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Eat The Rich, 7th and T Street in Shaw - Now an Oyster Bar Concept - Closed


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Saw this in a tweet from Tim Carman:

Charcuterie master Julien Shapiro hired as chef for Eat the Rich

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-guide/wp/2013/08/27/charcuterie-master-julien-shapiro-hired-as-chef-for-eat-the-rich/

While an opening date still remains a question mark, Eat the Rich has now settled on an opening-day chef. He's Julien Shapiro, the man currently producing artisan charcuterie at Bryan Voltaggio's Range in Chevy Chase Pavilion........ (see above link for the rest)

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Shapiro's pork and squab "starship," an example of what "measuring gets you," the chef says. (Julien Shapiro)

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Fresh, local oysters on the half shell, bourbon in the cocktail pitcher, Beastie Boys on the stereo - what's not to like?

I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Eat the Rich. It was an easy place for a pre-930 Club meal a few nights ago.

Without a copy of the menu I won't be able to do justice to the details of the dishes.  We tried the following:

Dozen mixed Rappahannock River oysters

"Beach and beans"

Roasted Cauliflower (a beautiful rainbow of white, yellow, purple, and green Romesco)

Chöwderhead

Sweet and Sour Black Kingfish (thanks, PF)

They were all excellent, each presented with a level of detail that might be unexpected, unless you know who's doing the work in the kitchen.  The chowder and the beach and beans were my favorites, by a smidge. The lamb, stuffed porgy, and scallops are among the things I'd like to try next time.

Cocktails by the pitcher is a fun concept and the Buck Hunter (bourbon, ginger, lemon) didn't disappoint.

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I saw the article in the WaPo on Friday, & although I don't get into town that often, the chowder sounds delicious. I will say, Poivrot Farci, you look a little uncomfortable in the photo, but w/ a name like 'Eat the Rich', you gotta watch your back. But broccoli w/ anchovy sofrito could convince me to eat my veg.

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We went on Friday. Loved it. The cocktails by the pitcher were, unsurprisingly, delicious, and everything we ordered to eat was great. Our wait at around 7:30 pm on a Friday was about 30 minutes to get two bar seats, which wasn't so bad. This isn't something I typically complain about, but I would warn people that this place is quite loud, at least in the front room, and as a result might be a challenge for a group larger than two.

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i went last night with a friend and i thoroughly enjoyed my meal.  i had been one other time but it was for my post-work shift drink and too late to order from the kitchen.  This time, i arrived at 7pm and found plenty of seating and quiet at the benches in back.

my friend ordered an indian pale ale of some kind, which i paid no heed to because i actively eschew hoppy beers.  i got a lovely albarino to accompany our steamed rapa whelks with an old bay laced mayo and a dozen olde salt clams on the half-shell.  my friend kept putting too much cocktail sauce on the clams and i almost got upset because they are so fresh and salty they barely needed anything at all.  it was his first time eating raw clams so i let it go.  the whelks were also great and i'd love to know where they're from....i was a little disappointed that they were so thoroughly cleaned up but i've already discussed my preference for a more "rustic" approach to gastropods elsewhere on this site.

anyhoo, after the first round of food, we ordered the fish pie with pickled vegetables and a swordfish dish that was supposed to include sausage but my friend doesn't eat meat so the kitchen kindly left it off.  i'll have to go back to get this with the sausage.  the swordfish included some melty, mustardy sauerkraut and well, i can't recall other details because i was too busy devouring my portion of the fish pie.  the pie was basically a tender ball of minced white fish and parsley and maybe scallops (?) completely wrapped in pastry dough and baked (not unlike the "starship" above but as a stand alone pie rather than a slice of pie).  the side of pickles were cauliflower florets, decoratively carved button mushrooms, thin slices of carrots and red chilis, and jalepeno.  i really appreciated the knife work put into these pickles.  i'm not trying to sound snooty but it made an impression.  they were a perfect accompaniment to the fairly rich pie.  my friend is welsh so he was also very appreciative of a good fish pie.  we stopped talking and ate in silence before we resumed catching up.

in the meantime, some lovely person (me thinks chantal) decided to treat us with a third dish -- one that i had strongly considered ordering anyway -- that consisted of poached swordfish albacore tuna, seared squid, butter poached shrimp, and pickled mackerel all sitting atop pureed flageolet beans.  i will probably order this next time because i love beans so much and everything was cooked perfectly.  also, my friend accidentally ate all of the mackerel :'-(

i would've considered trying something sweet but we had to rush to the black cat (i'm not a hipster; i just play one sometimes. #indenial).  our total bill (not including the last dish) was $89 before tax and tip.  not cheap but given the quality and consideration put into everything, i was happy and hope to return soon.

