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Rose's Luxury, Chef Aaron Silverman's Modern-American Phenomenon on 8th and G Street in Barracks Row


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There was a long line (between 20 and 30 people, I'd estimate) when I arrived at 5:18 yesterday.  I got one of the last two seats at the kitchen counter but had to wait while a couple in front of me looked them over and rejected them.   My meal was mostly good, but I've now had my first objectionable food here.  The ash on the butter that went with the buttermilk biscuits was just not appealing.  It was made from onions, garlic, and thyme, but tasted of none of them.  All I could think of as I attempted to give this a shot was that I was eating pure carcinogenic matter. 

That's interesting, I got distinct toasted onion notes from that ash, and found it quite pleasant.  Kind of a cousin to the flavors you get from a very well toasted onion bagel.  For me, my first (and so far only...man do I love the food here) "objectionable" food at RL was that strawberry pasta. :)

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That's interesting, I got distinct toasted onion notes from that ash, and found it quite pleasant.  Kind of a cousin to the flavors you get from a very well toasted onion bagel.  For me, my first (and so far only...man do I love the food here) "objectionable" food at RL was that strawberry pasta. :)

It is interesting.  I couldn't really taste anything distinct from it.  And, since I like the flaked blackened bits of potato skin that used to adorn the butter for the potato bread, I'm not sure why this was so much less palatable, but it sure was.  I was only eating it on the biscuit, so maybe that did something to neutralize any flavor for me.

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It is interesting.  I couldn't really taste anything distinct from it.  And, since I like the flaked blackened bits of potato skin that used to adorn the butter for the potato bread, I'm not sure why this was so much less palatable, but it sure was.  I was only eating it on the biscuit, so maybe that did something to neutralize any flavor for me. 

I think that, not unlike with cilantro, some people are more ash-sensitive than others. I tend to *think* it will taste strong, but it usually doesn't if it's applied correctly, like with a well-made cheese.

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This is amazing topic. I have been making and using ash for years, not only in developing different layers of flavor, also as a focal point in many dishes with wild and foraged products.

I have never seen a thread that is like this, I can name old and new school chefs who use this technique. However the ash element can be extremely assertive and overpowering if not used with finesse and mastery.

Now my question. Was the use heavy? Or was it finessed?

The culinary world is not one of new its one of old that has been redeveloped.

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Now my question. Was the use heavy? Or was it finessed?

Well, it was a small crock of butter with a very thin layer of the ash on top of it.  So I would say finessed.  What's interesting is how different people reacted to it.  The flavor hit both Pat and me, but we both perceived it differently.  Someone else dining with us that night mentioned they couldn't taste it at all! (I should have mentioned this in my post above.)  So I think Don is right, it's just something that hits different palates differently.

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Well, it was a small crock of butter with a very thin layer of the ash on top of it.  So I would say finessed.  What's interesting is how different people reacted to it.  The flavor hit both Pat and me, but we both perceived it differently.  Someone else dining with us that night mentioned they couldn't taste it at all! (I should have mentioned this in my post above.)  So I think Don is right, it's just something that hits different palates differently.

I'd agree that it was a thin layer, but I don't know if I'd agree with "very thin." -_-   It wasn't overpowering.  It was just hard to eat the butter without it, since it covered the entire top of the butter crock.  I should have wiped my knife on my napkin so I could have gotten at some of the butter at the bottom of the crock with no ash residue, but I didn't think of that in the moment.

What I got from it was generic "burnt."  It could have been crumbs scraped off burnt toast, and, in fact, I was wondering at the time if it was supposed to be some allusion to burnt toast, where you end up with the blackened crumbs in the butter.

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All I could think of as I attempted to give this a shot was that I was eating pure carcinogenic matter.  

This is in no way meant snidely or disrespectfully, but I wonder if the visceral reaction you had to the idea of eating ash colored the way you perceived the taste?  We know that a lot of what we "taste" is heavily dependent on things other than the actual flavor of the food/drink we're consuming.  Just a thought...

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This is in no way meant snidely or disrespectfully, but I wonder if the visceral reaction you had to the idea of eating ash colored the way you perceived the taste?  We know that a lot of what we "taste" is heavily dependent on things other than the actual flavor of the food/drink we're consuming.  Just a thought...

