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Don, Not sure if you'd prefer to place this in the former "Family Meal" thread, but I didn't find another thread for Aggio in Ashburn. I've been to Aggio three times now. We first visited before we moved to Ashburn, and I thought it would be fun to check the place out. We sat next to the open kitchen to celebrate a birthday. Everything was great, but the place was empty and the service was a bit off. Oddly enough, there was little interaction with the chefs despite the fact the place was nearly empty. We moved to Ashburn in July, and our second visit was a couple of of weeks ago. Here's what I posted to yelp (hoping to give a little boost to their business). I'm finally getting around to providing a mention here, in hopes that some of Rock's readers will give it a try. **************************** If you enjoy fresh house-made pasta and delicious drinks that are fairly priced, do yourself a favor and go to Aggio. The food certainly stands up to some of the best in the DC metro area, and the prices make the establishment an absolute bargain. Our server was excellent, and she was friendly and attentive during the entire meal. We enjoyed a couple of wonderful cocktails, that thanks to happy hour pricing they were also an incredible value. All drinks are half price during happy hour. $4.50 for a well-made boulevardier? Yes, please. The warm focaccia arrived with whipped ricotta with accented with lemon zest and pepper, as well as a whipped mortadella spread that was plated on a *pesto reduction. Both were wonderful. We chose the Burrata and the Brussels for appetizers. Both were delicious; the burrata dish featured beautiful and tasty heirloom tomatoes, and interestingly was topped with olive oil "soil". We both ordered pasta for our entrees; the Cacio e Pepe was a creamy, silky version topped with a 63 degree egg (think lightly cooked yolk). (No picture of that dish) The lasagna consisted of several layers of tender pasta that was crisp around the edges, and enveloping an incredible lamb bolognese. The dish was both light and rich and rich at the same time, and its certainly one of the best versions of lasagna I've tasted. ******************************************** We paid another visit a week later, and the food remained excellent. I enjoyed a short rib dish, served with fresh corn polenta, glazed carrots, and gremolata, that was superb. It had an interesting texture--very similar to pastrami-but the flavor was rich and the meat was tender. I asked about the preparation, and was told that the beef is marinated and then prepared sous-vide. We ordered a goat cheese ravioli that was described as "Ravioli, goat cheese, garlic scapes, corn" but when the dish arrived, it was prepared much differently, and served with roasted beets. Hmmm. During this visit, our server was pleasant and worked hard, but it was very apparent she had not received nearly enough training. I'm not saying this to be harsh, but she knew almost nothing about the menu, and didn't know anything about wine basics. Fortunately, the manager, who we thought was just the bartender, visited our table when we asked about wine pairings. He recommended a red for the ravioli, which I thought was odd until he explained the change to the preparation. As it turns out, he has worked with Voltaggio for some time, and he had been brought in to help with the front of the house. I realize Ashburn does not have the server "bench" that's available to DC restaurants, but I really hope Aggio will devote some time to improving the service by educating their staff about the basics. They made changes to simplify their menu, so it certainly appears they are making changes to drive their business. Prices are reasonable, and I don't know of another place in this area that features homemade pasta.
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Congratulations to Brothers and Sisters (but everyone knows lists like these are a load of baloney, right?)