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The $15 Fish Pie is a great value.  Not much to add to Cizuka's account.  Just wanted give some DR.com love to Julien, it's clear he is more than just a charcuterie pretty face.  I understand that Southern Efficiency will soon share the same kitchen, so I look forward to that menu as well.

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I was genuinely surprised that it wasn't even remotely full last night.  ETR is a fantastic small-to-medium-plates destination, so long as you like seafood, and deserves to be packed.  There are a couple of non-seafood options, of course, but generally you'll need to like fish or shellfish to roam the menu freely.  On a food quality level, I'd put it right up there with Rose's Luxury even though the atmosphere is very different, with the dining room evoking more of a "seafood shack" theme with communal benches and the tabletops awkwardly divided lengthwise by a high elevated shelf in the center.

Seafood leaves no room for error, which made last night's consistent excellence all the more impressive.  Besides an excellent fish pie - Julien's pastry coffin beautifully golden with just the right flakiness for a savory pie - I was longing for some Carolina shrimp earlier in the week (while I was making a paella with Gulf shrimp) so the Swordfish-To-Your-Face was a done deal, with a beautifully seared piece of swordfish, (andouille?) sausage slices, and three head-on shrimp served over a nicely muted sauerkraut.  The fish chowder was also superb.

With Rappahannock Oysters a partner in the operation, it was no surprise that oysters featured prominently in many dishes, but you couldn't go wrong with a plate of these on the half-shell.  Gubeen and I split an assortment of their three varieties (original, Stingray, Olde Salt) and the oysters were top-notch: correctly presented right-side-up, all deeply cupped, shells extremely clean, and perfectly shucked with all of the liquor intact.  Presented with a cocktail sauce, some julienned fresh horseradish, and a minimally-oniony mignonette.

Obligatory disclosure: Derek was in the house and having seen that we hadn't chosen the Angels-On-Horseback, he sent some over.  It didn't influence my opinion of the other items; but I have to say that these were exceptional.  Even our non-oyster-eater loved them; the oysters themselves were small and delicate, yet not overcooked thanks to the use of thin slices of Julien's coppa instead of bacon.  Head and shoulders above the usual version.

Coffee by Vigilante.  Don't expect fancy brewing techniques, just a damn good cup of coffee.  Service was friendly and mostly attentive; value was really strong IMHO.  We ate really well for about $40 a head, although we chose soda and beer instead of exploring the cocktails.

Fifty yards north of the Shaw Metro station (green/yellow lines) on the same side of 7th St NW.  Go give Julien a chance to impress you.

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Coffee by Vigilante.  Don't expect fancy brewing techniques, just a damn good cup of coffee.  Service was friendly and mostly attentive; value was really strong IMHO.

I'd have to say service was very attentive given they don't actually have coffee at Eat the Rich; our waiter went next door to make some for us.

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I was genuinely surprised that it wasn't even remotely full last night.  ETR is a fantastic small-to-medium-plates destination, so long as you like seafood, and deserves to be packed.  There are a couple of non-seafood options, of course, but generally you'll need to like fish or shellfish to roam the menu freely.  On a food quality level, I'd put it right up there with Rose's Luxury even though the atmosphere is very different, with the dining room evoking more of a "seafood shack" theme with communal benches and the tabletops awkwardly divided lengthwise by a high elevated shelf in the center.

I have been wondering about ETR and your write-up is just the push I need to get me here ASAP.  I am a huge Rose's Luxury fan, and the comparison certainly attracts my attention.

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Obligatory disclosure: Derek was in the house and having seen that we hadn't chosen the Angels-On-Horseback, he sent some over.  It didn't influence my opinion of the other items; but I have to say that these were exceptional.  Even our non-oyster-eater loved them; the oysters themselves were small and delicate, yet not overcooked thanks to the use of thin slices of Julien's coppa instead of bacon.  Head and shoulders above the usual version.

