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2 Amys, Wisconsin Ave. and Macomb Street - Great Wine, Small Plates, Pizza, and Desserts - No Longer DOCG Pizza, but Who Cares?


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1 hour ago, DonRocks said:

If anyone from 2 Amys sees this post, could you figure out a way to let us know when Tuscan Steak Nights will be?

Thank you, DaRiv18, for writing this.

It's not steak, but the almond honey ice cream the other night was sublime.

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1 hour ago, jca76 said:

someone at 2 amys has finally started posting their nightly specials online, if one is inclined to check for steak (or other favorites).  

they ran out of pizza last night, if you can believe that!    

This is a great, long-overdue development.  The poached dairy cow breast tonnato tonight only has four exclamation marks, if you're counting. 

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hello don rockwell community!

my name is tina, and i’ve taken over the social media interface for 2amys, hopefully in an informative, helpful way. (e.g., posting pics as often as possible on insta/fb, and keeping the website updated with all available menus, etc)  

a teeny bit about me:  i worked for peter at obelisk for 18 yrs as his DR manager.  what an amazing job that was!!!  i learned to cook passably by osmosis, dealt with a wide variety of ppl both on the industry/consumer side, and had a ball the whole time—even when i was weeded within an inch of sanity.

bc of this long term relationship, i (mostly) understand the quirks/awesomeness that 2amys presents.  

i will try to answer your questions (or get answers if i don’t know), convey your beefs, pass along your compliments...any/all things.

look forward to getting to know you!

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ok, then, onward.  (i hope i'm replying to the correct thread)

covering 2.5 topics here:

1. yes, we are trying to get with the program and be up to date on our site with daily offerings, by 6pm at the latest—hopefully earlier when we get our act even more together.   

2. the Tuscan steak night answer:  we will offer it as available.  we can’t be as reliable about that as say, Porchetta Night (wednesday and saturday evenings), but we will most certainly post it on the menu (and on instagram) when it’s around.

.5 there are not enough exclamation points to properly tout that beef tonnato, be it tongue or breast.  seriously. 

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Just saw this note from 2 Amys - I asked them to post here directly in the future:

tonight there is some serious stuff going down: the panino is rare flat iron steak for $8.45...duck suppli, and 45 day dry aged rare tuscan steak (various size options)
 
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22 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Just saw this note from 2 Amys - I asked them to post here directly in the future:

tonight there is some serious stuff going down: the panino is rare flat iron steak for $8.45...duck suppli, and 45 day dry aged rare tuscan steak (various size options)
 

and carciofi alla giudia!

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Had the ribeye tonight--the last from the first of the milk cows that they've recently purchased.  Really delicious, and a great deal, too ($35 for over two lbs.).  If I'm remembering correctly what they were telling me, they might have a strip steak or two remaining for tomorrow.  Then, onto (nine or so?) filets from the second cow.  Then it'll be 45 days or so before the ribeyes and strips are aged and available from that second cow. 

If this all works out, it might become a much more regular thing.

 

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2 Amy's is doing tasty things with old dairy cows!  And you could tell the staff was very excited by what the kitchen was producing.  Beaming in fact!

Poached Dairy Cow Breast with Tarragon, Chicory and Anchovy Dressing:  Spectacular dish.  The breast is rolled and poached and then very thinly sliced.  Great play between the fatty meat and sharp chicory and the pungent anchovy dressing with some freshness from the tarragon.  We were blown away by this dish.  

Shredded Beef:  I think this was the beef salad listed on the menu...anyway, there was a bowl of rich looking shredded meat on the counter.  The beef was slow cooked, shredded and the jus was worked back into the meat.  Simply served with slices of bread.  Very tasty.

Unfortunately the tasting of the Tuscan Steak we were offered was a bust.  It looked like it may have been one of the strip steaks (?)  Beautiful crust, sliced and salted.  But the rare center meat was very chewy and tough, like after gnawing on it and had to spit the rest into a napkin tough.  Good flavor but not so great texture.

I also thought the Porchetta was a little off last night.  Great crispy crust, but again some tough gristle pieces.  The grilled rapini was very fibrous and mostly inedible and the lentils were not as good as the beans they have been serving along side in past months.      

Other winners were the Shaved Artichoke Salad with Lemon, Pecorino and Mint and the Marinated Beets, Creme Fraiche, Hazelnuts and Mint.

We also enjoyed the Marsala Custard for dessert...now if they could turn that into ice cream...mmmm, that would be good!

Seriously, if you ordered the cow breast, artichoke salad, and beets, you would have eaten very well last night.  Very well indeed.  

