - large and fleshy. Are Blue Points supposed to be more "earthy"? (In a good way!) I like my oysters briney and salty with a crisp finish. Eh, it's just me. Tomorrow, Ten Penh and Saturday Cafe MoZu. -
Sometimes after a long day one just wants quiet. Quiet, and a good meal. After leaving drinks with a friend I had every intention of walking around the corner to The Modern for a quick meal. I took a spin through, but the bar was PACKED. Fortunately I decided to walk across the street to Chevalier. Shea Gallante is the chef at Chevalier - you may remember him from Cru. Chevalier is a high-ceilinged, rectangular restaurant. Booths are well spaced and the whole operation seems luxurious, but understated. Looking at marketing materials after the fact, Chevalier seems to be marketed as a "Brasserie Luxe", whatever that means. I don't find anything brasserie-ish about the menu, but I guess YMMV. Started off the meal with an amuse of a gougere stuffed with black truffle. Very good. A second amuse followed, this time cured salmon topped with salmon roe, sitting on a blini, which was resting on some creme fraiche. Also very good. I ordered a sancerre to start off - didn't catch the producer, but it was solid, if unspectacular. On the waiter's recommendation I started with scallops, which were paired with roasted beets and soubise (some horseradish added to the usual onion). The scallops were cooked perfectly and were well seasoned. I didn't think that the beets added much to the dish, but the soubise had a pleasant kick from the horseradish. At this point I was ready for my main course, but the waiter instead brought over a portion of fusilli pasta with an octopus bolognese. The dish was topped with some breadcrumbs which added a nice textural component - the octopus wasn't too assertive in the sauce, and although the dish was mild I enjoyed it. The sommelier suggested a Rully for the main course, and it was again solid, if unspectacular. Main course was the butter poached lobster, served with ricotta gnudi and a lobster emulsion. The main course had a generous portion of lobster, and some artichokes were included along with the gnudi. The gnudi were a good match for the lobster and this was the best dish of the night. No dessert for me, but a pair of macaroons were dropped along with the check. There has been some talk on the site lately about what constitutes good service. For me, the service at Chevalier was excellent. The servers were professional, knew the menu, made suggestions when asked and offered to answer any questions. They worked as a team to bring and clear dishes, kept water refilled and were very unobtrusive. A manager came by and asked how everything was when she picked up the bill, but that was about it. I didn't feel fawned over at all, just that I had come to a professional establishment and that the staff to care and pride in their jobs. All in all Chevalier was a good meal in a serene setting. Shea Gallante is a fantastic chef, and I admit I expected more from the meal - this was a very solid ** or ** 1/2 star meal, but given the meals I had at Cru previously I was expecting to find a bit of a diamond in the rough (well, not exactly rough, but you know). If in the neighborhood again I would stop in, but wouldn't base a trip around it.- 1 reply
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Not to copy our fearless leader, and I'm not going to do it often, but I thought I might copy a post of mine from eGullet after my recent dinner there, just to add to the DR.com literature about Cityzen. I'm in agreement with Sietsema and others on this one. Based on my meal last month I would put Cityzen in the same league as the other four stars. But there is something missing and not quite as special and I can't quite put my finger on it, even after thinking about it for two days. Somewhere above the best three star, but maybe not quite at the level of the four stars. Aside from one OK entree, the food at Cityzen was outstanding - nearly flawless actually. The service was also excellent - friendly but polished exactly the way I prefer it. They pull out all the stops - two amuses, a pre-dessert, a small cookie plate after the dessert - maybe even more than the other places. Cityzen's presentation is more like Per Se (French Laundry has a much different feel because of its setting - like comparing the Inn to Citronelle - just different) in style than any restaurant that I've been to in the city. They even claim to only turn the tables once and that appeared to be the case. But if you asked me which is the better restaurant I'd say Citronelle or Maestro. Maybe it is the confidence coming out of the kitchen or the sense of whimsy on the plate while still turning out serious food. These are things that can, and I think will, come with time at Cityzen, though. -
