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Grapeseed, Cordell Avenue in Bethesda - Chef Jeff Heineman's Cafe and Wine Bar - Closed Jul 29, 2017 after 17 Years


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YESS

I think the winner vs. Virginia is a Fantastic Idea. I will do that and give you full credit for the idea.

Thank you, thank you.

My wife is on board, we're about to call in a reservation, we'll see you tomorrow night!

Any other Rockers going?

PS - 6:15 reservation.....I ain't no night owl!

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My wife and I really enjoyed the California vs France meal on Friday night, and by the looks of it, many other people did as well.  We saw lots of tables for two, with four wine glasses on them!

This was similar in a way to a meal we had a month ago at Ashby Inn......preset meal, wide variety of food (meat, seafood, veg).  Both were good, but I'd have to give the edge to Grapeseed.  It seemed more refined and more sublime.  The sauces in particular on the duck and lamb dishes were fantastic.  Incredibly flavorful and rich, but still light thin (And I mean thin in a good way.  For something that flavorful, I'd usually expect something more chewy!).  The sauce for the scallop dish was also excellent.  I just wish we had some bread to mop them up with.  I had to use my fork......it was tough but worth it!

The wine competition was fun too.  Overall, I think France won, but there were some split decisions.  My wife loved her CA Chardonnay and I found it nearly undrinkable.  She offered to drink mine, but when she told me she wasn't trading away her French Chardonnay, I sucked it up and suffered though the big, chewy CA chard.  The Rieslings were interesting and seemed to change during the course of the meal.  At first I liked the CA one, but by the end, I preferred the French one.  What was also weird about it was the amount of sweetness seemed to change.  At first we both thought the French one tasted sweeter, but by the end, I thought the CA was sweeter, but my wife still felt the French one was sweeter.  Both Merlots were great and *I think* we like the French one slightly better, but I honestly can't remember for sure.  Other than the Chardonnay round, it was a very close competition.

The food was great across the board.  Every dish was perfectly prepared and succulent.  I'm still drooling over the lamb.  The only thing I would have changed was to get a description of the food as it was presented.  We only got a simple, "Here's the scallop dish" instead of a more detailed description.  We kept our menu so we weren't totally lost, but there were lots of things going on on the plate that weren't listed on the menu!

The price for two after tax and before tip was $118 (I think).  That includes the wine too!!  Just for a point of reference, Komi is $135 for one person just to walk in the door (going up to $150 on Dec 1) and that includes nothing but the food!   Damn! I wish I lived closer to this place.  Truly a neighborhood restaurant* serving top of the line food.

* When we arrived, we asked if we could sit at the open seats at the bar that looked into the kitchen.  They said no.  They were saving them for some regulars who always come in but never make a reservation!  I want to be them!

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The only thing left is a few Lobster bodies.

It seems France won. So We will restart these dinners in January with France vs. Maryland/Virginia. Should be fun.

My last Friday Fall thing will be a BBQ here starting at Noon on Black Friday. A la carte or AYCE, plus stuff off the regular menu. See you Friday.

Black Friday BBQ  @ Grapeseed

All you can eat $35 (Under 12 years old  ½ Price)

Meats

Brisket

Ribs

Pork Shoulder

Sausage

Chicken

Sides

Cole Slaw

Beans

Cornbread

Potato Salad

Sauces

Carolina Vinegar

Cleveland Mustard

Texas

Kansas City

A la Carte Options  -  Served with 2 sides

3 Meats  Platter  $24

2 Meats Platter   $17

Full Rack Ribs   $25

Half Rack $17

We will also have a wide assortment of our regular dishes available

Appetizers:

Fried Oysters, Fricassee, Gnocchi, Grilled Broccoli, Mussels and Pork Belly

Entrees:

Rockfish, Steaks, Filet, Scallops, Crab Cakes

And all of our Delicious Desserts

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I have enjoyed our Friday dinners. I like to cook the food. This week I will go ahead and rework a Seafood dinner without all the pesky Sardines and Octopus that kept people away last time. $45 for 4 courses, a bit of a steal. As always it goes from 6-9 on Friday. I take the leftover seafood home as a treat for my kids on Sunday, so it won't be around Saturday. 301-986-9592 for resos.

