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Seeing Katelin's post reminded me that a third encarnation of Boqueria was supposed to open this year at 1837 M Street (the old Penang space) - does anyone have any updates? Their DC website is here. -
The popular NYC BBQ joint is coming to a 13,000 sq ft space two blocks from the Verizon Center. Anyone eaten there in NY? More mediocre barbecue in the District, or is this reason for hope? -
As reported by the Washington Post. -
"The Trump International Hotel's Next Restaurant Will Be Sushi Nakazawa" by Becky Krystal on washingtonpost.com If only this were not in the Trump hotel. They are trying to distance themselves from Trump though. -
*ANC 6C ABL Committee* Tuesday, Nov. 3rd 5:30pm (early this month due to conflicts) Specialty Hospital, 700 Constitution Ave. NE (entrance on 7th St.) *Draft Agenda *1. New license application CARMINE'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 425 7th St N.W. CR (restaurant) license NATURE OF OPERATION New Italian family style restaurant with occupancy load of 720 featuring southern Italian cuisine and a summer garden with 18 seats. HOURS OF OPERATION Sunday through Saturday 7 am "“ 2 am HOURS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES/SERVICE/CONSUMPTION Sunday 10 am "“ 2 am & Monday through Saturday 8 am "“ 2 am SUMMER GARDEN HOURS OF OPERATION AND SALES/SERVICE/CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES Sunday through Saturday 11 am "“ 2 am This place is going to be massive! Carmine's Website -
My wonderful +1 and I decided we'd skip our usual trip to Super H and go to Wegmans because a co-worker had told her how wonderful it was and what a marvelous shopping experience...etc, etc, ad infinitum..first, it took 20 minutes to find a parking space within a short cab ride to the door. Secondly, we had to dodge a huge number of flying Loudon valley cart drivers who were obviously getting ready for the Monday morning commute and demolition derby and then we went looking for food we like to eat. Ever try to find tofu in Wegmans? It's in the organic food section...why is it in the organic food section? It's the only tofu they have. Now, I don't know about you, but we're used to being able to select from 5 different types of tofu from 10 different tofu makers. We're not vegans but tofu is very important in our (Asian) diet. Next we went looking for tomato sauce...needless to say, things were placed in totally non-related areas, and the layout of the aisles left a tad to be desired. Maybe Wegmans is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it was the first, last and only time we have gone there. -
I'm amazed that there's still no thread for Fig & Olive, a week after opening! Well, time to correct that. I can report that their second public evening, June 26, was a huge success--in contrast to Space-X's Falcon 9 launch that morning. My wife made a reservation for us a few weeks in advance. Good thing, because our excellent bartender, Carlos, informed us that they had 500 reservations on opening night the day prior, and the place was nearly full at 6:30pm despite some of the most torrential rains I've seen in a while. For a few more days they open a 4pm daily, but soon they'll be open for lunch--I think starting July 6. Background: You can read about the restaurant group's concept on it's website, but in short it's "Mediterranean cuisine" and features, fresh, seasonal ingredients and olive oil cooking. The menu has dishes inspired by Spain, Italy, Greece, and so on. They make a point that they don't use butter in the kitchen (except for a puffed pastry dessert). They focus on fresh ingredients and slowing things down. To that end, there's a liberal array of pillows and comfy chairs and couches set up for dining on the first floor, in addition to the main bar. They also pointed out power strips under the bar, saying it's to encourage getting some work done (likely not during happy hour!). There's a patio dining area, which is on the Palmer Way and is shielded from main streets by the City Center buildings. On the second floor is a more traditional dining setup, with pillows and a second bar. The decor reminds me of upscale Pottery Barn, but not in a bad way. There's also a private dining room, where Ashton Carter and wife (and security) enjoyed an early dinner before we spotted them on the way out. Bar: The bar service is fantastic. Crostini! Ok, couldn't write any more without saying it. There about 10 crostini options, available in 3 or 6-piece orders. They are hands down the best crostini I've ever had anywhere. I would eat 3 or 6 of every one I tasted. We spit 6, asking for chef's choice (as long as we got the Burrata). Each one comes on a toasted piece focaccia about 3x1.5" and nearly .25" thick. You can cut most in half to share. One of the most interesting was "heirloom carrot, shaved thinly, with spicy charmoula and tapenade. Amazing. So was