Here is the challenge - Provide suggestions of DR.com worthy sit down restaurants where 2 people can get a nice meal and walk away (all in!) for $150. Caveats Must be in DC proper Must include 3 courses for both people - an appetizer, a main and a dessert (small plates/tapas are not to be suggested as I know I can hit those places and control costs) EACH (6 total course for 2 people) Must be reasonably metro-accessible (weekdays, my wife is metro only) Must have a decent chance to find parking nearby (weekdays I'd be driving in to meet wife, and weekends would be driving too) Must assume a 20% tip Must include the 10% (right?) sales tax on the meal Must ideally be a BYOW friendly place (free, cheap or by no means more than $25 corkage total) By my calculations, this means $90 for food (actually $90.38 - $150 less $25 corkage less $11.54 tax less $23.08 tip) Do not include cocktails or wine or anything, planning or corkaging it in general This seems like it should be easy - '$150 for 2 people? No problem!', but it really is $90. That's like two $10 apps, two $25 entrees, and two $10 desserts. Again, it seems doable, but it is so easy to go overboard. I raise the challenge because dining out with my wife is one of my most favorite things to do (lots of reasons). $300+ is a lot harder to do than $150 hence the challenge. Part of the reason for this is to also broaden my scope to try some new to me places. Thanks! -
Has anyone eaten at this restaurant lately or,has anyone cooked in the kitchen. I'm seeking opinions on the food or working conditions. -
First I should mention that on my first visit to a restaurant, I tend to go along with whatever they suggest, rather than requesting something else (another table, etc.), and evaluate the place based on the default experience they deliver. If it's bad enough I will tell them, and walk out and eat somewhere else. Tuscano West is one of those downtown restaurants (usually Italian) that I've walked by hundreds of times, but never really thought to try. You know -- once you've endured the disappointment of ballyhooed places like I Ricci, why bother? Wait until you get to New York, Boston's North End, Philly, or San Francisco. But a Groupon tempted me, so... I arrived at 6:00 on the Wednesday night following hurricane Sandy, well before my wife, who was coming from work, for our early (6:30) reservation. I checked in at the stand, and headed to the bar for a Scotch. The bar does not have a price list of its single malt Scotches. This is significant, since prices for the the same whisky vary wildly from place to place. (With over 100 single malts at home, why should I overpay for mediocrity at a bar?) My wife arrived at 6:25. We returned to the stand, which was staffed now by someone else, who had no idea who I was. We were not offered a choice of the nearly empty dining rooms, but were ushered immediately to the isolated front room, rather than the much more interesting rear room with views of the kitchen. And to the only microscopically tiny two-top in that front room. I observed that we wouldn't be able to order much with such a tiny table, but the woman either didn't get the jab, or chose to ignore it. In addition to being very, very small, the table was oriented along the long axis of the room, (the opposite of all the other tables), thus insuring that one person (me) would be able to observe absolutely nothing but the blank wall behind a wood service counter -- not the dining room, not the outdoors through the window -- for the duration of the meal. Already, Tuscana West had made a bad impression that it could not overcome. Normally, at this point, I would have gone elsewhere, but this was a Groupon night to try a new place... The wine list is not kept up to date; they were out of the wine we ordered. The waiter recommended a Chianti, Ruffino Ducale Riserva 2007, which he said was priced slightly higher, but would be provided at the same price as the wine they were out of. It tasted a bit astringent, of which I advised the waiter (there was no mention of decanting and no decanters in evidence), but opened up nicely by the end of our second course. A small plate of olive oil accompanied two breads: the usual completely ignorable, cottony, Italian Wonder Bread equivalent, and a Focaccia that my wife enjoyed. A shared appetizer salumi plate included one slice of a nice salami, three slices of a dull mild sopressata, one coarsely-cut slice of undistinguished prosciutto, three slivers of an unidentified hard cheese, and some excellent marinated peppers. It was good, but not excellent, and was more than we needed for a shared appetizer. Secondly, we shared a special hot appetizer of Italian sausage with sauteed onions in a sort of Italian barbecue sauce with stick cinnamon. The sauce was wonderful, but the sausage itself was quite bland and ignorable. My wife had a nightly special of duck breast in pomegranate sauce, with risotto. The duck was fine (though not nearly as good as the D'Artagnan breasts we cook at home), cooked medium rare as requested, but the risotto -- the same risotto with gorgonzola that was available on the menu as a stand-alone dish -- was a disappointment, somewhat dry and not at all toothy. I had a nightly special of pork loin with vegetables. The three generous slices of pork were overcooked, in a nice sauce of lemon and sage; potatoes were perfect, but the rest of the vegetables (carrots and beans) were barely warmed through,and not to my liking. We asked about desserts, and our waiter rattled off a list. I opted for cheesecake -- plain, so it could be the star that cheesecake deserves to be. A