We will have Eric Platt of Pacific Prime Wines pouring New Zealand wines if you want the pairings for $17.

le menu:

Scallops Ceviche, Pineapple, Spicy Peruvian Yellow Pepper

Sesame Tuna Tataki, Wakame Salad, Macadamia Nuts

Royal Sea Bass, Tender Broccoli, Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

Pan Roasted Black Cod, Miso, Maryland Crab Fried Rice

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I'll be there tonight at 7:30. Anyone else going?

I have enjoyed our Friday dinners. I like to cook the food. This week I will go ahead and rework a Seafood dinner without all the pesky Sardines and Octopus that kept people away last time. $45 for 4 courses, a bit of a steal. As always it goes from 6-9 on Friday. I take the leftover seafood home as a treat for my kids on Sunday, so it won't be around Saturday. 301-986-9592 for resos.

We will have Eric Platt of Pacific Prime Wines pouring New Zealand wines if you want the pairings for $17.

le menu:

Scallops Ceviche, Pineapple, Spicy Peruvian Yellow Pepper

Sesame Tuna Tataki, Wakame Salad, Macadamia Nuts

Royal Sea Bass, Tender Broccoli, Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

Pan Roasted Black Cod, Miso, Maryland Crab Fried Rice

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We were there last night at 6pm.  I had the wine pairings which were all from New Zealand.  My favorite was The Doctors' Riesling which had a sweet start and a dry finish.  I usually don't like Rieslings very much but I really enjoyed this one.  It paired with the sesame tuna tataki which was fantastic.  Another highlight of the evening was the pan roasted black cod which was cooked to perfection.  The Maryland crab fried rice that it came with made it perfect.  We really need to get to Grapeseed more often, these meals are too good to pass up in my opinion.

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I am restarting our Friday dinners and adding Saturdays while the food lasts.

this and next week I am doing Pork-y Goodness

Each dish is $10, get all 5 for $40. I will have a Pinot Paired up that will be $5 each, so make up your own tasting menu:

Pork and Pinot

Pork Belly, Kimchi, Korean BBQ

Pork tenderloin, Pulled Pork Bread Pudding, Cleveland Sauce

Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese

Buccatelli Carbonara, With Pancetta

Milk Braised Pork Shoulder, Gnocchi, Thyme

 Reservations are nice.  301.986-9592

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This looks amazing!! My college aged stepdaughter is in town for a couple more weeks, and I'm hoping to take advantage of another rare toddler babysitting opportunity to check this out. I almost suggested Grapeseed to my husband last weekend, but we ended up at a movie in Silver Spring (thanks to said college aged stepdaughter), so it didn't work out. Hoping to make it this time!!

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I will be running this same menu this Friday and Saturday, as well. 

The Pinots we ran with last week which change, and will change included:

Lake Chalice, Angeline, Forefront, Nuedorf, Wildaire, Chandon and Cambria. So we are using pretty good stuff for only $5 a taste.

Each dish is $10, get all 5 for $40. I will have a Pinot Paired up that will be $5 each, so make up your own tasting menu:

Pork and Pinot

Pork Belly, Kimchi, Korean BBQ

Pork tenderloin, Pulled Pork Bread Pudding, Cleveland Sauce

Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese

Buccatelli Carbonara, With Pancetta

Milk Braised Pork Shoulder, Gnocchi, Thyme

 Reservations are nice.  301.986-9592

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FWIW, now that restaurant weeks and V-Day are behind us, i can do things on Friday nights again. So...

Assorted Pinxtos $8

Salt Cod w/ black olive, Onion & Gruyere Croquette, Spicy Mussel

Tapas

Endive, Apples, Walnuts,  Honey, lime and Thyme Vinaigrette $8

House Cured Ossabaw Ham, Guava $8

Beef Tartare, Pimenton Aioli  $8

Tortilla Espanol $8

Beets, Sumac, Cheese, Pistachio Vinaigrette $8

Grilled Octopus with Paprika  $8

Mussels and Ham in Chile Sauce $8

Garlic Soup, Soft Egg  $10

Platos

Grilled Duck, Radishes, Banyuls Sauce  $20

Fideos with Chorizo and Clams  $20

Dessert

Cinnamon Churos, Chocolate Sauce  $8

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Not many people wanted Spanish Tapas, so,  Let's try Brazil. Friday 6-9 . $45

Brazil 2016 Menu

Paulista Cocktail

A Taste of Oranges and blueberries muddled with cachaí§a, over crushed ice and Topped with Port.

