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Métier will be the higher-end tasting menu format restaurant. 30 seats, $150-ish. Parker House rolls TBD. The Ziebolds are shooting for a December opening for both of their restaurants, which will be in the same building...but you know how that goes. "Métier is the Name of Eric Ziebold's New Luxury Dining Room" by Becky Krystal on washingtonpost.com- 93 replies
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The return of Eric Ziebold The short version - two dining rooms. Kinship will be a more casual mix and match menu concept with four different menus focusing on four different concept - ingredients, craft, history and decadence. 80 seats. The yet unnamed second space will be in the basement. A "jewel box" salon for fine dining $150 (or so) tasting menu format. 36 seats, dinner only. Parker House Rolls? A chef's gotta have some secrets. No doubt a lot more will be forthcoming in the months to come. 1015 Seventh St. NW
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Website I went to Supra the other night with friends. We tried the Amber wine flights, which were interesting, but not my favorite wines, one was very smoky flavored, one a bit too acidic-harsh for my taste . We then switched to the red wine flights, which still wasn't my favorite wine, but was something a bit more palatable for me. We all shared dishes, so I got to try a fair amount of the menu- we had the Roasted Vegetables Saidumlo, which was grilled red and yellow peppers, eggplant, fresh minted nadughi (soft cheese)- I liked this dish, the vegetables were in small pieces and it made a nice side to other more rich items. The cheese was fine, but honestly I could have done with a splash of lemon juice and no cheese. We also had Satatsuri Salad- grilled asparagus, cucumber, arugula, sunflower seeds, creamy guda dressing, this was a really nice salad with delicious dressing, I really enjoyed this dish too, the dressing reminded me of a sesame dressing. We then moved to hot items- we had the meat and potato dumplings- the meat dumplings had broth like soup dumplings, but the skins were so thick, it was hard to eat them like that, I wish they were served with little bowls. The potato dumplings though were really rich and if you cut them in half after eating the others, they soaked up all the extra juice. I liked the potato ones the best, maybe it is the Irish in me, I thought they were rich, but delicious. We also had the Ikhvi- LaBelle Farms duck breast, peach and fennel salad, hazelnut, roasted ajika- this was a delicious dish, I liked the varying components, especially after the dumplings, I liked the peach. We also went all out and had a Ajaruli- boat-shaped cheese bread, organic egg- now this bad boy was rich and man my lactose intolerant system, despite taking a pill did not like me later for this, but oh boy this was a rich, gooey cheese delight that I would recommend having maybe once a year at most, but oh man, once a year it is true decadence of cheese and bready goodness. I thought the bread was nicely done too. Mmmmm. Service was a tiny bit haphazard in that we had trouble finding our server a few times, but everyone was incredibly nice and helpful. It was a fun place to go with friends, I liked the atmosphere and didn't think it was too loud (although it was a nice night, so a lot of people were outside).- 6 replies
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Yardbird, a well-known (and previously quite good) restaurant, now a chain, based in Miami, has signed a lease in the former Acadiana space, and is scheduled to open in the Spring of 2020. Here's a mini-review from 2012 (quite prescient if I do say so myself). -
Shouk is a fast-casual eatery serving 100 percent plant-based deliciousness!!! Here is the menu: - the restaurant opened May 3rd. On Sunday, May 15, 2016, I enjoyed the following: Shouk Pita with roasted fennel, crispy potato, red pepper, pistachio pesto Polenta fries with tomato tahina Shouk Salad with lots of fresh & roasted veggies, crunch, tahina vinaigrette