the Burrata, Prosciutto, Pata Negra, Shrimp & Avocado, and others. Carlos told us the staff had been training for about 2 months, and he was familiar with all the menu items which we asked about. I enjoyed a seasonal cocktail which started with muddled celery & arugula, added lemon juice, rum and fresh pepper. Very refreshing. My wife enjoyed Champagne. They have four beers on tap, one of which is Port City Optimal Wit. Kudos to Bill Butcher for landing that. Dinner: When we sat for dinner we had attentive, competent, knowledgeable service. The "spring" menu is great, front and back. I had the Paella del Mar (looks smallish, but filling and delish), others had Chilean Sea Bass (marinated w/ lemon thyme, carrot, asparagus, celery root purée, roasted potato, charmoula mascarpone harissa olive oil emulsion) and Truffle Risotto. The Sea Bass was probably the best. The presentation of Rosemary Lamb Chops is notable. They arrive sliced on a plate under glass, which is then removed to great fanfare, allowing the aromas and some steam to escape. Focaccia bread is served with dinner, accompanied by three olive oils: a Spanish, an Italian, and a Greek-style (which is actually from California), all available for purchase. Wines: You can review the list here. By the glass feature mostly European wines with a few from CA. Oddly, the upstairs bar was adorned with quite a few bottles of Dom Pérignon. A DP Rosé (2003) is available for $625. Desert: I can only remark on the Caramelized Apple Tart; it was very good but merits no more discussion. My only complaint was that the coffee (normalé) was marginally warm. A refill was so tepid I asked for fresh, which was soon brewed. Still not as hot as I'd expect but ok. Espresso-drinks are prepared in the largest Nespresso machine I've ever seen, by the upstairs bar. I would normally scoff at this, but I recently read coffee uber-brain James Hoffman's piece on how specialty coffee can no longer just scoff at Nespresso. So it was interesting to see that kind of equipment in a place like Fig & Olive. Final notes: All in all, this is a different experience from most DC dining. We had a great time and plan to return soon. My main concern now is getting a reservation. When I need to write at some point in the future, I look forward to hangin' at the bar writing with a Manhattan, rather than a latte in a coffee house. Another interesting note on atmosphere: a DJ begins spinning tunes in the lounge about 8pm. Very tasteful and cool vibe. The music doesn't intrude into the upstairs.- 75 replies
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Momofuku proper opened earlier this evening. No lunch service. I'm bummed. -
There is no thread on BLT Prime, the BLT branch in the Trump Hotel.....and I'm not going to start one, as I for one haven't and won't be eating there. Nevertheless a grad of our school, who has been bartending there since 2017 stopped by for placement. They have 12 bartending shifts available. (that is a lot). Our grad told us he is working the busy evening shift hours on Friday and Saturday nights and a few more. He said he is making great money. (Didn't say how much--but I suspect his "great" would be a lot of high earning bartender's "GREAT". They need staff. Not surprising. They are busy. Not surprising.- 1 reply
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DGDB (website) is currently open for dinner, rolling out brunch and lunch in the next few weeks. Boulud said this restaurant was going to be the most American of his French restaurants. Also it is noted because it will be serving the "Crabbie" with a nod to SpongeBob. But all that makes it sound so much less of what the opening showed it is likely to be. The bar, with marble and mirrored walls with etched quotes about libations was playful. I liked the height of the space and it made it feel a little less loud while quite packed on opening night. Wine, beer, cocktails were served, we tasted two of the cocktails which I have to say even on a packed night they were shaking up quickly and consistently, so kudos on that. The upstairs private dining was much more normal corporate feel with carpeted floors and blue walls, it wasn't as colorful, but still had fun views with big windows on each side. The upstairs was very loud, but there were also a lot of people up there because of the raw bar. I hope the guys shucking oysters aren't there normal crew because one guy was kind of butchering all of his. On the main floor going back towards the dining room from the bar there were shelves with plates painted by other chefs, cookbooks and other items. The plates were really the coolest part. Some chefs (cough cough Cathral Armstrong) were phoning it in, and some are really cool. A few are so well done I wonder if they had someone do theirs for them. But they were fun to see and some of the chefs I didn't know I was looking up to see what restaurants they were from. It gave it a very