Acaraje

Black-eyed Pea Cake stuffed with Shrimp. Topped with vatapí¡

Moqueca

The traditional Capixabas Seafood Stew with Shrimp, Fish and Coriander

Tambaqui Ribs

Grilled Tambaqui Fish, Sweet Chile Sauce, Purple Potato

Feijoada

Traditional Black Bean and Assorted Meats, Rice, Farofa

Assorted Brigadieros

Delicious Sweets with Various Fillings

All served with freshly baked Pao de Queijo

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In order to make Good Friday a Great Friday I have worked up a nice meat free menu and paired it with some Phenomenal wines from the Spire Collection. AND the wines, most not normally offered by the glass, will be half price. Basically you can get a taste of each of the four wines for 18.50 when a glass of the Mt Brave cab would be $26 alone!

Oh, and we are open for brunch on Easter.

Menu

Maryland Crab Salad, Grilled Pineapple, Citrus Aioli
Wine - Galerie Sauvignon Blanc
(reg $12.50 a glass) $3.25/taste or $6.25 /glass
 
New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp, Grilled Bread
Wine - Wind Racer Anderson Valley Chardonnay
(reg $17/glass) $4.25/taste or $8.50/glass
 
Roasted Monkfish, Grilled Oyster Mushrooms, Red Wine Reduction
Wine - Il Fauno di Arcanum Tuscan Blend  
(reg $14/glass) $3.50/taste or $7.00/glass
 
Alaskan Halibut, Red Wine Risotto, Chinese Mustard Greens
Wine - Your Choice of Mt Brave Cabernet or Malbec
 (reg $26/glass)  $6.50/taste or $13/glass
 
Food $40   wines as priced
 
301-986-9592

"‹

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Get it while you can. This week' Friday Tasting menu will be a collection of the best of all of our Friday dinners



Best of Friday Night Dinners at Grapeseed 




Friday April 8th.  




Reserve anytime  between 6-9. Please mention this menu when reserving 




 




Course 1 




Peruvian Causa, Ossabaw Prosciutto, Avocado, Crab 




Wine - Galerie Sauvignon Blanc 




 




Course 2 




Sauteed Black Sea Bass, Boulliabaisse Sauce 




Wine - Genio Espanol Monastrell Rose 




 




Course 3 




Elephant Trunk Sea Scallop, Lobster Mashed Potato, Pine NutLemon Vinaigrette 




Wine - Two Sisters Chardonnay 




 




Course 4 




Duck Confit, House Made Gnocchi, Tomato Jam, Ramp Butter 




Wine - Lake Chalice Pinot Noir 




 




$45  for Food 




$20  3-ounce Taste of each wine


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This was quite a meal! Especially the third and fourth courses. When I read "lobster mashed potatoes" I thought there might be a small piece on top just for show but NO! There were delicious pieces of lobster all the way through the mashed potatoes! And the duck confit? Oh my! Thanks, Chef Jeff, for a wonderful meal! We enjoyed all the wines, especially the Galerie Sauvignon Blanc.

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This was quite a meal! Especially the third and fourth courses. When I read "lobster mashed potatoes" I thought there might be a small piece on top just for show but NO! There were delicious pieces of lobster all the way through the mashed potatoes! And the duck confit? Oh my! Thanks, Chef Jeff, for a wonderful meal! We enjoyed all the wines, especially the Galerie Sauvignon Blanc.

Say hi next time!

