Corduroy, Fine Dining at the Convention Center - Chef Tom Power's Magnificent Cooking

[Heather]

I love Corduroy - the food is elegant and perfectly executed, and the atmosphere is equally accommodating to a high-dollar, dressed to the nines 6-top that orders multiple bottles, and a young, casual couple requesting beers with their tasting menu. Highlights of the seven course chef's choice menu were the squash soup with smoked bacon, the capon with savoy cabbage, the cheese course with sauternes (a gift from Chef Power), and the service. I didn't go for the wine pairing, instead choosing two delicious half bottles (Meursault to go with the first half, Volnay to accompany the second).

2011 brought me a lot of heartache, including losing my home. New Year's Eve dinner was exactly what I needed to usher out a difficult year - indulgent, delicious, and relaxing. I hope it was a taste of the year to come. Thank you, Chef Power.

[Halloween]

Thank you Chef Power, Pete and the entire Corduroy team for making my brother's birthday dinner so special.

Imagine our surprise when: (1) we were told that the pork belly-- my brother's favorite--was available (even though it was not on the menu), (2) my mother was presented with apple tart tatin for dessert (it was perfect, by the way) for dessert, even though she thought she was skipping dessert in a futile attempt to "counting calories" after the holidays, and (2) you recommended a wine that paired perfectly with pork belly, pork cheeks, scallops, and antelope. Wow.

I generally prefer the casual atmosphere of the bar and the always-interesting conversations with Pichan, but tonight was a very special occasion, and Corduroy's dining room was the perfect place for us to celebrate it. Thank you.

Pichan, we're sorry we missed you!

[New Foodie]

Oh how I love Corduroy. I was reminiscing last night that it may be my first "gourmet" food experience in DC when I wasn't too far out of college. And since then I don't think I've ever had a meal there I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

Last night we finally made it over to try out the $30 3-course bar menu that we'd been meaning to do forever. This is such an awesome deal, and seems relatively unknown (considering there were only 4 other people at the bar when we arrived around 6:30, and no one at the bar when we left around 8:30 on a Saturday night). I'm not complaining though cause I would not want to fight for a seat!

You can order off the main dining room menu, or there is a specific bar menu that includes 3-4 options for each course. Appetizers included soup of the day (either soup that was on the regular menu), a green salad, the Filipino spring rolls, and maybe one other that I'm forgetting. Mains were faux ribeye, mushroom fettucine, fish of the day (last night was the tuna and sushi rice), and duck confit. Desserts were sorbets or ice cream, pistachio bread pudding, and flourless chocolate cake. You could also add 3 cheeses for $10 or 5 for $15.

I started with the "Ron Jeremy" Filipino Spring Rolls (which made me think of Rissa...anyone know what she is doing these days?!), and were both gigantic and delicious as usual. Two spring rolls that were each easily the size of 3 normal rolls with a delicious pork filling and tangy sweet and sour sauce for dipping. Not the lightest of appetizers, but very good. The +1 started with the Cauliflower and Parmesean Soup, which was as good as any Tom Power soup I've tasted before. The parmesean crisp on top added a nice crunch to the creamy soup. We are both big fans of cauliflower these days, and this was a great use of it.

My main course was the Peppered Rare Big Eye Tuna with Sushi Rice and Hijiki, which I've had before, and this was as good as usual. Perfectly rare tuna with a nice pepper bite, complimented well by the vinegary rice. Given that this entree is $28 on the regular menu, having this plus an app and dessert (each usually $8-10) is such a steal. The +1 had the Wild Mushroom Fettucine, which was seemingly simple, but very earthy and rich.

We had considered adding a cheese plate to the meal, but the bartender had a great suggestion of substituting the 3 cheeses for one of our desserts so we could split the cheese and a dessert and leave a little less stuffed. Unfortunately, neither of us loved the cheeses. They were chosen for us (despite the menu saying we had the option to choose), and the bartender wasn't sure what they all were. We weren't in love with any of them, and I kind of wish they were served with some accompaniment other than the normal pre-dinner bread (a crostini or different bread or something). In the future we may stick to two desserts since the one we had was very good. We shared the Pistachio Bread Pudding, which was almost like a very sweet and saturated cake. Little bit of salty and crunchy contrast with the nuts, and a rich vanilla ice cream alongside to accompany. We both enjoyed it very much.