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I must have just missed you, I met a guy at closing who said he had passed out portions of his steak because he really wasn’t allowed to eat red meat. 

My steak last week was really good, although I don’t recall it being really seasoned/salted at all. But there was some decent wood and a nice sear on it, and everything was really delicious. 

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tonight at 2amys:  a killer panino (lamb with olivada and frisée), porchetta (it’s saturday!), and 7 oz beef filet with braised endive and super crispy potatoes. $21.  pretty much free, if you ask me.  

i posted some little plates on the dinner specials on instagram, in case you’d like visual.  

 

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Tonight, in addition to the toasted almond/honey ice cream (good enough to warrant a visit in and of itself), specials include:

baby white beets with cumin, fennel seed, citrus, and Amy's créme fraîche

prosciutto wrapped roasted rabbit with white asparagus and vincotto

artichoke braised with lemon, olive, and pine nuts with sheep's milk ricotta

shaved dairy cow breast with tuna spuma

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8 minutes ago, Marty L. said:

Tonight, in addition to the toasted almond/honey ice cream (good enough to warrant a visit in and of itself), specials include:

baby white beets with cumin, fennel seed, citrus, and Amy's créme fraîche

prosciutto wrapped roasted rabbit with white asparagus and vincotto

artichoke braised with lemon, olive, and pine nuts with sheep's milk ricotta

shaved dairy cow breast with tuna spuma

Last night they had a kale and pecorino frittata with baked Italian ham on top (I'm going from memory - there were a fair number of artichokes on the menu yesterday) that was easily the best frittata I've ever had - maybe even the only truly great frittata I've ever had - it had been baked yesterday, and was still warm when it was served.

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On 3/5/2018 at 10:20 PM, 2AmysDC said:

hello don rockwell community!

my name is tina, and i’ve taken over the social media interface for 2amys, hopefully in an informative, helpful way. (e.g., posting pics as often as possible on insta/fb, and keeping the website updated with all available menus, etc)  

a teeny bit about me:  i worked for peter at obelisk for 18 yrs as his DR manager.  what an amazing job that was!!!  i learned to cook passably by osmosis, dealt with a wide variety of ppl both on the industry/consumer side, and had a ball the whole time—even when i was weeded within an inch of sanity.

bc of this long term relationship, i (mostly) understand the quirks/awesomeness that 2amys presents.  

i will try to answer your questions (or get answers if i don’t know), convey your beefs, pass along your compliments...any/all things.

look forward to getting to know you!

Tina, thanks so much for performing this valuable service.  A small request:  Please include the date on the daily specials/bar items online, so that we can distinguish between what was available yesterday and what'll be on tap tonight.  Thanks

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Don Rockwell peeps!

Tonight is Fried Anchovy Bones Night.  It is beyond delicious:  deep fried, crispy, salty, anchovy heaven.  If you've never tried this cheap bar treat ($4), you really, really should brave the crowds and get in here. 

Also out of the (different) fryer:  Carciofi alla Giudia.  See the video clip of them bouncing away in oil on our Instagram page.

Wait, that's not all!  It's also Tuscan Steak Night:  28oz of 3 week dry aged sirloin served with spinach and potatoes for $35.

I'll just leave this right here...

:)

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3 minutes ago, jandres374 said:

Who knew the back bar had a name. Serenity Now.

I just had those Sicilian Anchovies last week - at $6, they're the least-expensive of the three on offer, and with the olive oil, bread, and butter, virtually indistinguishable: I get them every time I go now. I could have *just this* as my last meal.

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14 hours ago, silentbob said:

What time can we start ordering from the wine bar menu?  Is 5 or 5:30 too early?

All day long, unless there's something I don't know. One thing people haven't mentioned about the wine bar menu is that the foods are largely pre-made - sometimes something will need to be warmed up, but more often than not, the wine bar menu features room-temperature items. If you aren't sitting at the bar, simply walk up to it, and take note of what looks good - I had a frtitata there last time that was the best I'd ever eaten (and I must surely have had frittatas (frittati?) fifty times in my life).

Go early, go often - you won't believe how much you enjoy it, even when it isn't perfect. Regarding the anchovies, get the cheapest of the three (Sicilian, I believe, and I think they're $6 (if I recall, the other two selections are $7 and $8)) - they're large, *and* they're darned good - put one on a piece of buttered bread (I think they come with bread and butter; if not, make sure something you order does). You'll think you're in heaven, and may just put in for a second order.

