The Doctor Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Do they forbid photography as they do at Komi? That is correct. The website now says "No flash photos or video, please." I paid a visit after randomly discovering this wasn't the first public use of the name Little Serow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rieux Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 How horrible would it be to try to get a table for 5 people on Saturday? Do they even have 5/6 tops? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 How horrible would it be to try to get a table for 5 people on Saturday? Do they even have 5/6 tops? Their website says: "We can only accommodate groups of four or fewer." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 How horrible would it be to try to get a table for 5 people on Saturday? Do they even have 5/6 tops? It's been more than 18 months (2 years? Have to rectify that but OT) since I was last here but I'm sure we were a party of six when we went. I think they moved a table for us closer to the entry and I have the vaguest of recollections about some related negotiation and charm offensive. Maybe they won't do it anymore? Maybe best to call them to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rieux Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Thanks. I saw that on their site, but I also had heard of charm offensives working. Appreciate the inputs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Seafood menu returns next week! I did; and it was spectacular. The enthusiasm of everyone on the staff is palpable, genuine, and well-deserved: Johnny, Anne and their team (most of whom have been with them for a *long* time--the loyalty and continuity speak volumes, too) are doing something no one else in D.C. is, and virtually to perfection. There's good reason they're so enthused about sharing it with others. This was the best meal I've had a in long, long time. JCA76's description of it above is spot-on, except that I was even more enthusiastic about the gaap kai buu and khai luuk khoei. The spatlese was perfect. As was the soundtrack. And the service. When (not if) the seafood menu comes around again, you'd be crazy not to go. But please don't spread the word *too* indiscriminately--there are only so many seatings over the course of five days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dcandohio Posted April 30, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted April 30, 2015 I arrived stupidly early to wait for the 5:30 opening because I am only in DC a few days and this was a must-do. I never was able to experience Little Serow previously, because my ex had a shellfish allergy, and I was always in DC with her. This is my first return since the split, and I was determined to have the LS experience.It lived up to the hype. The food was so carefully and artfully prepared. The spare menu descriptions don't even begin to create a picture of the dishes. Each dish was fulfilling on its own...the whole was a symphony of big flavors, textures, colors and temperatures.When I explained to the server why I hadn't come before and why I could enjoy now, she brought me a glass of bubbly. "To the end of your dining restrictions," she said, smiling, as she poured. I felt very, very happy. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DameEdna Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I arrived stupidly early to wait for the 5:30 opening because I am only in DC a few days and this was a must-do. I never was able to experience Little Serow previously, because my ex had a shellfish allergy, and I was always in DC with her. This is my first return since the split, and I was determined to have the LS experience. It lived up to the hype. The food was so carefully and artfully prepared. The spare menu descriptions don't even begin to create a picture of the dishes. Each dish was fulfilling on its own...the whole was a symphony of big flavors, textures, colors and temperatures. WhenI explained to the server why I hadn't come before and why I could enjoy now, she brought me a glass of bubbly. "To the end of your dining restrictions," she said, smiling, as she poured. I felt very, very happy. Rarely do I see such pain, angst and joy in one short post! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonawkward Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 A delayed reaction to my first visit to Little Serow. Two of us went on a Tuesday and got in line a little after 5pm. There are enough people in front of us so that we were about even with the entrance to Komi. I thought we would be on the cusp of getting in/not getting in. Just as the guy in front of us was about to let us go ahead because his girlfriend hadn't arrived, she came running down the block. They got the last table of the first seating. :/ After the hostess made sure we knew what we were getting ourselves into she took our number and said she'd text and we'd have ten minutes to get back to the restaurant to ensure our seats. We went around the corner for drinks and oysters at Hank's. Note to self: Even though oysters aren't that filling, by the time you get to course four or five at Little Serow, you regret having eaten them. We ended up at the end of bar, which I actually liked since we had a chance to see into the kitchen and gave us a better opportunity to chat to the bartenders/servers. We ordered a bottle