The visual likely had something to do with it, but I eat cheese that has ash in it and will eat toast that's burnt (after I scrape off some of the burnt part).  I love things cooked on the grill that are charred and blistered, and crispy bacon, even though I know that blackening is carcinogenic.  I think if this had given me anything beyond "burnt" to work with, I would not have had a big issue with the visual.  That was pretty much all I had to go on since I couldn't pick up any onion or garlic.  I'm used to their butter having dark things on top (bits of blackened potato skin, black sesame seeds), but this had a different effect on me.

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After an afternoon of walking around Union Market and some oysters at Rappahanock the Wife and I grabbed the last two seats at the chefs table Saturday night. I enjoyed the ash on the butter and thought it was a nice change. On the other hand my wife did not enjoy it at all and in fact asked for some plain butter which they were happy to bring.

Our only other experience was the rooftop so it was nice to get a different view of things especially watching the kitchen staff hum along. Despite being there less than 2 months ago most of the things on the menu were new. When we left around 7:00 they were telling people the wait was over 2 hours.

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Funny how our senses differ.  We were back at Rose's Luxury recently and really liked the new bread and butter.  The ash did not taste at all bitter or unpleasant to me, but worked beautifully with the highly whipped and sweetened butter.  I'm afraid I'm not so in love with the renovation done to the rest of the menu, they're good but not as good as the dishes they replaced.  The pasta options, in particular, fell quite short of Ghibellina's pasta dishes sampled earlier in the week.

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Last week, I stopped by after trying to walk into Capital Sushi, which was shut down for a private function. Luckily there was a single space at the kitchen counter at ~9pm. Impressive meal.

In terms of the recent topic of ash on the butter, I liked it.

It really floors me that a restaurant with a super relaxed atmosphere could have such high quality food.

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I forgot they open at 5 on Fridays and Saturdays and showed up yesterday just at 5:30.  Everything was full up, but I chanced waiting upstairs for a seat to open up at the bar.  It didn't take that long to get one, but I feel like I'm in the way when I'm standing there trying to stay inconspicuous.

Since I'd missed out on the bucatini with sungold tomato sauce and Parmesan last time, I ordered that.  I can't say what else was in the sauce, but it tasted bright and vibrant.  I also enjoyed the octopus.  The menu says "with burnt lemon puree" but I didn't get hit with a burnt taste.  It coated the plate as if it were squid ink.

FWIW, I asked for the butter with no ash, but I don't think I was heard.  When that's what they brought, I asked if I could have plain butter instead.  They brought out roasted shallot-honey butter.

The bucatini was a little slow coming out, which wasn't a problem, especially given that it was a busy Saturday night, but I got a complimentary order of gnocchi in the interim.

The people who had the rooftop last night had a great night for it.  Restaurant Week?  What Restaurant Week? :)

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But it's not even the best new restaurant in DC? [*snicker*]

I don't understand the "snicker."  Red Hen won the Rammy and is an outstanding restaurant.  Rose's Luxury is not a member of the Restaurant Association and, because of this, was not eligible.  Regardless, if Rose's was eligible Red Hen may still have won.

We are fortunate to have both of these restaurants.  They have each been enormously successful.  They also both play to long lines and long waits.  FWIW I was at Red Hen two weeks ago on a Monday night and there was still a line out the door at 9:30 at night.

I am not favoring one over the other; rather I believe Red Hen is due every bit as much respect as Rose's.

Bravo to both!

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Both Red Hen and Rose's are excellent restaurants. I snicker at RAMW, an organization so insecure that it sponsors members only awards. Rose's, like Komi, is nationally recognized for excellence, yet both are ineligible for the only real local awards.

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I assume this place is still very hard to get in to, as I assume they still do not take reservations. If you want to dine at 8PM, I assume you need to get in line at.....6PM? I'd love to try this place, but I loathe long waits for tables and I really prefer dining after 6PM, usually well after, not at 6PM or before. So are my assumptions correct still? Let me know and TIA!

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I assume this place is still very hard to get in to, as I assume they still do not take reservations. If you want to dine at 8PM, I assume you need to get in line at.....6PM? I'd love to try this place, but I loathe long waits for tables and I really prefer dining after 6PM, usually well after, not at 6PM or before. So are my assumptions correct still? Let me know and TIA!

