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Mintwood Place, Chef Jordan Lloyd Replaces Eric McKamey on Columbia Road in Adams Morgan


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I have to say, the service at the bar here borders on comical. It was a good 10 minutes after we sat down before the empty glasses from the previous guests were removed (partially, that is). Then it was another good 5 or so minutes before we gave our drink order. There were at times 1, and at times 2, bartenders.

Then, we were brought our entrees while we still had dirty plates from our apps in front of us. The cheeseburger's cheese is like a melted helmet and makes the whole less than the sum of its parts, imo. My salmon was fine.

And we got to watch beers being pulled with the spigot halfway down the glass - over and over again.

Then, I had to stop a busboy to clear our dinner plates after sitting there with them in front of us for another good 10 - 15 minutes. He was on his way back to the kitchen - empty handed.

Another 10 and I was actually able to pay the check.

Oy.

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Oy.

Say hello next time.

After a Bell's at the bar, I had a nice dinner and great service at a table last night. The escargot hush puppies ($9) were a bit leaden, but tasty with the accompanying sauce. The chopped chicken liver tartine ($5), which is a little mound of chicken liver in a slightly heavy mayo mixture on two little shoe sole shaped crackers, was pretty good too. And the wood-grilled Spanish mackerel with shrimp, turnip & artichoke barigoule ($26), was outstanding. We also had the baked Alaska flambe ($10) for dessert, which was fun but not terribly memorable except for the raspberry (I think) ice cream at its center.

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Sorry I missed you - we were there kind of early. Out of the 4 times we've had dinner here, only once did we eat at a table and the service was fine there. It's the bar where it turns into the 3 Stooges. Although we did comment to each other, when we saw a few staff members off to the side chatting, that perhaps they were discussing which table not to bus.

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Created post in appropriate forum. My apologies.

Either forum would have been fine, Neill. Anytime a restaurant has an event to announce, they can take their pick of either posting in their own thread in Restaurants and Dining, or creating a separate thread in Events and Gatherings (but preferably not both). There's an informal request to limit posts about ones own restaurant to "a couple times a month." A whole cottage industry has sprung up, trying to figure out how to best navigate these waters. Or maybe not.

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Went here this past weekend, sat outside. Good service. Really good food. Wine list a bit overpriced, but decent.

The chicken liver tartine was great as was the bacon & onion flammekueche! The escargot hushpuppies were fun and tasty. Really nice frog Legs with romesco. Whole boneless dorade, braised fennel, picholine olive; Wood-grilled Spanish mackerel, shrimp, turnip & artichoke barigoule - these fish were delicious.

The 'nibbles' are kind of big. They should really be folded in to the appetizers part of the menu. Ordering a nibble and an appetizer was overkill - I'd wished I'd known. The entrees are quite large, too. In the future (and I will be back), I'll keep it to 3 courses instead of four. Other minor nit is it's a tad hard to find parking in the area, but that's just DC for you. ;-)

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Call me an old crank, but I wish I was the entrepreneur who figured out that yuppies would pay $50 for a bottle of wine to sit in a crowded, loud room, distinguished by minimal (not "minimalist") decor for meal that can only be described as "rushed." And, at $12, the celebrated flammekueche is probabably more expensive on an ounce-per-ounce basis than foie gras would have been at another establishment.

On the other hand, the service was friendly and the lamb neck tangine -- boned lamb neck, rich and fatty, figs, quinoa, assertive spices, some tomato stuff -- was quite good and, at $23, a relative bargain. The whole dorade, at $29 was tasty if unexceptional.

I am a little over the trend of getting bistro treatment at restaurant prices simply because a place has buzz, but I might go back for the tangine (a special, alas).

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Call me an old crank, but I wish I was the entrepreneur who figured out that yuppies would pay a minimum of $50 for a bottle of wine to sit in a crowded, loud room, distinguished by minimal (not "minimalist") decor for meal that can only be described as "rushed." And, at $12, the celebrated flammekueche is probabably more expensive on an ounce-per-ounce basis than foie gras would have been at another establishment.

On the other hand, the service was friendly and the lamb neck tangine -- boned lamb neck, rich and fatty, figs, quinoa, assertive spices, some tomato stuff -- was quite good and, at $23, a relative bargain. The whole dorade, at $29 was tasty if unexceptional.

I am a little over the trend of getting bistro treatment at restaurant prices simply because a place has buzz, but I might go back for the tangine (a special, alas).

Okay, old crank, let me at least pose something to think about: is it possible that your mood affected your meal here and/or the comment about the crowds and noise was an indictment of the industry as a whole, post-2008? What would you have thought, for example, if you'd sat outside?

Note that this is not challenging or questioning anything you wrote; merely checking the perspective from which you wrote it. And, if it *is* an indictment of the industry as a whole, I'm right there with you.