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[Posted on eGullet in July 2004...gee, almost a year ago...] One more voice in praise of Eve. Went with a friend last Saturday night. First, I have to say that getting a reservation is Hard Work - I honestly don't know many eateries here that you have to call on Tuesday to make sure you get in on a Saturday night in the middle of summer. But I sort of knew what I was in for, so no complaints from me! Now, I have to disclose that I work at the restaurant where Cathal ran the kitchen before he and Meshelle opened Eve, but in a very unimportant capacity (part-time hostess). I don't think this had any role in the quality of food, or the ambience, only in how we were treated First, I LOVED the decor. Very warm, homey but sophisticated, and soooo cozy. Bar is a bit crowded, but not in an annoying way. Unusual setup of bar with the counter and couches along the wall makes the place feel very social and home-like. Service was very nice. Now, I am not a high-maintenance diner and I generally like my servers as unnoticeable as possible - tell me about the special, deliver the food, answer a random question and bye-bye. Our guy was very good - on hand when I needed him (not often) and not hovering when I didn't. Now, the food. I understand now why legends of Cathal are still alive at places he used to work. It's awfully good. I have no claim to expertise in judging food except bits and pieces gleaned in the course of late-night tequila-shootin' with the sous, bu the man is seriously good. Appetizer was baby beets and goat cheese salad. Anyone who hails from Russia has ideas about beets, mainly about how to avoid it when mommy insists. But this dish was really very good, clean, great ingredients shining through with minimum fuss. I had my mind made up about entrees before going (I know I know..idle hands with Internet access...will have to think about something to put on timesheet) - pork belly for me. But the duck special sounded too good to pass, so I went for it. So good! Can one make duck medium rare and incredibly tender at the same time? Yes yes, that describes mine. Garnished with a very earthy, garlicky-tasting mushroom (something o'woods?) with no trace of garlick ON it, must be some clever basting technique at work. But now I have to come back for my pork! Dessert was chocolate mojito - brick-shaped thingie of mousse crossed with flourless cake structure encased in chocolate glaze with mint Jello scattered about. So good. My friend had a peach granita that was quite good, too, I am just not a white chocolate fan. I can't wait to try the tasting room! Meshelle told me they are going to start "Industry Nights" on Mondays in August - I am officially on a mission to get all kitchen folks from our place to go already. Oh, and she was so very gracious and wonderful to us - stopped by, like, three times in the middle of a Saturday night rush (I know what that's like!) Just a delight to be around. Face it, being cheerful can be very tiring when it's a part of your job description - we've all had these moments at the end of a busy night when you look at your guests and think, oh would y'all just go cluster!@#$ yourselves! But she was grace under pressure personified. Made for a great night for us. -
Went here to Fork & Wrench in February with friends that are getting married in June (we go next week to Pittsburgh to attend it! And, uh, to hit up Morcilla) as they live in Baltimore and we want to continue our dalliance with exploring Baltimore over time. Parking is pretty tricky in the evenings so we took the valet option, which was pretty reasonable. The space is nice with some activity down on the street level main floor, but we were seated upstairs with ample seating (and also where the kitchen is). Had a good round of cocktails, followed by a delicious meal. The beef tartare was goos, as was the octopus and a lamb loin 'roll' was very good. Service was good, though when we were done it took a little time to get the check. All in all a very solid and delicious place to have a nice meal. I will be back. -
Alison Cook has listed Roost in her Top 100 for a few years now, placing it at 29 in this edition. From reading about the restaurant, Chef Naderi introduces a new menu monthly, highlighting local and seasonal ingredients with little regard for staying in one particular "lane" of cuisine. Cristina and I had a quiet and pleasant dinner the other night. Top-line assessment: Pleasant enough to be a neighborhood fave, but in a sprawling food town like Houston, it would be tough to recommend traveling for a special visit. We started with 2 appetizers: the much lauded fried cauliflower with bonito and miso dressing, and the "bread service" of a Slow Dough giant (GIANT!) pretzel, with 3 spreads (marinara, pimento cheese, and furikake butter). The cauliflower was indeed tasty, reminiscent of takoyaki. The only