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I was thinking about this restaurant the other day, knowing that it was supposed to open in the Spring (but figuring that it would be delayed) and realized that we went the whole summer with no news on when exactly it will start service. I figured I would come here to see if cheezepowder or any other members had heard any rumblings and was shocked to see that no one had posted a thread about it yet. There has been quite a bit of buzz on the internets for over a year now, and dare I say that if David Chang and Eric Ziebold did not have anticipated openings this year or early next year that this would be the hottest reservation in town when it opens. I'm sure everyone has at least heard in passing about it at this point, but wanted to see if anyone had any more insight into what sounds like a very cool new restaurant. Website / @thedabneydc on Twitter "Jeremiah Langhorne's Restaurant, The Dabney, Will Open in Blagden Alley" by Missy Frederick on dc.eater.com "Meet Jeremiah Langhorne: Picking Composters, Pigs, and Potential Line Cooks" by Tim Carman on washingtonpost.com -
We stay weekly at the Westin in Tysons so we accumulate and use lots of Bonvoy points. The Convention Center Marriott Marquis blew us away for the size and breadth of their gym. 2 floors of equipment, larger then many gyms. -
we will be in dc for a few days in just over a month. staying in a hotel near the convention center. days will be spent taking the kids to the smithsonian museums. interested in recommendations for places for dinner in relatively easy reach of the convention center area where parents can eat interesting food and kids can be pleased as well. easiest ways to please them: grilled meats, roast chicken and similar. the menus of le diplomate or maydan, for example, seem like they might be doable, as would any good thai or other southeast asian place sans long lines. also interested in any decent lunch within easy reach of the museums. thanks in advance! -
Morris is opening next month (Feb). It will be the sister establishment to Sheppard. Quotes from DC Eater: "Located at 1020 7th St. NW, Morris will be twice as big as The Sheppard and divided into two stories spanning 1,400 square feet. Morris, which is backed by Mendelsohn, business partner Vinoda Basnayake, and Strauss, is now shooting for a March opening." "Potential offerings include: East New York Flip (bourbon, tawny port, honey, egg yolk, cream, nutmeg); American Trilogy (rye, apple brandy, brown sugar, orange bitters); Ivy City Swizzle (vodka, lime, mint, peychaud’s); and Feminist Gent (vodka, luna amara, lime, orange, ginger, soda), among others. Cocktails are priced at $12 each; cheese and charcuterie pairings from local provider Cheese Monster will be available for sale. " Website -
Badwolf DC has information about Casa Luca. http://www.casalucadc.com/ is the restaurant's website. http://www.opentable.com/casa-luca is Open Table's site for reservations. Fabio won the Rammy award this past weekend as D. C.'s Chef of the Year for Fiola. -
I'm afraid I can't be of help. Would you mind if I piggy-backed on your question? The wife and I will be celebrating our anniversary at Metier, and I'm looking for a nice place to spend the night. The Intercontinental at the Wharf looks appealing, as does the Donovan. Don or a mod can shoo my question away if desired. Thanks!
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This place is now Philos Bar, still with a Greek emphasis, although I can't tell from the website whether it has anything to do with Tel'veh. It's near my office, but I've never been (although I might go today). -
I'm sure this thread already exists, but I can't find it. Went here today for lunch, and really enjoyed it. As opposed to Friday, when they apparently had such a crowd that they ran out of pastrami by 2:30 pm, it was pretty quiet at 12:30 today, with no line, and plenty of seating inside. It's been a while since I've eaten at Wagshall's, so I can't second the position of the Post that it's the best pastrami in the city, but it's a really good sandwich. I had the Stacked, which was pastrami, slaw and dijon mustard on a kind of brioche bun. I got potato salad as well for I'm not sure what reason. The sandwich wasn't huge, but was definitely plenty of food, and as mentioned in the article it was a remarkably engineered sandwich, as it maintained structural stability throughout. And the pastrami itself was pretty fantastic. I'll definitely be back.- 21 replies