I was there last week by myself, and had these and the chowder.  I'd get the angels on horseback again in a heartbeat.  Plump oysters firmed up by judicious use of heat while wrapped in the capicola, served on toast with shallot butter. My wife, who isn't much of an oyster eater, would have gone nuts over these.  The chowder was good as well, served in an enormous cup (I think they had the picture on facebook or twitter.) with fish and other shellfish floating around.  This was a perfect antidote to the cold night we had.

Also warming was the mescal toddy.  Whoo - rocket fuel with hot water.  As much of the buzz can be had from inhaling the steam coming off of it I think.  I was surprised how it all melded together with the yellow chartreuse giving a very subtle herbal backing to the smoke of the mescal.  After one of those, I changed to a Flying Dog Pearl Necklace oyster stout.

Next time (and there will be a next time) I'll bring Barbara and we'll branch out more.  This place is super-convenient for us to metro in from Alexandria, being in the same block as the Shaw metro stop.  No changing platforms, just get off the yellow line, wait, and get on the green line (or not even that if the Ft Totten Yellow line trains are running).

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The tables are based on repurposed prison workbenches from yesteryear that the owners saw on a trip through North Carolina.  The shelf would force prisoners to keep their mischievous hands above the table so as to snuff out any distribution of contraband underneath, or in this case make room for the oyster platters.

Rapa whelks.

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And a couple of stowaways.

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Fish pies.

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Baked to order, with pickles.

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In addition to the aforementioned we have more copious items intended for sharing.

Pocket-book porgy for 2.  $25

1.5lb Chesapeake bay porgy (sea bream) entirely deboned through the back and stuffed with root vegetables, toasted bread, Lewes cream and herbs.  It has been kindly heralded as a maritime thanksgiving.

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Super Roast for the table, $60.

The venison version (15oz Shaffer venison leg roast bound with my ventrèche, lamb shank simmer in black-eyed peas, 3 venison sausages flavored with rosemary, orange zest and juniper, 6 grilled oysters, some scarlet turnips and their greens) has been benched so that we can offer a bovine version comprised of a trussed 15oz top sirloin roast of Virginia beef, corned tongue, barley, beef cheeks simmered in Flying Dog's oyster stout, little onions and 6 grilled Rappahannock river oysters.

On Sundays there is a smaller all day brunch-flavored menu during which we propose a dozen items including Jansson's Temptation (Kennebec potatoes baked in cream with salted anchovies and caramelized onions $7),  the waterman's remedy (shellfish  consommé with seafood dumplings, poached shrimp and squid ink noodles $13), a soft boiled egg with a barely poached oyster and toast points, $6; and the revitalizing Grand Chesapeake Boil, $38.  Olde Salt middleneck clams, whelks, scallops, head-on Carolina shrimp, squid, grilled swordfish, coddled eggs, cauliflower, new & blue potatoes, smoked pork sausage, grilled buckwheat sourdough bread and a mortar & pestle aïoli. 

Grand Chesapeake Boil.

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Leading up to New Years Eve we will have brandade with walnuts and walnut oil oysters, $10; Villeroy (Stingray oysters dipped in a horseradish and oyster juice gravy, breaded and deep fried) and our rollmops with pickled scallops and warm potatoes. $11.  There is a moratorium on Chesapeake blueback herring so we are getting them fresh and whole from Maine before the majority go into lobster pots.

Butterflied delicately like anchovies.

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Overnight in coarse sea salt

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Cinched around a pickled cucumber with a skewer and cold pickled for a week with aromatics.

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I am dying here- that looks so delicious, & my (lovely) extended family wants to go to a hibachi restaurant on Xmas eve-onion volcanoes & shoe leather shrimp, anyone? Then it's down to Sneads Ferry after Xmas, where most of the seafood will be fried, but if I have to suffer & eat my weight in fried shrimp, I'll do it. My NY's resolution will be to make it in, to eat your food at ETR.

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Julien,

My parents are visiting next weekend and I had told them we should have Sunday brunch at Eat the Rich.

Then I read your post and never have I been so angry that it's Monday and not Sunday. GAH! STUPID CHRISTMAS GET OUTTA THE WAY I'M HUNGRY ALREADY.

(And I forwarded it on to them to get them excited...)

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I don't recall how many dishes the four of us split today...five?  Six?  But I can tell you this: every plate left the table clean.  We didn't leave a drop of sauce nor a smudge of aioli behind.

