[JPW]

mdt, on Jul 31 2007, 10:38 AM, said:

Wabeck has been there for over a month now so should we start the countdown to the official review?

My bet is 8/26

[Mark Slater]

JPW, on Jul 31 2007, 11:43 PM, said:

My bet is 8/26

I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

[JPW]

Mark Slater, on Jul 31 2007, 11:45 PM, said:

I wouldn't wish that stupid shit on anyone, especially one of my friends.

I don't wish it on (especially) him, I just base it on when I was told that Tom S was in New Heights.

[tripewriter]

We ate there last week for the first time ... I particularly enjoyed the fried oysters with the napa cabbage slaw (mmm...that slaw!) and Tabasco aioli. I found the mixed field greens salad both underseasoned and overdressed, although the quality of the produce was very good. The Angus beef duo was perfectly cooked--the parts of this dish I enjoyed most were the filet with mushroom-horseradish crust and the mashed potatoes. Price point seemed a little high to me, but the dining room does have very nice views.

[DPop]

We did the RW thing last night at New Heights to see how Wabeck was doing at his new place and had an interesting experience. We loved the look of the place upon first walking in, but we noticed that it was tremendously hot inside, so much so that we both were starting to perspire after sitting at the table for a couple minutes. Apparently, the restaurant had been having air conditioning issues since Monday and they were having trouble cooling the crowded space. I would not normally mention this, but I felt like it was a big distraction from what was a very nice meal.

We started with the lamb carpaccio and tomato tart. The carpaccio was perfect, requiring very little chewing and meshing perfectly with the cilantro-mint chutney, which gave it some bite. The yellow tomato salad on the side was delightful, a little sweet without being overpowering. The tomato tart was nice, not necessarily something I would order again, but the thin crust and sweet tomatoes made for a good light appetizer.

For our entrees, I took the upcharge and got the beef and she went with the chicken. The beef was worth it, as both cuts were cooked exactly how I wanted and garnished very well. The only thing I would change would be the horseradish on the filet being a bit more prominent, as I could not taste it last night, but that is really a minor quibble. The chicken was also quite good, giving the fiancee the nice, light dish that she was looking for. The grilled eggplant on the side was very tasty.

By the time we got to dessert, we asked if we could move downstairs to the bar to escape the heat, which had become unbearable after eating our hot entrees. We sat at the bar and had a nice long chat with Umbi, the owner, who quickly made us forget about how hot we were with his hospitality. The desserts, the panna cotta with local peaches and the pound cake with the cream soda float, were not as cold as we would have liked but tasted excellent and were light enough to not make us uncomfortable full on our way out the door.

Overall, good food, but unfortunately what we will remember is the uncomfortable temperature of the restaurant as opposed to the fare. We will have to give it another chance if for anything to go sit at the bar and have another chat with Umbi, who is one of the more friendly restaurant owners that I have met in DC.

[JPW]

JPW, on Jul 31 2007, 11:43 PM, said:

My bet is 8/26

PS - The smoked trout on soba noodles is a very nice summer dish. Perfect for the 96 degrees they are forecasting on Saturday.

[ustreetguy]

JPW, on Jul 31 2007, 11:43 PM, said:

My bet is 8/26

Voila

[jparrott]

Hmm. The same number of stars as Willard's "Real" "Pit" "BBQ."

[Sthitch]

I almost didn't order the fresh tomatoes because it noted that it had a couscous salad. It is not that I don't like couscous, it is just that it is hard to find examples that are likeable. Having heard raves about Wabeck's cooking I decided to give it a try. The couscous that came with it was perfectly cooked, and seasoned and makes me realize how bad most couscous really is. The tomatoes (they could have used another day or two of ripening) were complimented by a piece of Wabash Cannonball. This dish came with a dry chili emulsion, but it lacked any discernable chili flavor, it was not really a distraction from the dish, but it certainly did not add anything to it.