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I'm getting a little sick of "restauranteurs" with no experience that look at the demographics of this neighborhood and assume that we will buy whatever they are selling, even if it tastes like crap. This neighborhood has been all abuzz about Bolt, as we could really use a good burger place. But please! We will not buy your pre-formed, frozen, overcooked discs of subpar meat just because you sprinkle bad garlic powder on them. Even if you have really big TVs and ipads for everyone. At least not more than once. Please don't blame it on the fact that "no humans are involved in the cooking of the food." Involve some damn humans then! And don't insult us by thinking that we won't notice that this is crap. (I would love for Bolt to read this, take it to heart, and give us some real burgers. If so, I will retract every word and glow. But I don't know any other way of making them understand that this is not acceptable. They have already lost a great portion of their potential regulars in first day, as I saw at least half my building reeling tonight.)- 18 replies
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Folks -- Any recommendations for a late dinner with friends around the Washington Convention Center? Moderately priced. Any cuisine but of course good food Thanks!! --- To make this clear for out-of-town visitors, there was an "old" Convention Center, and there is a "new" Convention Center. *IN THEORY ONLY* every post on this thread was written after the new convention center opened, and should therefore pertain to the new one, and not the old one, but double check to be sure - here are descriptions of the old, and the new: Washington Convention Center (The Old Convention Center): This was located at 909 H Street NW, to the northwest of Verizon Center. Opening in 1982, it was 800,000 square feet, making it the fourth-largest convention center in the United States. However, by 1997, it was only the thirtieth-largest, as other cities poured money into competing for convention dollars. Plans were made for a newer, more modern facility, and on Dec 18, 2004 - 5 months before this website opened - it was imploded. Nevertheless, to show you how large this was, it's boundaries were: H Street NW on the South, New York Avenue NW on the North, 11th Street NW on the West, and 9th Street NW on the East. Walter E. Washington Convention Center (The New Convention Center) This is located at 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW, north of Mount Vernon Square. Opening in 2003 - the year before this website opened - it is 2,300,000 square feet, with 703,000 square feet of exhibit space. It's boundaries are: Mount Vernon Place on the South, N Street NW on the North, 9th Street NW on the West, and 7th Street NW on the East - just a five-minute walk from where the old convention center was. -
Some friends and I had dinner at Mike Isabella's cavernous new restaurant in the Marriott Marquis downtown a few nights ago. There are a number of restaurants around town that I call my happy places -- 2 Amys, The Dabney, TUG, Himitsu, etc. -- where the food is often fantastic and is at minimum quite enjoyable, and we can sidle up to the bar for a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Arroz's vibe is about as opposite of that as you'll find without having something notably "wrong" with it. The space itself is as nice as could be expected given its size and location, which pops of pretty cobalt (plenty of photos online). We made the mistake of entering through the hotel; walking through that massive, sterile, vaguely chemical-smelling lobby is always a bit off-putting, and the feeling lingers in the mostly empty restaurant. Our server, while competent and very nice, had the sort of overly familiar, intrusive style that I'd bet -- pardon the gross stereotyping -- middle aged ladies and tourists will enjoy, but I can't stand. Think explaining relatively common menu terms (like espuma) unprompted, asking whether we were "loving" every dish that was brought to the table (a formulation that doesn't admit the possibility of not loving something, which rankles more if I don't love it), and describing every dessert on the menu in such excruciating detail (before handing over menus or asking whether we were interested in dessert) that we immediately asked for the check to avoid more engagement. These complaints feel mean-spirited, and to his credit, he did the technical aspects of serving well: cheerfully moving us to a booth when we asked, thoughtfully bringing extra flat bread so that everyone got his or her own piece, conscientiously accommodating requests for certain ingredients on the side in some dishes, etc. He just utterly failed to read his audience's interest in his spiels. But the net result is that I enjoyed the dinner less than I might have on the food's own merits. So, the food and drink: overall, I was pleasantly surprised. The cocktails were all excellent. A particular table favorite -- we all tried each other's -- was my order of the classic from the sherry category, which a light, floral, not-too-boozy