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I have been asked to post these menus earlier in the week. So here you go:

Friday Night Dinners at Grapeseed - Spring has Sprung
Friday April 15th. 
Reserve anytime  between 6-9. Please mention this menu when reserving
 
Course 1
Pork Belly, Asparagus, 62° Egg
Wine - Alphonse Mellot La Moussiere Sancerre
 
Course 2
Orcchietti, House made Sausage, Fiddlehead Pesto
Wine - Leth Gruner Veltliner Steinagrund
 
Course 3
Alaskan Halibut, Oyster Mushroom Gratin, Ramps
Wine - Calera Chardonnay Central Coast
 
Course 4
Grilled Leg of Lamb, Escarole, Cherry Tomato Sauté
Wine - Matanzas Creek Merlot
 
$45  for Food
$20  3-ounce Taste of each wine
301 986-9592
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I don't get over to Bethesda to dine, but after reading so many comments about Grapeseed and the current references to Woodmont Grill I decided to take a closer look.

Upon a little research I found this magnificent article about Grapeseed, and the workings of a restaurant on a happily busy night.  My guess is that its about 6 years old.  I didn't see it referenced upthread. If it was I apologize for repeating it.  If not...its a terrific read about the inner workings of restaurants and Grapeseed in particular.  I have some familiarity with the workings of restaurants.  This is detailed.  Its hard work.  I suspect some actors referenced are long gone.  I'm sure most of the processes and rhythms remain the same.

In going through (mostly scanning) the many many posts there were quite a few that were detailed and well written reviews.  The one below caught my eye and was an inspirational spur to action:

I will write a more detailed review tomorrow, but let me leave it at this:

If you don't already have dinner plans on Saturday, and you don't go to Grapeseed for this dinner, you're an idiot.

Dinner for two, including the wine pairing, tax, and 20%+ tip on the non-discounted price, was still about $60/person. That's a fucking steal for the meal that we were served tonight. I didn't miss the meat for 2 seconds, and I'm normally not a vegetarian kinda guy. Oh, and get seats on the bar overlooking the kitchen. Dinner and a show, and Jeff will come by and swing his crutches around for a while and tell you all about his sources, his staff, and probably his kids if you let him run on for long enough.

Ignoring the specifics of that meal and opportunity...the call to action is one that grabbed my attention.

I'm no idiot.  Scratch plans about revisiting Woodmont Grill.  I wanna go here!!!!!

(damn as it refers to in the article...before Grapeseed opened my ex had an office in the Bethesda triangle around the corner from Rickey's Rice Bowl.  I used to nibble there all the time).  It will feel like returning "home" if you will.

Thanks for all the great comments, folks.

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On Friday evening, I *finally* got out to one of Grapeseed's Friday-night Dinners, a multi-course menu that, in this case, coincided with their 16th anniversary - it was a "Best Of," four-course, prix-fixe menu for $45 ($11.25 per course). Chef-owner-star-athlete Jeff Heineman often gives members of donrockwell.com a meaninful discount when attending these meals - all you have to do is join, and it doesn't cost you a dime to do so.

After having a seat at the bar, I wound down with a happy-hour $5 wine: an Adras Godello - Grapeseed offers a select group of wines (decent wines) which are five dollars for a generous glass from 5-7 PM.

This, before finding out that Scott Johnston had bought me, as a gift, the wine pairing to go with the tasting menu (thank you, Scott!), so I had plenty to drink with my meal for the entire evening. That's the type of warm, friendly nature that Jeff Heineman helps to foster on donrockwell.com - although I could hardly conceal the joy on my face when I found what Scott had done for me, it didn't surprise me one bit. That's the way the website is with each of its members, and the only way for you to really know is to join and find out for yourselves. I always tell people to write me if there's a problem, and in eleven years, there have been almost no letters in my mailbox, other than ones lauding the community for being so knowledgeable and kind, and the discussion on such a consistently high level.

And so, the tasting menu it was, and I was starving because I hadn't eaten all day. Grapeseed's four-course Friday-night Dinners are a steal, and if you haven't tried them, you've really missed out. For many years, I've had two restaurants - Passage to India and Grapeseed - ranked #1 and #2 in Bethesda in the Maryland Dining Guide, and have been unwavering in my support of them; yet, their reputation among DC-area food lovers are just not very high, similar to nearly every other restaurant from the Maryland suburbs with the possible exception of some Chinese restaurants in Rockville, and some informal, inexpensive mom-n-pops in Beltsville; regardless of the reasons, I can say with great confidence that these two are among the very best restaurants in Montgomery County, and the Friday-night prix-fixe dinners are an inexpensive way to familiarize yourself with the caring, family-run atmosphere of Grapeseed, at nearly Restaurant Week pricing - this, with more food, and better food.