I really hope it doesn't take us this long to get back to Corduroy next time.

Has anyone tried the "Chef's Surprise Five Course Tasting Menu" for $65? That also seems like such a steal since most tasting menus these days run upwards of $120 for a similar number of courses. I don't think there's anything on Tom Power's menus I haven't liked or wouldn't try, so I am very intrigued.

[Barbara]

(which made me think of Rissa...anyone know what she is doing these days?!)

She's playing the "Palace" these days--she's at the White House. Now you have me jonesing for that duck confit.

[hillvalley]

Does "Dressy Casual" mean you can wear "nice" jeans to the bar?

[Ferhat Yalcin]

it means you have to order antelope in your nice jeans:)

[LauraB]

We enjoyed the $30 3-course deal at the bar for the first time on a Thursday in February -- what a great deal! We were thinking of doing that again this weekend as we will be in the area, but the thought occurred that it might not be available on a Friday or Saturday. I've tried calling the restaurant, but all I get is voicemail. Does anyone know if this deal is available every night?

[Barbara]

Does anyone know if this deal is available every night?

I believe it is.

[New Foodie]

We enjoyed the $30 3-course deal at the bar for the first time on a Thursday in February -- what a great deal! We were thinking of doing that again this weekend as we will be in the area, but the thought occurred that it might not be available on a Friday or Saturday. I've tried calling the restaurant, but all I get is voicemail. Does anyone know if this deal is available every night?

The only time I've done it was on a Saturday...so yes, it is!

[captcourt]

What's not to love about the $30 bar dinner? Absolutely nothing. Last night, we were looking for a good way to kick off the holiday weekend, and realized we hadn't been to Corduroy in a while. Shame on us. Sat at the bar and had a great time drinking sazeracs and cucumber gin fizzes made by Deanna. Dinner was an ethereal chilled spring pea soup; softshell crab for the +1, faux ribeye for me (very tender for a shoulder cut, great flavor); the sorbet trio (strawberry, grapefruit, and mango) and pistachio bread pudding. We also got to taste the High West 7000 vodka, made from oatmeal with notes of caramel - really - and Whistlepig rye. We vowed to return more regularly, and then we promptly fell into food coma.

[CajunJason]

A small group of friends made a reservation for dinner a week or so ago to celebrate a birthday on a Saturday night.

If there is one restaurant in this town that I kick myself due to the length of time it's been since my last visit, it's Corduroy. This is one of the finest that Washington has to offer, and I absolutely need to come here more often.

We each ordered the tasting menu- highlights included the lobster salad, braised pork belly and grilled strip of beef. Chef Power was seen the entire night in the kitchen personally inspecting each dish prior to delivery.

The food is fabulous, and the service delivers the same level of perfection as the chef. On my several visits, I'm always surprised as to the menu/food & wine knowledge of the service staff here. They know every little detail about each & every dish, you'd think they went shopping for the ingredients themselves. All without being "too much", a perfect balance.

[Tom Power]

Corduroy will be offering a special surprise 5 course tasing menu today August 20 and tomorrow August 21 for a special price of $40. Please make a reservation so that we can be staffed properly. You must ask for the special surprise menu when you are seated as it will not be offered or advertized anywhere but here. Priceline style pricing on beverages will be available only if you take the special menu. This will be a limited return of liquid liquidation. Tell your server what you are interested in drinking and I will give you a special price of AT LEAST 25% off. Tell your friends.

[Tom Power]

I may see you tomorrow (or Tuesday) night, sir - it has been much too long.

Cheers,

One of your biggest fans.

Hope to see you. After that we will be closed for two weeks - reopening September 5.