thing I would say is that after a few bites, they became a little dull (as in, not sharp), and could've used some sort of acidic element to brighten things up (capers maybe? a squeeze of lemon? I don't know). The pretzel itself was massive, warm, buttery, and delicious. The spreads...eh. The marinara was totally off-putting in a way neither of us could put a finger on, but it went completely untouched. The pimento cheese was a totally straightforward take, without any noticeable spice. The furikake butter won out, mainly because it was butter. This dish seemed like an afterthought. I moved on to the "Country Captain" chicken - pan seared, along with deep fried wings, and topped with a vaguely curry-ish sauce with raisins. All in all a nicely cooked, but standard take on a Lowcountry classic. Cristina had fried quail served over black eyed peas and greens. I much preferred this dish, mainly for the delicious peas. Earthy and with just enough bite to them. We drank a South African Cab blend (2013 John X Merriman Stellenbosch) that played well with everything we ordered - medium bodied, with a good amount of earthiness that I enjoy. Roost has a small but nicely curated wine list and a number of local beers on tap. Given that the menu changes monthly, I think it's probably worth another look down the line, but for now I have it in my good-not-great category.- 1 reply
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Been open 3-4 weeks? anyone tried this yet? Maple Avenue Restaurant -
We met friends at 71Above for drinks and some appetizers. We had to leave for a show so we did not stay for dinner (although our friends did). We sat at the bar and one among us took charge and ordered the appetizers and while they were uniformly good, I spent way to much time talking rather than focusing on the food so I cannot offer much more in the way of a commentary. But what I can report is.... Man, what a view! -
This much needed sit-down restaurant officially opened tonight across from the Waterfront metro station. I arrived within an hour of opening and it was packed. My squeezed in seat at a corner of the bar made me not very visible to the bartenders, so it was a bit challenging to get service. The service I got was very good. After some chitchat with local residents (who seemed to make up a large percentage of the customers) and a couple of beers, I ordered the Iceberg and bleu salad and a burger with fontina. The delivery time for food seemed to be a bit uneven. Someone next to me waited a very long time to get his food. Comments from those who had gotten their food were so-so. It seemed that most people got something that was good and something that didn't quite make it. Not terribly surprising on a restaurant's opening night. All of the customers I talked to were so thrilled to have the restaurant nearby that they weren't complaining. My salad seemed to need a little more dressing or a wetter dressing. I liked the burger but didn't eat a whole lot because I started with the salad and fries and filled up. Liked the fries but they were nothing exceptional. I like fries, and these met at least my minimum standard. The interior of the place is gorgeous. The lounge next to the bar is pretty cool looking and was full. They have something promising here. I'm not that thrilled with the lips part of the logo, but otherwise the look is nice. [Disclaimer: I know both of the partners in this place, but that didn't get me any preferential anything. That phrasing doesn't sound quite right, but, I mean that, while I talked to them, they didn't comp me stuff.] ETA: Their website. -
Our own oliveDC (Metrocurean) is reporting on her blog that Mendocino Grille and Sonoma's owners are planning a Bethesda outpost for spring of 2008, to be called Pacific. It will have a wine bar like Sonoma and offer breakfast and a small gourmet market. Griz Dwight of Grizform Design, who designed Black's Bar and Kitchen and PS 7 is the designer. -
The NoMad Restaurant, operated by the Make it Nice group is the more casual, approachable cousin of Eleven Madison Park, located in the NoMad hotel. The maze of rooms makes this large restaurant intimate and comfortable, with excellent service to match. Stopped in on Saturday evening for a drink and a snack, ordering a few cocktails and the Crudite ($16). From Las Vegas to Denver to New York in the last week, I've eaten a lot of places - including the aforementioned Eleven Madison Park (for another thread), but the single best dish I had was this plate of raw vegetables and dip. Radishes, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots and chive cream. All quasi-seasonal, all fresh, crisp, and delicious. A wonderful example of perfectly executing something so simple and having the results be amazing. -