I went before the Bon Appetit story and the recent story in the Post and the wait was two hours at 5:45pm for a party of two. Friends who were coincidentally also at Rose's that evening were waiting over three hours for a party of four. Given all the recent publicity, I would estimate that the wait at 6pm will likely be over two hours for two people. Good luck!

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I assume this place is still very hard to get in to, as I assume they still do not take reservations. If you want to dine at 8PM, I assume you need to get in line at.....6PM? I'd love to try this place, but I loathe long waits for tables and I really prefer dining after 6PM, usually well after, not at 6PM or before. So are my assumptions correct still? Let me know and TIA!

Poolboy, I think if you went @9:00PM on a weeknight you would be OK-less than a half hour's wait.  I'm guessing-but this is actually what my wife and I are planning for the future.  I don't want to stand on the street in the late afternoon for an hour or so thus this seems like a reasonable alternative.  The eight seat kitchen counter is a huge thing at Rose's.  If at all possible try for that.  https://twitter.com/RosesLuxury  This is their twitter site.  As recently as August 27th (a Weds.) they noted that there was no line 30 minutes before opening.   

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Poolboy, I think if you went @9:00PM on a weeknight you would be OK-less than a half hour's wait.  I'm guessing-but this is actually what my wife and I are planning for the future.  I don't want to stand on the street in the late afternoon for an hour or so thus this seems like a reasonable alternative.  The eight seat kitchen counter is a huge thing at Rose's.  If at all possible try for that.  https://twitter.com/RosesLuxury  This is their twitter site.  As recently as August 27th (a Weds.) they noted that there was no line 30 minutes before opening.   

When I went at 9pm on a Thursday night 2 weeks ago, there was no wait at the kitchen for a solo diner. During the next 1 and 1/2 hour, I noted several couples were seated throughout the restaurant. Weeknights should be easier at that time.

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On the timing matter, I just talked to a friend who went there last night (a Saturday) with his wife and two other couples.  I had thought that 4-top was the limit, but there is a 6-top in the back.  They expect it to turn twice a night, but if people don't stay long, it could turn three times.

He got in line at 4:12 for a 5 PM opening.  He was number 44 in line, with (he estimated) 100 people behind him.  At 5:11, he got to the desk to give his information.  He went back home nearby and then met the rest of the party at Senart's later.  It was 8:01 when he got the callback (textback), they walked across the street, and it took about 30 minutes until they were seated.  They stayed until 11:30.  They were the second seating of the 6-top table.

They loved the food and thought it was a great value.  He said they got everything, but it changes a lot so I don't know what that was.  He mentioned brisket and  jerk chicken and said that it was what they would pay elsewhere for a meal on Barracks Row.  The butter had honey and no ash ;) .

He also mentioned how great the service was for the texts, etc.  This made me realize that I never gave a shoutout to Michael Richmond, who is the one who handles all this stuff.  He does an amazing, fantastic job with the hospitality portion of the Rose's experience.

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On timing, I've pretty routinely gone on weeknights with the bf at around 9:00-9:30, and there's basically never longer than a thirty minute wait (sometimes no wait at all).  Also, they tend to brutally overestimate quoted wait times (especially for larger groups); I assume it's because some parties ahead of me in line get scared away and go elsewhere (their loss).  On at least two occasions (one a Thursday, one a Friday) the wait for a 4-top was about an hour shorter than the initial quote.

I also want to applaud GM Andrew (who I believe handles wine) for his list and how great he was for chatting with us about it when we were in last week.  Rose's has always had an interesting assortment of glasses and bottles, and now there is a separate (slightly pricier?) bottle list that includes some more unusual options.  We loved both an all-sauvignon blanc orange wine and an old, vintage white Rioja.

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finally (finally!) going to try it this coming Monday. my wife went with friends on Saturday night while I was doing a sort of bachelor party at Del Campo. to me, everything on the menu looks delicious, but she was eyeing it and seeing not much that appeals (she can be a very picky eater at times, but she will also go to Rogue 24 or Komi and eat and enjoy most everything), so she was skeptical. but of course she loved it and is ready to take me there ASAP. we're going to celebrate the end of her perpetual jury duty on a murder trial. woulda gone tonight but she has a dr's appt, so we're going to hold out for next week.

