127 replies to this topic

[DanielK]

We're thinking of eating at the lounge before the Kevin Smith (my login is based on him, after all) show this Thursday -- how packed does it get during happy hour?

Doors open for the show at 7 (I'm going too!) so I planned on being on line (weather permitting) by 6 or 6:30 (it's GA).

The Lounge opens at 5, and I'm sure if you get there close to open you shouldn't have a problem.

[sunshine]

Props to the Source and Wolfgang Puck, who is one of the pioneers in elevating pan-Asian to fine dining. What I appreciated about a recent visit was the chef is not afraid of heat and spice, as many of the entrees are intentionally spicy and Szechuan pepper is cited throughout the menu. The two specials were a chili soft shell crab dish and a wok-seared whole lobster with garlic. I agree with others here that the scallops entree is skimpy and not that exciting, but the lacquered duck with lo mein is definitely worth the raves. The lo mein and drunken noodles served with these entrees were spicy and good, if not better than some Chinese/Thai counterparts. We also tried the pork entree which was quite generous and perfectly cooked with a subtle five-spice flavor throughout. One of us had a meal of small plates: the tiny dumplings and the shrimp/scallop shu mai dumplings as well as the pork belly. All very tasty, but we have enjoyed equally delicious fare for far less in more modest and authentic Chinese restaurants. Not sure that there was enough of a different or distinctive spin on these, since they are about 3x the price . As a first course, I had the asparagus soup with ramps, crab meat and lemon creme fraiche which appears to be a seasonal item. It was perfect. The desserts were killer - the Valrhona chocolate truffle cake is really more of a pouch of crisp pastry filled with oozy dark chocolate. The chai gelato accompanying it was awesome. The 15 layer carrot cake with rum raisin ice cream is superb, elevating it from the mundane. A note about service: we had a knowledgeable, unobtrusive waiter and good servers. We were upstairs, within sight of the back service area near the restrooms, but did not overhear inappropriate conversation, although there were often servers "hanging out" back there, visible behind the dark but sheer curtain. My suggestion would be that perhaps it could be less obviously a "service" area, maybe hide it a bit more. At least one group of diners asked to be seated somewhere else when they realized they were near the restrooms and service area. The other comment is that perhaps prices are high because they're overstaffed? There were 4 hostesses, all attractive and very nice, but probably more than needed? The bar is definitely a bustling, see and be-seen kind of place, definitely a different vibe from upstairs. I'd like to try the bar menu and would definitely go back.

[goodeats]

There is a phrase somewhere about cooking with feeling and the food will reflect how you feel--this is, of course, in addition to the phrase that food is to provide energy and nourishment.

Although I staggered into the lounge after a long day and week searching for a small fueling boost, I felt that I got an insightful look at the kitchen's soul through what i ate. Maybe it was how I was feeling too tonight, but even though it tasted good, it left me feeling tired, similar to how the food was expressed. Of course, this is based on a small sample set...I only ordered the scallops and shrimp spring roll and the crispy pork belly, but I felt like I was eating what someone prepared spewing out rote memorized formulae onto the sheet, or perhaps, assembly line in this case. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect to be wowed, I wasn't exactly let down, I just tasted fatigue of the purest kind. And it was strange. Or worrisome. I left feeling all theoretical and philosophical, as in wondering what Chef Drewno was feeling in the kitchen, or rather, what whomever prepared these two dishes had weighing down on him/her tonight....

[Sundae in the Park]

I popped in earlier this fall for a refueling lunch in the middle of a day on the Mall, and it was fine-good. The potstickers were tiny and quite exquisite, actually, with great porky flavor and crisped bottoms, but the portion was very small (granted, it was the lunch tasting menu, but compared to the plates being served around the room and the price point, a very small portion). My chicken salad/slaw was interesting, but everything (nuts, cabbage, crisped things) was crunchy and hard - no relief for my jaws!! I could only get through half of it, and while the portion was large, that reflects both on the crunchy textures and the overall sameness of flavor throughout (which is great for consistency but boring for a large portion-ed dish). The peanut butter and chocolate dessert confection was good, but it's hard to mess up chocolate and peanut butter. The service at the bar was very friendly and efficient, and they were very nice to me desipte my scrubby, dusty appearance.