minute later, he returned, saying that he was told they were out of the cheesecake, so I ordered my second choice raspberry and blackberry tart. In a minute our waiter again returned, saying that they had only one slice, which I took to mean the tart -- until, ten seconds later, a server placed a slice of cheesecake before me. The cheesecake was a nice light ricotta variety, with a graham cracker crust flavored with cinnamon. We ordered double espressos, decaf -- but they don't offer decaf, so we settled for regular (I'm very caffeine sensitive, so I paid for this in lost sleep later.) What urban restaurant doesn't offer decaf espresso these days? How hard -- and expensive -- is it to keep a pound of ground decaf or decaf beans around? The double espressos, when they came, were of decent flavor, but weak -- more like an Americano -- and served in larger cups. At this point, we decided to have our after-dinner drinks at home, and paid the check. When we left at 8:50, the maitre d' stand was unmanned, so there was no farewell or opportunity to offer comments. To summarize: the table was horrendous, the food was interesting but also had significant flaws, the service was very good but hampered by the table location. For $200 on a Wednesday night, you can do much better. -
I've passed this place several times and have never been tempted by it, but this month's Bethesda Magazine has an interview with Michel Richard and he names it one of his favorite restaurants in Bethesda (but so is Cafe Deluxe, though). Then, when I googled the restaurant, it comes up as a Roberto Donna restaurant (*). Is this true? [Can this board avoid implosion with the mention of his name?] It's mentioned in the Dining in Bethesda , but I'm surprised that a Donna restaurant (if it still is one) wouldn't have more interest on this board. -
Thanks mainly to this post, managed to find and snag a last minute reservation at Al Fiori on a Saturday night a few weeks ago (most places were completely booked until 10, but they had openings at pretty much any time). The prix fixe menu is up to $97 for four courses, but still a decent price for the quality of meal. I had the Insalata di Alstice (nova scotia lobster, sunchokes, pine nuts, golden raisins, truffle vinaigrette), Corzetti pasta (fennel sausage, ricotta, pomodoro, basil), Capriolo (pan roasted venison chop, sweet potato, chestnut, parsnip, golden oak mushrooms), and Semifreddo (white chocolate, pomegranate, citrus, meringue). The lobster salad and dessert in particular were incredible. I think you might get a smaller pasta portion with the prix fixe menu to avoid getting full, because the people ordering just pasta next to us appeared to get a larger portion, but I didn't look closely enough to be sure. I thought the portion sizes ended up being just right for a filling meal, with some leftovers. Some other dining companions had the butternut squash soup, octopus, pasta with crustacean ragu, ricotta & marscapone ravioli, veal chop, caramelized brioche, and chocolate mille fuille. From what I tried, everything was great, especially the fatty, perfectly cooked veal chop. For vegetarians doing the prix fixe, they'll let you do a second pasta (and presumably appetizer if you ask) in place of the protein course, or a vegetable plate comprised of all of their side dishes (finger potatoes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, hen of the woods mushrooms, and a creamy polenta), which we went with and ended up being a ton of food. Highlights in pictures below:
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[posted on eGullet 2003-2004] The indigenous people in North America were Asians who crossed the Beringia land bridge formed by glacial flow (and corresponding topographical change) approximately 12,000 years ago. When they arrived, they found woolly mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, mastadons, large bison, camels (!), giant ground sloths, and a whole host of other now-extinct beasts. However, the true "Native Americans" were the anaerobic bacteria which formed during the Precambrian Era, only to be conquered and usurped, at least in stature, by the stromatolites and other primitive prokaryotes which formed approximately 3 billion years later in the region surrounding Lake Superior. The only thing I can think to add is that I had a kick-assed beef shortrib "pot-au-feu" at Citronelle on Saturday night, and the presentation of the shortribs really does look like layered stromatolites. It's a bloody brilliant take on this dish, turning the peasant into the elevated. Run, do not walk. It's available at the bar for $35, and no shit, I suspect the entire dish has less than 1,200 calories while at the same time being rich, filling and satisfying. Thank you for listening, and have a nice day. Rocks. -
El Manatial on N. Shore drive is pretty good and offers a tapas menu. We like the chorizo and oysters. They do a pretty good Spanish omlet, too. http://www.elmanantialrestaurant.com -