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My advice (after only one visit) is to trust your server and don't get hung up by the description on the menu of things that seem weird or don't go together.  That's part of the brilliance of the place.  They'll take a couple "normal" meal items and then throw in something completely out of left field, and you'll think, "that item as no business being in this dish".  But then you taste it and think, "it's so obvious!  why didn't anyone think of that before?!!?"

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that's basically what I told her -- to go in with an open mind. and she loved it. I thought she would never actually even try the pork lychee dish, but she had a few bites, and said that while spicy, it was great (she has a big aversion to spice).

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My advice (after only one visit) is to trust your server and don't get hung up by the description on the menu of things that seem weird or don't go together.  That's part of the brilliance of the place.  They'll take a couple "normal" meal items and then throw in something completely out of left field, and you'll think, "that item as no business being in this dish".  But then you taste it and think, "it's so obvious!  why didn't anyone think of that before?!!?"

Of the few things I've had that I've thought just sounded weird, they ranged from "whoa, I liked that much more than I thought I would" to "it was okay, definitely edible."  In the latter case, I always wonder what the next incarnation of it will be.  They keep trying things out and modifying.

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This is one of those places I will likely not be able to ever try because I have no patience for waiting until a table frees up given the lines that form (do they still) even before they open. I read about the rooftop thing you can reserve, but it makes little sense when it is just my wife and I. Ah well, there are lots of places in DC to try and enjoy.

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This is one of those places I will likely not be able to ever try because I have no patience for waiting until a table frees up given the lines that form (do they still) even before they open. I read about the rooftop thing you can reserve, but it makes little sense when it is just my wife and I. Ah well, there are lots of places in DC to try and enjoy.

they still do. we showed up 4:55 on a wednesday and the line was to the ugly mug. waited in line with a bunch of other schmucks, reached the door at about 5:45 and could have been seated in an hour and a half but we had to be somewhere else later on. the line thing would be less annoying if we lived close by, but schlepping to dc and standing anxiously, nope. will wait a couple months and try again though!

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 I read about the rooftop thing you can reserve, but it makes little sense when it is just my wife and I. Ah well, there are lots of places in DC to try and enjoy.

If you get reservations, I guarantee you can fill the seats.............hell, if you get reservations I'll guarantee that I'll flll the seats. No joke!

My thought has always been, if I manage to get through and score a reservation and I can't fill the 10/12 seats with firends, I could easily come here and fill them and there's a high probably the people from DR.com would fun dinner companions.

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This coming Saturday two friends and I want to throw caution to the wind and risk the lines at Rose's.  My idea is to get there around 4:30, wait in line, and then put my name on the list for the second seating (we don't really want to eat before 7/8.  Is that possible?

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Rieux - see the post below from Pat.  This was also Saturday.

He got in line at 4:12 for a 5 PM opening.  He was number 44 in line, with (he estimated) 100 people behind him.  At 5:11, he got to the desk to give his information.  He went back home nearby and then met the rest of the party at Senart's later.  It was 8:01 when he got the callback (textback), they walked across the street, and it took about 30 minutes until they were seated.  They stayed until 11:30.  They were the second seating of the 6-top table.

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We went Saturday. Got in line at 4:10 and were probably 25 people back. Got to host by 5:10. We could have had a choice of tables for three but we had planned to ask for the second seating. They had no issue and said we were likely to be seated around 7:15. I explained we were going home to NW and they said that if they texted us and we were not ready it was no big deal, we could ask to be moved to the next table. At seven we were on our way down there and we got the text. I explained we were about 20 mins away and they said no problem. We got there at 7:15 and were seated shortly thereafter. If you live in DC I think this is the way to go!

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We went Saturday. Got in line at 4:10 and were probably 25 people back. Got to host by 5:10. We could have had a choice of tables for three but we had planned to ask for the second seating. They had no issue and said we were likely to be seated around 7:15. I explained we were going home to NW and they said that if they texted us and we were not ready it was no big deal, we could ask to be moved to the next table. At seven we were on our way down there and we got the text. I explained we were about 20 mins away and they said no problem. We got there at 7:15 and were seated shortly thereafter. If you live in DC I think this is the way to go!

Should have noted, the line grew quickly starting at 4:15 and was probably 125 people deep at five (including Carla Hall, who arrived around 4:45 and waited with the common folk)

I love and treasure Rose's Luxury, but may I offer an alternative for those not wishing to wait in line?