[DC Deb]

What a great offer. Thank you Chef Power. I look forward to being there Tuesday night.

[Flavortown]

This sounds awesome. Will it be available at the bar as well?

[DanielK]

Table booked for 8:30p Tuesday. Just the prompt I needed to get back!

[Tom Power]

This sounds awesome. Will it be available at the bar as well?

Yes it will.

[Barbara]

Well, isn't this interesting. I just tried to make a reservation on Opentable, but they claim the internet connection is down. You also can't make a reservation through the website, because that is non compos mentis as well. If you call, you get a recorded message. Is everybody on this website trying to get in on this fantastic deal?

[LauraB]

We went this evening and it truly is a FANTASTIC deal. The food lived up to the standards that one expects from Corduroy and we had a $120 bottle of wine for $86. We dined early, and left at 8:00, but there were only 5 other tables occupied when we left and only 2 people at the bar upstairs. We were really surprised that it wasn't more crowded given this amazing offer. Or, maybe everyone showed up later. Anyway, if you can possibly get there tomorrow, do it! You won't be sorry.

[Barbara]

This being a new day, I was able to make a reservation for tonight through Opentable. Now, if my luck holds, I might get a soft-shell crab this evening.

[Go for Gin]

Looking forward to going tonight. Didn't have any problems with making reservations on Opentable yesterday around 2:00pm. Does anyone know what the five courses were on the special surprise menu for those people who were able to get there yesterday?

[lekkerwijn]

Run don't walk for this special. We went last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. FWIW: I had no problem booking on Opentable yesterday afternoon and the restaurant was about 3/4 empty when we arrived around 8:45. Our meal was a mix of old favorites and some newer items on the menu. Two meals plus two glasses of wine and an iced tea came to just about $100. We are seriously contemplating going back tonight but that just seems greedy.

First Course: chilled heirloom tomato and Thai chili soup

Second Course: local crab "spring roll" (best thing we ate, no question)

Third Course: Big Eye tuna on sushi rice with hijiki

Fourth Course: pork loin with BBQ sauce

Dessert: blueberry tart and chocolate tart

[DonRocks]

Run don't walk for this special. We went last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. FWIW: I had no problem booking on Opentable yesterday afternoon and the restaurant was about 3/4 empty when we arrived around 8:45. Our meal was a mix of old favorites and some newer items on the menu. Two meals plus two glasses of wine and an iced tea came to just about $100. We are seriously contemplating going back tonight but that just seems greedy.

First Course: chilled heirloom tomato and Thai chili soup

Second Course: local crab "spring roll" (best thing we ate, no question)

Third Course: Big Eye tuna on sushi rice with hijiki

Fourth Course: pork loin with BBQ sauce

Dessert: blueberry tart and chocolate tart

I got a 1-for-5 exact overlap (the soup), with 2 other courses being a variation of yours, so it sounds like Tom is dishing up whatever he pleases. That blueberry tart was *unreal*.

[lekkerwijn]

I got a 1-for-5 exact overlap, with 2 other courses being a variation of yours, so it sounds like Tom is dishing up whatever he pleases. That blueberry tart was *unreal*.

Agree on the blueberry tart. Really special.

[DC Deb]

What is the parking situation nearby? Is there street parking after 6:30?

I would normally Metro but it might work out better to drive today. Thanks.

[DonRocks]

What is the parking situation nearby? Is there street parking after 6:30?

I would normally Metro but it might work out better to drive today. Thanks.

There's street parking (to the west) even before 6:30, if you can find it. Parking here is doable, but not the easiest thing in the world (hence, the valet).

Tell Deanna (bartender), Pete (GM), Joe, Johnny, and Tom I said hello and make sure to request the blueberry tart.

If anyone needs wine recommendations, just write me in the next hour or so - I ordered the 2005 Matrot Meursault (a red Burgundy). I highly recommend taking advantage of the 25+% bottle discount if your party has two or more people - my wine was $68 discounted to about $50. If you really want to tie one on, order a bottle of white (for the earlier courses) and red (for the later courses). The sweet spot on this list is about $55 before discount, but you can find good wines for less - this really is one of the best wine programs in the city, and the more you know about wine, the more you'll love this list.