of a Frech farmouse-style cider, the name of which I don't remember. We got our baskets of rice and vegetables almost immediately after our drinks. (I went in late April, but the menu posted for this week is the same.) nam prik narohk snakehead fish / tamarind / shrimp paste How can they not mention the pork rinds?! This spread comes with the biggest, crunchiest, best pork rinds I've ever had. I'm not an expert on pork rinds or anything, but these were amazing. I really loved the contrast between the spread and the pork rinds or other vehicles for the spread. The smoothness of the dip versus the crunchiness of the pork rinds, the spice of the dip versus the coolness of the lettuce/cabbage. tom saep gapi shrimp / mushroom / sawtooth The best, although not entirely accurate, comparison for this would be: Like a chilled tom yum soup. Except that the broth is more clarified. And the heat in the broth sneaks up on you. I've probably mentioned it before, but I really like soup. And I really liked this one. yam makheua yao eggplant / cured duck egg / shallot The egg is really just a garnish, and not even a really noticeable one on the smoky, salty, sour eggplant. I liked eating this with the rice, as I thought the flavor of the dish, although good, was bordering on too much. laap chiang mai pork / pork blood / lanna spices This is probably an oversimplification of this dish: Your basic larb/laab...but with pork blood. It added a certain gamey and metallic taste. Not that it wasn't good, but those are tastes that I don't associate with this dish so I felt like it tasted off even though it wasn't. For whatever reason I was able to get over that feeling more with the soup than with this. tow hu thouk tofu / cilantro root / peanut If all tofu was served like this there wouldn't be a misconception that tofu is terrible. Served with a dressing that tasted like it had lime juice and fish sauce and other traditional Thai ingredients. Again with the contrast, this time textures. Crispy tofu, soft herbs, crunchy peanuts. Amazing. (This is where I began to regret the pre-dinner drinks and oysters.) At this point, one of the bartenders gave us glasses of a liqueur. Something kind of like Cynar? Maybe it was. vermouth. (I think they were trying to finish off a bottle.) She said it would complement the ribs when they came out. It was herby and just a tiny bit sweet. yum pla duk catfish / lemongrass / chili jam Again, I think the success of this dish is the contrast of inidividual ingredients and flavors that wouldn't necessarily be as good on their own. Smoky fish, bright lemongrass, sweet heat of the jam. si krong muu pork ribs / mekhong whiskey / dill If you've been to Little Serow, you've had these, as I think it's been mentioned here that this is the only mainstay on the changing menu. I don't know if I would say it was my favorite of the the dishes (I actually think that goes to the tofu. And I can't believe I'm saying that.), but these are good. And tender. Like falling apart at the touch of my fork tender. And the bartender was right, the liqueur vermouth did go really well with the ribs. At $45/person for seven courses (that's under 6.50 per course if you divide it evenly!), Little Serow is probably the best value in terms of quality of food and skill in the kitchen that you'll find in DC. ETA: The +1 has reminded me that the liqueur was actually vermouth. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dedrick Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 What kind of luck have people been having recently with the line? We're planning on going tomorrow, Friday, and I'm curious how early I need to get off of work. Also, are they still allowing people to ask for the second seating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezepowder Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Little Serow's website (on its menu page) says: Golden Mermaid returns! The week of October 13-17, we'll be serving up an all-seafood menu x $55. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 If you've been thinking of visiting Little Serow, I would recommend going soon. We had dinner there this week and their current menu is my favorite yet. It's a fine sequence of fascinating flavors and textures, ending with their fantastic whisky ribs. For people without +1's bottomless capsicum tolerance, definitely get the rice milk to cool your mouth between courses. It's delicious and only $3 per person. We'll probably go back next week for their seafood menu too, but the regular menu right now is very worth seeking out. I'm also struck by how good their service is. DC's food industry service tend to be uneven and can be quite amateurish even at high end places (often coming across as "trying too hard" "too intrusive" or "why does it take them 30 minutes to bring us a check?"). But this crew just effortlessly glides around the room, pacing everyone's meals perfectly, keeping the glasses topped off, gracefully answering questions and keeping everyone happy. Better yet, at least for this week, both Little Serow and Sushi Taro's Happy Hour lines were quite reasonable. If you got in line at 5:15 or maybe even 5:20, you could be sitting down to a fine meal at 5:35. There was actually an empty table in Little Serow for about 30 minutes after the 5:30 first seating. I'm so grateful to have both Little Serow and Thip Khao here, consistently serving delicious food. Now if Pok Pok will open a DC branch... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocobinga Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 How likely am I to slip in - as a solo diner - before they close on a Saturday night and have a meal at the counter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 How likely am I to slip in - as a solo diner - before they close on a Saturday night and have a meal at the counter? For this specific of a question, I would call and ask for their gut feel. They won't be able to guarantee anything of course, but they might have a fairly good idea of what to expect - much better than anyone here could offer you, I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocobinga Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 For this specific of a question, I would call and ask for their gut feel. They won't be able to guarantee anything of course, but they might have a fairly good idea of what to expect - much better than anyone here could offer you, I'm sure. Thanks, Don. I suppose I could try to call the number listed for Komi and see if anyone would be kind enough to check for me before I taxi from my hotel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Last time I went -- admittedly, we chose the day because we expected it to be slow -- everyone seemed to get seated whenever they arrived. I don't think that a table at LS is quite the hot ticket it used to be. If you show up a little earlier than you plan to eat, I'd wager that you'd get in before close. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 As (I think you now) know, they don't have a phone.Try their email: note@littleserow.com 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 As (I think you now) know, they don't have a phone. Try their email: note@littleserow.com Coming in after 9:30 almost always guarantees a spot at the bar, sometimes right away, certainly before closing. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocobinga Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 They were able to squeeze me in right around 10:15PM Saturday night. The entire experience was incredible and they managed to crank everything out in less than an hour. The food was stunning. The service was warm and gracious. The rice milk....was divine. I had two glasses of wine with my meal as well - the two German whites they offer. I always set out wanting to hate these places so I won't have to put up with lines or eating at odd hours but, much like Rose's Luxury, I found Little Serow to more than worth the effort. The portions were manageable for a solo diner, but I tend to be a big eater as I consume most of my calories for the day in one meal (intermittent fasting). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
istuffmyface Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 It had been almost exactly 4 years since my first visit here and 3 ½ since my last, so I've been eager to get back here. I had a rare solo night out, and figured getting a seat here early on a Wednesday would be easy and it was. As I recalled and like Komi, the service is just about perfect. Equal parts informative, hospitable, and unintrusive. If I had one complaint, it was the pacing. Courses were stacking up. For most of the meal, I had two courses at a time in front of me. Coupled with the fact that I didn't realize till 4 courses deep that I was being served the same portions as if for two (not a complaint!), there were times I needed to take a break, but was looking down at at least one, sometimes two delicious plates of food with my name on it. A notable difference from previous visits was this was far less of an onslaught of heat. Several courses had marginal, if any, heat, but this also allowed for more complexity (mostly.) Really there were no dishes with off the charts heat. Granted, I order Lao Hot at Bangkok Golden, so my scale may be skewed from the normal tongue. nam prik thai orn green peppercorn / salted fish / dried shrimp Their usual opener, some take on nam prik. As always, I loved this. Just killer. I had been seated for about 2 minutes when this came out, and already had a glass of wine in hand. tom kha snakehead fish / galangal / grachai First time I had gotten a soup here. Was kind of surprised and was curious to see how they served this to the non-solo diners (a single bowl for a couple). Delicate with snakehead dumplings. Really good. hor mak pla catfish / steamed curry / shrimp paste This came out simultaneously with the tom kha. This was definitely my favorite dish in the first half. Spicy, creamy, sweet fish and curry steamed in banana leaf eaten with sticky rice. Just beautiful. laap gai chiang mai chicken / offal / lanna spices Was handed a complimentary and complementary Belgian strong ale right before this to accompany. This was an interesting take on laap. Very funky and super crispy. Not really hot at all, which was partly a disappointment. But this was a case where I don't know that the funky flavors would've stood out as much. Not my favorite laap of all time, but a nice change of pace. This was when I realized I was being served double portions. It's also where I started to hit a wall. And also where I said, screw it, I'm eating everything they put in front of me. tow hu thouk tofu / ginger / peanut This was stunning. Super crunchy tofu. Tons of herbs. Spicy (medium spiciness) peanut dressing. Bright. Nearly perfect balance of textures and flavors. khao phat bla muuk squid / squid ink / egg This was the one dish that didn't excite me. I was already stuffed to the gills which is probably a considerable reason why I wasn't that excited about a dark looking and tasty plate of rice and squid. It was good, but I wouldn't have missed it. Of course, though, I finished the whole thing. si krong muu pork ribs / mekhong whiskey / dill The classic ending. You all know about this one. For whatever reason, it was better than I recall. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Gardner Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 A notable difference from previous visits was this was far less of an onslaught of heat. Several courses had marginal, if any, heat, but this also allowed for more complexity (mostly.) Really there were no dishes with off the charts heat. Granted, I order Lao Hot at Bangkok Golden, so my scale may be skewed from the normal tongue. I had dinner at Little Serow last week. It had been at least a year since my last meal here- when I found the heat a bit much on a couple of the dishes. I too found that it was toned down this time around, and as a result I enjoyed it more. This is still one of my favorite DC restaurants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simul Parikh Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Any idea of what the Saturday evening wait would be like? S EDIT - price went up to $49. Wonder when that happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhollers Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Any idea of what the Saturday evening wait would be like? S EDIT - price went up to $49. Wonder when that happened. Saturday night is always slammed for that first turn, but we've shown up around 7:30 and been able to walk in for a two-top. Worst-case, you can always just go grab a drink or two at Hank's or Duke's. And $49 is still a steal. I love Northern Thai food and I love to eat, and I've always been beyond stuffed after finishing. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Saturday night is always slammed for that first turn, but we've shown up around 7:30 and been able to walk in for a two-top. Worst-case, you can always just go grab a drink or two at Hank's or Duke's. And $49 is still a steal. I love Northern Thai food and I love to eat, and I've always been beyond stuffed after finishing. Cheers! You kind of said it all with this. One thing my recent truancy has been teaching me about Little Serow: every single time I've gone there, I've *learned* something. Their menus are worth keeping, studying, and committing to memory. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmorrell Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 It has been too long since we darkened the door at Little Serow and we rectified that last night. With every visit, its as if we've just popped into a friend's for dinner; a hipper, cooler friend no doubt but a friend nonetheless. In our continuation of dine-out-every-night-while-the-kids-are-at-grandma's we're beginning to feel like stuffed geese. I sincerely have a new respect for food critics that dine out nearly every night. That said it was worth every bite. So many favorites, from the pork rinds and shrimp paste that always make my mouth water with anticipation to the pork ribs that smell almost as good as they taste and the inevitable sopping up of the remaining liquid with the last bits of our sticky rice. I have to say the best of the best for me was a new dish, debuted last night, shredded duck. I should have noted the exact ingredients but I was too busy shoveling as much of it as I could into the cabbage leaves provided. It was the perfect mix of flavor and heat. Its hard to decide which I get more excited about, finding a new dish to savor or enjoying long standing favorite. Either way, they always pair well with their house-made vermouth. If you're not enjoying at least one glass during a visit, you're missing out. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simul Parikh Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Went last night with one of my "chemo"-sabes and an old friend from USAID who's leaving us for Somalia. Got there at 640p, told between 715-745p, got the magic text at 740p. 3 dishes were oldies but goodies (pork rinds/shrimp paste, pork ribs, chicken/offal larb). 3 ones that were new to me - "het nam tok" (mushroom, rice powder, mint), "yam khamin khao" (white turmeric, cashew, coconut), naem khluk (sour pork, ginger, peanut). There is another dish listed, and I swear that never came "kaeng khiaw waan" (heart of palm, pumpkin, basil), but I could be forgetting, will have to ask dining partners. I love the mushroom dish. Earthy, fresh, delicious. I wasn't looking forward to the turmeric dish because it is a substance that my parents made me eat when I was sick and to this day, I don't react well to it. But, fresh turmeric slices are much different than the horrible yellow powder. Was good, but wouldn't chase after it. Chicken laab is the belle of the ball, now, better than the ribs, in my opinion. I could eat that daily, and never get sick of it. Sour pork was good. I'm forgetting - maybe I did have that before? That's the crispy rice dish. It's got this fermented pork taste to it that's way better than it sounds. Oh, now I remember, the kaeng khiaw waan was the green curry. The server described it as eggplant green