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Cashion's Eat Place, Chef John Manolatos on Columbia Road in Adams Morgan - Closed


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Long-time lurker, first-time poster here...

Went here on Sunday night and had a great meal. This was my second visit to Cashion's and I left wondering why I don't think of coming here more often when I'm looking for a nice dinner out (especially since I live close).

We took my parents who were visiting from out of town and we all had a great time from start to finish. We started off by sharing the Risi i Bisi (Risotto with peas) and an arugula salad with beets, mozzarella and boquerones. The risotto was cooked perfectly and we devoured it quickly. The salad was perfect for the sweltering day outside... lightly dressed with wonderful fresh ingredients.

For my entree, I had the sablefish with fennel and citrus (orange and grapefruit) segments. The sablefish was perfectly cooked, and it was nice to have the fennel and citrus to counterbalance the richness of the buttery fish. I also tried and enjoyed my husband's lamb with berber spice rub.

For dessert, we all split the waffles with orange ice cream and chocolate sorbet. The chocolate sorbet was super rich, almost like chocolate sauce, and the waffles were crisp and tasty. We were lucky we didn't fight over who got the last bite. I would go back again just for a drink at the bar and the waffles for dessert in a heartbeat.

The service was great the entire night, and I'm sure I'll be back again soon, probably to check out the late night menu at the bar.

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This was my second visit to Cashion's and I left wondering why I don't think of coming here more often when I'm looking for a nice dinner out (especially since I live close).

Every time I eat at Cashion's I kick myself for not going there all the time, particularly since I can walk there in about 7 minutes. Last night, for an early birthday dinner, I had the mizuna salad (with, if I remember correctly, melon, gooseberries, some kind of nut, and blue cheese (Valdeon?)), and crispy flounder steaks. The flounder was nicely crispy (as advertised) and served with lime wedges and a little bowl of salt and crushed peppercorns. (I've never had flounder served as steaks, and the downside was the need to maneuver around the pin bones.) My friend started with a cucumber soup with crabmeat. I was tempted to get that also, but was still full from having the crab and egg custard soup at Corduroy two weeks ago, so I shied away from it. It turned out to be much, much lighter (I'd have snagged a taste, but only had a fork; note to self: carry spoon in purse). I tried to pass on dessert, but our server (a French woman, who was terrific from the offer of champagne at the beginning to the dessert recommendation at the end) pressed us to order something, so we ordered the delicious lemon panna cotta. It arrived with a birthday candle -- thus explaining why she was anxious for me to order dessert. A delicious meal and civilized experience all around. I vow to go more often. Really.

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We had a wonderful birthday meal here last night. The last time we were there was probably 10 years ago, but it won't be that long until we return. The service was excellent, as others have noted. Our server was very knowledgable about the menu and wines, and really seemed like he cared about the food that was coming out of the kitchen. We started with the greek spreads (tzatziki was fabulous, and inspired me to try and make my own tonight) and the quail. For mains, I had the duck with foie gras and gooseberries. This was excellent-- the foie and the gooseberries complimented the duck very well. My husband had the halibut, served with beets; he thought this was also a hit. Dessert- shortcake with strawberries and blueberries; again, excellent. Overall, we loved the neighborhood feel of this restaurant, which served very thoughtful food that felt like it had a soul. Total tab (including 2 glasses of wine, tax and tip): $133.

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Another special occasion with friends, another spectacular night at Cashion's. No one else in my party had ever been there (sigh--Virginians...), but every one of them walked out impressed and itching to come back. We indulged in pre-appetizers, appetizers, mains, and dessert, and everything was good to excellent. My favorite dish of the night was the softshell crab, served with a tart slaw. It was listed as an appetizer, but it ended up being a perfect size for a main considering our baccanalia. Our shared desserts were exceptional across the board--yogurt, panna cotta, and strawberry shortcake had us all dizzy deciding which to take a bite of next.

My highest praise, though, is reserved for the service. These people know how to take care of their guests. Our server was friendly and indulgent, quickly assessing our happy, special-occasion mood and attending or leaving us alone as the moment required. She also was extremely helpful with wine, not hesitating to consult the sommelier when she needed and always finding us something that precisely hit the spot.