No whelks in the Grand Chesapeake Boil today, but no matter...it's still a sumptuous plate for two or more.  Other than the absent whelks, our presentation was maybe even better than the depiction above; each of the coddled eggs was set atop an Olde Salt clam, instantly solving the question of how to pick them up, and the scallops were plated after the sauce, keeping the gorgeous seared crust intact.  And somehow this was all integrated without overcooking anything, particularly the squid.

I haven't been feeling very eloquent lately, so I'll just point out a couple of things about three of our dishes.  First, the herring rollmops were fantastic, if you like rollmops.  No apparent shortcuts anywhere.  The pickled vegetables maintained that balance of sweet and biting that is often out-of-whack, and the herrings themselves were large, meaty, and maintained a texture worthy of a sushi restaurant.  My father-in-law would have been over the moon.

Second, the Waterman's Remedy had a strong Asian vibe, underscored by the umami bomb "seafood dumplings" bobbing in the bowl...a refined riff on the "fish balls" found in Asian soups, only these were nothing at all like the rubbery shortcut items one commonly encounters.  It's not as overtly rich as the other dishes, but would not be at all out-of-place in a grand Hong Kong restaurant.

Third, $19 gets you three large scallops, perfectly seared and identical to those on the Chesapeake Boil, served on a bed of rutabaga puree, garnished with cipollini, baby carrots, and a bit of greens.  Get it.

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I went Saturday Night for drinks and oysters before dinner at Table, down the street.  All four of us wished we had stayed!  The oysters were fantastic! Old salts the best and I usually go for sweeter - they were good too.  Great drinks and lovely bar tender.  Can't wait to go back.  It'll be brunch next time.

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So I've been meaning to post. Took my family to EtR for brunch weekend before last. Other than my mom, the rest of the family was hesitant about going, but they trusted me (well, my brother trusts Derek Brown to have a bar that at least serves good drinks).

SPOILER ALERT: I am a hero.

My brother and I started with the soft boiled hen egg with toasted points. I'd never had something like that before and oh my goodness, it was perfect. (I'm glad Angie suggested it to me when I had talked to her.) My parents split an order of a dozen oysters, four of each type, and slurped them right down. My brother got his much desired old fashioned, while mom and I started a pitcher of bloody marys and dad and my sister-in-law started a pitcher of mimosas.

As a side note: my dad has never liked bloody marys but he ended up finishing the pitcher with me. They were a bit too much for my mom, so she went for the mimosas.

My brother and sister-in-law split a Chesapeake boil, as did my parents. They loved everything but the whelks; mostly that was a consistency issue. I got to try one of the coddled eggs and thought it quite good.

I got the herring and the Janssen's Temptation. They worked together very well, though each (on its own) was too much overall for me both in size and overall flavor. I could eat one whole rollmop but two ... oof! And the potatoes were so good, but so rich that I couldn't have eaten the whole thing.

So, in short, go with friends, eat everything, it's great.

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Met a friend here for dinner earlier this week. We each had an oyster back to kick off the night. If I had a higher alcohol tolerance I could drink these all night. Unfortunately I don't and it was a school night so I stuck with only one. I also had rye on the rocks as well as a stout for the evening.

For food, my friend and I split a dozen oysters, four of each of the three varieties. They were all great and I have no complaints except I wish I had a dozen oysters all to myself. I followed the oysters up with the swordfish in your face, perfectly cooked and one of the better composed seafood dishes I have had in a long time. My friend had the brandade which he enjoyed. I had a taste and thought it was really salty but I am not sure if it's supposed to be that salty or was over salted.

Overall, we both enjoyed our dinner here. I am loving these three Derek Brown bars.

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Met a friend here for dinner earlier this week. We each had an oyster back to kick off the night. If I had a higher alcohol tolerance I could drink these all night. Unfortunately I don't and it was a school night so I stuck with only one. I also had rye on the rocks as well as a stout for the evening.

For food, my friend and I split a dozen oysters, four of each of the three varieties. They were all great and I have no complaints except I wish I had a dozen oysters all to myself. I followed the oysters up with the swordfish in your face, perfectly cooked and one of the better composed seafood dishes I have had in a long time. My friend had the brandade which he enjoyed. I had a taste and thought it was really salty but I am not sure if it's supposed to be that salty or was over salted.