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3 hours ago, DonRocks said:

All day long, unless there's something I don't know. One thing people haven't mentioned about the wine bar menu is that the foods are largely pre-made - sometimes something will need to be warmed up, but more often than not, the wine bar menu features room-temperature items. If you aren't sitting at the bar, simply walk up to it, and take note of what looks good - I had a frtitata there last time that was the best I'd ever eaten (and I must surely have had frittatas (frittati?) fifty times in my life).

Go early, go often - you won't believe how much you enjoy it, even when it isn't perfect. Regarding the anchovies, get the cheapest of the three (Sicilian, I believe, and I think they're $6 (Iif I recall, the other two selections are $7 and $8)) - they're large, *and* they're darned good - put one on a piece of buttered bread (I think they come with bread and butter; if not, make sure something you order does). You'll think you're in heaven, and may just put in for a second order.

Actually, the wine bar menu is generally only available in the evening.

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10 minutes ago, Marty L. said:

Actually, the wine bar menu is generally only available in the evening.

Really?! As many times as I've been here mid-afternoon, and I didn't even know this? Odd.

Is this true on Sundays as well? These are the days I usually come earlier.

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5 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Really?! As many times as I've been here mid-afternoon, and I didn't even know this? Odd.

Is this true on Sundays as well? These are the days I usually come earlier.

Just checked -- I suppose it depends upon what you consider "mid-afternoon"!  ;-)   4:00 on weekends; 5:00 M-F.

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13 hours ago, DonRocks said:

All day long, unless there's something I don't know. One thing people haven't mentioned about the wine bar menu is that the foods are largely pre-made - sometimes something will need to be warmed up, but more often than not, the wine bar menu features room-temperature items. If you aren't sitting at the bar, simply walk up to it, and take note of what looks good - I had a frtitata there last time that was the best I'd ever eaten (and I must surely have had frittatas (frittati?) fifty times in my life).

Go early, go often - you won't believe how much you enjoy it, even when it isn't perfect. Regarding the anchovies, get the cheapest of the three (Sicilian, I believe, and I think they're $6 (if I recall, the other two selections are $7 and $8)) - they're large, *and* they're darned good - put one on a piece of buttered bread (I think they come with bread and butter; if not, make sure something you order does). You'll think you're in heaven, and may just put in for a second order.

I once asked a waiter there if he thought the more expensive anchovies tasted better and he rolled his eyes and said it was barely possible to tell the difference so I've never ordered anything but the Sicilian ones since.  They are great, and do always come with bread and butter.

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4 hours ago, DonRocks said:

That makes sense - I often come here late Sunday afternoons (thanks for checking, btw).

First real sign of Spring:  Ramps on the pizza tonight.  Plus fantastic braised fava beans with sheep's milk and a new wheat bread that they're milling themselves.  And strawberries from "Harry's Berries" in California (I was dubious about April berries--but sure enough, they're quite good), with gragnano, vanilla ice cream and shortbread.

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4 hours ago, Rhone1998 said:

I once asked a waiter there if he thought the more expensive anchovies tasted better and he rolled his eyes and said it was barely possible to tell the difference so I've never ordered anything but the Sicilian ones since.  They are great, and do always come with bread and butter.

I went through this little exercise on my own, came to the same conclusion, and haven't ordered anything but the Sicilian anchovies since.

Peter, if you're reading this, consider making an order of six anchovies (instead of four), featuring two-each of the three different types? That way, diners can make a direct comparison - sort of like a "wine tasting," but an "anchovy tasting." This is something I'd order, because if you order only one type, the frame-of-reference is missing, so trying the more-expensive versions by themselves just isn't worth it (to me, anyway).

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56-oz. ribeye for $65 tonight. Oh, and morels and ramps on pizzas. And porchetta. And raspberry ice cream.  And . . . they have a new mill with which they're making a delicious wheat bread to go with various things. Spring at 2 Amys is as good as DC gets.

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To add onto the anchovy stories, you are in for a treat if you hit Two Amys when they have fried anchovy bones on the menu. They are the perfect beer snack - salty, fried and crunchy. I was told several months ago fried anchovy night is on Tuesdays, as Tuesday is the day they break down the little fish. Order early though because they once ran out of them by 7:30 one Tuesday when I was there.

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28 minutes ago, Marty L. said:

Best seven dollars I've spent in a long time: 

chopped squab giblet toast with pickles and parsley 

[unfortunately, the squab is apparently a rare treat, but keep an eye out for it]

I was on the way there tonight, before I suddenly got a "better" idea. :(

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1 hour ago, Marty L. said:

Best seven dollars I've spent in a long time: 

chopped squab giblet toast with pickles and parsley 

[unfortunately, the squab is apparently a rare treat, but keep an eye out for it]

Let me get this straight.  You had giblets of squab, but no squab meat?  How much giblets were there?  Any free or paid parking?