And yes, pour a large glass and ask your server to send it back to Tom - he'll happily accept, so don't be shy about it.

(Maintained in Bold, btw, and I want to remind everyone dining there tonight that the $30, 3-course bar special continues unabated. Along with the $50 bar menu at CityZen, this is the best ongoing fine-dining dinner discount I can think of (note to self: try the head-to-tail at Palena, get back to Little Serow, etc.). What a great restaurant Corduroy is - every time I have dinner here, I leave kicking myself for not coming more often (note to self: get back to The Oval Room.))

[Adam23]

What is the parking situation nearby? Is there street parking after 6:30?

I would normally Metro but it might work out better to drive today. Thanks.

Given it is August, street parking should be easy. When we got there around 830 last night, 9th had tons of empty spots right near the restaurant.

[DMVDining2]

OK, looks like we have our plans set for tonight. This sounds like too good of a deal to pass up, plus we still haven't been to the "new" location. I still remember falling in love with the lamb with goat cheese ravioli on our last visit.

[DC Deb]

Lovely dinner tonight. We ate:

roasted eggplant puree with dashi broth

seared scallop with Ansen Mills grits mixed with sweet corn, soubise sauce

coriander and pepper crusted big eye tuna on sushi rice

Berkshire pork loin with chipotle BBQ sauce and summer squash

peach tarte tatine and flourless chocolate cake

Mark the waiter was so friendly and informative that it took us until the second course to figure out that he was not actually our waiter. Even then, he was gracious enough to stop by and describe each course for us. Next time I go, I will definitely request him.

[Barbara]

It seems that Chef Tom sent out whatever he thought you ought to have. Dame Edna and I apparently got an extra soupcon (soft shell crab, which apparently had my name on it), so I won't go into the details--except to say that I truly don't understand Tom Sietsema's comment some time ago that he thought the food here was a little "tired." I was expecting a cleaning out of the larder before vacation, but what we got was perfectly fresh, perfectly cooked food. We ate every bite, except I left some of my dessert, and it was all very, very good. Service was spot on and we were steered toward a Pinot Noir, rather than the Muscadet we were looking at, and the one we chose was very good and not at all expensive. We have spent more $$$ at other places when we left not nearly as satisfied.

It just shocked me that there was almost no one at the bar this evening taking advantage of the bar menu. Is this a PR problem?

This remains, hands down, our favorite restaurant. It's probably a good thing--for our wallets and waistlines--that it isn't on Columbia Road.

[DanielK]

Well played, Chef Power, well played.

An early-in-the-week discount for DR.com members? Sure, why not. Five courses for $40, and just a week after Restaurant Week, when far lesser places across town were doing three courses for $35. And when we get there, and see the note on the menu of a "surprise 5 course menu" for $65, we feel smart for being in the know and saving $50.

And then that roasted eggplant soup arrives. And my dining companion gets that "I don't like eggplant" look, but I know it won't last long because too many times I've had that same look before I taste Chef Powers' soups made from ingredients I thought I didn't like. And of course that dash of dashi broth transforms this from pureed eggplant into something completely different, making you search through the bowl for that something that is adding this incredibly subtle smoky flavor to the soup.

Then, just as we finish our cocktails, that soft shell crab shows up. I've heard from a number of chefs before that breading and frying a softie is cheating - getting that perfect crisp from a saute is how you cook. So, what a tease, to get the sauteed soft shell but surrounded by quick fried strands of phyllo dough, playing on the idea of a fried crab. Also, you didn't have to use so much crack in the sauce that went on the plate - I was going to sop it up with the bread anyway.