The bar at CityZen has no wait, and serves 3 courses for $50. I'll leave it up to everyone to decide for themselves which is "better," but given the wait times, I think it's safe to say that CityZen is, at the minimum, a "viable alternative" to Rose's Luxury.

And, to quote Bill Cosby ... "If you're not careful, you may learn something."

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Should have noted, the line grew quickly starting at 4:15 and was probably 125 people deep at five (including Carla Hall, who arrived around 4:45 and waited with the common folk)

It really is a very fine restaurant, and God bless the people in the queue, but that's just silly

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I thought I'd never get the chance to try this place because I really hate waiting in line. However, my friends gave me a birthday surprise when they treated me to dinner on a recent Friday night. Two friends got in line at 4:30, and I joined them shortly after 5, and we were in the first bunch to be seated. We had a great time, and everything was delicious. But . . . my main question is still unanswered, and maybe someone here can answer it. What noun should follow "Rose's Luxury"? Or is Luxury working as a noun? The name has always puzzled me.

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I thought I'd never get the chance to try this place because I really hate waiting in line. However, my friends gave me a birthday surprise when they treated me to dinner on a recent Friday night. Two friends got in line at 4:30, and I joined them shortly after 5, and we were in the first bunch to be seated. We had a great time, and everything was delicious. But . . . my main question is still unanswered, and maybe someone here can answer it. What noun should follow "Rose's Luxury"? Or is Luxury working as a noun? The name has always puzzled me.

I've never been able to cozy up to the "dangling adjective as quasi-noun" in a restaurant name either, but you can look at it as being analogous to Nathan's Famous, Chen's Gourmet, Coppi's Organic, Brookland's Finest, or Jordan's 8.

Now, if you can explain Ruth's Chris to me, we'll call it even.

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I've never been able to cozy up to the "dangling adjective as quasi-noun" in a restaurant name either, but you can look at it as being analogous to Nathan's Famous, Chen's Gourmet, Coppi's Organic, Brookland's Finest, or Jordan's 8.

Now, if you can explain Ruth's Chris to me, we'll call it even.

Ruth Fertel bought Chris Steak House in 1965. When a fire forced her to move the restaurant she changed the name to Ruth's Chris Steak House.

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Now, if you can explain Ruth's Chris to me, we'll call it even.

You can also add "Michael's Genuine" in Miami to the list of It Don't Make No Sense

My friend Wiki explains the Ruth's Chris thing.

Excerpt: Chris Steak House was founded on February 27, 1927 by New Orleans entrepreneur Chris Matulich. (cut) In 1965, divorced single mother Ruth Fertel, realizing she needed to earn more money to send her teenage sons to college, mortgaged her house to purchase the restaurant. (cut) In early 1976, shortly after signing a new ten-year lease on the restaurant, a fire destroyed the building. Fertel had recently acquired a second property nearby to rent out as party space. Within seven days, she had relocated the restaurant to its new location a few blocks away at 721 Broad Street and re-opened it, expanding to 160 seats in the process.[12] The sales agreement with Matulich prevented her from using the original name at any other address, so she named the new restaurant Ruth's Chris Steak House in order to keep some continuity with the previous location.[15] She admitted later to Fortune Magazine that "I've always hated the name, but we've always managed to work around it."[16]

Now where do I collect my prize?

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You can also add "Michael's Genuine" in Miami to the list of It Don't Make No Sense

Michael's Genuine is the one that was stuck in the back of my mind, and I couldn't think of it despite racking my brain (and I've been there three times).

It seems odd that Ruth didn't try and contact Chris for a workaround.

Domaine de la Pousse d'Or Clos de la Bousse d'Or. There's your homework assignment.

Closer to home, there's Saloon and Saloun. :)

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Learned a valuable lesson about Rose's last night - my group of 6 got in line around 4:30 (well, only 2 of us waited in line, the rest moved on to grab a cocktail elsewhere), and by the time we made it to the hosts at around 5:30, we were told no way, no how.  I didn't realize that there was only ONE place they could seat a larger party.  Perhaps they could come out to the line and let folks know once the larger table is "spoken for" for the night?  We were in good spirits and didn't mind waiting (we knew we weren't actually going to be eating until much later in the evening), but there was something very irksome about waiting for an hour...for nothing.

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