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Okay, old crank, let me at least pose something to think about: is it possible that your mood affected your meal here and/or the comment about the crowds and noise was an indictment of the industry as a whole, post-2008, not unlike Tom Sietsema's comments about Bandolero? What would you have thought, for example, if you'd sat outside?

Note that this is not challenging or questioning anything you wrote; merely checking the perspective from which you wrote it. And, if it *is* an indictment of the industry as a whole, I'm right there with you.

I am unclear on the question. I dined at one restaurant, it is from that persepctive that I wrote. Whether or not it is emblematic of "the industry as a whole, post-2008" never occurred to me. And, wherever I sat, opening the wine list and seeing almost nothing under $50 on the red wine side (and beware the 2005 Domaine Phillippe Plantevin, Cairanne, it's fading fast), paying $30 for an OK but un-brilliant fish, and having my table turned in less than an hour would have put me off the place.

When I decide to take on long-term trends, I'm sure I'll take more than three paragraphs to do so -- you know how I get. ;)

(And, for what it's worth, if you're trying to staple Bandolero, Mintwood, me and Tom together on the same page, do recall that Tom loved Mintwood and three-starred it. Along with Little Serow and a couple other spots, he seems to have bought into the no-frills thing pretty hard.)

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if it *is* an indictment of the industry as a whole,

Anytime I see a statement made in that fashion I think back to this wonderful movie scene.

'But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!

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Call me an old crank, but I wish I was the entrepreneur who figured out that yuppies would pay a minimum of $50 for a bottle of wine to sit in a crowded, loud room, distinguished by minimal (not "minimalist") decor for meal that can only be described as "rushed." And, at $12, the celebrated flammekueche is probabably more expensive on an ounce-per-ounce basis than foie gras would have been at another establishment.

On the other hand, the service was friendly and the lamb neck tangine -- boned lamb neck, rich and fatty, figs, quinoa, assertive spices, some tomato stuff -- was quite good and, at $23, a relative bargain. The whole dorade, at $29 was tasty if unexceptional.

I am a little over the trend of getting bistro treatment at restaurant prices simply because a place has buzz, but I might go back for the tangine (a special, alas).

I am unclear on the question. I dined at one restaurant, it is from that persepctive that I wrote. Whether or not it is emblematic of "the industry as a whole, post-2008" never occurred to me. And, wherever I sat, opening the wine list and seeing almost nothing under $50 (and beware the 2005 Domaine Phillippe Plantevin, Cairanne, it's fading fast), paying $30 for an OK but un-brilliant fish, and having my table turned in less than an hour would have put me off the place.

When I decide to take on long-term trends, I'm sure I'll take more than three paragraphs to do so -- you know how I get. ;)

(And, for what it's worth, if you're trying to staple Bandolero, Mintwood, me and Tom together on the same page, do recall that Tom loved Mintwood and three-starred it. Along with Little Serow and a couple other spots, he seems to have bought into the no-frills thing pretty hard.)

Waitman,

In the mindset of discussion not argument, I am interested which dish you tasted first the Lamb Tagine or the Dorade?

The wine list at Mintwood Place is currently made up of roughly 40 out of 100 wines priced under $50. Was your question intended to state that there were no wines you wished to enjoy on the list under $50? And if so, what areas do you feel warrant more attention at the under $50 level for the list at Mintwood Place?

The list at Mintwood Place is continually evolving as well as the menu. The team and I appreciate all feedback so that we may continually improve the restaurant experience.

Cheers,

Neill

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Waitman,

In the mindset of discussion not argument, I am interested which dish you tasted first the Lamb Tagine or the Dorade?

The wine list at Mintwood Place is currently made up of roughly 40 out of 100 wines priced under $50. Was your question intended to state that there were no wines you wished to enjoy on the list under $50? And if so, what areas do you feel warrant more attention at the under $50 level for the list at Mintwood Place?

The list at Mintwood Place is continually evolving as well as the menu. The team and I appreciate all feedback so that we may continually improve the restaurant experience.

Cheers,

Neill

I confess that I looked only at the red wine list but saw, I believe, three under $50 -- a second Rhone (Syrah) and a Tempranillo. I may have missed one or two, but my dining companion and I had a discussion about the list and I feel relatively confident at least on the red side.

I started with the Tangine, which I quite liked, and the swapped to dorade, which I enjoyed -- and properly cooked fish is an all-to-rare occurance -- but it didn't reach out and grab me.

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The list at Mintwood Place is continually evolving as well as the menu. The team and I appreciate all feedback so that we may continually improve the restaurant experience.

Cheers,

Neill

I'd love to give you a little feedback. We've dined at Mintwood 5 or 6 times since opening; once in the dining room and the rest at the bar.

I like most of the food we eat. Last week, there was a tomato soup special app that was great. I think the burger needs a different roll.