The seared tuna is always a favorite dish, and we marveled at how we were sitting in Washington DC, at a modern American restaurant, eating what is essentially sushi, and drinking Italian wine. And also how this didn't feel out of place, and how my dining companion managed to clear the plate of every edible bite though she swears that she doesn't like sushi. Now if they only made a Japanese baguette, I wouldn't feel like I should be furtively looking around the room so I could lick the plate clean. That might be the second glass of wine talking, though.

As if we weren't already nearing full, out trots (ha) that plate of Berkshire pork loin. Now, no offense to Zora, but Chef should have entered this BBQ sauce in the Post competition, because I would have drank this from a fountain. Yeah, definitely the wine talking.

Needed a pause after the fourth course to finish the wine.

Also to make room for the stunning peach tarte tatine, which completely overwhelmed the otherwise lovely chocolate cake because of it's pure awesomeness.

Did I mention that the wine was 25% off? Right, Chef already did.

So, as usual, I walk stumble out of Corduroy wondering why this isn't at the very top of every critic's list in this city, and why I always walk out kicking myself for not getting back sooner. So, Chef, you cleared out the pantry for your vacation, knocked off a few bottles to make room for new stuff coming in, and made a former regular feel guilty for not working downtown anymore and neglecting an old favorite.

Well played, Chef. Well played.

[Pat]

This remains my favorite restaurant. The tuna with sushi rice has long been my favorite item on the menu but I had stopped ordering it so I could diversify. I was glad to see it appear before me again last night. It seemed a little heavier on the vinegar than I recall, but I loved that variation.

I believe we got the exact same menu as DanielK, except we seemed to have scallops in our eggplant puree. My friend had never had softshell crab before and loved this rendition (as did I). She also had never been to Corduroy and wants to go back.

There's not much I can say that hasn't already been said above. We had a delightful meal with a bottle of pinot noir, an experience that would have been worth full price and then some. I loved how savory the barbecue sauce was with the pork. It hit a perfect note. The peach tarte tatine (tatin?) was delivered to my dining companion but we ended up switching desserts partway through because the chocolate was too chocolate-y for me. (How embarrassing .) That worked out well for both of us.

It was encouraging to see how full the restaurant was when we were there. The lack of people at the bar was something I noticed as well. I saw only two people up there. Maybe it's that the bar isn't visible to people as they enter and they just don't think of it being there. Unless you go up to the restrooms, you could go to Corduroy numerous times and not even realize they have a bar.

I hope everyone at Corduroy has an enjoyable vacation.

[MC Horoscope]

Thanks Chef Tom! We sure enjoyed it! Where do you source your scallops? They were the best I have had in a long time.

I'm not even a sushi guy but boy, did I enjoy that tuna and rice last night!

We'll be sure to return soon.

[DMVDining2]

Dinner last night was transcending. It's been years since we last went to Corduroy, and I'm kicking myself for not dining here sooner. My compliments to Chef Power on not only offering a fabulous deal, but on a very memorable dinner. I told our excellent waiter that my wife could not have anything raw due to her pregnancy, and they were gladly able to accommodate our request.

We started with the eggplant soup, then a beautifully cooked piece of salmon with corn relish, guinea hen with savoy cabbage, Wagyu beef with garlic mashed potatoes, and then antelope with scalloped potatoes. For dessert, we had a sorbet trio as well as a chocolate tort with caramelized banana and caramel ice cream. The tort was far and away one of the best desserts we have ever come across - it was simply outstanding.

There are no words to describe how incredible our dinner was. We'll have a full post about it soon, but Corduroy is undeniably one of the best restaurants in the District. I seriously cannot believe we haven't been since they moved near the Convention Center. We were already talking about coming back and doing the bar special.

And right when we were leaving, I ran into Ferhat! I told him I'll probably him see later this week since I visit Fishnet at least once every two weeks. All and all, we're so glad we took advantage of this deal.

[janekh]

Best Birthday Dinner, ever.

Mark was our waiter, he was very enthusiastic and informative.

Thank you Ferhat for posting or I would have missed this special.

We can't wait to return. Anything I would have said has been stated above.