The other things coming out of the kitchen, the burgers and other American-style looking plates, were all huge and quite pretty. Those items seem to cater to the tourists, and successfully so. It's a nice option for a stop in the middle of a Mall day, but my experience didn't make me want to rush back to try a dinner.

[Palaver]

I haven't been that bowled over by dinner at The Source, particularly given the prices, but I love having wine and snacks in the lounge. I'm particularly taken with the tempura green beans. They don't quite qualify as new food (like the palak chaat at Rasika), since I've seen plenty of vegetables get the tempura treatment. But they are surprisingly light for fried food and have a wonderful flavor. That said, a little goes a long way. My brother and I popped in after the Rally to Restore Sanity and were still hungry after the green beans, sliders (which put the mini in miniburgers), and the always good spicy tuna tartare in a cone, so we ordered another batch of green beans. Halfway through we realized that was too much of a good thing. Though it didn't stop us from finishing them off.

[WWZ]

Thinking of going here with an out of town guest in a couple of weeks. Is the dining room tasting menu only? From the menu on the website, it seems that the 7 course tasting is the only option - no a la carte?

[darkstar965]

Apologies up front. There MUST already be a thread for The Source already but I couldn't find it. Tried the search tool a couple of times and scrolled way down. No luck. Then went to the Dining Guide (see? now a grouper, I know more than I did as a shrimp or even as a clam ) and looked twice across all the DC sections and not just downtown, by smithsonian, east or west of 16th and K, etc. Couldn't find it. But I know it must be here somewhere so, again, my deep apologies to Rocks or whomever may have to combine this thread.

Anyway--on the Source--have been a few times and it has been one of those 'second-chances are worthwhile' places for us. The first time I thought it was overpriced and tended toward fusion cliches on the menu. But, second and third visits were much better. It's been a couple of months since my last visit so can't review it substantively now.

But, I do want to ask for a bit of advice from all the traveling foodies here.

A few weeks ago, a friend and I went to an event at the Newseum at which Wolfgang Puck and Scott Drewno were the featured attractions. After WP spoke (much about his Austrian upbringing and jokes he has no doubt told a zillion times but were still enjoyed by the 100 or so there), they did a cooking demonstration using lobster wontons. Then those were served to all attendees and a very good lunch was served. Finally, a raffle was held. Somehow (this never happens!), I won the grand prize of about 14 prizes awarded: a gift card sufficient for two people to enjoy a really excellent, multi-course dinner and good wine at any Puck restaurant. So, two questions:

1. Should we use this card at The Source or at some other WP restaurant (Spago, Chinois or lots and lots of salads at the Puck Express spots in various airports) as we do travel?

2. Has anyone heard the rumor about Scott Drewno developing xiaolongbao (aka Shanghai Soup Dumplings) for the Source menu? Is it true and, if so, when will it be on the menu? LOVE, LOVE, LOVE great xiaolongbao and, when I heard this rumor I thought instantly about some of the best xiaolongbao I've had (London, Hong Kong and the BEST shop in Shanghai).

[jiveturk21]

Since you are able to go to The Source on a regular basis, I would use the gift card when you are on vacation somewhere else. The Wolfgang Puch restaurant that I like the best is Cut in Las Vegas (also locations in Beverly Hills and Singapore).

[Keithstg]

Apologies up front. There MUST already be a thread for The Source already but I couldn't find it. Tried the search tool a couple of times and scrolled way down. No luck. Then went to the Dining Guide (see? now a grouper, I know more than I did as a shrimp or even as a clam ) and looked twice across all the DC sections and not just downtown, by smithsonian, east or west of 16th and K, etc. Couldn't find it. But I know it must be here somewhere so, again, my deep apologies to Rocks or whomever may have to combine this thread.

Try searching Scott Drewno - shorter list of results... Source Thread

[leleboo]

Apologies up front. There MUST already be a thread for The Source already but I couldn't find it. Tried the search tool a couple of times and scrolled way down. No luck. Then went to the Dining Guide (see? now a grouper, I know more than I did as a shrimp or even as a clam ) and looked twice across all the DC sections and not just downtown, by smithsonian, east or west of 16th and K, etc. Couldn't find it. But I know it must be here somewhere so, again, my deep apologies to Rocks or whomever may have to combine this thread.