[Posted on eGullet 2003-2004] Approaching the hotel from the northern perspective, one appreciates the scallop atop the majestic batiment, the crescendo of grandeur as one strolls slowly across the trestle, winding across the expansive exterior foyer, disappearing into the frosted glass porticos. Translation: if you're a cheap fuck like me, park across the railroad tracks and check your car insurance beforehand. I went through the majority of the lounge menu at CityZen this evening. Here's the scoop: The drink menu is impressive, with page-after-page of interesting and thoughtful choices, ranging from the affordable (fine selection of quality beers for $6, Bouchard Montagny for $9, a fabulous, traditional Sidecar for $10) to the hilarious ("Jack Daniels is Using his Blackberry in Tennessee" - a whiskey drink made with blackberry puree) to the insane (a $650 glass of Cognac: take your pick from among three of them). Three dozen vodkas, a dozen rums. [note: it's hard to believe so many millions of dollars would go into this restaurant, and they wouldn't pay someone $100 to spend thirty minutes spellchecking their drink menu] The toro of marinated salmon and beef tartare (in the $13-14 range each) are flat-out great, and perfect ordered side-by-side. I cannot rave enough about these great little plates - if you're on a budget, scarf a few handfuls of nuts to fill up on, and then order one of them. The potato crisps that come with the beef tartare are the best thing approaching a potato chip that I've ever tasted and must be tried to be believed - just try and eating a waffle fry at Chick-Fil-A when you've had one of these babies. But contrast these with the porcini soup with Madras curry puree (a dollop of vegetable creme spooned atop the soup, $10), which was a no-holds-barred failure. The proportion of (cool) puree -to- (hot) soup was excessively high, and the puree was overtly curried to the point of being dry-spice gross. This soup will either change or come off the menu in the near future (trust me). Braised ox heart with Bermuda onions ($10 or so) was perfectly executed, and a stunning combination of salt(ox)-and-sweet(onions), fat(ox)-and-acid(onions), earthen(ox)-and-colorful(onions), warm(ox)-and-cool(onions). I was worried about this dish because I've seen similar things in the past that are clunky-gamey and crunchy-thick-oniony, but this was just a perfect combination of a well-conceived recipe supported by great work in the kitchen. Speaking of the (semi-open) kitchen, I smiled when I walked past, looked over, and noticed the consummate professional Ron Tanaka (former saucier at Citronelle), front and center, working the line furiously, hopping and sweating, looking like he was trying to stop a dam from bursting. Everyone that knows Ron likes him, and it's nice to see this hard-working and talented chef here at CityZen, sure to get the credit he richly deserves. At the bottom of the lounge menu, there are four intimidating dishes: three rillettes (low $20s) and a foie-gras ($42), all served in a preserving jar. In no way should you run from the prices of these dishes, as they are enough for two or three people to share, and worth it. The duck rillettes was everything you could possibly hope for, served with cornichons and brioche presented in an interesting nod to (rip-off from? message about?) Citronelle's fries: rectangular prisms, stacked perpendicularly in twos, well... if you've had Citronelle's fries before, you'll instantly recognize what I mean here. After dinner comes the cheese course (if you're quirky and want to go backwards on the menu to order it), and this California Saint-Marcellin-looking disk (I cannot remember the name of the cheese) is baked up in a little ramekin and comes out looking like a small order of hummus, served with terrific housemade pita bread and a pear chutney with pine nuts in it. This middle-eastern riff was clever and cheeky, but it simply didn't work - the hot cheese tasting blue (it wasn't blue) and acrid, and dominating every other component on the dish. Four brilliant plates, two misses, excellent service and atmosphere, great and imaginative drinks (the wines by the glass are merely decent, not great). Not at all bad considering how short a time they've been open, and at the highest heights, this meal was a clear indication that CityZen Lounge is going to be in its own right, apart from CitiZen the Restaurant, a worthy destination for fine dining. Cheers! Rocks. P.S. CityZen Restaurant currently offers 3 courses (app, main, dessert) for $70 or a 5-course tasting menu (app, fish, meat, cheese, dessert) for $90 (nothing on the tasting menu was on the 3-course menu, but the styles of the offerings were similar. My (excellent) bartender told me that he'd see if they could serve me the 3-course at the bar, although I was perfectly content to explore the Lounge Menu instead. They are not booked for next week at this point - as of this evening, they had openings at any time next Wednesday or Thursday nights, for those curious earlybirds among us. P.P.S. The meal this evening got rather extensive, and when I asked for a copy of the lounge menu to take with me, they politely declined, saying it was against hotel policy to give out the menu for now, so I'm recalling all of these plates from memory, with the appropriate disclaimers if I miss something, but I think I'm pretty close to accurate as I was paying serious attention to what came out tonight.