casual feel, while not being super casual, reminiscent of a less Southern Empire State South. The back wall can open up completely to the inner courtyard there of City Center which was a really nice feature, it really made the space feel open and kept that section a little less noisy even when really full. I assume they are going to have some patio space, which would be nice given the large courtyard. As to the food, there were a lot of excellent bites at the opening that represented dishes off the main menu. I think the food will be casual, but thoughtful enough to pull off casual well. There was an anchovy dip that wasn't bagna cauda that was really unusual, but so good, I hope this shows up somewhere on the main menu. There were some nice surprise tastes in what might be a very seen it dish, such as their tuna with harissa, and amazing roasted eggplant with very melt in your mouth soft flavorful lamb and an escargot dish that was more than just butter and garlic, in a good way. I thought the sausages in the chorizo ish hot dogs were well made and really flavorful. You could tell from the menu this is a place that will be able to serve all day, which I think in this area of town is a good thing. A huge advantage they have for them is the the bread will be from Mark Furstenberg. A French restaurant with decidedly excellent bread can never be a bad thing. This shouldn't be a surprise, but especially in DC it sometimes is, if the desserts on the menu are as excellent as the opening this is going to be a really strong portion of the menu, which is something I think is exciting. The desserts are the items that really stayed in my head and would make me want to go back. Overall based on the opening, I am excited to see the menu and try some dishes. I think it will represent as another solid option in that area. So we will see. But the opening was a lot of fun. If nothing else the man can throw a great party and be the star of it very well.
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Friendship BBQ opened on 9/1/2019. It appears to be the Maryland outpost of a Flushing Queens restaurant. You can see the menu at their website. We strolled in on Sunday after our meal at La Tosca. at about 6:30 pm they were already closed for the day. It seemed like they were a bit overwhelmed, but the aromas were quite intoxicating. The menu is a bit confusing to someone who does not read Chinese and I am not sure that all of the translations are exactly correct (e.g., what are the portion sizes for some of the offerings, and is there really such a thing grilled chicken skeleton?). I think the Chinese BBQ may be the next big thing in Chinese cuisine as it makes it was south from Queens NY. I will give the place some time to work out the kinks and will definitely give it a try. If anyone has had a chance to try this place out I am really interested to know what you think.
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I had dinner with friends at Osteria Morini this evening, the Italian joint at "Yard Park" on the right bank of the Eastern Branch between Nationals Park and the Navy Yard. I hadn't been down to that part of town since all of the development of the park and the ballpark, and it's really very interesting and pretty cool. The restaurant is sleek and appealing, though rather uncomfortably noisy. There's extensive outdoor seating, though, which during nice weather, such as we had tonight, is probably very nice, and much quieter than the restaurant indoors. While my friends and I were dining indoors, I was silently wishing we had taken seats outdoors; oh well, perhaps next time. I totally loved the food. My favorite bits: Exquisite, wonderful lardo, very thin slices in a curly tangle, with little slices of toasted bread, just fantastic. I asked the server where it came from, and she said Emilia Romagna, which is a pretty vague answer, but with every morsel I ate I felt closer to heaven (which my cardiologist might agree with, if he believes in an after-life). Charred octopus with "red rice salad": I was less crazy about the red rice salad, which I didn't quite understand, than the octopus itself, which was sumptuously excellent. The lardo and the octopus were the big winners of the evening, to me, but we had a lot of other things that were also smashing. Buttered spinach. Crostini with: smoked trout and goop, which was very nice; finely diced beets and goop, which was also very nice; and a melange of mushrooms and goop, which was rather strangely sweet, and the only dish of the night that I disliked. I had a dish of bucatini with crab and sea urchin, which I adored, and which of course ended up spackling my brand-new white dress shirt, as bucatini will do. There were some other things. Asparagus, which was nice. I forget what else. This place serves up some wonderful food, and the servers do their jobs very well. I recommend it.- 55 replies