[Combining is super easy, so no worries. The Invision search function is notoriously horrific. However, when you were on the DC guide, did you use Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on a Mac) to search for "source"? If you do, it's the second hit. FWIW, it's classified in Penn Quarter. ]

[darkstar965]

[Combining is super easy, so no worries. The Invision search function is notoriously horrific. However, when you were on the DC guide, did you use Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on a Mac) to search for "source"? If you do, it's the second hit. FWIW, it's classified in Penn Quarter. ]

Thank you leleboo! I'll message you on the tech stuff since off topic for the thread (and shameful of me to have missed it--of course, Penn Quarter!).

[mojoman]

My wife and I ate there on V-Day (7-course tasting menu).

It is 6 days later now but I've mainly forgotten what we ate.

I recall an oyster shooter (OK).

The sushi course was two nondescript rolls one of which was topped with a General Tso's shrimp kind of stuff.

There was a nice baked bass with two sauces (a sweet sour concoction for the lady, a hotter, squid laden one for me). The squids looked like they'd be tough but were delicious.

There was a surf and turf (steak and lobster) that was mainly forgettable.

The bill was ~$450 out the door with one cocktail and we shared the wine flight.

I think one can do better at a number of places, most notably Komi.

[eyedubya]

My wife and I ate there on V-Day (7-course tasting menu).

It is 6 days later now but I've mainly forgotten what we ate.

I recall an oyster shooter (OK).

The sushi course was two nondescript rolls one of which was topped with a General Tso's shrimp kind of stuff.

There was a nice baked bass with two sauces (a sweet sour concoction for the lady, a hotter, squid laden one for me). The squids looked like they'd be tough but were delicious.

There was a surf and turf (steak and lobster) that was mainly forgettable.

The bill was ~$450 out the door with one cocktail and we shared the wine flight.

I think one can do better at a number of places, most notably Komi.

In my humble opinion, it's tough to judge a place based on its sure-to-be-food-factory Valentine's Day specials. When I'm unfortunate enough to have to dine out on V-Day, I generally don't base the experience as a valid data point for my opinion of the restaurant in question. As others mention above, I would encourage you to try the Source again. It's certainly not "every-day" cheap, but V-Day is typically not a good indicator of a restaurant's quality, and like others, this place has grown on me after a few visits.

[Pool Boy]

I am going here. Quick question regarding the menu for dinner...

Are the only two options for food 1) the izakaya food in the bar downstairs and 2) a 7-course tasting menu in the dining room? Or is there also an option to dine in the dining room where you do not have to commit to a full 7 courses? Ideally in a way that I could also sample some Izakaya menu items?

TIA!

[DonRocks]

I am going here. Quick question regarding the menu for dinner...

Are the only two options for food 1) the izakaya food in the bar downstairs and 2) a 7-course tasting menu in the dining room? Or is there also an option to dine in the dining room where you do not have to commit to a full 7 courses? Ideally in a way that I could also sample some Izakaya menu items?

TIA!

I haven't been in a few months, but the last couple times I went, you could get the upstairs menu downstairs, but not vice-versa. No Izakaya for you! (You could always ask, however.)

[TedE]

I am going here. Quick question regarding the menu for dinner...

Are the only two options for food 1) the izakaya food in the bar downstairs and 2) a 7-course tasting menu in the dining room? Or is there also an option to dine in the dining room where you do not have to commit to a full 7 courses? Ideally in a way that I could also sample some Izakaya menu items?

TIA!

Their online menu doesn't make it seem so, but the upstairs menu is a la carte. Not sure why they choose to highlight the tasting menu when it's not the default option.

[Pool Boy]

Space...nice.

Loud.

Very yuppie if that term still exists. Think early 30-somethings place to go out with other couples. O r so it seemed to me.

Service very good, but a little too practiced and rote. But in the end with a few personal touches.

Food, good. Three different types of dumplings where shumai was the star. Laquered duck was pretty amazing, and the turbot was good (where the lobster fried rice was better). Hell my wife says that is some of the best duck she has ever had.