Six people, cocktails, four bottles of wine, four courses=round about $400. Cashion's is, to me, a perfect combination of fine dining with comfortable familiarity. I am, once again, endlessly happy to have this place so close to home.

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Congratulations to John Manolatos and the new owners of Cashion's Eat Place, who recently celebrated their first full year of ownership.

Cashion's remains a fine choice for dinner on Sunday evenings, and every time I dine here, I'm reminded of just how much I enjoy the bar, the dining room, and the restaurant in general. It really was a groundbreaking restaurant when it opened, and it's still sailing along very nicely to this day.

Manolatos is exerting a strong Greek influence on the menu, and that's exactly what you hope to see - a talented chef coming forward after years of loyal service, and having the confidence to put his own mark on the DC dining scene. Between Manolatos and Johnny Monis, the concept of upscale Greek cuisine is being born right before our eyes.

The Spinach and Dodonia Feta Tarte ($9.50) was refreshingly perfect, the pastry brilliantly executed and not the least bit heavy, the filling in balance and served at the correct temperature, and each leaf of the green salad seemingly dressed individually with a paint brush - this is a sign that a salad has been dressed with care.

Housemade Pappardellini ($12.00) was another perfect appetizer, the homemade pasta appropriately salty from its prawn-roe butter, with chunks of Dutch Harbor crab meat, and the whole thing avoiding the dangerous slip into heavy territory by a simple addition of microscopic bread crumbs for texture.

At this point in the meal, I could not believe how good the food was, and this was shaping up to be as good as any dinner I've ever had at Cashion's.

Things slipped a bit with the main courses, but only from great to good. Sarah's Rabbit Meatloaf ($22), with turnips, maroon carrots, brussels sprouts, cippolini, and hen-of-the-woods gravy, was a rabbit-based meatloaf cut with chicken (if it wasn't cut with chicken, it would have cost $40), and was rich and hearty without being ponderous. After my recent posole at La Sirenita, I wanted to try the Lamb Posole ($22) here, knowing it would be both a spicier and more elevated version since it was with tomatillos, cilantro, raw cabbage, a little creme fraiche, small cubes of feta, and a poached hen egg on top. It sounds busy, but had a flavor very similar to the Green Chili Pork Stew I recently had at Tap and Vine, so the dominant taste was the tomatillo which didn't bother me in the least. It was a noteworthy combination of Latin America and Greece, all in a single bowl.

A brand new dessert was on the menu, and is just being developed by a new pastry chef, and the walnut and hazelnut-stuffed Borek ($11) with blood oranges and spiced Greek yoghurt needs a bit more polish in the execution. This dish can work, and judging from the supremacy of the actual pastry in the Spinach and Dodonia Feta tarte, all the components are in place for it to integrate more fully than it did.

Service was hors classe, with our talented young server Jenny well-versed with the menu, and as friendly and professional as can be. It was a very good night at Cashion's Eat Place, a restaurant that remains the best choice in Adams Morgan by a large margin.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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When I heard that my cousin and her daughter were coming to town, I immediately made reservations at Cashion's for their first evening. I knew it would be a comfortable place where we could relax and have a fine meal, and again, as always, my expectations were exceeded.

I was nervous for a minute there, seeing the menu under the new ownership has moved further away from "American" toward "Mediterranean" because I knew that the teen was pretty tame in her tastes. (But for my money, the menu reads like a dream--and they actually keep the one posted on the Web site up to date--yay!) All of us started with the bibb lettuce salad with papdew peppers, beets, bacon, and creamy feta dressing, and it was an excellent salad. Peppery, garlicky, tangy, fresh. It was a fun play on the delicious but commonplace wedge salad, and the papadew added a surprising, juicy little bit of spice that made it even more creative. We had a lot of ground to cover conversationally, so no one commented on the salad, but I noticed that I wasn't the only one who finished her plate... and then cleaned the rest of the bacon and dressing off with the bread before begrudgingly letting the busser take it.