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May be a bit premature to start a new thread for a 'rumor', but I was pretty excited to read that Shake Shack may have signed a lease to come to DC. I have only heard glowing reviews of the NYC Shake Shack. I think this could give several of our burger chains a run for their money. DC really is becoming a burger mecca. -
On my way to Bread Corner last night, I passed a "Coming Soon" sign on one of the storefronts of the new building where the old Bank of America was on North Washington Street, near the XLB place. I. Cannot. Wait. Kung Fu Tea is the one of the closest I've had to Taiwanese milk tea or bubble drinks in the states, and I usually make a pit stop to one of their New York shops when I do get the chance to trek up there. They not only offer bubbles, but also offer Wow milk (or you see it as "punch milk" in Chinese), slushes, jellies, mung and red beans, and the likes. I don't know how they flavor their teas, though, as I usually get the milk tea. When I visited their site this morning, it listed a "Coming Soon" for a place on Heritage Drive in Annandale too. Although I am now slightly worried about Jumbo Jumbo Express, I hope the two can co-exist. Kung Fu Tea 275 N Washington St Rockville, MD 7895 Heritage Drive Annandale, VA- 18 replies
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Momofuku-ish place opening "soon..." I like to give a place 5 years... -
NYC restaurant leases space at 16th and I streets. Laurent was the master of fish, now he does steak. Details: www.dcbubble.blogspot.com -
Spoke with the owners of Banana Leaf, a new Sri Lankan restaurant opening next to Jakes on Connecticut Ave in Van Ness/Chevy Chase. I don't have a whole lot of information other than they tell me this will be the first Sri Lankan restaurant in the DC metro area. It is affiliated with Banana Leaf in NYC, but the primary day to day operation will be by two guys I met who live in DC. They expect the restaurant to open in the next few weeks with a liquor license to follow. -
Katz Deli, the 129-year-old pastrami palace on New York’s Lower East Side, is looking to expand, and D.C. might be on the list, the shop’s owner tells WTOP. "Katz's Delii Might Expand to DC" by Jeff Clabaugh on wtop.com- 6 replies
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Since this spot is allegedly opening next week, I figured I would start the thread since I didn't see one. If anyone with mod powers and better sense of board formatting wants to make edits to titles, etc., please feel free. Per Bethesda Magazine, the restaurant will be opening next week at the top of Downtown Silver Spring, in the old Macaroni Grille spot. As a resident who likes to frequent the neighborhood and ethnic joints, I'm excited for something new and original in the area, especially in such a high-traffic area and with what looks like a beautifully updated space. What I'm most curious about, personally, is how it will do. That area (literally, the "Downtown Silver Spring" complex run by Peterson) is a mix of international/national and local chains, for the most part. Silver Spring is not really a "dining destination" in the same way that many DC neighborhoods are, or in the same way that someone in Montgomery County would be used to more varied options in Bethesda or Rockville. AG Kitchen is the second restaurant with this concept (seems to be Latin-American fusion/comfort food), with the first in Manhattan, and opened by a "celebrity chef" who doesn't have any particular ties to the area. The reviews in New York are mixed, and though the menu is appealing to readers of a site like this, I question how much of the foot traffic to that area used to less challenging options via chain, will take the plunge to try a more complex menu (the menu on the website appears to be the New York menu from September 2014, so I question what specific dishes and price points will be in Silver Spring). I think that initial reviews will have to be strong - to give folks the sense that it is worth taking the plunge on, or even venturing from other parts of the county to try. I'm hoping for the best, as I'd love to see some of the middling options in that space replaced by some more interesting and adventurous restauranteurs. -