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You guys are killing me.  I live too far from Two Amy’s, but used to go all the time. If there was a list of “most underrated all time best restaurants “it would include Twoa Amy’s, and Ray’s the Steaks”.

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In this podcast--which you should listen to for several reasons, most importantly, what they have to say about DC Initiative 77--there's a "rapid fire Qs" segment at the end in which Jill Tyler (Tail up Goat) is asked "What's your idea of the perfect D.C. date night?"  Her immediate response:  "The bar at 2 Amys, no question"--and Cizuka Seki (Seki) and Clementine Thomas (Chez Billy) readily concur.  Wise women:  heed their advice (not only on 2 Amys, but 77, too).

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Thoroughly enjoyable and quick meal at the 2Amy's bar last night. Steak tartare, coquettes and a pizza to take home, washed down with a couple glasses of rose. Been here countless times before, always look forward to returning.

(Don, I'll say hi next time).

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1 hour ago, Keithstg said:

(Don, I'll say hi next time).

I had a feeling that might have been you - either you, or someone else here. The exit conversation went something like this:

"Those people sitting next to us seemed knowledgeable."
"They are."

(I wasn't eavesdropping; there were a couple of comments I overheard which raised my antennae.)

Cheers Keith!
Uncle Martin

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20 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

I had a feeling that might have been you - either you, or someone else here. The exit conversation went something like this:

"Those people sitting next to us seemed knowledgeable."
"They are."

(I wasn't eavesdropping; there were a couple of comments I overheard which raised my antennae.)

Cheers Keith!
Uncle Martin

Cheers!😎

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2 Amys is a diner's best friend - the most important restaurant in the history of Washington, DC remains one of its very best, serving such diverse customers as families with infants in strollers, older couples out on date night, and award-winning chefs (chefs eat here all the time).

It's a well-known "secret" in the DC dining community that the small plates offered at the bar (which can be ordered in the main dining area) rotate on a regular basis, and is essentially Peter Pastan's playground for experimenting with new and seasonal dishes.

What isn't well-known is that legendary bar chef Scott Hager - who became a local celebrity by being drawn on 2 Amys menu (yes, that gentleman with the glasses was Scott) - has left and returned to Chesapeake, Virginia after many years running the food bar here. This Tuesday, the bar food was being made by a gentleman of enormous passion, creativity, and respect for tradition: Rick Cook, who has come from Etto, and who worked at both BlackSaltm and at The Grill Room with the legendary Frank Ruta.

Perhaps even less-known is that once or twice a week - sometimes early on Tuesdays and Fridays - the wonderful trilogy of anchovies 2 Amys serves are de-boned, each one by hand, and instead of discarding the bones, they're lightly coated and fried, resulting in one of the most delicious bar snacks you'll ever taste - served in a basket atop a white napkin, as if they were potato chips, these bones are the essence of the anchovy, crispy like thin pretzels but with the flavor of the ocean, and not at all sharp. As the anchovies are packed in liquid, they're salty as you would expect, making them the perfect beer snack.

Alas, this past Tuesday, my dining companion and I saw them sitting out on the bar, having arrived just before 5:30 on Tuesday to an almost completely empty restaurant. We ordered a carafe of the 2015 2 Amys' 'No Longer' Rosé (a classic example of an "orange wine," which goes perfectly with this - I urge you to try this combination if you get the chance). We were treated to one of the humblest and finest food and wine pairings you could imagine, and our little basket of fried anchovy bones went a shockingly long way - these things are deceptively rich, and even though it didn't look like much, we ate our fill, and then some.

And it's a good thing, because there were only *three* orders for the entire evening, and I must re-emphasize: They only de-bone the anchovies once or twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays are your best bet, but you should check before committing). At $4 per order - especially considering the labor-intensive nature of these anchovy bones - this is not a money-maker for 2 Amys; it's a labor of love, walking the walk when it comes to using the whole animal and minimizing waste - this is precisely what Peter Pastan - and more recently Rick Cook - have always espoused, and it's on full display here.

Fried Anchovy Bones with a carafe of 2 Amys' 'No Longer' Rosé - a match made in, well, a match made under the sea and under the soil. Get them, and then try anything and everything else you see that looks or sounds good - do not hesitate to turn yourself over to the hands of Rick and the wonderful bartender Allie: They will help you to dine, and to dine well.

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