combination of manzanilla, dry vermouth, and yellow chartreuse. The roasted carrot in the sour made the drink interesting without veering too sweet or savory. The abogado was a very slightly peaty old fashioned. The cobbler was a bit sweet for dinner, but would have done well on a hot summer day. The somm steered us to a lovely, slightly oxidated white blend (that was a bit cheaper than the white rioja that we'd asked about as a starting point for the conversation). The big eye tuna crudo (green apple, cucumber, smoked serrano broth, wild herbs) was light and very enjoyable, although I wished the tuna was a little firmer and the broth a little punchier. (Perhaps a hit more salt? This was something I wondered about in a number of dishes, which didn't taste particularly undersalted but just a bit shy of fully flavored.) A fantastic dip of burnt eggplant (moroccan flat bread, za'atar, pine nut, black garlic) had a smokey depth of flavor, and the accompanying flat bread delightfully evoked Komi's pancakesque pita (although not quite as good in texture, with a bit more of a bisquick-y note). Fried spanish red prawns (seaweed salt & lemon) were well seasoned and crispy, with the heads separated into a little dish of aioli, which had the complementary effects of flagging for the inexperienced diner that they were to be eaten but allowing the heads to be ignored by the squeamish. (I'm actually not sure whether the body shells were intended to be eaten. They were slit for easy peeling, but crispy enough to just eat whole. Our table ran the gamut on how we dealt with them. I ate everything but the tail.) But at over $8/prawn, this dish wasn't exactly a great value. (If you want whole fried shrimp, head to Himitsu for their superior and cheaper iteration.) A pretty salad of spring vegetables (carrot tahini, garlic streusel, charred baby beets, kalamansi vinaigrette) was as you'd expect, although the garlic streusel added nice bite; I'd have happily taken more of it. Even without the chorizo (which we got on the side), I enjoyed the smokey asparagus (marinated chorizo, egg yolk, san simon, chile emulsion), which had a bit more kick than the muted tuna dish. The most disappointing dishes were the saffron fideo noodles (cockles, razor clams, linguica sausage, sea urchin espuma) and the lobster soupy rice (mussels sea urchin, black bass, tomato escabeche, seaweed montadillo). The noodles were mushy-soft (which was particularly disappointing as I was expecting, perhaps unfairly, a slightly crisped noodle dish like the rossejat at Jaleo) and overwhelmed by a tasty but one-note creamy tomato sauce; urchin or other briny seafood flavors were muted. (I again didn't eat the sausage, but the meat eaters seemed even less impressed by this dish than I was. One technical service fail: after we ordered the sausage on the side, our server didn't think to mention that the dish came with duck fat breadcrumbs, although they did come segregated on a razor clam shell.) The seafood in the soupy rice was very well cooked, the lobster itself nicely tender, which can be a feat in these sorts of seafood variety stews -- but the tomato broth itself was disappointingly flat. The seaweed montadillo was a surprisingly light and delicious slice of dark bread adorned with lemony aioli, lobster, and urchin (enough pieces for us each to have one, which may have been another good service touch by our waiter). But our waiter's suggestion to combine it with the soupy rice to make a sort of "lobster roll" just resulted in burying the best part of the dish with the lackluster flavor of the escabeche. (At $62, this dish made me wish we'd ordered a more servings of the eggplant and pocketed the savings.) Better of the large plates was the maryland crab bomba (fried soft shells, baby squid, preserved tomato, crab fat aioli), which we ordered in a half-portion for $31 or $32 (the full order is $60, so a reasonable option). The slightly crisped-on-the-bottom rice was very satisfying with the more acidic tomatoes (as compared to the other tomato dishes) and fatty aioli, but the soft shells over-battered. (I don't think it's a coincidence that the bf, who didn't have any soft shell, liked this dish better than I did.) At these prices, and with this atmosphere, I'm not rushing back. Our meal was comparable in price to much better experiences at places like TUG, Little Serow, and Himitsu, and significantly more expensive than favorites like 2 Amys or Etto. But if someone else wanted to go, particularly for drinks, I wouldn't mind (although I would avoid the large plates in favor of the small). I'm guessing the size of the restaurant will make getting reservations relatively easy, and therefore Arroz would be a good option for large parties, especially of out-of-town family members who might get a thrill out of proximity to a Top Chef alum. (Isabella was in the restaurant, although his casual attire -- sporting a t-shirt with his name on it -- suggested perhaps not in the kitchen. We saw him chatting with Jeremiah Langhorne and his companions at a nearby table.)- 16 replies