BUT.

Overpriced for what it is and what you get. I'd be interested in going back to try the izakaya menu downstairs before the noise becomes intolerable. Worth the checking out and adventure though.

By the way, the Calder Portrait exhibit at the National Portait Gallery is pretty amazing and worth a look.

[will_5198]

Tried the new "dim sum" menu yesterday, which is basically a brunch version of their izakaya. It's not a cheap experience; all items are $7 each, with a five-course deal for $30 or eight courses for $40. I chose the former, which was just the right amount of food for me.

Shanghai noodles with braised oxtail was one of my favorites, perhaps because of its simplicity. The sizable portion could almost pass for a small appetizer, with excellent noodles and plenty of tender meat incorporated throughout. A mini banh mi was another upscale version of the classic (the grilled pork being especially good), and I had no complaints about the scallop sui mai either.

While a trio of shrimp dumplings in XO sauce was tasty, they felt a little precious at $7 a la carte. I also stayed away from the more American items; the Wagyu sliders looked especially boring and barely golf ball size. A pair of duck bao buns, however, were outright delicious -- filled with lacquered duck, cucumber, and some cilantro, I could have eaten at least six more.

Since the dining room has only casually interested me, mostly due to the prices (or lack thereof on their website), getting several small plates was a nice compromise. I'd recommend this for those looking to try the cooking here without committing to an expensive dinner.

[sphere777]

Tried the new "dim sum" menu yesterday, which is basically a brunch version of their izakaya. It's not a cheap experience; all items are $7 each, with a five-course deal for $30 or eight courses for $40. I chose the former, which was just the right amount of food for me.

Shanghai noodles with braised oxtail was one of my favorites, perhaps because of its simplicity. The sizable portion could almost pass for a small appetizer, with excellent noodles and plenty of tender meat incorporated throughout. A mini banh mi was another upscale version of the classic (the grilled pork being especially good), and I had no complaints about the scallop sui mai either.

While a trio of shrimp dumplings in XO sauce was tasty, they felt a little precious at $7 a la carte. I also stayed away from the more American items; the Wagyu sliders looked especially boring and barely golf ball size. A pair of duck bao buns, however, were outright delicious -- filled with lacquered duck, cucumber, and some cilantro, I could have eaten at least six more.

Since the dining room has only casually interested me, mostly due to the prices (or lack thereof on their website), getting several small plates was a nice compromise. I'd recommend this for those looking to try the cooking here without committing to an expensive dinner.

Inspired by this entry, I went and did the $20 for three appetizers deal. I got a generous bowl of stir fried yaki udon with wild field mushrooms & ox tail and it was delicious--very much an asian take on oxtail stew so it sounds like the Shanghai noodles dish above. A heaping stack of tempura green beans with curry salt and pickled ginger vinaigrette were also quite tasty though the curry salt was applied a little too lavishly. Finally, the crispy pork belly with spicy aioli and steamed bao buns were a great finisher even though there were only two little buns to be had. Heck, they're appetizers after all, right?

rob

[DiningInFrederick]

I should have written this earlier, but Friday December 30 my wife and I had planned to return to Fiola for a much less expensive meal at lunch only to be greeted by police tape closing off the whole block as they investigated a suspicious package. We could see The Source about a block away but I was reluctant because my only previous visit was a pretty expensive lunch that we were hoping to avoid. Since the police told us we had at least a half hour before they expected the area to be clear, we went walked down to explore the Source. The hostess confirmed that they did have a 3 course prix fixe lunch special for $30 and handed us a menu. It looked good enough to stay, so we said we were interested and she asked us if we wanted to sit downstairs or upstairs in the main dining room (which definitely wasn't an option on my original lunch visit unless you wanted to pay full dinner prices). The room was sleek, the service was attentive, and the food looked beautiful. When our different dishes arrived and we had a chance to eat them, our assessment was quite positive: Superb ingredients, proper execution of doneness and seasoning, and clean, simple flavors that created tasty results. Thirty bucks for 3 satisfying courses in a chic environment was certainly a deal.