[lackadaisi]

I'm so sad we had to miss this one!

[DanielK]

lackadaisi, it's just not a DR.com reunion at Corduroy without you and jlock.

[Pat]

Corduroy was the location for this week's Washington Post Date Lab date, and it was actually a successful date. (They typically range from okay but with no followup date to complete disaster.) I recognized the table they had because it's the side booth that my husband and I always get (or the one on the opposite side of the dining room). That's a good date table .

She had the antelope and especially liked the chestnut puree. I don't think he mentioned his main course, but it sounds like they split the flourless chocolate cake for dessert.

(We had to cancel last minute the last time we planned to go to Corduroy, so I felt a bit wistful when I read the article. Hence this post.)

[dcandohio]

Does anyone know whether there is still a bar menu at Corduroy? Any special bar deals? Or can you at least order from the regular menu at the bar? We are thinking about going Friday but due to uncertainties in schedules are hesitant to make a reservation that we might have to cancel. The bar seems like a good option.

There's no info on the web site, and I sent an e-mail to the restaurant, but I suspect that some of you have recent experiences and can confirm. Thanks.

[khoww]

They serve both the regular menu and the bar menu (three course for $35) at the bar. We went early last Friday and sat at the bar, but by about 7pm the bar was pretty much full.

[dcandohio]

They serve both the regular menu and the bar menu (three course for $35) at the bar. We went early last Friday and sat at the bar, but by about 7pm the bar was pretty much full.

Thanks for the information! I really appreciate it.

[dcandohio]

OK, so we went last night, just after 5:30. At first, we were alone in the bar, and the young female bar tender was still setting up. She left the bar for long periods, which is kind of annoying if you have questions or want to order. It was a portend of things to come...

The food was rocking delicious, and the $30 bar menu is a bargain. Seriously, my pork tenderloin entree was $28 on the dinner menu, so for $2 more I had a velvety kabocha squash soup to start and two kinds of ice cream for dessert. The pork was juicy, tender and cooked as ordered, just a bit past medium. Served with very fresh and garlicky kale, this was a great late fall dish. Sweetie had the spring rolls, which are huge. I tasted a bite.,They were good, but my soup was so much better. She then had salmon, which I did not taste, but she loved it. Flourless chocolate cake for her dessert was pretty delicious, and I am not a huge chocolate fan.

The service was lame for a restaurant of this caliber. Shortly after we settled in, a big private party arrived upstairs and a large group comandeered the entire cocktail chairs/tables area opposite the bar. Drink orders were coming in large numbers. The bartender had no help, and as she worked her butt off preparing drinks, she had almost no time or attention for those of us at the bar. It took forever to order. The first wine we wanted was not available, which is OK, except that she left the bar to check, said it was available, and then came back and said it was not after we had ordered. The couple sitting by us had to practically beg to order wine, and finally flagged down a server who was not working the bar to get it for them. The bar tender was calling menu descriptions over her shoulder as she filled orders for the servers. We were just ignored for most of the experience.

There was a lag of about 35 minutes between appetizers and entrees. I like a relaxed pace, but that is too long. We finally flagged down someone who seemed to be more in charge to say that the bartender was really overwhelmed, but he just dismissed it saying they were "very busy" and that it was unusual for them. OK, really? You know you have reserved a large party in a private room. It's a lovely Friday night during holiday season. You know how many dinner reservations you have on the books. So, being "very busy" shouldn't be a crisis.

I would gladly return for the food at the bar, but I'm going to go on a random Tuesday when service might be better.

[JuneBacon]

That's a very good caveat for dining at the bar. It really is very small, and I had a similar experience just trying to grab a drink before dinner. It was moderately busy on a Saturday night, but not overly-so and the bar tender was definitely overwhelmed with orders.

That said, I have not had better service at our table that we had reserved. I guess if you want the complete experience, get a reservation. Not saying that you should have second hand service at the bar, but there is something to consider there.

[DonRocks]

The service was lame for a restaurant of this caliber.