Overall, we both enjoyed our dinner here. I am loving these three Derek Brown bars.

I've been three times now, and I think it's the best pure seafood restaurant in the area. Not everything has been perfect, but some things have been amazingly good.

Note also that Eat The Rich and Southern Efficiency share a kitchen (and Julien Shapiro), whereas Mockingbird Hill doesn't (which is why they serve high-quality hams, and other low-prep items).

I've been to Mockingbird Hill three times also, and it's my favorite wine bar in the city right now (I'm an unabashed fan of Sherry), but the cuisine at Eat The Rich and Southern Efficiency is on another level.

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At the risk of being redundant, given the good descriptions above, I really loved our dinner here tonight.

The "oyster back" shooter is the best thing ever.  One shot glass full of an oyster and pickle juice, the other full of rye.

Plus oysters, the fish pie, and "beach and beans," all well described above.  The pastry on the pie, especially, was beautiful and delicious (not a surprise, given the pictures I had seen over the years, on dr.com, of Mr. Shapiro's work).

Totally worth going to, from wherever in the area you are coming from.  Really.

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No whelks in the Grand Chesapeake Boil today, but no matter...it's still a sumptuous plate for two or more.

I was in for a drink on Sunday and was told that whelks are temporarily off the menu. They didn't have the full story since the chef wasn't in, but it sounded like some seasonal/pricing issues. My impression was that they'd be back in due time.

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Veined rapa whelks from the Chesapeake are very hard to come by and the few fishermen that harvest them are seemingly reluctant to do so in intemperate weather.  Most of the whelks come from New England, weather permitting, but only in 50# bags which is more than esoteric jaws can chew through before they loose their luster.  In the interim we'd rather offer thriftier Mid-Atlantic watershed species such as flathead mullet.

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Mullets galore: Fried mullet, their roe, Carolina shrimp, pickled onion rings & cucumbers and J.O. mayo. $12

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Or noodle with the harbinger of Washingtonian spring, American shad.

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Stuffed with sorrel and baked 10hrs; basted with brandy.

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J.O. mayo? Favorite new euphemism EVER. ;)

Whooooosh!!!

That sound you just heard was this post flying over my head - I don't get it!

There's a nice, poetic sound to it though, either as jay-oh may-oh; or Jomayo, Jomayo, wherefore art thou, Jomayo; or even some hit man from The Sopranos: Joe Mayo.

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Veined rapa whelks from the Chesapeake are very hard to come by and the few fishermen that harvest them are seemingly reluctant to do so in intemperate weather.  Most of the whelks come from New England, weather permitting, but only in 50# bags which is more than esoteric jaws can chew through before they loose their luster.  In the interim we'd rather offer thriftier Mid-Atlantic watershed species such as flathead mullet.

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Mullets galore: Fried mullet, their roe, Carolina shrimp, pickled onion rings & cucumbers and J.O. mayo. $12

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Or noodle with the harbinger of Washingtonian spring, American shad.

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Stuffed with sorrel and baked 10hrs; basted with brandy.

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Wow. Just wow. Julien--did you cook it with the roe inside, or was it removed and cooked separately? Also, where was the shad from this early in the season?

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To confirm - I had the mullets last night and they were killer.  As were the oysters.  And everything else I tasted.  I expected to enjoy the cocktails but a lot of people (not DR) are sleeping on the quality of food coming out of this kitchen right now.  This is a real, serious restaurant masquerading as a bar. Keep up the great work over there Julien!

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That's what I said - then, he lambasted me, insisting that he was, at best, a "craftsman."

That's no lesser thing when it has been earned, and not merely assumed.  George Nakashima called himself a craftsman.  He may not have placed the figure of the grain in the tree, but without his particular skills and studied eye, it would have remained an unheralded secret.

Even if they haven't yet dined on his work, anybody who's seen his postings over the years can have no doubt that Julien is a superb craftsman.

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The second shad was butterflied through the stomach and entirely deboned.  Deboning shad is an enterprise in another reality of fish butchering and the handful of old timers that still know how to do it cleanly and efficiently deserve a comfy repose somewhere between the Smithsonian's American History and Folk Art Department. 

A few years ago, in an annual WaPo article about Shad Roe, there was a doctor who was interested in the bone structure of the fish--being notoriously bony and all. Having access to an X-ray machine, he put the whole fish under the "lights" so to speak and discovered the bone structure so that he would know how to bone it.