If you are squeamish about eating pork that is in the least bit pink stay away from the pork tenderloin, however, you will be missing one of the best treats that I have had in quite some time. The dish comes with a slice of tempura bacon. The flavor and texture of the bacon could not be better, the chewiness of the smoky bacon contrasting against the crispy crust is just what the dish needed to take it over the top. The rest of the dish includes two pieces of medium rare to rare pork tenderloin. The meat has a wonderful flavor, and I am not put off by undercooked pork.

It was a very nice introduction to New Heights.

[Heather]

Nice wine article, John.

Vichyssoise with smoked salmon was lovely, but the mackeral! Oh, the mackeral! If you claim to like fish, you must try the mackeral. It's beautiful and moist with crispy skin and served with pepitas, purslane, and spaghetti squash. Having grown up in the early 70's during the hippie holdover diet revolution, and been subjected to my mother's numerous Diet for a Small Planet-inspired, tasteless vegetarian flings with spaghetti squash, I was convinced that it was of the devil. John Wabeck convinced me otherwise.

I don't remember exactly what I drank, but it sure wasn't Duckhorn Merlot.

[Heather]

The soft shell crabs have been replaced by sea scallops with sweet potato/duck hash and a red wine & five spice reduction. Lovely with a glass of pinot noir.

[Heather]

A two star cheese plate (garrotxa with grilled brioche):
with a delicious Tandem Pinot.

[Heather]

Moving into fall...the new risotto is butternut squash with red wine & parmagiano. Very rich.

I skipped dessert last night for a cheese plate, & John tried to kill me with the funkiest Grayson ever. I've driven by chicken farms on the Eastern Shore that smelled better than that cheese. Vouvray was necessary to get the barnyard out of my mouth. Holy crap, indeed.

[Michael Landrum]

Just saw the menu for New Year's Eve and all I can say is: fucking amazing!

Dish I most want to eat in 2008: General Tso's Sweetbreads. Genius, pure genius.

[monavano]

Michael Landrum, on Dec 8 2007, 03:10 PM, said:

Just saw the menu for New Year's Eve and all I can say is: fucking amazing!

Dish I most want to eat in 2008: General Tso's Sweetbreads. Genius, pure genius.

To expound on this: New Heights will offer
First Course

Cervena Venison Carpaccio wiht Sultana Raisin Chutney and Briased Celery Branch.
Salad of Baby Winter Greens, Salsify, Candystripe Beets, Walnuts, St. Pete's Blue and Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette
Black Trumpet Mushroom Broth with Red Miso and Manilla Clams

General Tso's Sweetbreads with Dried Chilies and Creamy Polenta
Five Onion Canaroli Risotto with Tallegio Cheese
Lobster Roll Napoleon with Sauce Gribiche and Potato Tuiles

Main Course

Roasted Breast of Grimaud Farms Guinea Hen with Turnip-Nueske's Bacon Ragout and Pruneaux
Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna with Black Quinoa, Tangerine-Sage Emulsion and Mustard Oil
Meyer Ranch Pave of Beef "Rossini" with Salt-cured Foie Gras and Madeira Sauce
Seared Day Boat Scallops with Leeks, Fingerling Potatoes, Champagne-Ginger Emulsion and Salmon Roe
Wild Mushroom Cassoulet wih Oregon Black Truffles and Tarbais Sauce

Cheese Course ($12 per person supplemental)

Dessert Course

Meyer Lemon Pots du Creme with Poppyseed Shortbread
Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate with Wedding Cookies
Gingerbread Cake with Dried Fruit Compote and Nutmeg Anglaise
Fuyu Persimmon Tarte Tartin with Armagnac Ice Cream

...I did a post on www.dcfoodies.com on what restaurants are open on New Year's Eve and Chefs around the area are doing amazing menus...really well thought out and special. Enough to make you think twice about calling it "amateur night".

[Heather]

Michael Landrum, on Dec 8 2007, 03:10 PM, said:

Just saw the menu for New Year's Eve and all I can say is: fucking amazing!