I find the service at the bar to be borderline comical, from the people behind the bar to the runners to the bussers. I don't agree with taking ice out of the bin with the glass it is going to be served in (and sometimes from the same bin that has bottles kept in it), nor do I agree with pouring olive brine out of the bin that the olives are in and which has had olives taken out of it by bartender fingers.

That's a start.

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I have to say, the service at the bar here borders on comical. It was a good 10 minutes after we sat down before the empty glasses from the previous guests were removed (partially, that is). Then it was another good 5 or so minutes before we gave our drink order. There were at times 1, and at times 2, bartenders.

Then, we were brought our entrees while we still had dirty plates from our apps in front of us. The cheeseburger's cheese is like a melted helmet and makes the whole less than the sum of its parts, imo. My salmon was fine.

And we got to watch beers being pulled with the spigot halfway down the glass - over and over again.

Then, I had to stop a busboy to clear our dinner plates after sitting there with them in front of us for another good 10 - 15 minutes. He was on his way back to the kitchen - empty handed.

Another 10 and I was actually able to pay the check.

Oy.

I'd love to give you a little feedback. We've dined at Mintwood 5 or 6 times since opening; once in the dining room and the rest at the bar.

I like most of the food we eat. Last week, there was a tomato soup special app that was great. I think the burger needs a different roll.

I find the service at the bar to be borderline comical, from the people behind the bar to the runners to the bussers. I don't agree with taking ice out of the bin with the glass it is going to be served in (and sometimes from the same bin that has bottles kept in it), nor do I agree with pouring olive brine out of the bin that the olives are in and which has had olives taken out of it by bartender fingers.

That's a start.

Mr. Weinstein,

First, let me say thank you for visiting Mintwood 5 or 6 times since the opening. I appreciate your comments about the food. I am glad you enjoyed the tomato soup special. Was is the tomato pistou soup or the gazpacho that you enjoyed?

Addressing the service behind the bar. There have been service issues in the bar until most recently and I truly apologize that yourself and any other guest had to endure less than stellar service. Unfortunately, the time it took to find amicable solutions was longer than the situation warranted. I agree with you that glasses should never be used to scoop ice period. I also agree that bottles should not live, be chilled or stored in potable ice, nor do I agree that olive brine for cocktails should be from the garnishing trays. I have personally addressed these issues with the bar and service staff. I have implemented squeeze bottles for olive brine and spoons/tweezers for appropriate garnishing. I again truly apologize for any grievances suffered at the hand of any Mintwood Place. Next time you find yourself in town from New York please stop in and say hi to the new bar staff and myself. I will repeat myself in saying "The team and I appreciate all feedback so that we may continually improve the restaurant experience." The only way we grow as a restaurant is to continue to learn from our mistakes, listen to our guests and employees, and continually strive to improve. I appreciate you taking the time to make comments about Mintwood. Thank you.

Cheers,

Neill Blackwood

Mintwood Place

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Thanks, Neil. I will say hello next time we're in. Trust me, Mintwood is far from the only bar that does the things I've mentioned with ice, olives, fingers, etc.

My wife and I enjoy dining at a restaurant's bar because we enjoy the "action." We also enjoy bars in general ;) .

The tomato soup we had was the one with the tomato tartare as a component - awesome.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

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Honesty compels me to post that I met up with my friend yesterday and he did not detect the same bifurcation between the cost and aspirations of the fare and the aesthetics and aspirations of the room and service that I did and, in fact, pronounced the whole experience "wonderful," while partially agreeing vis-a-vis the wine.

Of course, he doesn't have kids in college.....;)

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We had a delicious meal last night at Mintwood. The chicken liver tartine is a thing of beauty and my wife's smoked chowder with sunchokes and mussels was fine and dandy.

But the highlight was my order: wild Scottish wood pigeon, the breast wrapped in a forcemeat of the pigeon's dark meat, heart, liver, etc. This was all wrapped in Savoy cabbage and bacon, cooked perfectly, and served on a bed of forbidden rice. Wow - a knockout, with a perfect portion priced at $19.

You know it was wild, as I happily picked out two pieces of buckshot from my serving.

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Bob and I made Thanksgiving dinner our first visit to Mintwood Place yesterday. As Weinoo notes above, that pigeon dish was sensational, and as a first course selection in the $45 prix fixe menu, not to be passed up yesterday. I, however, opted for Oysters Rockefeller--where do you ever see these anymore?--which was a fine alternative. For mains, Bob went for the pork roast, I for the traditional turkey. Unfortunately, I wish I had also gone for the pork, because the turkey and gravy were akin to eating a salt bomb (truth be told, the oysters were also pretty salty). Served as a sort of roulade of breast meat around chestnuts and something else I couldn't identify, the two slices of salinity didn't hold a candle to the three much larger slices of juicy, tender pork. I should have sent it back and switched entrees, but by that time the place was starting to get slammed. Fortunately, we were able to enjoy similar accompaniments of a very tasty dressing and cranberry sauce, and good shared dishes of mashed red bliss potatoes, roasted squashes, smoky brussel sprouts with bacon, and sauerkraut. Desserts of apple pie and pumpkin pie with homemade vanilla ice cream were good but nothing special. Cocktails had a decided spicy autumn accent, and the differences between our glasses of pinot noir were subtle. Excellent service, even if we were in an awkward table position in the middle of the rear area.