I guess you could call it hallowed ground, that space at 239 West Broadway, where some 30 years ago Drew Nieporent, along with a youthful (weren't we all?) David Bouley, opened Montrachet, their ode to fine French cuisine and, of course, fine wine. At the time, I was living in the San Francisco Bay area, toiling away in Silicon Valley, barbecuing and grilling in my backyard, and heading to Jeremiah Tower's Stars and Berkeley's gourmet ghetto whenever I got the chance. Montrachet had a fine run, followed in the same space by Corton, with its esteemed chef Paul Liebrandt. When PL left (after 5 years) to open The Elm in Williamsburg last summer, Nieporent was cagey about what would happen next with this space that has been a destination for 30 years. Fast forward to May, 2014 and now we know; happily, Significant Eater and I got a taste of it this past weekend. Along with co-conspirators John Winterman (late of Daniel) and Chef Markus Glocker (late of Gordon Ramsey at The London), Drew and the rest of his team appear to have another winner on their hands. My wet Plymouth Martini was well made and served in a beautiful (though unchilled) glass - I hope the $17 tariff will cover breakage, and Sig Eater's Aviation was just right. Menus are offered in 2, 3 or 4 courses... And surprise, surprise...this kitchen can actually figure out how to parse your order, unlike (too) many places that open these days, where the dishes come out of the kitchen when they're ready, not you. You want 3 savory courses? No problem. One of you wants to order 3 courses and one wants 4? They can do that - I know because that's what we did; they handled it well, but then again these guys are pros. Sig Eater's first course was the English pea soup... Simple, right? And just about perfect; the creamy texture of the soup makes those crispy, organ-y sweetbreads even better. Tiny pea tendrils and a salsify crumble add bite and crunch. Lobster and asparagus make a fine combo, no? Indeed, here they do, with the chunks of delicate lobster accompanied by stuffed zucchini blossoms and an expertly fried quail egg. The kitchen was kind enough (and once again, pro enough) to split my second savory onto two plates, so we didn't have to battle each other for that last spoonful of the insanely rich Parmesan risotto. Beware - if you order and eat a whole portion of this, your appetite will wane, even with the nettles, ramps and sunchokes doing their best to help ward off the gout. Sig Eater decided to have beef for her main course... The tender strip was fine, but the braised cheek really brought the beef. Served with a cauliflower puree, baumkuchen (go ahead, look it up), and Romanesco, this ought to satisfy one's cow craving for a while. And my main? Rabbit, "Flavors of Bouillabaisse," of course. I had already heard about how good the rabbit was, but I still was knocked out by the tenderness of the bunny. And the fabulous saffron ravioli didn't hurt either. Take a look at the little ribs served along with the chunks of rabbit... Just a fabulous dish. Dessert, or rather cheese, beckoned, and we shared our order of Époisses, because eating a whole order would have been, well, decadent. And then, since the kitchen was out of the Key Lime pie, we were comped the Black Forest, which satisfied Sig Eater's chocolate craving (for the night, at least). I ordered the poached stone fruits, which was fine to counter my guilt for eating like a pig, though you'd really have to convince me to order lemon thyme ice cream if any other flavors are available. And what to drink with all this food? Well, I'm a wine neophyte, but the by the glass list seems to go along with a broad swath of the menu... A pet peeve? Sure. When I asked which wine might go nicely with the lobster, I was poured the most expensive glass of white, and then again with my rabbit. And when Sig Eater asked the same question about her beef, you got it - the most expensive red got poured. And then the 2nd most expensive red for a second glass. So be aware - our wine bill was $111, and the 2 cocktails added another $31. It's not a complaint, just a pet peeve - and a caveat emptor - because I could've just as easily ordered a glass by name. I did that with the risotto course, and enjoyed my choice of the New York Riesling with the rich rice. As I've mentioned in some previous blog posts, Sig Eater and I are celebrating some big-deal birthdays this year, and we're treating ourselves well. But even if it wasn't a big birthday year, we'll happily return to Bátard. For a one-week old restaurant, and a first visit, the food and service were fine indeed. Bátard 239 West Broadway, NYC (212) 219-2777
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Note Domaine Hudson's "Pastrami Carrots" dish, very similar to Rose's Luxury's. Note also their "About-Team" webpage, which highlights all the individuals responsible for the restaurant's success. This is a viable option on the way from Washington, DC to Philadelphia, PA, or to Princeton, NJ. Thank you for existing, Domaine Hudson!