Dish I most want to eat in 2008: General Tso's Sweetbreads. Genius, pure genius.

Looks pretty good, doesn't it? John told me that R.J. Cooper did that dish once at Vidalia.

Try the quail with steel cut oats. It's not just for breakfast anymore.

[gourmetgrazer]

Michael Landrum, on Dec 8 2007, 03:10 PM, said:

Just saw the menu for New Year's Eve and all I can say is: fucking amazing!

Dish I most want to eat in 2008: General Tso's Sweetbreads. Genius, pure genius.

I had very similar preparation called general tso's sweetbreads at circle bistro back in 05-06, any correlation?

[mdt]

gourmetgrazer, on Dec 10 2007, 11:52 AM, said:

I had very similar preparation called general tso's sweetbreads at circle bistro back in 05-06, any correlation?

That is where I remember it from! It was really bugging me.

[Al Dente]

I don't see any dick confit-- has it already become trite?

Keepin' my lentils firm,
Al

[Heather]

Gnocchi, smoked salmon, cream, roe, pea shoots. Splendid.

[mdt]

Got a DRAFT of a new gin joint...

[Wine Guy 23]

mdt, on Jan 7 2008, 08:21 PM, said:

Got a DRAFT of a new gin joint...

gin.jpg

This is where the " Gin master" has a chance to show his stuff! Nice work J.W.

[Heather]

If you claim to care at all about gin, you must get to New Heights try the Damrak. Delicious beyond reason, mysticism in a bottle, suitable for ecstatic contemplation culminating in love for all humanity. Joe Riley, perhaps one day you can help those of us waiting for the caress of the Divine.

No time for a religious experience? Try a Broker's & tonic.

[brettashley01]

MMm that Gin & Juice sounds divine. Blackcurrant juice!

[Sthitch]

I really look forward to trying some of these, but Plymouth is not a London Dry Gin, it is considered its own category of gin called Plymouth.

[FunnyJohn]

Spent an enjoyable couple of hours at the bar with a couple of old friends at New Heights the other night. Inspired by Heather's recommendation on Gin, my buddies who drink the stuff (I don't -- makes me crazy, then ill) had the Damrak which they concurred was unusual and extremely good. Wabeck (who presided at the bar that night) informed us that there were only two bottles of the stuff in the city, the one that was being poured and one that was at his house. I confined myself to red wines of various descriptions, and as there were two wine merchants -- one at either end of the bar -- a lively discussion of wines ensued. John is prepping for his exam to reach the highest degree in the sommelier pantheon, so we should all wish him the best.

BTW did you know that John's fondest quest is to distill the best Gin in the U.S. ?

[alan7147]

FunnyJohn, on Jan 11 2008, 02:09 PM, said:

Wabeck (who presided at the bar that night) informed us that there were only two bottles of the stuff in the city, the one that was being poured and one that was at his house.

I just bought a bottle of Damrak at the MoCo liquor store across the street from Wintergreen Plaza. There were several bottles there if anyone else is interested.

[MMM]

Had a nice "Restaurant Week" dinner here tonight with a party of four. The place was jumping of course, but service was fine and the special menu offered many nice choices. Food was excellent and I left feeling we'd had a delicious meal and for a bargain price to boot!

[Tweaked]

I have tasted the future and it is bacon stuffed naan...available on the bar menu at New Heights now!

Wabeck's gin concoctions don't suck either

[dinwiddie]

Five of us did a wine off-line there on the 23rd. John came out to see what we were opening and to suggest some things from the menu. We told him to just send out what he wanted, and we ended up with a 7 course tasting menu, some of which was on the menu, some not. Everything was fantastic. He paired the courses to the wines perfectly, and since it was a slow night, he came out periodically to have a glass with us. After dinner, we spent about an hour with him talking his two loves, hockey and gin. I'd also add, that since one of our group does not eat red meat, John replaced those courses for him with seafood that was sublime. We started at 7:15pm and rolled out of the restaurant 6 bottles of wine later at about 11:45pm.