Final verdict for me is a mixed bag--some good dishes and service, but a major miss on the turkey entree, and in the end the price ($89 each with tip) seemed steep (that pigeon appetizer not withstanding).

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Tujague,

I thank you very much for choosing to dine out at Mintwood especially on a holiday such as Thanksgiving. I appreciate you spending the time to write a review of your experiences at the restaurant on a place like DonRockwell.com. It is a forum of opinions that we believe are very valid and trustworthy a large percentage of the time. I apologize profusely that your experience at Mintwood Place and specifically that the turkey was not at the caliber it should have been. That is not typical nor what the chef and the staff at Mintwood Place want to serve. I wish that one of the managers, the chef or I was made aware or noticed the situation at your table. It is something that we would have been able to correct on the spot with a new dish. There are items that get finished with fleur de sel and others that are not. I suspect that your plate received fleur de sel when it was not warranted since it was previously brined. Cedric apologizes again for that and has talked to the staff so that this occurrence can be prevented from happening in the future. As a team we only grow from the insights and critical feedback from our guests. I truly appreciate you taking the time to make us aware of the situation. There is only one opportunity to make a great first impression but I hope you will give us another chance. If you do decide to, please let me know so that I may ensure you experience Mintwood Place as we intend it.

Deepest Regards,

Neill Blackwood

General Manager

Mintwood Place

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Thanks for your kind reply, Neill. It was one of those situations where I was several bites into the meal when the saltiness really began to register with me. But there were plenty of highlights in the meal regardless, and those would be enough to draw me back.

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Popped in for brunch with a girlfriend this past Sunday, as I was in town briefly for a job interview. She had already eaten, but we sat at the bar so I could grab a bite. Really enjoyed the smoked potato and sunchoke soup - smokiness wasn't overwhelming at all, and texture was divine. VERY rich. We also split a chocolate chip waffle at the bartender's urging, and we were definitely not sorry - I mean, I know it is just a waffle, but HOLY CRAP, how do they get it to be so light and airy and crispy around the edges?!?! Yum yum yum. I wasn't a huge fan of the space/decor (personal preference - just didn't feel warm to me), but everything else was lovely. Would like to return and try another meal sometime.

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Attention!

The confit of wood-grilled beef hearts with salsify and cauliflower that is currently on the appetizers menu is one of the best damn things I've had in recent memory. It's a warm salad with frisee, a touch of mustard, and a poached egg buried underneath everything, and it is absolutely spectacular.

Even better, it's an entree-sized portion which at $12 is at least half the price of most of the main courses.

Run, do not walk. I'm going again tomorrow.

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Get the fish. The whole, BONELESS Dorade I had this evening was just superb. We had theater tickets tonight and went early looking for something to eat. Dame Edna pronounced that we had better stick to our neighborhood or Dupont Circle, because the town is loaded with tourists. We would have preferred to eat at the bar at Cashion's, but they didn't seem to be open that early. So, we went to Mintwood and found seats at the bar. We split an order of the chicken liver tartine (which comes piled on two pieces of toast), which we had on a earlier foray. Dame Edna went for the cheese burger with bacon and fries and I had the dorade. With that, plus one beer, one cocktail, and one glass of wine, plus a very healthy tip, we got out of there for $55 apiece. Had either of us read Gadarene's review before heading out, one of us might have ordered that, instead. I would have liked the option of getting the Lamb Tagine, but it isn't on the menu anymore. So, I got the fish and left full and happy.

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Get the fish. The whole, BONELESS Dorade I had this evening was just superb. We had theater tickets tonight and went early looking for something to eat. Dame Edna pronounced that we had better stick to our neighborhood or Dupont Circle, because the town is loaded with tourists. We would have preferred to eat at the bar at Cashion's, but they didn't seem to be open that early. So, we went to Mintwood and found seats at the bar. We split an order of the chicken liver tartine (which comes piled on two pieces of toast), which we had on a earlier foray. Dame Edna went for the cheese burger with bacon and fries and I had the dorade. With that, plus one beer, one cocktail, and one glass of wine, plus a very healthy tip, we got out of there for $55 apiece. Had either of us read Gadarene's review before heading out, one of us might have ordered that, instead. I would have liked the option of getting the Lamb Tagine, but it isn't on the menu anymore. So, I got the fish and left full and happy.