Despite all of these positives, I have to say that I wasn't overly impressed. We ordered 5 out of the possible 6 courses (we both got the chocolate chip cookies and left 6 to eat later) but only one would I say was extraordinary: The 5 onion soup. That had both depth and refinement with several nuances of flavor in every bite. My "American Kobe Style" hamburger, my wife's Hong Kong Style rockfish (normally salmon on the menu), and the cookies were excellent. The waiter-recommended pork dumplings and the fries accompanying the burger were merely good. But other than that soup, nothing hit me as, "Wow! This place is one of the top 5 places in DC!" I had distinctly remembered that a year ago the Washingtonian had ranked it the 3rd best restaurant. My wife and I had just read their new issue and were racking our brains to see if it had made the top ten again. When we got home, we confirmed that it hadn't. Did something change here? Was this kitchen do something more special a year ago? My first thought was, "Maybe these are specials meant to lure in the cheap, unadventurous tourists." But other than the rockfish substitution for the salmon, these are all regular menu items. Those dishes still could be considered the safest, most pedestrian dishes on the menu, but it made me wonder if any other dish is as sophisticated as that onion soup. If not, I think it's impossible to justify the normal lunch and dinner menu prices. Lunch portion of "Thai Style" Drunken Noodles for (I believe) $24? My gut--and, honestly, that's all I'm relying on here b/c I didn't see or taste the dish--tells me that I'm not only going to get twice as much at a Nava Thai or even Sala Thai for half the price, but I'm also going to get a dish with more "depth." If I'm shelling out close to $100 a person (which I think is easy to do for dinner at the Source), I want to frequently be shaking my head, "How did they DO that?" Is this a "problem" for the modern cuisine of the Source? Or is this a problem with any "fusion" cuisine: In the attempt to merge two or more styles, do you rob each of the "soul" that makes the dish so good that you want to see if you can make it better or at least "new"? Or is it both? I remember Rocks having issues with Rasika lacking "soul." I personally didn't agree. But outside of that great soup and some pretty good cookies, The Source didn't show me much soul. If I'm going to venture back to journey beyond the well-valued lunch deal, someone has to explain to me first that it's going to be worth it.

Pax,
Brian

[yfunk3]

Going to the dim sum brunch here next Saturday. Any suggestions/things to avoid? Yes, I am going with the full expectation that this is not really dim sum or Chinese food... Am intrigued that the chef did go to China to learn how to make XLB, though. Hopefully, that kind of knowledge will show in the dim sum brunch?

[darkstar965]

Was in for a quick lunch at the bar a month or so ago. Not worth posting about so didn't. All fine but unexceptional. I post now in reaction to yfunk3's xlb reference, which triggered a memory from the conversation I had with the bartender then.

Love xlb and, most of all, at a back alley spot (not dtf) in Shanghai where I had the best xlb I've ever had. As with others upthread, I was very intrigued that Chef Drewno had made a pilgrimage to Asia last summer and came back resolved to create xlb at the Source. So, during my lunch at the bar last month, I asked about that. I was told that the xlb was only being served as part of a "special," multi-course, reservable menu at $80 or $100 or like level.

Upon learning that, I thought to myself:

- maybe the menu would be grand and worthwhile
- maybe slightly more likely it wouldn't be
- big 'boo hiss' that one couldn't buy xlb separately

Still haven't tried them. Maybe now there are more options. Will be very interested to hear how they rate.

[yfunk3]

Went to the Saturday dim sum brunch this weekend and ordered an EPIC 14 plates with my dining companion. I think we went in with a good attitude: to not expect what we think everything should taste like and just to go in with the mindset of good food. We were both pretty impressed. There were some duds, but most of the dishes we tried were pretty damn good. Sure, it's expensive, but it's a treat, and you can see the care and attention to detail that went into most of the plates.

Not gonna list everything we had, but the duds seemed to be their dumplings (most were just bland and flavorless, nothing really spectacular at all). The Chinese sausage fried rice was also SUPER salty. I mean, so salty that you couldn't taste anything else but the soy sauce. You can tell there was too much soy sauce because the rice was too wet. That was the biggest dud, for my sister and me, but we aren't really into salty salty foods. Your salt preference may vary, as I know salt sensitivity is different for everyone.