[Heather]

Tweaked, on Apr 28 2008, 10:34 AM, said:

I have tasted the future and it is bacon stuffed naan...available on the bar menu at New Heights now!

I stopped by recently. It was nice to meet the new bartender, Fiona, and see the spiffed up awning and interior. The bacon naan was good, but the pickled herring hit the spot with a 209 and bitter lemon.

[Sthitch]

TMFIII, on May 20 2008, 03:51 PM, said:

Self-promotion ahead: A New Height for Gin

I think you're going to have a great time!

Cheers,
Marshall

Great, can't get to Livejournal (or Blogspot) either. Stupid firewall and content filters...

[Sthitch]

The soft shelled crabs are simply amazing (available as both a starter and a main), they are simply pan fried and served with a vindaloo sauce on top of a cucumber Riata. The quality of the crab was exquisite and it matched surprisingly well with the assertiveness of the vindaloo. My dining companion started with the chicken livers. I don't know why this luscious ingredient is ignored by most restaurants, the New Heights version was served in a creamy sauce with a fried polenta cake, and shows chicken livers in a light they deserve.

My New York strip was medium instead of the requested medium rare, however, it really did not distract from what was a delicious piece of meat. It came with mashed sweet potatoes, and I was dubious of the match, but was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked. I am not sure what they did but the emphasis seemed to be on the earthy nature of the tuber instead of its sweetness.

My friend's main was the pheasant breast with steel cut grouts. The flavor was delicious and again the earthiness of the side was what stood out, and it took my guest a little while to kind of get what the chef was trying to do with the flavors. The only complaint about this dish is that the pheasant needed a little bit of fat added to the way it was cooked, as it is an insanely lean meat it really performs best when wrapped in something like bacon before being cooked.

Before dinner I stopped by the downstairs bar to have one the gin concoctions (it was named something like #127 or something similar), and really enjoyed my drink, but I wish that more emphasis was put on the gin and not the other ingredients. I was quite impressed with the selection of gins, and the only one that I don't have that I really want to get is the Rouge Spruce.

[Johnny Rooks]

Oh happy day.

We've Genever.

[dcdavidm]

Johnny Rooks, on May 24 2008, 01:13 PM, said:

Oh happy day.

We've Genever.

Indeed, thank you for the taste this evening. We had a marvelous time enjoying your gin concoctions, a taste of genever, a light dinner of frites, oyster sandwich, bacon nan, and tasso croquettes, and a very pleasant, food-friendly bottle of Moschofilero. The food and drink were terrific, and it was a great pleasure talking with you, Mr. Singh, and the staff.

[DonRocks]

DonRocks, on Jun 13 2007, 11:55 AM, said:

I'm willing to bet that I've had soft-shell crabs no less than thirty times this year, probably in twenty different restaurants, including CityZen and Citronelle. But the Sautéed Soft Shell Crabs, with Cucumber, Fingerling Salad, Cilantro, and Vindaloo Oil (one crab for $14, two for $28) at New Heights is my favorite of 2007, hands down. The crab itself is perfectly cooked, succulent and meaty on the inside, and crisped just the way you want it around the shell. But that's only step A, and what elevates this dish over all others is step B, the seasoning. Vindaloo Oil (cumin, black mustard pepper, black pepper) transports this dish into something that I'll be craving a year from now, and the cucumber and fingerling salad serves as a form of raita, putting this dish strongly inside of India. It is a magnificent presentation of crab, and well-worth your time and effort - have it with a glass of Albarino and your spirits will soar.

A year has passed, and I've had the great soft-shell at New Heights three more times. In 2008, it's being done in a bolder, more "Indian" fashion, with little dabs of pickling paste jotting the side of the bowl, at the ready for dipping and melding with the gloriously fried crab. Do yourself a favor: Go to New Heights, pull up a chair at the bar, order a Broker's and Fever Tree, and sip this minimalist masterpiece while waiting for your soft-shell crab.