I had the Kurabuta pork for a main, which was served with red cabbage, carrots, and sour cherries. This was interesting. It was sweeter than I thought it would be, and aggressively, um, "autumnally" spiced--juniper, and I think allspice and I don't know what else. The pork--pink and lustrous and beautifully cooked--was a hit from the get-go, but I was about halfway through eating it before the flavors all came together for me. And I still think the cherries were too sweet for the rest of the dish, and the spicing may have been too strong and monolithic, but I did clean my plate.

I'd talked our young companion into ordering the one dish that didn't scare her (octopus? ew! dorade? ew!)--the bison short ribs--and it was a success! I didn't even get a bite. That plate was clean except for the bones within ten short minutes. And my cousin's skate (which I DID get a taste of--beautifully cooked) went just as quickly and completely.

The youngun finished with the carrot cake, which made her blissful. Though at first she thought the cheesecake ice cream tasted "wierd," when I pointed out that it tasted just like cheesecake, but, you know, frozen :rolleyes: , she tried again, and said that, with the berry sauce, "it's just like cheesecake, but ice-creamy!!" Another plate clean.

As always, the service was excellent. Helpful, but unobtrusive. Friendly, but aware that we needed our space. She also, on our request, chose perfect wines by the glass to match our meals.

I know I need to get out more, but I'm just still endlessly happy that Cashion's is my local. (And I'm apparently not the only one--the place was packed when we left at 9:00.)

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A quick report from Cashion's:

This was my first trip to Cashion's in at least a year. I have had lots of great meals there, however this one was a mix of hits and misses.

I cobbled together a no-entree meal of butternut squash soup, an arugula salad with goat cheese and appetizer portion of tagliatelle with lamb ragu. The soup was described as spicy, and it was. Too spicy with chiles unfortunately, and I like spicy. A friend also had the soup and agreed. Adding salt helped balance the flavor a little, but neither of us finished the bowls of soup.

The arugula salad was nicely dressed and served with a large disc of Pipe Dreams goat cheese, however the greens were rather tough. YMMV. I prefer baby arugula.

The tagliatelle was terrific. I'd gladly order it again.

For dessert (yeah, I pigged out), I had the miniature fried apple pies with ice cream and apple puree. Good, but not swoon-worthy. I'd probably try something else if the pies were offered again.

Among my dining party, they agreed with the hits/misses observation. Popular items included the mushrooms with liver sauce served over polenta and a prawn appetizer. The fig and goat cheese tartlet went back to the kitchen minus only a few bites.

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Stopped by on Friday night for a little date night. The thunderstorm hit just as we were seated - must say Cashions is a lovely place to wait out a storm. Our waitress was also lovely and the food wonderful. Started with the mushroom ragu and polenta: rich but not too heavy. I had the sable fish: perfectly cooked and the accompanying creamed corn and pea puree complimented the simple presentation. Husband had the rabbit meatloaf and mashed sweet potato. I was less impressed with his dish - the meatloaf was rather flat and the potatoes too sweet. However, he loved it. Given the storm, we chose to linger over some port and cheese for dessert. Overall, a stellar dinner and reminder of why Cashions will always be an old favorite.

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Stopped in for drinks and dessert after a girls' night sushi dinner, and the lemon-blueberry shortcake was the perfect end to a perfect evening - sweet without being too sweet, and chock full of luscious, fresh blueberries. Delicious! Service was great at the bar as well - can't believe it was my first visit, and wish I could return for a full meal! Next visit, perhaps...

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Cashion's seems like the real winner there.

This interesting, to me, because its location ensures that it will never be a "destination" restaurant. (This is, after all, the original location of Cafe Atlantico). Unless you are willing to plan your trip using the Metro and the Circulator bus, that is, and are willing to walk a couple of blocks. Then, it's doable. On the other hand, this is, hands down, the best restaurant in Adams Morgan and the surrounding vicinity. So, why do we always try to go to Corduroy? Because the food is better there and, generally, cheaper. Plus, Dame Edna and I are not normally looking for food after midnight. B)

Still, it's very nice to have this place so close by. I've written about our journey last June to Columbia, MD, to see our nephew graduate from High School, and the subsequent "meal" at the Cheesecake Factory. We got home, parked the Zipcar, and made a beeline to Cashion's for some real food, and were sublimely taken care of by Krishna at the bar. I just wish I looked as forward to the food here as I do to Tom Power's cooking. There it is.