After relaxing with my Godello (and to tell you the truth, I have not found one single Godello that even remotely resembles the glorious wines that I had in Galicia, Spain in 2007 when I traveled over there with Gerry Dawes, visiting winery-after-winery. The curmudgeonly Gerry is the world's leading authority on Spanish food and wine who lives outside of Spain, and if you think that hyperbolic accolade sounds impossible, you simply haven't yet met Gerry - the man knows *everything*, as he has made the county and its culture his only purpose in life. If you want a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Spain, and don't mind paying real money for his expertise, I would urge you to at least contact him - tell him you're a friend of mine, and see what he has to say.

I began my meal with a Peruvian dish: Peruvian Causa (a potato-based dish), with House Made Ossabaw Prosciutto (aging for two years), avocado, and crab. At an average of $11.25 per dish, you wouldn't expect the first course to be so bulky, but the potatoes allow it to contain some heft while judicious portions of the Prosciutto and crab act as flavoring agents more than primary ingredients. Grapeseed seems to lack a full-time saucier to integrate the dishes, so my one knock on the restaurant is that certain things are "ingredient-driven" and combinatorial rather than they are down the street at Passage to India, where saucing and long-cooking are two integral components - two such very different restaurants, both wonderful in their own way. My first "tasting wine" (technically a three-ounce pour; in reality more like four, which often happens here with diners) was a Galerie Sauvignon Blanc, much more pungent, and with better supporting acidity, than a typical Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, which tend to be flabby and put their hot climate on full display; not here. Look for this wine on their menu when you order, and you'll be pleasantly surprised - I, myself, was silently thanking Scott Johnston, and I still had three wines remaining (the price of a wine tasting to accompany the meal is something of a pittance: $20)

Next up was a wonderful piece of Black Sea Bass with Bouillabaisse sauce. I hadn't glanced at the menu, but noticed a roux-like substance on one of the crostini, mentioning that they must be trying to imitate Bouillabaisse Marseillaise, and sure enough they were. This dish was halfway between a fish dish with sauce (it was, after all, a good-sized portion of black sea bass), and a bouillabaisse (as it was served atop a hot broth, almost making it into a soup should the diner wish to cut their fish). After taking a tiny nibble of each ingredient, I mixed everything together with gusto - exercising caution not to cut up my fish in order to keep it warm, deciding instead to cut-and-soak each individual bite as I went along. The wine was a Genio Espagnol Monastrell Rosado which went perfectly with the seemingly sriracha-flavored aïoli substituting for a true roux.

The crescendo continued with an Elephant Trunk Sea Scallopwith lobster mashed potatoes, and pine-nut lemon vinaigrette - the lobster mashed potatoes being the star of the show here, as there was a hefty portion of lobster in the mashed potatoes - I was surprised to receive only one small scallop until I realized the generous portion of lobster meat, and think this dish could have tolerated a second scallop, but again, after reminding myself that these averaged $11.25 per dish, there was no legitimate complaint I could register, especially after seeing the potatoes. Pairing with this was a Two Sisters Chardonnay - a $50+ bottle at retail which amplified the butter in both the potatoes and the vinaigrette. The wine alone was worth close to the price of the dish.

Finally, Duck Confit with House Made Gnocchi, Tomato Jam, and Ramp Butter, served with a Lake Chalice Pinot Noir which is one flavor I had been missing all evening - a fruit-driven Pinot Noir from New Zealand that turned a white-wine meal into a red-wine finish. I made sure to save half my wine for the dessert which I knew I was coming, and would put as an extra charge on my bill: Chocolate Crẽmeux (I'm a sucker for red wine with chocolate), three mounds of mousse-like chocolate drizzled with salted caramel and devil's food crumb - this could have tolerated (perhaps even benefitted from) a darker red, but also went just fine with my New Zealand Pinot Noir.