curry, so I don't know if they actually use pumpkin or not. Ribs fell off the bone, as usual. Small sticky rice thingie for mini dessert. Not my jam. A few notes ... Food is still amazing, fresh, interesting. Maybe a little less spicy than usual? The turmeric dish and the laab are spicy-ish, but not too much heat on the menu this evening. The green curry was a throwaway dish, take it or leave it. Not a whole lot different than green curries at regular Thai places. The meal is very filling. We were absolutely stuffed. The meal is still a good value - I had 2 beers ($6 each), they each had 1 glass of wine ($12 each), $80 each after tax/tip. Should have got the vermouth as suggested above, but totally forgot. I'm looking back at someone's post from December, and there are four different items compared to this menu, which is pretty incredible for them to try so many new things that end up being hits. Service remains perfect, reminds me of Rose's, excited and enthusiastic and casual without being overbearing. Perfect for me. The only negative, to me, was that the coursing seems different. At one point we had 3-4 dishes on the table at once. I'd rather pace it out, but at the same time, it was Tuesday night and I probably didn't need the opposite to happen where it turns into a 3 hour meal. That's something I noticed happening at Thai X-ing (terrible coursing, everything at once), and once that happened, I just didn't enjoy myself as much. I'm curious to see if this persists or worsens. *** On a side note, usually try to go to Duke's for a drink. Man, they were being difficult. I was solo and waiting, waiting on 2 people so I asked for 3 seats, but they wouldn't give me a seat until everyone was there. Fine. There were plenty of open seats outside, but fine. One of my friends got there, and we assumed the other would probably just meet us at the restaurant since she runs late. So we asked for seats for 2. They needed all of us there. We said it's not 3 any more, it's two. "You can't save a seat for your friend." "We aren't going to." Anyway, about to sit, and she checks in if we are eating or not. "Well, it's getting busy here now, and outside is for dining only." Very annoying altogether. Went to Fox and Hound's, which is sort of great place to get drinks before LS - patio is almost always pretty empty, service is efficient so it's easy to leave when you get the text. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 You're making a big mistake if you don't go to Little Serow in the next four days for what might be the best Golden Mermaid menu yet. Week of May 9, 2017 lon pla duk warm catfish relish / coconut / yellow bean gaap kai buu coconut husk / mud crab / shrimp paste laap pla gapong isaan barramundi / galangal / rice powder kanom bung na gapi shrimp toast / khi nu chilies / tamarind suki haeng pla muk glass noodles / squid / garlic chives pla tod whole fish / salt cured ginger sankaya chae yen frozen custard! $59 ** sorry, no substitutions; dishes may contain coconut, even when not listed 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyfood Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 sounds incredible. wish i had time this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadarene Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Everything was delicious, but that shrimp toast was downright extraordinary. A stunner. (And get the blaufrankisch sparkling rosè as an aperitif.) Thanks for the heads up, Marty. I wouldn't have gone had it not been for your post. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simul Parikh Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Their wine list is so thoughtful. I had an orange Pinot Grigio called "Ramato" by Channing Daughters.... earthy and perfect for the laabs and just about everything. I dream of it... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyfood Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 Ended up making it in last night solo--and wow am I glad I did. What an outstanding meal. Those veggies are unbelievable; I have never had such crisp, flavorful veggies as I do at LS. The shrimp toast was one of the best things I've had in a while. It wasn't 1/10th as spicy as usual, but some delicious vermouth went perfectly with it all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadarene Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 1 hour ago, funkyfood said: Ended up making it in last night solo--and wow am I glad I did. What an outstanding meal. Those veggies are unbelievable; I have never had such crisp, flavorful veggies as I do at LS. The shrimp toast was one of the best things I've had in a while. It wasn't 1/10th as spicy as usual, but some delicious vermouth went perfectly with it all. Litttle Serow always makes me remember how much I like munching on high-quality raw cabbage and lettuce. I probably go through two baskets' worth every time I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simul Parikh Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 I want to go now!! Had a line waiter last time, worked out perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 Any idea what the line situation is on Saturdays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 7 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said: Any idea what the line situation is on Saturdays? Different from week to week. Generally speaking, if you're willing to eat on the late side, just go at around 5:30 or 6:00 and tell them that; most days you'll be ok. If you want to be in the first sitting, good idea to be there by 4:45 or so. In between, it's very hard to predict . . . . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmorrell Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 On 7/17/2017 at 3:57 PM, Ericandblueboy said: Any idea what the line situation is on Saturdays? We were there on a Saturday a month or so ago and noticed two things. The first is that there were significantly more professional line standers than I've ever seen there before. Not really a judgment on that just something I noticed. One was even passing out his business cards. Second, most people in line at 4:15/:30 were actually going for the 7:30 seating. I arrived at 4:30 and there were 12 people in front of me and only two wanted the 5:30 seating. I was given the 9:30 seating due to a large number of parties of 4 and in one case 5! And despite the 9:30 time slot we actually sat down closer to 8 which was perfect for us! Its really hit or miss but in general I agree with what Marty said above! And honestly, I'm happy to eat there at any time. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadarene Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Inspired by this thread being bumped, I walked in tonight at 5:50 and was immediately seated at the counter. The virtues of dining alone. The food and service were stellar, as always; I was sad to miss the chicken dish that ended the meal on last week's menu, but it's hard to be disappointed by the consistently delicious Mekhong whiskey ribs. The staff here is so friendly and nice; how on earth did they get overlooked by Michelin? They're far more worthy of a Bib Gourmand, at a minimum, than half the names on that list. $49 for seven courses is a damn steal. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jca76 Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 16 hours ago, Gadarene said: The staff here is so friendly and nice; how on earth did they get overlooked by Michelin? They're far more worthy of a Bib Gourmand, at a minimum, than half the names on that list. the biggest travesty of the dc michelin guide was that monis and his wonderful teams got shut out. however, little serow wasn't eligible for a bib gourmand, which i believe requires that the diner can get two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less. obviously little serow is a much better food value than a lot of the bib gourmand recipients (many of which are probably getting credit for two small plates as individual courses, and can easily get much more expensive than $40), but their $49 price tag excludes them. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadarene Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 4 minutes ago, jca76 said: the biggest travesty of the dc michelin guide was that monis and his wonderful teams got shut out. however, little serow wasn't eligible for a bib gourmand, which i believe requires that the diner can get two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less. obviously little serow is a much better food value than a lot of the bib gourmand recipients (many of which are probably getting credit for two small plates as individual courses, and can easily get much more expensive than $40), but their $49 price tag excludes them. A fair correction. Of course, the actual Bib Gourmand criteria apply only narrowly to many of the restaurants on the list, where you can only get below the $40 threshold by being extremely selective about which courses you order. At Doi Moi, for example, most of the dishes under $15 are no more than snacks; two of them certainly wouldn't fill many people up, and the more substantial entrees are between $20 and $29. I would never think of Doi Moi as being a good value the way I do Little Serow. You need to be similarly picky, to varying degrees, at Kyirisan, Maketto, Red Hen, and so forth. And, of course, the whole "small plates" concept generally makes the Bib Gourmand criteria a bit silly: if there's a tapas-style place that serves a bunch of dishes at ~$10, but recommends 3+ dishes per person, then they can duck under the $40 ceiling for two courses without providing an actual complete meal; the vast majority of folks will be walking out spending more than $40 before tax and tip. But yeah, you're absolutely right to note that Little Serow doesn't qualify; that was a sloppy comment on my part. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simul Parikh Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Maybe the sloppy part is the criteria for Bib Gourmand? We are lucky to have this place ... could easily get to $60-70 and will be worth it because of how unique / special it is. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 Does anyone know of a place nearby where I can buy a can or bottle of beer? --- Buying Single Beers (Off-Premise) in Washington, DC (DaRiv18) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadarene Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 20 minutes ago, lhollers said: I would agree with this in large part, save for Little Serow, numerous dishes of which have been comparable to some of the best meals / bites I had throughout Thailand. Highly recommend! This probably belongs in the Little Serow thread, but I impressed some folks from Isaan greatly while in Thailand by reading them Little Serow's menu, because it has dishes that they did not think were served anywhere in America. Now I'm just waiting for Little Serow to do a spicy ant egg salad, so I can compare it to the amazing one I had at an Isaan restaurant in Bangkok. I'm not holding my breath. 