Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'Weekend Brunch'.
-
Saw this banner walking home from Barracks Row the other day. 735 8th St SE, pretty much right across from the barracks. Can't find much other information besides their Facebook page which says they're opening this December. Anyone have any other info? (Sorry if there's already an entry on this somewhere; I searched and searched and couldn't find it.)
-
I remember so well when LeftBank opened - it was actually a nice little spot, something like Leopold Kafe & Konditorei in Georgetown. Then, it closed - out popped Slaviya (here's a DCDining review of Slaviya), and even though I enjoyed my visit there, I pretty much knew that if LeftBank wasn't going to make it there, neither would Slaviya, "bar"ring some sort of late-night coup de hookah. Don't forget, this space started out as the very good Cities, so we've seen a steady decline with each new opening. So, now Slaviya's gone, and we had Taste of New Orleans ... for about a week ... then Slaviya again. (PoPVille is awesome when it comes to methodically reporting openings and closings). This time, it managed to stay open until early this year, but finally, the ax fell. (Thanks, SF) And now? The single largest venue in Adams Morgan has become The Bicycle Space, and my initial impression is that this 180-degree change is a really good call. I hope you guys keep rolling for years to come - if for no other reason than it will make the hellish job of keeping up with the goings-on at 2424 18th St. NW a bit easier. -
Was at Rockfish Saturday night with some girlfriends after a day at the salon. We normally go to Rockfish when we miss the deadline for brunch at Carrol's Creek and Chart House. But we had a really nice dinner. The wine selection is not huge, but we managed to find a good wine that was very reasonable. I started with a cup of MD crab soup, it was very good, had all the requisite flavors and the vegetables were not mushy. I really enjoyed it, it would have been even better last week in all the rain. I am really a big fan of MD crab soup when done right. It is one of my favorite soups. I then had the fish tacos- an app as an entree. There were three tacos with two very generous pieces of battered cod in each tortilla. On the bottom was a really good slaw with a little avocado puree. I thought they were good, although as I got full I ate the stuffing and left the tortilla. It had good flavor as was a little different from the normal entrees on a lot of Annapolis menus. My dinner mates had the crab and lobster pastas. The crab one looked incredible. The lobster smelled phenomenal, but you had to take the meat out of the shell and cut it and that made it really messy and difficult to eat politely, they should go ahead and take the meat out of the shell before serving the dish. Anyway this place is normally very solid, a little dark inside, but nice and a little more casual than O'Leary's or etc. -
Vaso's is opening a 2nd location soon. "Vaso's Kitchen Preparing New King Street Location" by Drew Hansen on patch.com -- [sorry about the tweets guys; I hadn't had my coffee yet.] (Glad you had such a nice time, SeanMike - nobody deserves one more than my good friend.) -
I've actually received a few PM's about Eventide and was going to wait until our chef's name is public knowledge before I started this thread, but I guess it's never too early to give out details to this group. We're still in a lengthy construction period but truly hope to open by May/June. (My fingers are cramping as I type because they've been crossed for so long.) We're on Wilson Blvd. at the beginning of the same block that the Clarendon Ballroom and Liberty Tavern are on. The scoop...nice bar/lounge on the first floor run by an exceptionally professional and hilarious Bar Manager that will be concentrating on inspired, well-crafted cocktails and a bit of a more elegant atmosphere than a bunch of Clarendon restaurants play host to (read: no Jager bombs served here...ever). Second floor will be about 90 seats of unpretentious, "date night" dining with 3 semi-private areas where we can host 3 seperate groups of 10 or combine the areas to hold up to 30 for receptions, business dinners, etc... The rooftop will feature table seating and will be a food-first floor. We certainly want cocktail-only guests to sit at the tables, but will not be playing host to an "SRO" rooftop scene...that's what the Clarendon Ballroom's roof is for. (The Ballroom owners are partners at Eventide as well. I might as well be straightforward and divulge that info now.) There will be a small bar on the roof for late night cocktails after dinner, but the roof will be managed so that it stays as comfortable as possible for all and remains a mostly-seated area. I have also hired an extremely gregarious and knowledgable wine director but, you guessed it, I can't divulge his name either. Please don't think I'm being cloak-and-dagger about naming my management team, but they are all still working at their jobs and cannot put in their notice until I can afford for them to come on salary. My Assistant GM (and also an Eventide partner) is Nick Freshman. Nick's a great guy that I've known for over 10 years and has worked with me at Olives and Poste and will be running the upstairs dining room. We're all extremely excited about this project and really can't wait to get our doors open. In the meantime, if any of you happen to walk by the site and the front doors are open, please feel free to stick your head and ask for Nick Freshman or myself and we'll give you a quick tour while it's still under construction. Just bring beers!! (Feel free to post or PM me if you have any questions/comments/suggestions about the place. I welcome them and look forward to answering you.) -