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On Saturday we visited Manassas for the Civil War weekend event (sponsored by the Manassas Museum). Venturing into the Old Town area, a block from the museum, we had dinner at Carmello's on Center Street. The sister restaurant, Monza, is right next door and I'm pretty sure the kitchen is shared. Dinner started with complementary sparkling wine (Gatao, from Portugal). The bread and tapenade was great. Mr. lovehockey enjoyed his Ceasar salad. Entrees were filet mignon and halibut with crab and veggie risotto. For the former, Mr. lovehockey likes it medium well and it was the first time since he showed up in my life that they asked if they cooked it right upon serving. It was medium-rare. It went back, but I really was stunned that they asked first! The description on the menu for the halibut is "crab-stuffed pan roasted Alaskan halibut." The crab that was there was not stuffed into the halibut, but the portion of halibut was generous. We had no room for dessert, although the menu indicates the desserts are made in-house. Prices are in line with what you'd find in DC (entrees $22-$42). They have several gluten-free options. This may be nitpicky, but Mr. lovehockey's espresso included the lemon rind. So many places neglect this. He notices this, and I've learned to notice this (I don't drink coffee). It was also the first place I think I've ever visited that had ads included in the music track. Carmello's has spring, summer, and winter menus (we had the summer menu). The dining room is very nice and the service is earnest. Personally, I think it is a place that has a lot of potential. If you're looking for fine dining in Manassas, go here (although I admit I was in jeans and they welcomed me in!). There is a parking garage a block away that is free after 10 a.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends. -
Villa Mozart Restaurant is looking for: * an evening line cook with at least 3 years experience in fine dining who is reliable, organized, and love cooking * a waiter who is serious, dedicated, reliable, and customer oriented. Experience in fine dining a must. Read up on Villa Mozart and forward your resume to info@villamozartrestaurant.com to setup an interview. -
Ristorante Tosca is seeking experienced, professional servers for full-time employment. Must have a minimum of 5 years' experience in fine-dining. Please email resumes to lisa.fotter@toscadc.com -
Pete Wells reviews Armani Ristorante on nytimes.com Normally, I'd direct you to the website, but here, instead, I'll draw your attention to the "ferocious" tennis player with his awesome backhand on display (on the top strip of models) here. Look at that grip! A threat to win the 2014 U.S. Open? This guy, on the other hand ....
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I have a reservation at Striped Bass for New Years Eve. I've read mostly good reviews, but a few off ones. Good Choice? -
The New York Times' Pete Wells reviews Caravaggio (slideshow). website
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heading up to philly presidents day weekend and wanted to have a nice dinner. had thought to settle on marigoild's kitchen or django, until i finished reading the thread. anyone have other recommendations? -
Congratulations to Ramon Narvaez, who has stepped down as sommelier at Marcel's, and will be moving on to Adour. There's very much of a shortage of competent sommeliers in this town, and filling the shoes of the talented Narvaez will be challenging for Marcel's.
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I had dinner here yesterday evening, and I'm strongly initiating coverage of Chef Harper McClure's "The Federalist" in Italic in the DC Dining Guide (members only). I had a wonderful shaken traditional Gimlet, the restorative (if a touch salty) old-school Turtle Soup, and a simply lovely Stuffed Pork Chop with a glass of Côtes Du Rhône. There is fine, old-school work going on in this kitchen, with fully reduced sauces rooted solidly in French technique. A wonderful addition to our city's dining scene, both for a potentially vibrant bar area, and also for a romantic or business dinner. Well done, Chef McClure, well done. Cheers, Rocks
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It is tragic, to me, that the very first post on Tragara announces its closing. I am proud to have written this review in the summer of 2011, and I stand by every word I wrote. I ask that you read it out of respect for the institution, for Mr. Amsellem, and for Chef Laudier. Tragara is being retired in Italic in the Dining Guide. Along with Rock Creek, it is only the second restaurant ever to be retired in Italic in all of Bethesda, where it was a Top 3 restaurant. Tragara was a warm, welcoming place for senior citizens to enjoy a civilized meal, and it's a shame that our local press didn't recognize it for the excellent and important restaurant that it was. Every time I become complacent, and decide that I couldn't care less if I'm powerful and influential, something like this happens to jolt me into realizing that I need to have more influence - if I had, then Tragara would not have closed. Thank you, Mr. Amsellem and Chef Laudier, for maintaining such a fine restaurant to enjoy a civilized meal.