Thanks especially to Scott Johnston, the bill for this meal was somewhat ridiculous, and if you've missed out on Grapeseed's Friday Night tastings, you've been doing yourselves a disservice. Go, and go at your first opportunity - coupled with their bar happy hour which runs from 5-7, you can eat here like a king at a pauper's ransom, especially if you start early.

Grapeseed is not a fancy restaurant in the least - it's a neighborhood tavern where people are welcome in t-shirts and jeans, and has been serving this level of food for sixteen full years - it is one of Bethesda's great culinary treasures: a Cheers-like bar where people remember your name on your second visit, and where you always leave feeling satisfied, and wondering if you're sure you paid enough for your meal, especially if you got one of these Friday-night specials. What an exemplary neighborhood restaurant this is!

Do note the post above this one: It is this upcoming Friday's tasting menu.

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Thank you for the kind words, Don.

This Friday it is Italy. Fresh. Springtimey. All Italian Wines. ( I think Passover starts Friday, so I will be ready to swap out for the Mussels as needed)

Friday Night Dinners at Grapeseed - Italy
Friday April 22nd. 
Reserve anytime  between 6-9. Please mention this menu when reserving

Course 1
Mussels stuffed with Rice and Pine Nuts, Roman Tomato Salad
Wine -  Bisci Verdicchio Matelica

Course 2
Gnocchi, English Peas, Parmagiano
Wine - Italo Cescon PInot Grigio

Course 3
Lamb Lasagne Bolognese
Wine -  Zeni Valpolicella Ripasso

Course 4
Rib Eye "Bistecca Fiorentino" Style, Roast Potatoes
Wine -  Il Fauno di Arcanum

$45  for Food
$20  3-ounce Taste of each wine
 

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21 minutes ago, DanielK said:

I'm sure that menu is completely kosher, so I'll be bringing my Haggadah and partaking. We'll just have to leave the front door ajar for Elijah.

One thing's for sure.  You are covered wine wise!

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We have a Private event Friday, so the Friday menu will be on Saturday

I am doing a menu from St Louis. Good story, I can explain when you are here.

Friday Night Dinners at Grapeseed 
This week we move to Saturday 
and feature a special menu from St Louis!!! 
Reserve anytime  between 6-9 for Saturday. Please mention this menu when reserving

Course 1
house smoked trout cake • mixed slaw • spicy remoulade

Course 2
turkey leg nachos
braised in house “firecracker” sauce • crispy sweet potato chips • grape tomatoes • red oinion • roasted red pepper • buttermilk dressing cmixed herbs

Course 3
wild caught spice rubbed Head on Texas gulf shrimp & cheddar grits
granny smith apple • pepper pesto

Course 4
pan seared wild caught Alaskan halibut
charred spring onion & EVOO smashed Yukon gold potatoes
braised kale • mustard-lemon-caper pan sauce


$45  for Food
Drink pairings will be $20
 

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Finally managed to catch one of the specials at Grapeseed last night.  What a crazy good deal.  Last night was mini oyster po boy, softshell crab blt, NY strip steak and brownie sundae.  All for $45. I also included the drink pairing for $20. Wife feared it would be too much food for her so she opted for the fried oysters and salmon which was also terrific.  All topped with great service at the bar.

Great way to start the birthday weekend.

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MC Horoscope and I were also there last night, we’ve been trying to go to these dinners as much as possible.  It really is great food and wine at a reasonable price.  Last night was a little different in that two beers were served, both were IPA’s and went with the first two courses, the Po’ Boy and the softshell crab blt.  It’s hard to say which course I liked the best, I liked them all!  I can say that MC ate the brownie sundae in record time and the Po’ boy got the thumbs-up, which is a compliment coming from a Cajun.

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We are Still doing Tasting Menus every Friday. They are very casual, everyone at the table doesn't have to do it, and quite affordable for what you get, I think.

This week I was in Chicago on Sunday so the menu is inspired by a few classics. Everything is also available A la Carte,

Hope to see you Friday.