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There is a sign for a new restaurant opening in Potomac Village in the old Picasso Grille space called "Bezu." The sign says it will be "French Asian" cuisine. Any one have any information about who is behind this and whether they know what they are doing? How about the chef? Whoever is behind it must be willing to take some risks given the cost to lease space in Potomac Village. -
I see furniture in the new place, at 8407 Ramsey. Looks like it is coming along. Any idea when it will open? -
Since opening five years ago, Chris Shepherd's Underbelly has been a self-appointed beacon for the evolution of Houston food. The menu has a half-page thesis on why Houston is the most interesting culinary city in the country, there are dozens of celebratory links to *other* Houston restaurants on their main webpage, and Bun B is quoted on the wine list. From afar I've found the chest-beating a little too much, but I can appreciate a chef who wants to represent his city -- especially in a time where many owners are happy to replicate restaurants from other cities. And being such a vocal proponent certainly helped Shepherd win the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest. But hey, what about the food? Head-on Gulf shrimp with buttermilk dill panna cotta, pickled beans ($24). Plump and sweet, this was a great showing for Gulf seafood. The panna cotta was a nice compliment. Hand-torn cornbread pieces and pickled beans were both sort of throwaways. Seared soft-shell with eggplant curry ($24). Shepherd recently made a big PR announcement about getting away from beef and pork, which meant a larger focus on seafood. Soft-shells are among my personal favorite foods, and this was a very good one. The eggplant curry was nicely done with a touch of heat; Shepherd is a fan of moderate-to-significant spice (if you're not, be aware, as it permeates the entire menu). Vinegar pie with salt brittle ($9). Previous savory dishes were not coursed (nor labeled as appetizers or entrees; guess by price) so I was rather full after two. Still curious enough to try this dessert, which I believe has been on the menu since 2012. It's not scary at all; more key lime in flavor than sour or acidic. Overall, a quality showing by Shepherd and his team. I didn't fall in love with Underbelly, but it's worth visiting for anyone who appreciates loud flavors with global influences -- basically the "Houston creole" cuisine that the restaurants trumpets.- 6 replies
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We managed to snag reservations at State Bird Provisions for next month. So excited! Hopefully our two young kids will find something that they're willing to eat.-
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I normally don't cut-and-paste press releases, but then one says all you need to know. That said, while this may technically be "Shaw," it seems to be the centroid of Shaw, Convention Center, Mount Vernon Square, and Logan Circle, so I'm not sure exactly where to put this in the Dining Guide. Congratulations, Ron and Sherman! --- WASHINGTON, DC - August 21, 2013: Bringing new flavor to 9th St. NW in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, DC, Thally serves Modern American Cuisine created by Chef and Co-Owner Ron Tanaka, along with a rotating list of wines and craft beers, custom cocktails, housemade sodas, and unique spirits in a 70 seat restaurant which includes a 14 seat bar. The restaurant hopes to open on or about Tuesday, August 27th. A Dream Realized Thally is the brainchild of two good friends who have been talking about opening up their own casually elegant restaurant in Washington, DC for years. Chef & Co-Owner Ron Tanaka and General Manager & Co-Owner Sherman Outhuok finally found the perfect place, on a burgeoning block of 9th St. NW near the DC Convention Center, and Thally was born. Thally was conceived to be a comfortable and inviting neighborhood restaurant, as well as a destination worthy of Washingtonians crossing the city to discover our mouthwatering cuisine. Our name pays tribute to our Shaw neighborhood as well as our families: "Thally" refers to the Tally-Ho Stables (built in 1883) located in Naylor Court directly behind our restaurant, as well as to Thalia, Sherman's daughter. (Thally is pronounced without saying the "h", as in Tally-Ho.) The interior décor also reflects the