Barbara, this dorade was the dish (see post) that won me over - I absolutely loved it.

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Attention!

The confit of wood-grilled beef hearts with salsify and cauliflower that is currently on the appetizers menu is one of the best damn things I've had in recent memory. It's a warm salad with frisee, a touch of mustard, and a poached egg buried underneath everything, and it is absolutely spectacular.

Even better, it's an entree-sized portion which at $12 is at least half the price of most of the main courses.

Run, do not walk. I'm going again tomorrow.

An update regarding this dish:

It is now $14 rather than $12, and it is no longer entree-sized. Both of which are unfortunate.

It's still extremely tasty, but I wouldn't go all the way across town for it any longer.

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An update regarding this dish:

It is now $14 rather than $12, and it is no longer entree-sized. Both of which are unfortunate.

It's still extremely tasty, but I wouldn't go all the way across town for it any longer.

I would love to hear Cedric's take on this. (Cedric, can you post instead of just texting?)

It's possible it's a simple supply-and-demand situation, and there's *absolutely* *nothing* *wrong* with that.

Thanks for the update, Gadarene. Whoever you are, you seem like you know what you're doing.

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My only issue with this place is finding parking. :( But I need to get back soon. :) All of the posts of late are making me wipe drool off of my keyboard.

Some of you may not be aware of the Circulator Bus which begins and ends at the Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan Metro Stop. There is a bus stop on Connecticut Ave., just to the left of the escalators as you exit the station. This bus goes across the Ellington Bridge and stops on Adams Mill Road, just before the intersection of 18th & Columbia Rd. It's a very short walk to Mintwood (or Cashion's or Sakuramen) from this bus stop. This has been a Public Service Announcement.

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I would love to hear Cedric's take on this. (Cedric, can you post instead of just texting?)

It's possible it's a simple supply-and-demand situation, and there's *absolutely* *nothing* *wrong* with that.

Thanks for the update, Gadarene. Whoever you are, you seem like you know what you're doing.

I am responding on behalf of Cedric. These are his words he asked me to post:

"The price change is true. I decided to run the item as a profit item versus a break-even item on the menu. Gadarene for two bucks extra you are helping Mintwood Place stay in business a little longer. Thank you for your support.- Yours truly Cedric"

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Some of you may not be aware of the Circulator Bus which begins and ends at the Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan Metro Stop. There is a bus stop on Connecticut Ave., just to the left of the escalators as you exit the station. This bus goes across the Ellington Bridge and stops on Adams Mill Road, just before the intersection of 18th & Columbia Rd. It's a very short walk to Mintwood (or Cashion's or Sakuramen) from this bus stop. This has been a Public Service Announcement.

Barbara,

Thank you for the public service announcement.

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My +1 and I went to Mintwood Place last night to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. While we didn't dislike anything we had, we came away a little underwhelmed. But this may be due to the high expectations raised by the praise read here, in the Washington Post (3 stars), Washingtonian (also 3 stars I believe) and elsewhere. It was definitely more casual (and loud!) than we expected given the price point as well.

We started with the Escargot hush puppies ($11) and the Bacon & onion flammekueche ($12). We both preferred the flammekueche to the hushpuppies. The hushpuppies were good, but almost too rich and dense. Even sharing the order we couldn't finish them. The flammekueche had a wonderful flavor between the crisp crust, bacon, onion, and gooey cheese. We both liked this a lot, but also thought $12 seemed a bit much for the size.

For our main course we had the Roasted pork for two, charcutiere sauce ($52) that came with two sides, so we chose the french fries and the wood-grilled brussels sprouts with bacon. This was a fairly large serving of roasted pork loin, and was very moist and juicy. It was served with a whole bulb of roasted garlic. The pork had a good flavor, and the sauce was nice on top (and there was so much we each were full and took a few slices home), but I guess we were hoping for something a little more interesting than a simply seasoned roasted pork loin (although that was probably our fault based on the name of the dish). Both the sides were excellent and we would highly recommend them both. The fries were crispy and salty and served with a delicious mustardy dipping sauce. In fact, the fries may have been my favorite thing I ate all night. The sprouts had a lovely smoky, grilled flavor, and while I would've loved more bacon, the bites that had it were a nice compliment.

For dessert we shared the Warm apple tart á la mode ($10). This doesn't quite live up to the ridiculous apple tart/pie at BDT I was lucky enough to have twice in December, but it was a very good dessert. Sweet with a little sugar crunch and a very flavorful vanilla bean ice cream. Certainly a good end to the meal.

Our service was great during the evening as well, very attentive. I certainly don't mean to imply by my comments above that Mintwood is not a good restaurant. It is. I just don't know if I consider it in the 3-star category alongside Restaurant Eve, Corduroy, BDT, Vidalia, The Source, etc.