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Half the time I eat at Cashion's I think "why don't we eat here more often?" The other half of the time I think "I can't believe I paid that much money for such boring food."

There's a fine line between clever minimalism and uninspired blandness, I guess. And, despite its neighborhood-y vibe, it ain't cheap.

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Unless you are willing to plan your trip using the Metro and the Circulator bus, that is, and are willing to walk a couple of blocks. Then, it's doable.

Or walk from home.* It's not the best restaurant in the city; it's a neighborhood place with solid food and excellent service. And if not sitting right on top of a Metro station helps me get a seat easier, then bully for that too.

*Or take the 42, H1, or L2.

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It's not the best restaurant in the city; it's a neighborhood place....

There's the thing -- I keep thinking it's a "neighborhood" place, but when I get the check, I'm reminded that it's actually priced a lot like a downtown establishment.

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There's the thing -- I keep thinking it's a "neighborhood" place, but when I get the check, I'm reminded that it's actually priced a lot like a downtown establishment.

Right, but I think the quality merits the price. I wouldn't pay for $20+ entrees at Napoleon or the Grill from Ipanema (or even, to digress, $10), but nor would I expect Cashion's to lower their prices just because they're not on the Metro or in the venerated "Golden Triangle."

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If they still have goat on the menu, there is no reason that you should not be there eating it right now. No reason. Crispy bits, not greasy, but pleasantly lubricated, served with sparky salad and tzaziki and nommy flatbread. On top of which, gorgeous wine, exceptional--and I don't use that word lightly--service. No reason, people!

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If they still have goat on the menu, there is no reason that you should not be there eating it right now. No reason. Crispy bits, not greasy, but pleasantly lubricated, served with sparky salad and tzaziki and nommy flatbread. On top of which, gorgeous wine, exceptional--and I don't use that word lightly--service. No reason, people!

Wow, I post about this place a lot.

I still love Cashion's.* After an absence of a few months, the goat has made a reappearance on the menu, and it's just as stellar as I remembered. Also yummy? Cajun fried rabbit loin with mustard sauce and the mushrooms and crab on crostini. (And yay to them for having an up-to-date website that helped me remember the details!) The rabbit meatloaf earlier this month was not as strong--a bit dry--but I still give them props for trying something new.

*And Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

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Just had dinner at Cashion's tonight for the first time in years. The food was fine - the mushroom ragout was delicious but if they really are advertising it to come with lumps of crabmeat, it was really stingy and microscopic shreds of crab. The pickled cauliflower and peppers on the charcuterie plate were much tastier and remarkable than the meats... my partner had the goat entree and loved it but it did not really go with his cote de rhone (his fault, not the restaurant's) I had the bass which was crispy skinned and Asian-influenced with the ginger and sesame flavors. We got the best dessert on the menu - chocolate profiterole - and loved the salty finish on it. Service seemed a little off, in that they kept on trying to take our plates before we were finished but were nowhere to be found/really slow when we wanted to order additional food items. The bread service was fast and polite. Overall, well-prepared food but a little overpriced for what you get.

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While schlepping bags from the Safeway on Columbia Road this afternoon, I decided to pause and check out the menu at Mintwood Place before going further to Cashion's and look at its menu. Surprise! Surprise! Cashion's has lowered its prices a wee bit, so that no entree item is above $29. I wondered how long it would take them to get in line with their newer, hotter neighbor. Now, I know. :)

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Sorry I missed you [at Mintwood Place] - we were there kind of early. Out of the 4 times we've had dinner here, only once did we eat at a table and the service was fine there. It's the bar where it turns into the 3 Stooges. Although we did comment to each other, when we saw a few staff members off to the side chatting, that perhaps they were discussing which table not to bus.