character of Thally's surrounding neighborhood. Design details include: exposed brick, reclaimed wood, vintage barn-door hardware, blackboards, antique pipe fittings, leather seating, substantial wood and steel tables, and a 28 ft. absolute black granite bar with leather-finish. Our logo and the custom wall graphics created by local graphic designer/ artist Matthew Hlubny for Thally's dining rooms and bathrooms feature images of the antique stables, row-houses and carriage houses that are characteristic of the Blagden Alley-Naylor Court designated historic district in the Shaw neighborhood, contained between O and M Streets and 9th and 10th Streets. MENU Simple, Fresh, and Flavorful"¦ all of Thally's dinner dishes have been carefully created by Chef Ron Tanaka with those three words in mind. FIRST COURSE chilled cucumber soup "“ greek yogurt, celery, cumin, dill, mint romaine salad- capers, grapefruit, worcestershire croutons, buttermilk vinaigrette salad of grilled peach, crisp prosciutto, spiced cottage cheese, bibb lettuce, balsamic watermelon, heirloom tomato, herbed goat cheese, pickled radish bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, avocado vinaigrette, pain de mie toast crab roulette- peekytoe crab, cauliflower/tomato salad, dill carnitas sope- pork shoulder, red chile sauce, epazote, radish SECOND COURSE swiss chard- tarbais beans, fennel, mushrooms, shallots grilled branzino- eggplant caponata, basil, piquillo jus pan seared rockfish- corn salsa, filet beans, tomato, tarragon roast duck- artichoke, greens, black olive sauce grilled pork t-bone, mustard brined, pinto bean puree, mustard greens, ginger, grilled scallion grilled delmonico steak- baby spinach, coffee dust, bordelaise sauce BEVERAGES WINE: Thally will serve 24 wines by the glass, with a rotating list that switches out 6 wines by the glass per week! DRAFT BEER: Our bar has 10 craft beers on draft. DRAFT CIDER: We're cider fans, and will always have 2 ciders on tap and a few by the bottle. THALLYTAILS: Custom cocktails created by Co-Owner Sherman Outhuok. HOUSEMADE SODAS: In lieu of serving traditional sodas squirted from a soda gun, Thally will be making its own sodas and colas. OUR TEAM Thally is co-owned by Chef Ron Tanaka, Sherman Outhuok, and Paolo Sacco. Ron Tanaka, Chef & Co-Owner A native of San Diego, Chef Tanaka began his culinary career in the mid 90s when he came to DC and began working in the pantry of the Morrison-Clark Inn under the tutelage of Susan McCreight-Lindeborge, who was a great inspiration to him. He was then spirited away by well-known Michel Richard who hired Tanaka as a line cook when he opened Citronelle. He continued to refine his cooking talents and techniques while working for Frank Ruta at Palena and then Eric Ziebold at CityZen. When Cork opened on 14th St NW, Tanaka was hired as Executive Chef, putting the restaurant (and himself) on DC's culinary map. Excited for new adventures, Chef Tanaka left Cork to reinvigorate New Heights in Woodley Park, quickly making it a must "“go dining destination, and earning it accolades on Washingtonian's "2012 Very Best Restaurants" List. He is excited to now open his own restaurant which dedicates itself to Simple, Fresh, and Flavorful Modern American cuisine. Sherman Outhuok, General Manager & Co-Owner A longtime fixture on DC's bar scene, Sherman Outhuok was a managing partner for a number of years at Posto restaurant on 14thSt. He then went on to open Maple in Columbia Heights as the Bar Manager /AGM. He makes his own "Cello" (sweet and citrusy) liquors, inspired from his time at Posto. You'll regularly find Outhuok behind the bar mixing up new batches of Lemon, Tangerine, Orange and even Grapefruit Cello. You'll also see him front-of-house, greeting guests. Paolo Sacco, Co-Owner With more than 20 years of experience in Washington, DC, as well as substantial culinary work throughout Italy, London, and New York, Paolo Sacco is highly regarded as a dynamic leader in the restaurant and hospitality industry. He is the well-known and admired Owner of Ristorante Tosca, Co-Owner of Posto, and now a Co-Owner of Thally. Sacco's hard work, dedication, and mission to always provide the highest quality cuisine and service to his patrons have placed him among the elite of Washington's restaurateurs. Sacco's career in DC began when he became the maitre d' at the very trendy Bice Restaurant from 1993-1995, where he