I ended up having lunch at STK on Friday. My boss heard about it from someone (young sales rep) and wanted to go. We looked so out of place (I'm early 40s and boss is in his 70s) but there weren't that many people to see it. At 12:30, there were about 5 tables there. The decor is definitely lounge and bar, not so much business lunch. Loud early to mid 2000s pop music was blasting. I don't even know why they are open during the day. The server started out with the "bottled or just tap" water question then tried to push wine. I had an iced tea. The first glass was fine but when the pitcher ran out, they came back with some cloudy old iced tea. The server tried to tell me that it was because they steeped it too long. Right. Rolls came out in a small cast iron pan but it was cold and dry. Chive-garlic dip was tasty and would have been good with non-stale bread. Our sandwiches took a while to come out. I had roast pork with Edwards ham sandwich and a side salad. The salad greens were fresh and crunchy with nice contrasting peppers and radishes. The sandwich was really salty and the roll was completely soaked and greasy. My boss orderd a seared tuna BLT. It looked pretty good but was way too thick for a normal person to bite into. The slab of tuna was not sliced and difficult to cut up with a table knife. At least the shoestring fries were crispy. Dessert was the best part of the meal. I ordered the mascarpone cheesecake. It came with finely diced berries mixed with a little balsamic vinegar. Nice sweet sour combo. The cheesecake itself was very creamy but light in texture and not too sweet. (It was almost as good as the chevre cheesecake Huw Griffiths used to make at Tabard Inn.) I would not have chosen to go there. I definitely will not be back on my own dime. Tom Sietsema's First Bite from May 20th. -
Sophie's Cuban Cuisine has been open for about a month now in the old Singapore Bistro spot on 19th St NW, between L and M. There's carryout with fairly extensive steam-table offerings (as well as empanadas and the like) on the first floor, with table service offered upstairs. I've just been there once. The waiter pushed the Mariscada ("Seafood in Cuban Sauce"), which sounded good on a raw, wet day. I swear it hit the table less than 60 seconds after I ordered it. Maybe 2 minutes tops, seriously, and predictably the seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid, and some sort of white fish) was tough and overcooked, having all clearly been simmering in the tomato-based broth rather than cooked to order. I don't want to judge a new restaurant on one dish so I'll be back next time I'm in the area to try other things, but unfortunately I can't recommend the only meal I've tried so far.- 4 replies
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Prince of Petworth first reported on this place, although I noticed when the Metrobus drove past it this afternoon. The website and FB pages are up, but not much more info right now. Hope they aren't planning chop't prices.
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Smith & Wollensky on the menu for last night. I'd definitely go there again for RW. We had great service and great food. There was none of that "red-headed stepchild" feeling you get at some restaurants during RW. We weren't rushed (in fact, it took us quite a while to get the bill settled!) and our server was gracious. I had: -Blue Point oysters -Casear salad -Filet mignon (served w/ wild green and matchstick frites as sides and Béarnaise sauce) -Cheesecake My gripe: slim menu selection. I wish there was more to choose from for the apps than just 2 salads and pea soup. The desserts were carrot cake, cheese cake or fresh fruit. It would've been nice to mix it up a bit and have some originality but the filet made up for it...a bit. The filet was very good & tender - suprising considering you'd expect restaurants to skimp on the quality of the meat during RW. Perhaps we didn't get the center cut filet but whatever cut of filet we got, it was great. The oysters were good - large and fleshy. Are Blue Points supposed to be more "earthy"? (In a good way!) I like my oysters briney and salty with a crisp finish. Eh, it's just me. Tomorrow, Ten Penh and Saturday Cafe MoZu. -
Feb 14, 2016 - "Besito in Ardmore: Ideas, Ambition, but Execution is a Meal-Killer" by Craig LaBan on philly.com Forget that Craig LaBan dinged Besito with zero bells, the writing is more important than the rating - Craig has specified the general problem of corporate pandering to the masses: try not to offend 90% of the population's unrefined palates, and the rest will take care of itself. This clause here is particularly grabbing: "Unfortunately, I worry even the best intentions inevitably become distorted by the corporate restaurant machine, which can blandify anything with a soul - like a mole - once it trickles down the chain into the hands of 'culinary managers' who paint the menu by numbers to the least offensive flavor volume possible." This is lovely prose, and important writing - not to single out Besito, but to highlight the more general, nationwide problem of corporate blandification: This review has implications far beyond one single restaurant.
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I was going to suck some ventworm nuts for Mother's Day but Rosa Mexicana is booked all day long. Incidentally, McCormick is also booked but I never thought to eat there. So we decided to go with Bond 45. Any recs? What are Roman style chopped chicken liver (how's it different from Dean's mama's chopped chicken liver)?
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