I would much rather eat at the bar at Cashion's--a couple of doors down the street. It's always been just brilliant. And, since they both post their menus so that people can peruse them while passing by, Cashion's has dropped its prices to reflect those of Mintwood. Makes me very happy all the way around.

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I would much rather eat at the bar at Cashion's--a couple of doors down the street. It's always been just brilliant. And, since they both post their menus so that people can peruse them while passing by, Cashion's has dropped its prices to reflect those of Mintwood. Makes me very happy all the way around.

I agree...when we passed Cashion's on our way home from Mintwood, we commented that the bar was actually quite crowded.

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at Cashions tomorrow night

rescheduled for tonight.

What a nice meal we had at Cashions. Everything was excellent except the wait for our table (resevation made several days ago and reconfirmed). We enjoyed the grilled, heads on shrimp dusted with a salt?, a tagliatelli with fresh peas and house cured pancetta. Entrees were the bison cooked to order and the wreckfish on lemony lentils. Desserts were a chocolate ganache with expresso ice cream and a fruit crumble. No notes so hence the vague descriptions. Wine was a sublime 2008 Deponte Cellars "Dundee Hills" pinot which exemplified the greatness of this vintage in Oregon. It responded well to Justin's decanting. Morgan, formerly of Dino, took great care of us. We can't recall the last time everything was so right at a meal in the District. Well, maybe at Dino. We will return!

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Looking at the date of the last post here (by moi), I was wondering if anyone has been here since the menu revamp?

This is printed on the menu:

We recently redesigned our menu to allow
you to take more control of your dining experience:
Items listed under "FISH," "MEAT," and "FOWL"
are slightly larger and can be paired with one or two items
from the "VEG/SIDES" section to create a traditional entrée.
OR
Feel free to order from all over the place and we will help
pace your food so you have a comfortable and fun experience!
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After dinner here last night, I guess I know why no one goes here any more.

Starting with the cocktails, both of which should have been stirred drinks (Martini, Boulevardier variant) but instead were shaken.  And what's with the ice - serving me a cocktail on the rocks does not mean serving said cocktail in a glass filled with ice chips.  You know what that means? Yep - an insipid cocktail.

The food was nondescript.  I won't say it was bad, but man, it was boring. And of course the new "small plates" concept means you'll still spend a ton.

I sure hope they hold the new seafood shack opening next-door to a higher standard.

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After dinner here last night, I guess I know why no one goes here any more.

Starting with the cocktails, both of which should have been stirred drinks (Martini, Boulevardier variant) but instead were shaken.  And what's with the ice - serving me a cocktail on the rocks does not mean serving said cocktail in a glass filled with ice chips.  You know what that means? Yep - an insipid cocktail.

The food was nondescript.  I won't say it was bad, but man, it was boring. And of course the new "small plates" concept means you'll still spend a ton.

I sure hope they hold the new seafood shack opening next-door to a higher standard.

Well, the good news is that neither John forgot how to cook, nor Justin forgot how to run a restaurant, so you have to give Cashion's the benefit of a one-off here (in case you know otherwise). Actually, you don't *have* to, but I would, absent other information.

Then again, I trust your palate, so I take what you say seriously as well.

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After dinner here last night, I guess I know why no one goes here any more.

I do.  I enjoy the people, the space and the food.

I'd gladly walk 3 miles in flip flops to have the anchovy-stuffed zucchini blossoms and the tender lamb "flesh and bones" glazed with sweet green tomato mostarda, which were very satisfying.  For the price of what was 3-4 courses I can relax over a few more with my tablemates and am content with good products and sound cooking which tastes good, rather than what needlessly tries to be a contrived revelation.

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I do.  I enjoy the people, the space and the food.

I'd gladly walk 3 miles in flip flops to have the anchovy-stuffed zucchini blossoms and the tender lamb "flesh and bones" glazed with sweet green tomato mostarda, which were very satisfying.  For the price of what was 3-4 courses I can relax over a few more with my tablemates and am content with good products and sound cooking which tastes good, rather than what needlessly tries to be a contrived revelation.