 

Chicago Street Food Party

Friday May 27, 2016

 

"I think of [street food] as the antidote to fast food; it's the clear alternative to the king, the clown and the colonel. It's faster, and chances are it's healthier than something at a traditional fast food restaurant. I would much rather give my money to a neighbor or an individual than to a gigantic corporation that owns half the world. Maybe it's naïve of me, but I prefer food made by an identifiable human that's actually cooking." -Anthony Bourdain

 

Morelia-style Gaspacho

Inspired by the Mejia Brothers, Rogers Park

 

Smoked Shrimp, Fried Tomato, Prosciutto

Inspired by Calumet Fisheries, E 95th Street South Side

 

Fresh Chicken Al Pastor Quesadilla

Inspired by Rubi’s Tacos, Maxwell Street Market

 

Grilled Sausage Italian Beef

Inspired By Johnnie’s, Elmwood Park

 

$10 Each        $30 for all 4

No Sharing or Split Plates Please

 

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DLC is raising pricing for deliveries of 'special delivery' wines.  Jeff had a quote in the article I saw on the issue:

"Jeff Heineman, owner of Grapeseed restaurant in Bethesda, said Wednesday he depends on a fine wine list that can differentiate his restaurant from his competitors—90 percent of his restaurant’s list is special-order wines that cost more than $18 per bottle. He said the change would likely negatively impact his restaurant by either hurting his bottom line or by causing an increase in price to customers."

This is absurd.  I get that Applebee's is going to benefit by selling more Franzia at a lower price, but the impact on real restaurants is going to be awful - the level that this becomes punitive is $18 - where you should be getting a lower percentage markup, not higher.  I actually thought we were making progress towards ending the DLC earlier this year.  What happened?

 

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24 minutes ago, zgast said:

DLC is raising pricing for deliveries of 'special delivery' wines.  Jeff had a quote in the article I saw on the issue:

"Jeff Heineman, owner of Grapeseed restaurant in Bethesda, said Wednesday he depends on a fine wine list that can differentiate his restaurant from his competitors—90 percent of his restaurant’s list is special-order wines that cost more than $18 per bottle. He said the change would likely negatively impact his restaurant by either hurting his bottom line or by causing an increase in price to customers."

This is absurd.  I get that Applebee's is going to benefit by selling more Franzia at a lower price, but the impact on real restaurants is going to be awful - the level that this becomes punitive is $18 - where you should be getting a lower percentage markup, not higher.  I actually thought we were making progress towards ending the DLC earlier this year.  What happened?

This was important enough of an issue to Tweet to the world.

Thank you, zgast, for blowing the whistle on this backward-thinking, good-ol-boys' club.

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20 minutes ago, zgast said:

DLC is raising pricing for deliveries of 'special delivery' wines.  Jeff had a quote in the article I saw on the issue:

"Jeff Heineman, owner of Grapeseed restaurant in Bethesda, said Wednesday he depends on a fine wine list that can differentiate his restaurant from his competitors—90 percent of his restaurant’s list is special-order wines that cost more than $18 per bottle. He said the change would likely negatively impact his restaurant by either hurting his bottom line or by causing an increase in price to customers."

This is absurd.  I get that Applebee's is going to benefit by selling more Franzia at a lower price, but the impact on real restaurants is going to be awful - the level that this becomes punitive is $18 - where you should be getting a lower percentage markup, not higher.  I actually thought we were making progress towards ending the DLC earlier this year.  What happened?

Can you link to the article?

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This week's Friday Night Dinner features great seafood just in time for Lent!

Friday June 10th
Summertime at the Shore

PEI Mussels, White Wine, Cioppino Broth

Grilled Shrimp, Lime Vinaigrette, Jicama

Cornmeal Fried Oysters, Bacon Beurre Blanc

Maine Lobster-Couscous Risotto, 
Calamansi, Ramps

$40 per person
Drink Pairings will be available for $20

Please call 301-986-9592 to reserve and mention this menu

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We will be closed tonight to have service done on our water heater. But not to worry, We will reopen Tuesday and be running the same Free BBQ Ribs special as last week...
Buy one Beer get a 1/2 Rack of Ribs. Tuesday through Thursday, and then a ton of BBQ on Special Friday & Saturday for Labor Day Weekend

 

Come in and Eat Smoked Stuff

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