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jca76 Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 golden mermaid is back this week, and excellent as always. (i don't think there were any entirely new dishes on it, but many favorites. in particular, the lobster roe-yellow bean sauce, which may be my absolute favorite golden mermaid flavor, was served with squash and cabbage. i was a bit skeptical of the pile of steamed veggies, but they were great for highlighting the sauce.) of particular note: for the first time i've ever noticed, the menu notes that dinner is peanut-free, in case anyone has been kept away by a peanut allergy. (we asked, and apparently this is a coincidence of the dishes this time around.) gaap kai buu coconut husk / mud crab / shrimp paste dtam som o pomelo / lemongrass / shrimp yum khai khem crispy rice cakes / salted duck egg / cured roe lon khai gung yai pumpkin / lobster roe / yellow bean phat hoi lai manila clams / basil / green peppercorn miang pla tod whole fish! / rice noodles / naam jim 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyfood Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 went last night with friends and can confirm that the lobster roe-yellow bean sauce was incredible. my friend said "i want to bathe in this". the squash and cabbage worked perfectly. I was a bit disappointed that only one dish was even kind of spicy and that they appeared to reduce the items in the veggie basket. but the coconut dessert was incredible. and the staff is always so pleasant. I love this place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 On 11/10/2017 at 12:52 PM, funkyfood said: went last night with friends and can confirm that the lobster roe-yellow bean sauce was incredible. my friend said "i want to bathe in this". the squash and cabbage worked perfectly. I was a bit disappointed that only one dish was even kind of spicy and that they appeared to reduce the items in the veggie basket. but the coconut dessert was incredible. and the staff is always so pleasant. I love this place. ff, do you have a good idea of how the waits are these days? I'd love to go, but not at the cost of waiting, only to miss the first seating - the day of the week doesn't matter at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyfood Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 Don, the waits don't seem to be long anymore. We showed up at 6 with a party of four (they open at 5:30 and only have 3 or so 4-tops) and were seated immediately. They also said golden mermaid week is substantially busier than most weeks because of the influx of pescaterians. I wouldn't worry about long waits. PS their housemade vermouth is great but I'm a sucker for most vermouth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Horoscope Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Very nice New Years Eve experience! prix fixe. best dishes were tom kha soup with galangal, catfish dumplings, and lime leaf, then the phat gapi pong garee (shrimp, glass noodles, sweet curry). wow the shrimp! wow! this was our first visit and i hope we go back soon. casual, relaxed, good service...really nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted April 15, 2018 Share Posted April 15, 2018 Friday was a nice day (the first warm Friday of the year that I can recall) and I got there around 4 and was the 2nd person in line. The line did get quite long. I don't recall if I ever had jackfruit before (probably not) because I find the texture off-putting. I've never ate a maggot before but the soft and squishiness of the jackfruit made me think I was eating maggots. The flavor was good though. The chicken offal laab was fantastic. The only discernible offal was liver, but the it wasn't too livery. This dish was quite hot. The next dish was some sweet and crispy tofu, except it was even hotter than the previous dish. So my tongue was on fire and I was wondering why. At this point, our server tried to put out the fire by pouring us some free funky cider. The catfish was in small dry cubes, served warm. The khao soi were individual bowls of noodle, handmade but quite thick and served perhaps a bit too al dente. 7 courses for $49 is still quite a bargain and the service has always been wonderful. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted April 15, 2018 Share Posted April 15, 2018 I've been meaning to write this for quite awhile now, as Little Serow remains one of my very favorite restaurants in the area - remarkably, it has remained just as consistent and value-driven as it was when it first opened, years ago. Little Serow is Johnny Monis and Anne Marler's gift to Washington, DC. Thanks to Eric (please read his post just above, which is more current than this one is) for prompting me to get this done. Please keep in mind that, although this menu is typical, Eric's menu up above is the one that is current; this meal was, I believe, from early February, though - especially with the pictures - I remember it like it was yesterday. My apologies for the blurriness of pictures #3 and #4 - #4 in particular deserves to be shown in all its splendor. The Menu: The