What makes this so good?

It's lightly floured in AP flour and Turmeric! Beautifully sauteed to where you can rap your knife on the outside and get a yeoman's resistance, but when you cut into it, it has the ability to squirt like a Thai lilly. Served atop a raita of cukes, diced Yukon golds, ginger, jalapeno, and (knock-knock) cumin, it's accented by Vindaloo oil made of mustard seed, black pepper, cumin seeds, turmeric for color, and bit of cayenne. The big difference this year is the addition of pureed Indian pickles - Chef Wabeck likes this prep more than last year's; I like it pretty much the same - both presentations are singularly great dishes.

Cheers,
Rocks.

[Heather]

DonRocks, on Jun 14 2008, 10:31 PM, said:

The big difference this year is the addition of pureed Indian pickles - Chef Wabeck likes this prep more than last year's; I like it pretty much the same - both presentations are singularly great dishes.

I stopped in for one of these on Monday, and agree with the chef. It was delicious last year, but this year's prep is even better - must be the pickles that give it the edge. The chilled soups are always worth a visit too.

[NCPinDC]

Great patio, great friends and great gin, a better Friday night in June could not be. Oh, great food too...

Because I am a trendy foodie, I started the evening with a Sloe Gin Fizz. It was pink and delicious. Seriously, I love these pink gin drinks that don't require cranberry juice for the color. It was funny when Chef told us later that a certain generation recalls buying sloe gin in college the way my friends bought schnapps. I can actually see that.

We made dinner out of appetizers, the bacon naan can't be beat. The adorable mezza platter of fried oysters, fried pickles and something else was yummy delicious and went well with the too addictive fries.

For dessert a friend chose the rhubarb crisp with hazelnut ice cream. I have to admit that I have never had rhubarb before, it is just not a staple of my Southern sweets diet. Now, I can't wait to have it again. I see pie making as my next culinary adventure.

I am fortunate the New Heights is in my neighborhood...

[qwertyy]

NCPinDC, on Jun 20 2008, 11:04 PM, said:

Because I am a trendy foodie, I started the evening with a Sloe Gin Fizz. It was pink and delicious. Seriously, I love these pink gin drinks that don't require cranberry juice for the color. It was funny when Chef told us later that a certain generation recalls buying sloe gin in college the way my friends bought schnapps. I can actually see that.

My mom says that every bad decision she made in college was because of sloe gin.

[Sthitch]

If you go, and I highly recommend that you do, stop by the bar and order a glass of the newest gin (because of its limited supply in the area, I am not sharing the name), and get it neat, you will be happy you did.

One of my favorite things are well made hushpuppies, so when I saw that they were part of the Eastern Shore Frito Misto appetizer I knew exactly what I was starting with. The dish is comprised of the hush puppies, several fried oysters, and a couple of fried gherkins. If it were not for the hush puppies I would have avoided this dish since I have had far more horrible fried oysters than I have had good ones, and the whole fried pickle thing has never appealed to me. But I wanted hush puppies. Now I am very particular about what I like a hushpuppy to be, I like them dense and I like them with to only be adorned with a touch of onion or scallion, no peppers, corn, foie gras, or any other aberration. This style of gut-bomb fried corn mush is something that brings back memories from childhood, and I have been seeking ones that match my memory.

I cannot tell you the disappointment when I saw these light corn studded morsels sitting in front of me. But my displeasure quickly turned to elation after the first bite revealed a moist fried gem with plenty of corn flavor and surprisingly the corn kernels did not get in the way of the enjoyment of the hush puppies. The hushpuppies were not the only surprise on the plate, the other components also shined on their own, and this was especially the case when it comes to the oysters. What I have found with most fried oysters are that they become mealy and come across as not as fresh tasting as I expect (could it be that some places use the oysters that can no longer be sold on the half-shell as cooked oyster?), neither of these faults were evident at New Heights. What arrived were meaty, and impeccably fresh. The entire dish was brought together with a ramekin of well made roumalade sauce.