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...I certainly don't mean to imply by my comments above that Mintwood is not a good restaurant. It is. I just don't know if I consider it in the 3-star category alongside Restaurant Eve, Corduroy, BDT, Vidalia, The Source, etc.

Super report--thank you! We go to Mintwood fairly regularly and almost always have very good experiences there with friends or on our own. But I couldn't agree with you more on the above. Obvious that others (e.g., Palena, Adour, Fiola) belong in that top tier also. I don't think Mintwood is trying to be that.

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Super report--thank you! We go to Mintwood fairly regularly and almost always have very good experiences there with friends or on our own. But I couldn't agree with you more on the above. Obvious that others (e.g., Palena, Adour, Fiola) belong in that top tier also. I don't think Mintwood is trying to be that.

Agree totally.

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Our service was great during the evening as well, very attentive. I certainly don't mean to imply by my comments above that Mintwood is not a good restaurant. It is. I just don't know if I consider it in the 3-star category alongside Restaurant Eve, Corduroy, BDT, Vidalia, The Source, etc.

Super report--thank you! We go to Mintwood fairly regularly and almost always have very good experiences there with friends or on our own. But I couldn't agree with you more on the above. Obvious that others (e.g., Palena, Adour, Fiola) belong in that top tier also. I don't think Mintwood is trying to be that.

Agree totally.

And yet ...

It's nipping at their heels, isn't it.

Cedric should do one special a week, called "Judge For Yourselves," that should be his 3-star dish to quell the critics - he's perfectly capable of doing such a thing, and it wouldn't take all that much.

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We finally made it to Mintwood Place for the first time last night. It was fine. The drinks were good. The chopped liver was wonderful. There were three of us. One had steak frites, one had salmon, I had Amish chicken. Then we had apple pie and pecan pie.

The pies were stellar. The service was fine, although we did feel like we were getting up-sold every time. Everything else was good, but.... nothing else was stellar. And the mains came out REALLY QUICKLY, before we had a chance to finish the chopped liver and the pre-dinner drinks. Oh, and every time we set down a fork, the very nice but ubiquitous busser tried to clear our plates.

The wine list was awfully expensive. And the food seemed expensive for something that was good but not great. We determined that for that price point we prefer Cashion's. Also, the wine list at Cashion's has some more affordable selections.

So, glad we got there, enjoyed the dinner, but feel like it was a bit too expensive.

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And yet ...

It's nipping at their heels, isn't it.

Cedric should do one special a week, called "Judge For Yourselves," that should be his 3-star dish to quell the critics - he's perfectly capable of doing such a thing, and it wouldn't take all that much.

Bit of a strawman above? To be fair, there are 85 posts on this thread. With the exception of just four that could be called critical (constructively and substantively at that imho), the rest (including four reports I did) are all very positive. In one case (weinoo) a reading of all his posts shows balance, with some evidence-based critique and other visits and dishes praised quite significantly. Never occurred to me that MP was trying to 'nip' at anyone else's 'heels' when they seem to have won many fans and regularly have a very full dining room.

I didn't take NewFoodie's original comparison (and my and weinoo's agreement) to much more luxe and higher priced places like Adour, Fiola and Eve to be a knock at what MP's chef could do or what the kitchen's 'potential' is. The great majority of posters on this thread (and the pro critics like TS) seem to love the place...for what it is. Not sure which "critics" would be "quell"ed or, more to the point, that any big changes are needed in what MP is doing. Seems to be working very well as is.

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We finally made it to Mintwood Place for the first time last night. It was fine. The drinks were good. The chopped liver was wonderful. There were three of us. One had steak frites, one had salmon, I had Amish chicken. Then we had apple pie and pecan pie.

...

So, glad we got there, enjoyed the dinner, but feel like it was a bit too expensive.

I agree with you, I think it's a bit expensive for what you get, but based on reviews in this topic and elsewhere, I'd counter that you also might not have ordered well with your choices of mains.

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I agree with you, I think it's a bit expensive for what you get, but based on reviews in this topic and elsewhere, I'd counter that you also might not have ordered well with your choices of mains.

That's certainly possible. The friend enjoyed the salmon far more than I enjoyed the chicken (and I really really love a good roast chicken.) The +1 was tepid on the steak - he liked it ok, but would rather have been at Ray's.

And I admit, I do NOT eat seafood (or snails.), so that part of the menu is lost on me. Vegetables, meat, poultry. And dessert. I love dessert.

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That's certainly possible. The friend enjoyed the salmon far more than I enjoyed the chicken (and I really really love a good roast chicken.) The +1 was tepid on the steak - he liked it ok, but would rather have been at Ray's.