Basket of Sticky Rice (always served here - to be used as a palate cleanser): Nam Prik Hét (Pork Rinds with a dipping sauce of mushroom, shallot, and finger chilies - brought as an amuse-bouche): The Basket of Greens (always served here, to be used as wraps, palate cleansers, etc.): Tom Kha (the well-known soup with fish dumplings, grachai (brined rhyzome), and lime leaf): The importantly named Ma Hor (sour fruit, sweet pork, and dried shrimp (so says the menu; I'm pretty sure there are dried anchovies in here): Laap Gai Chiang Mai (chicken, chicken offal, and lanna spices - This is the same dish that Eric raved about up above, and was the first indication that we were going to be really, *really* full when we left - this dish was extremely rich and filling, as well as absolutely delicious (but you must like offal, because it's there in spades). See that little hunk of white on the right side of the plate? That's cabbage, cut to extreme thinness with a mandolin, having the same type of layering as a thousand-layered baklava, each piece intended to be used either to pick up a piece of your dish as a wrap, or simply munched on as a palate cleanser (we did both)): Tow Hu Thouk (tofu, ginger, and peanut - a merciful lightening in both texture and flavor, as two Laap Gai Chiang Mal-like dishes in a row would have been tough to stomach, so to speak. This dish came at the perfect time in the meal, and we were actually *less full* after finishing it, than we were before starting it - this type of presentation is typical of a master chef like Johnny Monis. Don't get me wrong - this wasn't a "light" dish; it was a lighter dish: You can see from the fried tofu alone that it wasn't intended to be a trou Normand, but it still had the overall effect of making our lives easier for the next half hour): Phat Phak (greens, garlic, and oyster sauce - Doesn't sound like much, does it? But these three "common" items were combined and executed perfectly, and this dish was a great example of how much it matters to present well-prepared dishes in a logical order - they worked brilliantly at this point of the meal. Now, this *was* intended to begin winding things down, as the chicken offal course could have taken out an NFL Linebacker for the evening, and at some point, mercy needed to be displayed, if only for one course!): Si Krong Muu (pork ribs, mekhong whiskey, dill - So, instead of "See Spot Run," we have "Si Krong Muu." I've had this at least twice now, and both times it has been fabulous, even if it was the dish that would make the toughest of competition eaters wave the white flag. Not particularly heavy (in fact, it's very light and elegant), it was merely a back-breaking straw - I've never met anyone who has left Little Serow hungry; more importantly, I've never met anyone who has left Little Serow unhappy. This sauce has similar, heavenly qualities as a Frank Ruta consommé, and serves to lighten the dish (and overall meal) both aromatically, and also with a touch of acidity that serves as a melting agent - it's just a wonderful place to finish your meal. Citrus Mignardises (Soft, cool, pastry shells filled with a yuzu-type of citrus custard, the entire bite presenting itself with an almost-inexplicable, cool, rubbery, creamy, semi-sweet, acidic, refreshing magnificence that I've only had a few times in my life, with the very best of dessert bites). I'm not even quite sure what this was, but it was one of the greatest bites of food I've ever eaten, and it could not have arrived at a more opportune time - just when I thought I could eat no more, I craved an entire bucket full of these (and the always-delightful Sarah McCarty, our wonderful server, was kind enough to bring us two more with the check, for which we rest eternally grateful). Words cannot adequately describe how perfect these little bites were at this moment. Accompanied by a glass of Calvados, which also assisted as a melting agent, we left overjoyed, content beyond words, and ready to take on the world - and, incredibly, not all that much poorer, as Little Serow remains one of the greatest values in Washington, DC dining history. I don't care what Michelin's criteria are for "Bib Gourmand" or "One-Star" awards - the fact that Little Serow doesn't have one is just as absurd as Komi not having One Star until this year (Komi is closer to a Two-Star restaurant than it is to One-Star, but not having *any* stars was just ridiculous, and shows how little credence you should put in Michelin outside of its home turf. If you haven't yet been to Little Serow, it remains one of the most important restaurants in all of Washington, DC, given its regional emphasis, its almost-humorously low price-point, its impeccable service, and its consistently superior quality. I compare it to Tail-Up Goat or 2 Amys as much as I do any other restaurant, even though those three restaurants simply couldn't be any more different). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simul Parikh Posted April 15, 2018 Share Posted April 15, 2018 Been 3-4 times. Always ended with ribs. Last time, I was sort of "done" with it - tasted too sweet. Glad to see that more recently, it doesn't always make the menu. I'm excited for the laab... Most SE Asian places don't hit hard enough with the offal, but Thip Khao and LS seem to bring it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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