[Heather]

I'm not terribly surprised by this, but I will miss the gin joint.

[FunnyJohn]

I guess this is a natural progression for John. I hope that he will not completely relinquish his chef role though. I take solace in the thought that Inox will be nearer my home than New Heights is, although not as Metro accesible. (I'll either have to convince my wife to accompany me there so she can be the designated driver, or taxi it.)

[Heather]

This is the last two weeks that John will be in the kitchen, so I would urge y'all to get on over to New Heights and have the soft shell crab along with whatever soup is featured. Tonight was cold cucumber with smoked fish - delicious with a Broker's gin, Fever Tree tonic, and lemon.

[DonRocks]

Heather, on Jul 16 2008, 08:46 PM, said:

Tonight was cold cucumber with smoked fish - delicious with a Broker's gin, Fever Tree tonic, and lemon.

Say hi next time.

[dinwiddie]

dinwiddie, on Jul 17 2008, 08:37 AM, said:

The DC Crü is doing dinner there tonight. Menu is whatever John decides to fix for us.

Dinner constisted of (dishes in parenthesis were served in place of what everyone else had because one of our group doesn't eat red meat, and the other doesn't eat seafood)

Charred Eggplant and Tomato Soup, Scallion Creme Fraiche

Petit Caesar Salad; Fried Green Totatoes, Smoked Chili Caesar Dressing

Seared Maine Scallops, Spiced Lentil Ragout, Onion Chutney

Eastern Shore Fritto Misto consisting of fried oysters, fried gerkin, and hushpuppy with a wonderful dipping sauce

Colorado Lamb Carpaccio with Three Bean Salad, Old Balsamic, Parmesan Reggiano
(Scottish Smoked Salmon with Sweet-n-Sour Rubarb, Peppered Strawberry Salsa)

Sautted Chesapeake Soft Shell Crab with Potato-Cucumber Raita and Vindaloo Oil
(Grilled Organic Cornish Game Hen with Bacon-Studded Japonica Rice and Red Chili Salsa)

Grilled Meyer Ranch NY Steak with Feta Potato Gratin, Baby Fennel and Olives
(Steamed Atlantic Snapper with Tomato Toast, Baby Fennel, Spanish Garlic Sauce)

Cheese: Blue d'Auvergne, Tomme de Savoie, Garrotxa, Malvarosa, Ardrahan, Epoisses, Valencey, Paddo Classico

Araretti Stuffed Peaches, Amaretto-Raspberry Puree

We brought many wines and ended up drinking 8 bottles plus a half bottle of Sauternes. John produced the menu above to go with the wines.

[Pool Boy]

dinwiddie, on Jul 18 2008, 02:12 PM, said:

Dinner constisted of (dishes in parenthesis were served in place of what everyone else had because one of our group doesn't eat red meat, and the other doesn't eat seafood)

Charred Eggplant and Tomato Soup, Scallion Creme Fraiche

Petit Caesar Salad; Fried Green Totatoes, Smoked Chili Caesar Dressing

Seared Maine Scallops, Spiced Lentil Ragout, Onion Chutney

Eastern Shore Fritto Misto consisting of fried oysters, fried gerkin, and hushpuppy with a wonderful dipping sauce

Colorado Lamb Carpaccio with Three Bean Salad, Old Balsamic, Parmesan Reggiano
(Scottish Smoked Salmon with Sweet-n-Sour Rubarb, Peppered Strawberry Salsa)

Sautted Chesapeake Soft Shell Crab with Potato-Cucumber Raita and Vindaloo Oil
(Grilled Organic Cornish Game Hen with Bacon-Studded Japonica Rice and Red Chili Salsa)

Grilled Meyer Ranch NY Steak with Feta Potato Gratin, Baby Fennel and Olives
(Steamed Atlantic Snapper with Tomato Toast, Baby Fennel, Spanish Garlic Sauce)

Cheese: Blue d'Auvergne, Tomme de Savoie, Garrotxa, Malvarosa, Ardrahan, Epoisses, Valencey, Paddo Classico

Araretti Stuffed Peaches, Amaretto-Raspberry Puree

We brought many wines and ended up drinking 8 bottles plus a half bottle of Sauternes. John produced the menu above to go with the wines.