And I admit, I do NOT eat seafood (or snails.), so that part of the menu is lost on me. Vegetables, meat, poultry. And dessert. I love dessert.

Should've tried that beef heart salad. :)

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I see there's a "kids menu" online. Has anyone had success bringing their kids there? I will call to see if they have high chairs, but would like to bring my decently-behaved 2.5 year old (who would love the grilled cheese and fries-- who wouldn't?)

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I see there's a "kids menu" online. Has anyone had success bringing their kids there? I will call to see if they have high chairs, but would like to bring my decently-behaved 2.5 year old (who would love the grilled cheese and fries-- who wouldn't?)

I think the key phrase here is decently-behaved. If that's the case, I cannot imagine a problem with this (assuming they have high chairs). You may want to mention that when you reserve so they can put you in a "safe" part of the restaurant (and yes, that may mean near the restroom, and no, there's nothing wrong with that). :)

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Tom Sietsema's most recent review of Mintwood Place states that the noise level is 88 (Extremely Loud). I am of the opinion that the louder the venue, the more comfortable everyone is with having toddlers eat there, especially in a bistro setting.

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Tom Sietsema's most recent review of Mintwood Place states that the noise level is 88 (Extremely Loud). I am of the opinion that the louder the venue, the more comfortable everyone is with having toddlers eat there, especially in a bistro setting.

No doubt about toddlers...though maybe alcohol and hammered tin ceilings contribute to ear-splitting decibels too. Careful where you bring your toddlers. I was at ChurchKey Friday night. Now sure, that's a bar more than a food place. Was pretty raucous. Lots of fun. Had some very good wings. Not a good spot for toddlers--even if they were allowed. :)

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True. And I actually would never bring my toddler to Bistro du Coin, way too loud. But Central, Bras. Beck, Firefly? Clyde's or OEG? Yes. Marcel's, Corduroy, Komi? No, even though Corduroy has accommodated my kid with a nice kid's meal during a private party. Nor the Atlas Room. But I've seen alot of younger kids at Fiola's of all places, and they were seated front and center. That's a pretty animated place too. Mark Kuller's places are lively too, but the puritarian in me would be too bashful to bring my kid into any of his racy restrooms.

But if Mintwood has a kid's menu, I don't really understand why you'd have to second guess whether it's age appropriate. DC in DC, do you need a changing table in the restrooms or something? Toki Underground is terrible (outside the two hour wait) for kids because all they have are tall bar stools. But on each of my 3 visits to Daikaya, there were several toddlers scattered at different tables enjoying their meals.

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I have had two good meals at Mintwood Place. Unfortunately the second time around I developed a really bad migraine during what was supposed to be my brother's birthday dinner and we had to leave, I felt so bad.

The first visit was on a hopping Saturday night, on the way we had what I can only describe as the most annoying cab ride I have had in all recent memory. Luckily we sat down to a courteous wait staff who plied us with good wine and allowed us to take our time and settle in to the menu. We had the warm olives, which were distinct from most warm olives I had ordered, they were in what I would describe as a roasted red pepper sauce with capers and herbs. I enjoyed the rustic bread with warm, soft butter- this was a totally noticed detail, the butter was perfect for spreading. The escargot hushpuppies are worth the rave- they encompass what escargot lovers adore the flavor of butter, garlic and snail without the texture that many dislike in the dish, although definitely a dish you want to share as they are filling me and my friend ate more than we should have. The beet mountain pie is reminiscent of the crustless sandwich pods you used to make in those old grilled cheese makers, except elevated, with smooth goat cheese and earthy beets, on top of a salad layered with lettuce and thin slices of beets, the dish is light, but at the same time comforting and filling. The octopus is crisp, but not at all tough and the flavor is grilled and meaty. The roasted vegetable sides on the menu are real winners, I love both the broccoli, pea shoots and broccolini and the wax beans, both just taste simple and wonderfully crisp, but tender and perfect. The roast pork for two is lovely succulent, perfectly cooked pork with a brown sauce that is just lovely and flavorful. The bolognese is piled high with parmesan and is decadent, but oh so good, enough to feed two though I had a couple bites of MK's as leftovers and really liked it. Many of the servings are quite big, but I am a big leftovers person, so it doesn't both me too much. The desserts are classic, but made in a modern way and just amazing, the key lime pie is tangy, with a perfect crust and very appropriate and classic filling without too much whip cream or other unnecessary items. I like that they didn't muck them up by going too modern or deconstructing them, desserts here are how they should be, if I lived closer I would order their desserts for take out.

On the trip I had a headache not wanting to drink alcohol due to my headache I learned their non-alcoholic cocktails and sodas were really good, the lemongrass soda was really refreshing and I loved the ginger fizz. Another great detail was their hot tea service which has very good teas and I like the pot and cups used.