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Friday evening Roberto Donna hosted a landmark 14 course, 18 taste blowout dinner including a number of truffle courses which I arranged for thirty of us. For many this was the fifth time we have come together for a dinner like this over the past three years, with two previous at his Laboratorio and other blowouts at Maestro and Black Salt. This was the most adventurous of all, even perhaps as ambitious as any dinner he has ever hosted in his Lab. I'm certain there will be many opinions as well as detailed photos from others which will be posted. This is the menu. Please note that the first six courses were unique to the Piedmont region of Italy which he originally is from. Rosted Veal served with a Tuna Sauce Roasted Red Sweet Pepper served with a Tuna Mousse Poached Quail Egg served over Cardoons with Bagna Cauda * Thinly Sliced Veal with Celery, Parmesan Cheese, Champignon Mushrooms and White Truffle dressed with Lemon * Skewer of Nantucket Bay Scallops and Artichokes served over a Salted Cod Cake with a Black Truffle Dip * Duck Stew of Testicles, Tongue, Kidney, Liver, Heart, Skin and Porcini Mushrooms served with a Marsala Wine Sauce * Fennel and Celery Root Soup served with a Puff Pastry filled with Dover Sole and Dill * Raviolini Pasta filled with Spinach and Foduta Cheese served with Butter and Sage * Thin Layers of Chocolate and Chestnut Pasta served with Crayfish Tails and Fava Beans with a Ginger Sauce * White Alba Truffle Risotto * Trio of Virtual Caviar with Lobster served with a Yellow Sweet Pepper Sauce * Trio of Rabbit: The Front Leg in Sausage served over a Parsnip Puree with a Red Wine Sauce Loin Milanesa served over Sweet Semolino and Apples The Back Leg stewed with Chiodini Mushrooms served over Soft Polenta with a Rabbit Jus * Cheese * Blood Orange Granita * Sour Cream Souffle served with a Rose Water Ice Cream * Bombolini The dinner lasted over five hours ending at 12:45 AM; Roberto and five others labored nonstop to prepare what must be as complex and adventurous of a dinner as seen in any Italian restaurant on this side of the Atlantic. Several of the courses elicited breathtaking reactions including the incredible "Duck Stew" which a number of diners raved at length about. Intense flavor, remarkable contrasting textures-as extraordinary of a creation as I have ever tasted. I especially thank Roberto for presenting this to us, believing we were "ready" for such an exceptional experience. My guess is that this is the first time he or any other chef has prepared this for the public in a Washington restaurant. Another remarkable dish was the "Trio of Virtual Caviar..." Even the pasta courses were unique including the "chocolate and chestnut pasta..." The "sour cream souffle with a rose water ice cream" was an appropriate over the top way to end a literal once in a lifetime dining experience. At least four times over the course of the dinner applause broke out for Chef but even then, this was an event that I doubt if anyone could have anticipated. Roberto took chances last night and reached for the moon. I thank him for taking us with him on his journey. A spectacular journey! I also thank the many who shared extraordinary bottles of wine including Dal Forno, Quintarelli, at least a half dozen 96 point+ '97 Super Tuscans, several 96 point + '85 Californians. Particular thanks to Kirby B. and John B. for sharing, "Crackers" and Roe for their help along with several who trekked (again) from Philadelphia and north of Baltimore for this "memory" which each year Roberto has somehow found a way to top. Thank you, Chef. -
I wanted to thank some of the folks I work with (and their spouses) so I have invited out them for dinner. However, the place I was thinking of seem un-inspired (chain type steak house in tyson's). I think if when there, folks will be happy but wife suggested perhaps I ask the folks on this board. I'm trying to show some appreciation for folks who really help me out at work (along with the spouse). Price is not a big deal. We'd like a really nice dining experience (I don't want a quick sit down meal of app, main dessert and they rush you out). Most of the folks are coming from fairfax area. like to keep the driving under 45 minutes. Any recs.
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Too bad, just a bit too far for lunch on workdays...but now that I know where to find it...maybe on a weekend...BTW, have you tried Rafagino's in Burke? It's in a shopping center so it's a bit hard to find, but well worth the effort. I happened to run across this quote from the Dr. Caligari's Liquor Cabinet blog: This Saturday, I went to a fabulous restaurant, Rafagino, in Burke, VA. It's authentic Italian food, the food is delicious, and everyone is treated like a VIP. It's in a strip mall, so many people would probably think it was just so-so (plus it's in Burke, and not Downtown *snobbysniff*), but it you let that turn you away, good. More for me. The dining room in Rafaginos is small, so call ahead for a reservation. The wine list is good, the tiramisu is awesome, and the espresso is among the best in town. After dinner, the owner, Paulo, came by for a chat. We talked coffee for a bit, touching on how difficult it is to get a good espresso in the DC area.