The comfort food thread inspired me to post this as well as utilize my two hour early dismissal to go to That Cuban Place in Frederick for my own local comfort food. First of all, there is nothing fancy about this place, though they've improved the property immensely after years of neglect by a notorious slumlord (who still owns the place unfortunately). The cooking is also very simple, offering sandwiches and mostly slow cooked entrees that they seem to start early in the morning and serve throughout the day. But nothing speaks to their simplicity as much as the small white board behind the counter where they write the day's specials followed by their motto, "It's all good!" I can say that everything I've had has been at least decent (a mojo marinated bistec being my least favorite b/c it remained tough after slow cooking) but oftentimes things are just wonderful. Today things were wonderful. I was craving comfort food to warm up this sleet-filled day while watching my brackets collapse and surprisingly noticed they had their ropa vieja, which they only guarantee on Thursdays. Slow-cooked in the aforementioned lime-based mojo, the ropa vieja combined with the hefty portions of fried plantains, rice, and beans to hit the spot and provide lots of leftovers for just $8.50. I especially appreciate the friendliness of of the young Latino couple who own and operate the place. While I was waiting for them to prepare my order today, the owner gave me a free shot of great Cuban coffee ("Hey, I'm having some, so you have to, too") and let me satisfy my curiousity by tasting today's other special--oxtail. I hope that oxtail comes back so I can have a full order because it was extremely rich with lots of flavor-enhancing fat, the main ingredient of comfort food. The owner says that he slow boils the oxtail with lots of bay leaves and then re-uses the leftover liquid for what he considers to be the world's best fatty beef stock. Next week's special is cow tongue. We'll see if I get the guts to try that one. I think their most popular item is their Cuban sandwich made with authentic Cuban bread, though freshness can make it slide between phenomenal and ok: Before dinner they prepare them ahead of time so they can just throw them on the grill press. Panera does the same thing, but I'm coming here to avoid Panera. As first time restaurant owners and with three people at most running this small place, I'm sure they're still figuring out ways to balance quality and efficiency. They still have things to figure out but deserve to survive as they currently operate on the exact border of Frederick that transitions from the gentility of Third Street to the tatoo magnet of North Market's 300 block. Luckily the winter will soon pass and they won't have to battle the landlord over heating issues for several more months. The food and atmosphere here are quite satisfying and welcomely free of pretention. I hope they stick around. If in Frederick antiquing and looking for a quick meal, I'd resist the ease of the endless chains and fast-food joints lining Rtes. 40, 85, and 355 and head downtown to enjoy a new part of historic Frederick. 300 North Market St., Frederick, MD 21701. 301-760-7776. Pax, Brian P.S. TCP was mentioned in the Washington Post's shout out that JLK posted, but I've never had the courage to try their empanadas that sit on that rotating warming rack. Not sure even if they're homemade. -
I have been negligent in posting, but have been super busy if that's any excuse! We went here by accident on my birthday in December, and liked it so much that we've already been back once. And we will be back more often; just wished it was closer to where we live! I recall reading somewhere that this place was in the works as it is run by a relation of the people who ran Fred and Harry's in Four Corners. I think it is a nephew? Anyway, they apparently opened in October. It was a snowy evening and after seeing the Hobbit in Silver Spring we were looking for a casual spot to try something new. Decided to check out Quench in the same shopping center, but as we were parking I noticed Nantucket's Reef further in the center. If we had parked on the street I would've totally missed it! But recognizing the name as having read about it, and remembering I wanted to try it, we decided to give it a go. And we are very glad we did. Mr. S noticed they had short smoked salmon on the menu and he has not seen it on a menu other than Artie's, which is too long a haul to frequent for us. The fish was cooked perfectly and was just as flavorful as the Artie's version. The mashed potatoes are skin-on, lumpy and delicious. He had the in-season veggie medley which was grilled and well prepared. I had a special fish of the day, but can't recall which one at the moment. It was a white fish that again was deliciously well prepared. I had a spinach side that I have never seen before--it was red and I thought perhaps prepared with beets. But it was just a red spinach! The service both times we were there was friendly and not obtrusive. We were almost too full for dessert but decided to give it a try. Loved my bread pudding (which is toted by the servers as one of the favorites, for good reason) and Mr. S also enjoyed his pumpkin cheesecake. But we knew we wouldn't be able to order a dessert the last time we were there since the serving sizes were generous and we were too full with the calamari appetizer. Those of you in the northern Montgomery County area should definitely give this place a try. Dining in Gaithersburg/Northern Rockville is definitely looking up between this and the opening of Brasserie Beck in the old O'Donnell's space. http://www.nantucketsreef.com/- 9 replies
-
- 1
-
-
- Rockville
- North Potomac
- (and 3 more)
-
I thought we had a thread on Shaw's, but I guess not ... According to the City Paper, the stillborn Shaw's Tavern has been bought by the owner of the late Axis on U St. He is bringing along the chef from Leopold's to head up the kitchen. I always liked Axis, it was low key for a U St place, if a bit overpriced. Always a nice beer selection, though, which goes a long way in my book. As a nearby resident of Bloomingdale I have high hopes for another worthwhile neighborhood sit down joint. -
The Lobster Joint (next door to Katz's Deli) is what TackleBox coulda, shoulda been, serving New England "comfort food" in a low key, benches and beer, order at the counter setting. Generous plates of fried seafood served in lobster roll style buttered and toasted buns. Enjoyed the crispy oyster roll ($15), onion rings, good fried calamari and solid raw oysters. A solid place to get a casual, relatively quick dinner. Or to spend time catching up with friends before heading out to other places. Not expensive but your bill can add up fast, depending upon what you order. -
Had dinner at Farmicia this past weekend and had an enjoyable meal. Highlights for me were the Tuscan Grain Salad (organic spelt, chopped garden vegetables, lemon-basil vinaigrette, arugula) and the Crispy Fried Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail (atop a trio of fries, bloody mary dipping sauce). My entree of Boneless Pork Chop Dijon (grilled, honey glazed turnips, broccoli, cider-sage sauce) was good, but the meat was slightly overcooked and therefore a bit dry, but the sauce helped. It did have a nice bit of char from the grill that went well with the sweetness of the turnips. -
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 ....