Sometimes it was a bit hard to manage all the plates on the smaller tables, and the reservations really require a little insider knowledge- don't call, just keep checking back ont he website as they seem to have a lot of cancellations, this isn't really their fault, but can be quite annoying and the host isn't very good with being overly accommodating about the whole thing, but again part of it may be beyond their control. I have found the service to be nothing but professional and very smooth, with my first visit having a waiter that I just adored. Not a large place, and not an easy place to find street parking, with no close garages or valet, but worth the effort. It is a French restaurant but I find many of the items not really French, but I don't mind I like the menu a lot.

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Can anyone advise on the likelihood of finding a pair of bar seats or being accommodated as a walk-in around 6:15 on a Saturday? Is it even worth trying? Their online reservation system shows them totally booked.

I think it's definitely worth trying for a pair of bar seats; seems early enough.

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Finally made it out to Mintwood Place this past weekend after reading and hearing over a year's worth of raves. It was delicious, though I must agree with some of the posters in this thread when I say that I left slightly underwhelmed. I will admit upfront that this may have as much, if not more, to do with the expectations created by the aforementioned year's worth of raves. I will also clarify that neither I nor my wife tried any of the mains, sticking to a sampling of "nibbles" and "starters."

We tried the blistered shishito peppers and the escargot hush puppies for our nibbles. The hush puppies were amazing - crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, not too dense, and packed with flavor. I was afraid that the taste of the escargot wouldn't make its way through the dough, seasoning, etc, but that was not the case. I could sit down with a couple of cold beers and plow through a couple of orders of these no problem. The shishitos were good, but not great. They were cooked nicely and had a deep peppery sweetness to them, but I found them a little oily and slightly over-seasoned. I will note that I tend to enjoy my food on the more seasoned side, so for me to find it over-seasoned is saying something. All said, they are a tasty snack for maybe three to five peppers, but after that they're a bit much. This is as good a time as any to point out that aggressive seasoning and generous use of fat emerged as a common thread in most of the dishes we tried. That is not necessarily a bad thing, and, depending on the type of food you've eaten recently, the bold flavors might even be a welcome change, but I think it bears mention that "light" and "delicate" are not words that I would use to describe any part of what we ate.

Before getting into the starters, I really should mention the bread and butter. It bugs me quite a bit when restaurants that put so much effort into most other aspects of their food just fall asleep at the wheel when it comes to bread - either omit it altogether or do it right. Mintwood Place does it right. Warm fresh bread, soft and fluffy on the inside with a beautiful crispy brown crust, topped with warm soft butter. It may just be that buttered bread is one of my all-time weaknesses, but theirs is damn tasty!

Burrata is always a fresh, clean addition to a meal, and this dish enhances it with the addition of hazelnut, apple, and tamarind. If the dish stopped there, it would be a home run. Unfortunately, it is surrounded by a ring of fried kale chips that could have been ok if they didn't gush grease with each bite. I can actually see where the flavor of the kale would be a nice counterpoint to the rest of the dish, but man...I would order this dish again in a heartbeat, but hold the kale.

The wood-grilled confit calf's heart dish is very good, if a little over-dressed (see the theme?). The calf's heart itself is tender, delicious, and balances nicely with the greens. The poached egg hidden below the greens in the bottom of the dish is a fun surprise that really puts the dish over the top. I would actually leave off most, if not all, of the (I think) mustard based sauce/dressing and just rely on the awesome runny egg to do that work, but then again I'm not a Food and Wine Best New Chef Mid-Atlantic so what do I know? I don't want my impression of this dish to be misunderstood - it is damn good. In fact, I would guess that if it wasn't for the shishitos and kale, I might not have felt like this was a bit heavy or over-dressed, but coming as it did, on the tail end of the meal, it was just a tad much.

Drumroll. BAKED ALASKA FLAMBE! All you need to know is that this is on the menu and it needs to be ordered then devoured. So good. So, so good.

Something that needs to be commented on is the cocktail list. Every place that thinks they're cool has a list of "interesting" cocktails, but very few of them actually deliver. No need to name names, but many local places that pride themselves on their cocktail lists, places that are primarily BARS, do not deliver anywhere near the level of effort (I know this because we began with a drink at the bar), variety, and execution that this place does. I had the Garden Preservation, the Smokin' on the Bayou, and the Manhattan Vacation and they were each excellent, different, and easily worth trying again.

Service was great. I never felt rushed, my drink (water or otherwise) was never empty, the table did not get cluttered with plates, all the dishes came at the right times (they did not overlap or lag), and our server was pleasant and efficient.

I would certainly go back, with my expectations properly adjusted, and I am confident that I would enjoy myself. In fact, I want to be clear that I enjoyed myself thoroughly this time as well - there were just a few elements that, in my opinion, brought down the quality of the meal from what I expected and from what it could be.

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