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Didn't see a thread for this place, whose Logan Circle location I've been frequenting for dine-in and takeout at least once a week for the last month or so. I have nothing but good things to say about it. The menu is extensive with authentic, fresh Mexican food ("Mexican food made by Mexicans") at prices that make it easy to come back often. I've become particularly partial to the pescado and camaron tacos, each of which are a total steal at $3 and come on two house-made corn tortillas. The portion of fish and shrimp (big, crisp, fresh shrimp) in each of them is ample, and the slaw in the fish tacos packs a nice spiciness. The mole poblano is equally delicious, though the rice and beans it comes with are relatively plain. They advertise brunch, but I haven't been yet. The staff is always friendly and accommodating, with the owner (a former chef downtown, he told me) often sitting at the bar happy to chat before closing up for the night. And with the kitchen open until midnight on weeknights and 1 a.m. on weekends, it's one of the better, cheaper, more delicious late-night dining options that I've found in the neighborhood. The atmosphere is calm, with Latin soccer games on TV and most of the bar stools and tables occupied, but I've never had to wait for a table. It's an easy place to have a conversation, unlike it's cacophonous yuppy neighbor down N street. In short, you should go to this place if you're in the neighborhood and looking for some good food,- 10 replies
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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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We tried City Tap House last night, the new DC incarnation of a Philadelphia beer bar, and walked away reasonably satisfied. The service was fine--the server informal but knowledgable about the menus (beer and food). The beer menu wasn't bad, but there were about 5 interesting beers that were on the menu but not available, which was surprising for a list that looked like it was printed daily. But we found enough interesting beers to put together a few rounds for each of us. I might be wrong, but it seems like the beers here are just a touch cheaper than several of the other beer-centric restaurants in DC. The food was good. My pork flatbread was nicely baked, with flavorful chorizo and a few other pork types that were less interesting. The roasted shishito peppers were also nice. The bacon popcorn looked good on the menu, but was less interesting than we'd hoped, and in retrospect, hasn't popcorn approached the realm of trite foods? My friends' entrees--the rabbit bolognese and the pulled pork sandwich, were both fine according to them. The space is nice, perhaps a bit loud, but this would be a fine spot prior to a Capitals game--it's head and shoulders better than RFD, which is the other close-by beer option (though there are probably others by this point--there seem to be so many worthwhile places to drink beer in DC right now). -
Chef RJ Cooper will open his first independent project, Rogue 24, in the Mount Vernon Square neighborhood of Washington, DC. Projecting a winter, 2011 opening, Rogue 24 will be located in Blagden Alley at 1234 9th St., NW. Executive chef/ owner RJ Cooper, a seasoned veteran chef and James Beard Award winner, is thrilled to bring this landmark restaurant to the developing neighborhood of Mount Vernon Square in Northwest Washington, DC. The 2,600 square- foot restaurant will be tucked away in one of the vacant buildings in Blagden Alley, currently a trendy alley that houses experimental art exhibits. Blagden Alley, located directly west of the Washington, DC Convention Center, is in engaging new epicenter of revitalization. The project leadership of Norman Jamal of Douglas Development has lead a wave of recent development, from multi-million dollar condominiums to established art galleries, as well as a burgeoning social scene of coffee houses, bars and restaurants. This recent rehabilitation makes