-
Spent the weekend in NYC with my 16 year old drama queen taking in a few shows. We had a truly fabulous brunch at Hundred Acres in Soho on MacDougal street. We started off with the Ricotta fritters with date molasses and powdered sugar. They were a creamy, tangy beignet...but only better. There were probably 7-8 on a plate and perfect to share. I had the goat cheese-thyme bread pudding, two poached eggs, warm spinach salad, lemon butter. It was one of the best brunch dishes I'd ever had. The bread pudding was gooey and savory. The lemon butter sauce elevated the wilted spinach to another level and the eggs were perfectly poached. My daughter had thebreakfast sausage, two poached eggs, cheesy jalapeno grits, bourbon jus. She kept using her side order of home fries to sop up all of the bourbon jus when she had otherwise polished off every bit. The sausage was more of a link sausage with a great crispy skin and bite to it. Honestly, this is a meal both of us will remember fondly for years....and I'm sure will me a mandatory destination for all future trips to NYC. -
While in Philly earlier this summer, I had a chance to visit the renowned Standard Tap in the Northern Liberties neighborhood (website). Great jukebox, relaxed, non-fussy vibe, fresh nicely executed food classics at extremely reasonable prices, local beer. Can anybody nominate what might be the local equivalent of a "gastro-pub" or which place might come closest? -
Managed to luck into a dinner reservation at the apparently still-hot Animal, which I'd encountered in a New Yorker article a couple of years ago, forgotten the name of and then rediscovered while leafing cluelessly through the Food Lover's Guide To LA ("David, would you say we're more in 'Central City,' 'West Side,' or 'West of the 405'?"). Turns out the place was in walking distance (think Miracle Mile or The Fairfax District) and since someone was trying ot bail on a reservation, they needed to fill a table for five and we fit the bill. What a great place. It's nose-to-tail at its finest, featuring uncomplicated but creative preparations. The chef/owners are largely lacking in formal kitchen training which -- as with the Ramones lack of actual music lessons -- seems to bring a simple but powerful focus to their work. There are a lot of ears, innards and the like on the menu, which changes daily but which is approximated on their website. Plates are small and five of us went through about a dozen, despite having worked through some very passsable red beans and rice at the (misnamed) LA Farmer's market just hours before. Highlights included -- well, pretty much fucking everything we ate, including the tendon crisps; the tandoori octopus with tamarind, mango and raita; a bit of flat iron steak prepared in such a way that it tasted exactly like what a Philly cheesesteak would taste like if they'd served it at that wedding in Cana and Jesus had addressed the entree after taking care of the beverages; and marrow with chimichurri. Surprisingly, or not, the kale and apple salad was great, and necessary to cut the cholesteral on occasion. And while I grow weary of Brussel Sprouts, serving them in a bowl with a poppable poached egg on top is not a bad way to go. Despite being the most obvious thing on the menu, the barbecued pork belly with slaw on buttered brioche is impossible to describe without falling into equally obvious cheap sexual metaphors (or similes) and -- in terms of pork-as-dessert -- far better than bacon chocolate (so we had a very creditable tres leches cake with a dulce de leche sauce, which seems as though it makes the dessert into actually a "quatro leches"-type dessert, but my Spanish is poor, so who knows). The room is comfortable without being memorable -- high ceilings, spare art, wooden tables -- and the service is friendly. competent and unpretentious. Minimal but tasty wine list. Prices per plate are generally low -- those tendon crisps are $4 -- but if you've ever been on a good two- or three-day crack binge, you know even at $10 a rock plate, prices add up. With 2.5 mid-priced bottles of wine, a few beers, tax and tip, we dropped about $600 for five people, and were delighted to have done so. -
Waitman & I have enjoyed Silk City Diner a number of times. They have some very inventive specials. If you go, go early as it fills up. It's not terribly close to Rittenhouse Square though.