was responsible for the operation of the dining room, as well as creating unique menus with the chef. Since its opening in April 2001, Ristorante Tosca has firmly established itself as a mature player and premier Italian restaurant on the Washington restaurant scene. Sacco's trattoria-style restaurant, Posto, has followed that same path "“ albeit on a more casual level, as it is quickly became a cornerstone on 14th St.'s restaurant row. With Sacco's guidance, Thally is poised to lead the charge in making 9th St. NW a culinary destination. LOCATION, HOURS, AND CONTACT INFO: Thally is located in the newly thriving 9th St. Corridor in Shaw, immediately adjacent to Seasonal Pantry and A&D Neighborhood Bar, in the middle of the block between N and O Streets NW. 1316 9th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 202-733-3849 info@ThallyDC.com www.ThallyDC.com Facebook.com/ThallyDC Twitter: @ThallyDC Open Tuesday "“Sunday: 5pm -11:30pm (bar), 5:30pm - 11pm (kitchen) Closed Mondays Private Dining Thally is able to accommodate parties of up to 25 people in a separate, semi-private dining room. In addition, Thally is also available on Mondays for full restaurant buy-out to accommodate 70 people.
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Interesting that there is no thread on Unum, which received a three star review from the Washingtonian in August. Has anyone been? -
Marble and Rye is opening tonight where Red Rocks was in Penrose Square, Columbia Pike, Arlington. From the ArlNow article linked above: "While still majority owned by the owners of RedRocks, it will be run under the leadership of [Chef Kate] Bennett and a new management team." -
Clementine is in a unique area of Baltimore that is unpopulated by the usual hip restaurants. This place has the feel of a general store, and they cure their own bacon and make other charcuterie. It's a great spot to bring kids; there's a cute play area off in the corner. Great assortment of sodas from rosemary lemon fizz, lime basil elixir, Cheerwine, and other drinks. We went for breakfast. The waffles are fantastic - almost fried and funnel cake like with strawberries and whipped cream. There's an Elvis version with bacon, bananas and nutella as well, which I did not get to try. We ordered catfish with grits, corned beef hash, and their regular scramble. Be sure to ask for their housemade hot sauces that come in both green and red. Catfish was cooked to the right texture so that it didn't end up tough with great grits. The corned beef hash is unlike any other hash - the meat was high quality and came in chunks, lovely chunks of squash and potato. And I'm not sure what they put in their scramble of eggs, potatoes, red cabbage, onion and duroc bacon, but yum. Definitely want to return to try their version of bi bim bap and charcuterie. This has definitely unseated Miss Shirley's as my favorite brunch spot in Baltimore. -
In the "for what it's worth category" Zagat gives Gary Danko a food rating of 29 and the French Laundry 28 in its 2005 guide reversing the food ratings from earlier years. This is the link: "Gary Danko" on zagat.com Danko is considered by a number of people to be San Francisco's best restaurant. It is open on Sunday night and yes, there are a handful of bar seats which you can have dinner served at. Typically Danko has a two month wait for reservations so the bar seats will fill up literally within minutes of when the restaurant opens at 5:30. But you will have a shot. This is Danko's website. In the fall of 2001 I wrote a lengthy piece about an experience I had sitting at Danko's bar: This is an extraordinary restaurant that you may want to give serious consideration to. -
We went to Prospect for dinner on Saturday. Prospect 300 Spear Street (Folsom Street) Embarcadero http://www.prospectsf.com/ I want to say that we loved it. Well, it's probably more accurate to say that my partner likes it. It was just "ok" for me. We might return for lunch, but I think there are better in SF. Thoughts and impressions: * When you come by within literally 1 minute after your guests are seated and ask them if they want anything to drink (other than water), WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO LOOK AT THE MENU OR THE WINE LIST!!! And then, you compound that by vanishing into the ether and not coming by to take our orders for 10 more minutes. * I had heard of restaurants not giving