the neighborhood an excellent locale for the first fine dining restaurant in Blagden Alley. "The space is a perfect fit for the intimate, yet edgy experience of Rogue 24," says Cooper of the Blagden Alley location. "I look forward to joining the current and future independent retailers, artists and residents alike in developing this section of Mount Vernon Square as a distinct destination neighborhood." Celebrating Cooper's stylized urban fine-dining cuisine, Rogue 24 will exclusively offer an interactive 24-course tasting menu. Guests will be served a progression of small dishes that excite the senses, tantalize the palate, and awaken curiosity. The multi-course meal will offer a place at the table where guests can dig deep into a culinary team's philosophy: exploring their suppliers, cooking techniques and sources of inspiration. Rogue 24 will provide an effortless space for the diner to enjoy the imagination of Cooper's menu. The avant-garde beverage program will house a beverage director that will serve as both sommelier and mixologist and will prepare all beverages at a tableside cart, providing innovative pairings that will stimulate the entire experience. 8 beverage (a combination of wine, cocktails and beer) pairings will be offered throughout the 24- course meal. "It is my vision that Rogue 24 will provide an emotional experience. That is what creates memorable meals"”more than the food, the wine, and the service, the overall culture of the restaurant must evoke emotions in its guests." Working alongside Cooper, Harper McClure will serve as chef de cuisine. McClure hails from Atlanta's renowned Bacchanalia restaurant and previously worked with Cooper at Vidalia as his sous chef for nearly five years. The two chefs look forward to reuniting for this groundbreaking new project. ### Situated in the center of the 52-seat dining room, the state-of-the-art kitchen will showcase Cooper's creativity and desire to interact with guests. This architectural design will allow every guest to have an individual chef's table experience. Cooper has enlisted architects Brian Miller of edit and Lauren Winter of Winter Architecture, the famed duo behind Washington, DC's most creative and functional spaces including The Gibson, U Street Music Hall and Dickson Wine Bar, to execute this vision. Rogue 24 will be open for one dinner seating Tuesday-Thursday two dinner seatings Friday and Saturday evenings. The fixed menu price is $130, $140 for non-alcoholic beverage pairings and $170 for alcoholic beverage pairings. About Chef RJ Cooper and The Kid Can Cook, LLC Chef RJ Cooper's Rogue 24 will be the first of several restaurants as part of his and wife Judy Cooper's umbrella restaurant group, The Kid Can Cook, LLC. Rogue 24 will be followed by a variety of projects, including a more casual concept, Pigtails, to open in Washington, DC. Cooper is a seasoned veteran chef who has worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in the nation, and has served as an integral part of the development in Washington, DC's fine-dining culture. Notable accolades include the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic in 2007, as well as recognition from starchefs.com, as the 2006 Rising Star Chef. Cooper also works with the national non-profit organization Share Our Strength®, as a longtime advocate in the fight against childhood hunger. Cooper is the Chair of Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation's® National Culinary Council, is the founder of Share Our Strength's Chefs on Bikes program and in 2008 was recognized with Share Our Strength's Leadership Award for Chef of the Year. Chef Cooper also serves on the Advisory Board of the startup, DC-based non-profit organization Chefs as Parents that is working to transform DC-public school nutrition programs. -
Wife and I wanted to grab a quick lunch before the Hoyas/Cuse game so we though we would stop by Wiseguys. However as we walked by we say that the Carving Room was open (apparently for about 2 weeks now). We stopped in and decided to try it for lunch. The menu is basically sandwiches with their in-house roasted meats, a couple salads and soups. The restaurant uses Lyon Bakery breads, so the breads are quite good. We ordered a salad to start and a cup of matzo ball soup. The salad was good, fresh, no real comments on it. The matzo ball soup was good - a nice broth, lots of chicken, carrots and a sizeable matazo ball (hard for those that care). The broth was very good, though some dill would step it up a bit. Overall, not as good as what DGS is making, but