My question is: assuming that you weren't able to X-ray the specimen, how did you manage to bone it without utterly destroying the flesh?

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Is Julien Shapiro the most underrated chef in DC?  Based on my last visit, which included a dozen Olde Salts, Angels on Horseback, and a Fish Pie in a half full space, I think it's fair to say so.  Maybe it's the atmosphere (a serious restaurant masquerading as a bar was a good description)?  Whatever it is, I shouldn't be complaining about not having to wait for a table at this fantastic little spot.

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My question is: assuming that you weren't able to X-ray the specimen, how did you manage to bone it without utterly destroying the flesh?

The best chef i'll ever know once told me that anything worth fucking up once is worth fucking up twice.  The bone structure is the same for each fish.  Youtube helps.  Then it is a matter of dainty fingers, insufferable patience and delicate knifework.

Any chance this is available on Wednesday?

5 left.  5 smoked Chesapeake spotted sea trout with Meyer lemon as well.

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The second shad was butterflied through the stomach and entirely deboned.  Deboning shad is an enterprise in another reality of fish butchering and the handful of old timers that still know how to do it cleanly and efficiently deserve a comfy repose somewhere between the Smithsonian's American History and Folk Art Department. 

I meant to bring this up the other night but you have got to read, if you haven't already, John McPhee's book about shad. McPhee does for shad what Susan Orlean did for orchids.

He also wrote a fascinating book about oranges....in 1967!!!! I want him to write about bananas because there's an equally amazing tale behind the industrial history of the banana....

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It was stuffed with the roe and a forcemeat of shad trimmings, scallops and sorrel which, without contact to the air or too high of a poaching temperature stayed green after cooking.  It will be treated as a ballotine; seared in lard and served with cured pork belly and a sorrel sauce thickened with onions and rice.

Absolutely delicious! I am the only one that misses all the things he made when at Society Fair?

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Second stop on our "return to DC crawl" was the ever so brief walk from Mockingbird Hill to Eat the Rich. We weren't going to eat, but we wanted to check the place out and have a drink. The raw oysters at the raw book looked great. Nice display showing respect for the bivalves. When we received our drinks I told the server I had been reading about all the lovely things chef Shapiro was making. Moments later, a little plate of pickled herring and vegetables showed up, a gift from the chef. Now, I have tried picked herring before and frankly found it kind of nasty. This herring was totally different. The vinegar was less assertive, the fish was firm and fresh, and the potatoes underneath motivated bickering as to who was getting the larger portion.

The efficiencies and synergies among the three Shaw businesses owned by this group should serve them and the customers well. The dishwasher at Mockingbird Hill was acting up, and the employee simply took the rack of dishes next door to wash there. I imagine they can achieve economies of scale in inventory that would lower costs across the three storefronts. And how are they hiring and training such pleasant and engaged staff? The staff at both places seemed genuinely happy to be working. Such a delight.

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We were very impressed with the food. Everything was fresh and inventive in terms of non Asian style seafood.

The service was excellent as well. I think places like Rose's Luxury and Eat the Rich have a great attitude in terms of dealing with people. Not stuffy and rather charming, quite the opposite of some high end places in DC. Only negative was the sound level in the back was exceedingly high. Additionally, later on during the course of our meal, a party of four was sited next to us, and they repeatedly yelled across the floor for shooters from the waiter. I felt bad for the waiter, however he handled it gracefully. Quite a testament to the quality of the staff.

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Hi Julien, Rockwellians. etc.  Just wondering if some of the dishes here can be requested to be made without the "meat" as listed on the menu? I guess I see a few that are seafood based but include pork sausage or jowl.

Side note; I love the hog.  Just wondering for one in our potential party.  

Also is the menu online a good representation with a few differences on a typical night?  Or is this the fast and hard menu?

Thanks!

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Dinner was delicious last night at Eat the Rich. I'm not a huge fan of the Rappahannock oysters, but enjoyed the Olde Salts. My wife had seared albacore tuna, which looked like it was overcooked but wasn't. I had rockfish served with two head-on shrimp that might have been the most delicious shrimp I've ever had. We finished off by demolishing a "fish pie." One of the bartenders invented a custom Manhattan-ish cocktail for me using a smoked bourbon. A great enough meal to be worthy of a post.

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