That's a very good caveat for dining at the bar. It really is very small, and I had a similar experience just trying to grab a drink before dinner.

FWIW, I think it's important not to have high expectations of quick service when dining at Corduroy's bar. It's just not set up for efficiency, and although that's not an excuse, it's a time-tested tendency bordering on being an unavoidable truth, and accepting it in advance will save you a fair amount of tooth enamel and a possible ER co-payment.

[DanielK]

FWIW, I think it's important not to have high expectations of quick service when dining at Corduroy's bar. It's just not set up for efficiency, and although that's not an excuse, it's a time-tested tendency bordering on being an unavoidable truth, and accepting it in advance will save you a fair amount of tooth enamel and a possible ER co-payment.

I think that is more true now then when Pichan was manning the bar. Admittedly I was never there on a packed weekend night with a private party upstairs, but I never saw him ruffled or behind on bar service.

[Barbara]

I suppose the day will come when Tom Power decides he'd really rather spend Christmas Day at home with his loved ones. Until that day, however, I look forward to many more Holiday dinners there. They opened at noon today, with a last seating at 9 pm, and by the time we left at about 5:30, the bar was full (I don't know if there was a bar menu or not). A constant stream of people moving in and out, some with well-behaved young kids. I only ate about half of my pork belly with tarbais beans--the rest is sitting in a box in the fridge for tomorrow--cuz I ate every bit of that fabulous Wild Mushroom Blintz, except for the bite I gave Dame Edna. I also got a bite of his beef "striploin" with creamed spinach that would make Michael Landrum cry.

My only quibble at what is otherwise the most civilized place for this: Not a single Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa decoration in sight. Some of you might actually appreciate that. No "Little Drummer Boy" being piped in, either.

Since my family is gathering at a restaurant in Silver Spring (no, not RTC ) on Saturday, and I will have to cook on NYE, tonight's dinner was a real respite from all the hoo-hah--and Dame Edna doesn't have any dishes to wash. It seems apparent, judging from a FaceBook picture that someone posted this evening, we missed another Rockwellian by mere minutes.

[hillvalley]

Ug. I forget about this every year. Someone remind me next year please.

[B.A.R.]

I suppose the day will come when Tom Power decides he'd really rather spend Christmas Day at home with his loved ones. Until that day, however, I look forward to many more Holiday dinners there. They opened at noon today, with a last seating at 9 pm, and by the time we left at about 5:30, the bar was full (I don't know if there was a bar menu or not). A constant stream of people moving in and out, some with well-behaved young kids. I only ate about half of my pork belly with tarbais beans--the rest is sitting in a box in the fridge for tomorrow--cuz I ate every bit of that fabulous Wild Mushroom Blintz, except for the bite I gave Dame Edna. I also got a bite of his beef "striploin" with creamed spinach that would make Michael Landrum cry.

My only quibble at what is otherwise the most civilized place for this: Not a single Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa decoration in sight. Some of you might actually appreciate that. No "Little Drummer Boy" being piped in, either.

Since my family is gathering at a restaurant in Silver Spring (no, not RTC ) on Saturday, and I will have to cook on NYE, tonight's dinner was a real respite from all the hoo-hah--and Dame Edna doesn't have any dishes to wash. It seems apparent, judging from a FaceBook picture that someone posted this evening, we missed another Rockwellian by mere minutes.

Say hi next time! I don't think anyone makes as consistently good soups as Tom Power.

[rkduggins]

It seems apparent, judging from a FaceBook picture that someone posted this evening, we missed another Rockwellian by mere minutes.

Barbara, you're right! We had a 6 PM reservation.

[dpamlin]

Despite living in the area for almost 11 years now (wow, how time flies), I have never been to Corduroy.

To correct this glaring oversight, my wife is taking me to Corduroy for my birthday this week. Wondering what you folks recommend, everything on their website menu sounds delicious. Or should we just attempt the 5 course tasting menu (hoping it has the tuna or the antelope, which seem amazing).

Thanks all!