The hits were their noodle plates, especially the Shanghai Noodles and chow feung. Shanghai noodles is just so complex, umami-rich, perfectly balanced with sweet/salty/spicy, but you could still taste every individual component. The braised oxtail in it was great, and not too much/not too little. We were definitely sad to see the bottom of that bowl. Chow feung was great and perfectly balanced as well, if not as complex as the Shanghai noodles. They added brussels sprouts and these wonderfully fried, glazed shrimp. Familiar and comforting for me, but also surprising and flavorful.

Wok fired shrimp dumplings stood out as well because of the surely house-made XO sauce. It was so good and garlicy that my dining companion and I were trying to get the last bits of it out of the bowl with our chopsticks.

There were lots of other hits, but about ten hours after this feast, I am STILL full and groggy, so I won't get too into it. Needless to say, I'm really impressed with the dim sum brunch. It really shows that Drewno learned a lot in China, and that his staff is great at executing the lessons he learned. It's rare that I've tasted something so familiar to me, yet with something different and new. On a lot of the plates, you can really tell that Drewno learned the main lesson of Chinese cuisine is balance of many strong flavors, and I'd definitely go back to try some of the in-tried plates and to also re-try the stand-outs.

It's a bit pricey, I won't delude anyone about that. But as a treat, I think it's a good value with 2 people for an extravagent, varied brunch. 8 plates for $40, 5 plates for $30. And quite frankly, it's not that much more per person (or the same) as some of the other brunches/lunches in the area. I don't pretend to be a professional food critic or even to have a sophisticated palate, but I did like it and would go back, and I'm really glad I gave it a chance and kept an open mind. Definitely made a fan out of me.

[Marty L.]

This place gets very little attention on these here boards--perhaps because most of us do not have the luxury of business expense accounts! Went last evening for first time in a couple of years. What's somewhat shocking is the juxtaposition of two things: (i) the exorbitant prices and (ii) the throngs of patrons, even in this economy. Perhaps it's a justified based upon the rent, or the cut going to Wolgang Puck, or something, but it strikes me that everything here is about 40-50% more expensive than it ought to be. But I don't begrudge them: They sure know what the market will bear -- there was nary an empty table, and the bar area was packed.

Everything I had was fine, at best. The famed Chinois chicken salad was a mere shadow of what I remember from Chinois itself 25 or so years ago. The other appetizers, not very memorable, averaged out about $5 a bite. The steamed whole bass was a good fish, with decent sauces (but again, neither was special or memorable in any way) -- but it was overcooked and thus much too dry. And it was $44.

I will say, however, that the sake I had was very good (I didn't catch the name of it), and that one of my tablemates declared the lamb (two ways -- stir-fried and chops) to be fantastic. (It sure looked good.)

[hmmboy]

I am a huge fan of the Source and Scott Drewno's cooking. There are a multitude of dishes I enjoy there, but one dish that I am totally addicted to are Chef Drewno's chive dumplings. I polished off 2 orders of these juicy round mounds of cracklike joy last night in a matter of minutes! I will not claim to have eaten at every good dumpling spot in the DC area, but I have certainly eaten at most of those that garner consistent positive mention on this site. Not to slight the area's other great dumplings (including others in Chef Drewno's arsenal), but I cannot recall ever having dumplings (or shumai Don) that I enjoyed more than these chive dumplings.

[lindzjax]

Has anyone been as of late? Recommendations on what to order? Thanks!

[BookGuy]

I was there once to celebrate a birthday and, because the birthday girl wanted the tasting menu, all of us at the table, including a 12-year-old, had to get it. All of us, including the previously mentioned 12-year-old, had the wine pairings. The food was expensive and really good. The most talk was about the pork belly and the whole fish. The youngest was given an array of fruit drinks in various types of cocktail glasses which was a nice touch. If you can afford it, go whole hog on the tasting menu and have a fine old time.

[Rhone1998]

The youngest was given an array of fruit drinks in various types of cocktail glasses which was a nice touch.

Wow, what a nice, classy touch. I hope they gained a future customer that evening. More importantly, I think it's moves like this that will help instill a love of (fine) dining in young people.