The soup was possibly my course of the night, but the unusual preparation of the soft shell crab had me going, almost swooning. The scallop dish was noteworthy, the fried oysters executed well and the feta potato gratin was hoardable. Cheese course was loads of fun. the one cheese from Italy with a bit of heat at the end as well as the one wrapped in straw and the soft goat cheese were stand outs.

The wines that we brought along were fun and very enjoyable. Tasting notes below for any that give a hoot --

2000 rochioli RRV pinot noir
Feminine, roses, sour cherry, some ash, twig mash, baked bread crust, smokiness, faint sweetness, fresh jam, thinner and more sour than earlier in the night. Showed very well in the first half of the evening.

2002 rivers marie summa old vines pinot
Green vines, sweet, slightly caramely, cake frosting, bright, some leatheriness, red raspberry cream, unbelievable at the end. I'd really fallen for this when I think Pops brought it to a dinner at Stomp a few years ago. The bottles in between left me disappointed, and I thought this one would, too, but after a few hours of air it really showed well.

2004 kosta browne 4-barrel pinot
Thick, dark brown sugar, slight eucalyptus charred ribeye beef fat, domino steine chocolate, some taylor pork roll - chinese pork cahrsiu, -- I am not a KB fan these days, but after the syrup and sugar evaporated, this wine surprised me. I may yet sell off my KBs one of these days, but I will hold on to the 4-barrels that I have.

2003 karl lawrence cab
Flint, pulverized fallen leaves, buckwheat honey, red dust, some wet lava rock -- mineral at the end. I really enjoyed this wine. Reading these notes during the meal was good for a laugh especially trying to explain the pulverized leaves. Nice wine.

2000 casanova di neri brunello
Leather and licorice, dryyyyyyyy, mecurachrome band aid, beef bullion cube, pencil. This showed well early, but I thought faded a bit in the middle before coming back with a cool meaty and minerally back-end. The nose at the beginning was particularly hauntingly good.

1997 valdicava brunello
stinky cheesy feet, iodine, blue cheese, nuts with jogging feet shoes, roasted nuts (butter and earth), kind of chalky. Man, this wine had FUNK. Serious FUNK like with George Clinton. But it blew off after a long long while and had this roasted buttery nut element that was wonderful.

2001 paul hobbs to ka lon cab
Voluptuous, rubenesque, zaftig, cherry pits, oxygen, faint dill. A really nice wine, quite large and in charge if you will, but it had a good core holding things all together and in balance. A nice shapely bottle 'o wine.

2002 radio coteau la neblina pn
Sweet, cotton candy, sugary jello fruit....I forget who decided to pop this one at the end, but this tasted like cotton candy next to what we'd just finished drinking. It probably should have gone early in the line up, and I think my view of the wine was more 'Meh...' because of when we drank it.

2003 ch lafaurie-peyraguet sauternes
Orange peel, lemon oil, cream, -- I love sauternes and this was a very nice expression of it. I could just sit there and smell it all evening. Really nice.

WOTN? Too hard to choose, but I'd say the Valdicava closer to the end of the evening. I'd say it was a too close to call tie for 2nd in the Paul Hobbs, the Rivers Marie (later in the evening) and the unexpectedly good 4-barrel after the fat rendered off.

[Pat]

After having planned to get to New Heights for the past year, we hurried up and got there last night for a fabulous meal. I made a meal more or less out of appetizers: the black bean rillettes, Eastern Shore Fritto Misto, and a half order of soft shell crab. The crab is something I order at least once every year, though I get a bit squeamish about it. Some preparations work better for me than others, and this was hands down the best soft shell crab dish I've ever had. I loved the potato-cucumber raita and the seasoning. The crab was easy for me to eat, which isn't always the case.