rather tasty. For our main, we had the "Carving Room Plate" where you get some rye bread, bacon jam, tomato jam, mustard and pickles (cucumber, onion, carrot and cualiflower) served with your choice of three meats. The corned beef was not ready so we went with the pastrami, smoked pork and roast beef. All of the meats were quite good. The pastrami was chewier than I like it and not as spicy as I like it, but they cut it rather thinly, so it makes it pretty easy to eat. The smoked pork and roast beef were quite good. Both juicy, tender and full of flavor. The prices are reasonable in my opinion. Cup of soup was $5, salad was large and $8 and the carving board was $25 (though sandwiches are like $11 and under). Overall, enjoyable lunch and a good value at half the price of other delis in town (Stakowskis excluded). I'm sure this will be packed at lunch and other times. -
These two restaurants have almost nothing in common. My wife and I were recently on a brief eight and a half day odyssey to Hong Kong and back and she has the post-vacation blues of the Hong Kong-fare cuisine type in a bad way. So....we're considering dinner out this weekend. After skimming the available slots in various online ressies, and knowing our tastes, and knowing how terribly she is crazing upper middle to upper end Chinese cuisine, we've made ressies at The Source. But the other compelling place that we also love is Casa Luca. Completely different planes of existence I know. Part of the draw of *just dining out* is that it is one of the things we both regularly and completely crave is alone time where we just focus on each other and not all of the rest that makes up your life. FRanted, we just got back from vacation, but it is a rude reality to come back and have to work immediately and this is a step to easing that transition. So....go for more of the similar in the form of The Source or go instead for something else we love in the form of Casa Luca. Thoughts? -
Here is our 5th Poll, which will close Saturday at 1 PM. Thank you to our wonderful participating members for all you've done for this community. Cheers, Rocks
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Virtually destined to become an instant and epic temple of cocktail love, The Passenger breaks cover with Tim Carman's CityPaper interview here. -
Let me qualify this review in three ways: I'm not a local, but visit DC at least annually; my family and I enjoy A.V's almost as much as a family tradition than a culinary experience; and I don't know a lot about high-end Italian dining, which A.V.'s is certainly not, and doesn't really try to be. Ok, caveats aside... Had dinner there last night. They just reopened after their annual August vacation. The biggest change I noticed since my last visit in December is that they reprinted and relaminated the menus. The typewritten, I don't think it was even printed off a computer, specials list was on the top of the right side, with the same specials as last visit, and as last year, and as long as I can remember. Ah, the ambiance. Not enough light, tables too close together, semi-friendly waiters. And the music. 45rpm's of classic opera, Maria Calas, etc. Played on a ancient jukebox giving 2 plays for a quarter, complete with an uneven speed controller that gave the singers a vibrato they never had, or wanted. Being summer, the imported fireplace was not lit nor seeping smoke into the dining room. Ah, the wine. While many of the 5 or 6 selections on the wine list are under $19, we chose a liter of the house red for $14. Two short straight glasses came along. No fine crystal here. Ordered with, as tradition requires, a white pizza with fontina cheese, which came with uneven cheese, but a perfectly crispy thin crust and scent of a bunch of garlic. Thankfully we didn't quite finish it. Because it was a great dipping tool for the pork spezzatino. Large chunks of very tender and flavorful pork in a light tomato broth with peppers, onions and mushrooms. Perhaps a pork shoulder, it reminded me of the mexican carnitas, in an italian treatment. With a nice helping of spaghetti and meat sauce on the side. Under $10. Was stuffed, so only a cappacino for dessert. This place is unique, but certainly has probably had mixed reviews over the years. Hopefully the rumors of the sale of the building are false. Not that I'd neccessarily miss the food, although I've never had a bad meal there, but it would be a bummer to have to find a suitable replacement, with all of it's qualities, to continue the family tradition that's at least ten years old...