I have not eaten there since they changed their menu; but, I took a good, long look at the menu posted by the front door yesterday and found a whole passel of things I would like to try. They are in stiff competition with Mintwood Place (similar style of cooking and price point) and seemed to have set off in a different direction in order to separate from the pack. More power to 'em, I say. I also can't way for the new seafood joint to open.

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All well and good to the 2 above posters.

But you still have to bring it when it comes to what's on the plate - and 2 nights ago, they didn't.  We must've tried 8 - 10 items - nothing left me wanting it again.  And the crackers are just wrong when it comes to serving them with the dips/spreads.  Didn't they used to serve pitas with those?

And I'm sorry - but with so many places making proper cocktails, these were just made quite flippantly.

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Completely agree with weinoo. Went a couple months back and ordered 6 or 7 things off the menu. The only things that were even good were the octopus and the wings. The rest was very meh. Hadn't been before the change in concept that others are referencing, but I won't be giving it another shot. Probably 1.5 stars if I had to put a rating on it. I should note that I may be an outlier because I thought a similarly well regarded place (Mintwood Place) was just as meh in terms of taste.

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Just got back from dinner here. Dame Edna's birthday is tomorrow--which is a problem food-wise. Corduroy is closed at this time of the year, as per usual, and most other places with half decent food are closed on Sundays. I told him that it wasn't wise to be born at the end of August.  So, I suggested that we go out tonight (and I will cook tomorrow). Where to go, since I hadn't made any reservations?

He suggested that we hit Mintwood Place, Cashion's, and Woodward Table in that order. Mintwood is still doing Restaurant Week and, because of the earlier rain, their patio was closed. I told the very nice lady at the reservations desk that we had no ressie and asked if we had any hope at all of eating there tonight? She looked at me sadly and said "to be honest? No."

So, we went to Plan B and had no trouble getting seated at Cashion's. We perused the menu while drinking a glass of wine. (They are still serving wine in tumblers, for some inexplicable reason, just as they have since Ann Cashion opened the place lo, these many moons ago. I, however, ordered the house Prosecco and it was served in a proper flute.)

I simply have to disagree with Weinoo and ALargeFarva. We started with the lavash with lemon-tahini to start and the long, thin crackers were just fine with the tasty dip. DE got the duck confit and I went with the pork belly. I only got a bite of the duck and none of its accompaniments. It tasted exactly like you would expect duck confit to taste. The pork belly, however, was simply divine, served on top of a "slaw" whose tart/sweetness was a perfect foil for the meaty pork. I'm going to be hard-pressed to order anything else there.  I also ordered the baby collard greens with hen egg. The egg yolk was perfectly runny and cut through what bitterness there was of the greens. They were also spicy. Yum.

If there was a down note, it was the chili relleno that DE ordered as a side. The cheese that stuffed the chili was too mild and the sauce didn't have the heat you would expect of a Mexican dish. It was, however, perfectly fried.

For dessert, I had the cinnamon bread pudding and ice cream and DE had the "pristine" apple clafouti, also with ice cream. We discussed the meaning of the term "pristine" to no avail. It was, however, quite delicious. And, while he said that the bread pudding wasn't as good as what I make at home (there is a reason why he's my favorite husband, after all), he left out that I serve mine with a bourbon sauce which will kill you. Otherwise, I had no complaints.

To summarize: one "for the table" dish, two mains, two side dishes, two desserts, and four (!) glasses of wine came to $118.80 pre-tip. And, the only effort it took to get there was a block and half walk up the street.

The Nats won their game today, the weather was surprisingly temperate for August, we had a very nice meal and life is good.

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1 hour ago, funkyfood said:

This place isn't closed, is it? Title should be updated?

It's closed - they run Johnny's Half Shell now in the same location.

(There were two ownership changes since Ann was last here - that's why this thread is marked Closed instead of merging things together. The number of combinations of owners/names/locations is extraordinary ... just when I think I've seen every possible iteration, something new comes up.)

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