My husband ordered the Indian vegetarian platter and loved it. He especially enjoyed the yogurt. He started with the green tomato "Caesar" salad. He orders Caesar salads often and is usually disappointed. We had debated how much to read into the quotation marks around the word in the menu description, and he was happy with this interpretation of the salad.

When I was lamenting being too full for dessert ice cream sandwiches, the waitress said that she could bring just one. I had one filled with coffee ice cream. The pepper in the cookies was a bit of a surprise, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I knew I truly was full, as I couldn't finish even the one small sandwich. My husband finished it, though he mostly got cookies . I'm glad I at least got a sampling. I wouldn't have thought to ask for just one. That was a thoughtful suggestion.

[goodeats]

Being a lemming tonight, I also wanted to hurry up and enjoy a fabulous meal prepared by Chef Wabeck before he tries his hand in a different arena. I had a wonderful girls' night out with a friend and we too, like Pat, made a meal out of the same appetizers, except we also ordered the Triple M Carnaroli Risotto. A special thanks to our server Andrew, who made a wonderfully soothing and relaxing Aviation gin with Fever Tree Bitter Lemon to help me unwind, while I was on a b**chfest with my friend (plus, I generally didn't order a gin and tonic and have no clue how to order it, much less order it).

I hate to differ, but I am probably the only one that did not like the potato-cucumber raita. I think it was because I had anticipated a softer texture than what was presented. Other than the lightly-balanced seasoned, soft shell crab, I really love the blend of flavors in the risotto. I agree with Sthitch's assessment of the Fritto Misto.

Ended the evening with sharing a dessert platter sampler (can't skip this part!) over 20yr port for my friend (again, I'm sorry, but I'm not good with recalling names with alcohol), and pity Moscatos, which was light and sweet and a wonderful way to end a not-so-good day.

[Pool Boy]

Sthitch, on Jun 30 2008, 01:53 PM, said:

I cannot tell you the disappointment when I saw these light corn studded morsels sitting in front of me. But my displeasure quickly turned to elation after the first bite revealed a moist fried gem with plenty of corn flavor and surprisingly the corn kernels did not get in the way of the enjoyment of the hush puppies. The hushpuppies were not the only surprise on the plate, the other components also shined on their own, and this was especially the case when it comes to the oysters. What I have found with most fried oysters are that they become mealy and come across as not as fresh tasting as I expect (could it be that some places use the oysters that can no longer be sold on the half-shell as cooked oyster?), neither of these faults were evident at New Heights. What arrived were meaty, and impeccably fresh. The entire dish was brought together with a ramekin of well made roumalade sauce.

I personally thought the hush puppy was average, but my experience with hush puppies is admittedly limited. The oyster on the other hand, and the sauce.....whoa.

Pat, on Jul 23 2008, 08:37 PM, said:

As far as the Fritto Misto, I didn't really know how to evaluate the hushpuppies, since they were so small. I liked them, but I don't know how I would rate them. I loved the symmetry of the appetizer, but I have a better sense of the oysters and pickles than the hushpuppies.

I'd forgotten about the pickle! I thought that was cool and an interesting taste.

[Sthitch]

goodeats, on Jul 22 2008, 11:57 PM, said:

I hate to differ, but I am probably the only one that did not like the potato-cucumber raita. I think it was because I had anticipated a softer texture than what was presented.

I agree with you on not liking the raita, but then again, I really don’t like cucumbers so I am not really a fair judge one way or another.

Pool Boy, on Jul 23 2008, 03:03 PM, said:

I personally thought the hush puppy was average, but my experience with hush puppies is admittedly limited.

One of the problems that I have with the lighter style of hush puppies is that they can be very temperamental morsels, the two that I had on my plate were quite different with one far outshining the other. I can see that if they are cooked just a few seconds too long they will loose some of what I found so charming.