out bread and butter as you would normally expect them to do. We had to eventually ask for some. Always an adventure dining out in San Francisco. * Would someone please tell FOH staff everywhere that reciting specials without telling your guests how much they cost is a turn-off? It makes you seem uninformed and disorganized. * A girl sitting at the table next to us managed to break the glassware within 5 minutes of being seated. That's a first, at least for me. * Prospect is another restaurant that has minimal sound absorption. True, there is a carpet on the floor which does absorb some noise, but when you couple that with plentiful wooden surfaces, square tables with no tablecloths, wooden benches with suede cushions, etc., the result is that it can be impossible to carry on a conversation without shouting. The room emptied out about two-thirds of the way through our dinner after which the difference in loudness was quite noticeable. We paid $260 for the pleasure of dining there (includes a 20% tip). At least the food was ok and saved the evening. Seared sea scallops, smoked clams, celtuce purée, chowder broth. Foie gras, pear butter, Bartlett pear, black sesame brioche. Berkshire pork chop, cacio e pepe potatoes, broccoli di cicco. Halibut, brown butter cauliflower, chard, grapes. I'm reminded of "the parade of brown food" which is a line from Ruth Reichl's review of Le Cirque back in the mid-1990s, and is equally applicable here. Lemon sour cream pie, caramel sauce. Almond frangipane cake, burrata ice cream, corn flakes, blackberries.
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My sister-in-law, a denizen of Cleveland Park, asked me if I had heard anything about a new place called Ripple in the old Aroma space in Cleveland Park. She said the posted menu looks interesting. Metrocurean has the scoop. A bit surprised that this seems to have gone unnoticed on dr.com given the pedigrees of the team behind it. Anybody go on a scouting trip this past weekend? [ETA: oops--looks like the tag line got cut off in the title of the thread; should be "from our back yard." I assume Don will change the title of the thread anyway. ] -
I will be taking the Executive Chef role at Barrel and Crow in Bethesda. We plan to offer regional American food mostly in the the $18 to $24 range for dinner, along with a couple items in the $30 range. We are looking to be a great neighborhood restaurant for people to come to and enjoy some great comforting food and drink, at a decent price point. We are hoping to open in about 4 weeks with a little luck. I have attached a sample of the opening dinner menu, still haven't tested everything yet so there could be some small changes. Barrel and Crow Opening Dinner Menu.pdf- 64 replies
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The parade of mediocrity continues that consists of restaurants that exist in the Castro. B and I have date night once a week. We usually alternate between a cheap/moderate place and an expensive place. Last night, we went to Starbelly and I was reminded why we hadn't gone there since 2015. Grilled fig and cress salad with blue cheese, panna cotta, honey and balsamic. The panna cotta was tasteless and added nothing. And there were literally three figs on that plate; technically, one and a half figs since the fruit was halved. For this, we were charged $9. It could have been dessert. Also, horrible plating. Try (!) to have some effort. Bavette steak, salt-crusted potatoes, grilled cebollita, mojo verde. Steak was slightly chewy and the potatoes served as "filler". Note the amount of potatoes in B's dish. I thought to myself: 'The farmers' markets in this city have amazing produce that makes the rest of the country weep for joy when they first taste what's on offer, and THIS is the best you can do for this plate? That's insulting. Really and truly.' I object to potatoes used as filler. At least they were prepared well. Halibut, grilled Little Gem lettuce, butter bean purée, chermoula and olive salsa. The halibut was overcooked and dry, and the purée an afterthought. Bill came out to $95 (with tax and 20% tip) for barely average food. We went there so you don't have to. Starbelly 3583 16th Street (Market Street) The Castro Afterwards, we went to the Castro Street branch of The Ice Cream Bar for some dessert. Brownie sundae with buttermilk ice cream and mint chip ice cream, whipped cream, caramel sauce
