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Kliman Online, Todd Kliman's Chog - Tuesdays 11-12 AM on Washingtonian.com


Meaghan

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Lisa Scruggs has left Equinox to oversee desserts for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (Tallula, Evening Star Cafe, Vermillion). They're also working on a dessert-concept cafe for which Scruggs will be the chef.

I'm very interested in this dessert-concept cafe -- are the Tallula (et al) folks at liberty to tell us more about the concept (like will it be an all dessert restaurant)? Has a location been set?
More details are coming soon on The Bakery (working name). We're thrilled to have Lisa on board & look forward to working with her on this project. The concept is a combo bakery coffee lounge which will be housed in the corner space across the street from Rustico. As details become public, we'll post something...promise!
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I hadn't realized just how much things had evolved until a friend last week called to say: "You know, it's not just a chat anymore. It's sorta like a blog chat. An interactive blog. A chog."

An interactive blog? I like it.

I thought I called it a blat and he came up with chog. :)

Regardless, the May 2nd chog.

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Ahhh...Once again, I am distressed to see Kliman so obviously imitating my style, what with him inserting (however mainstream his may be) literary knives into the flesh of his writing.

Is it not bad enough, Todd, that your April 1 review at The City Paper was a outright plagiarism of my original nanoLAB post? Now you want my Daisy too? I would have thought that my "Devilishly Good Egg" recipe would have made clear my claim on her.

I sense a Nabokov/Wilson storm a-brewin'. Old chum, indeed! Perhaps it is the glumly trusty Chumly you should be fearing, with your patchwork quilts of clear prose!!!

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Ahhh...Once again, I am distressed to see Kliman so obviously imitating my style, what with him inserting (however mainstream his may be) literary knives into the flesh of his writing.

Is it not bad enough, Todd, that your April 1 review at The City Paper was a outright plagiarism of my original nanoLAB post?  Now you want my Daisy too?  I would have thought that my "Devilishly Good Egg" recipe would have made clear my claim on her.

I sense a Nabokov/Wilson storm a-brewin'.  Old chum, indeed!  Perhaps it is the glumly trusty Chumly you should be fearing, with your patchwork quilts of clear prose!!!

What are you talking about? This makes no sense to me at all!

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What are you talking about? This makes no sense to me at all!

Makes perfect sense to me. I was sort of unsure whether the mention of "Daisy" was a reference to the Great Gatsby or the Woody Allen movie "Every Thing You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid To Ask" but figured it probably didn't make any difference.

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Makes perfect sense to me. I was sort of unsure whether the mention of "Daisy" was a reference to the Great Gatsby or the Woody Allen movie "Every Thing You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid To Ask" but figured it probably didn't make any difference.

That is not the link to the original nano/LAB posting, which may have fallen victim to the merciless, ruthless attacks of Don Pozo de Piedra and his fiendishly clever IAMLIT (Integrated Anti-Michael Landrum Instantaneous Targeting) System, or may have even been on eGullet.
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That is not the link to the original nano/LAB posting, which may have fallen victim to the merciless, ruthless attacks of Don Pozo de Piedra and his fiendishly clever IAMLIT (Integrated Anti-Michael Landrum Instantaneous Targeting) System, or may have even been on eGullet.

The original nano posting was to the NiBurgers, whereby, for a fee, you would inject the aroma of freshly cooked hamburgers into the HVAC. Takes the concept of the "testing menu" toa new level. The experience was to be totally olefactory. You also introduced the concept of the major domo level of service. (As I recall, on eGullet).

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Makes perfect sense to me. I was sort of unsure whether the mention of "Daisy" was a reference to the Great Gatsby or the Woody Allen movie "Every Thing You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid To Ask" but figured it probably didn't make any difference.

Egg references imply an allusion to Gatsby. If he were talking about his social life, I'd be more inclined to reference theWoody Allen movie, however.
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The question is whether he will be taking the Acela down a couple of times a week, say, to check up on the fledgling restaurant, or whether he will be taking a page out of Thomas Keller's playbook (Keller by way of Orwell) and install cameras in the kitchens of his DC and NY restaurants to keep tabs on the chopping and blanching and poaching and searing.
Thomas Keller's what now? Wishful thinking typo or did I miss something big? Referring to that dispelled rumor about the Watergate? Probably ment Vegas.
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Thomas Keller's what now? Wishful thinking typo or did I miss something big?  Referring to that dispelled rumor about the Watergate?  Probably ment Vegas.

He was referring to the fact that that Keller has a video feed between the kitchens at Per Se and French Laundry to monitor what is happening in both at the same time, wondering if Ripert would do that to monitor DC from NY.

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Trattoria da Franco -- anyone ever try this place. I'm always on the hunt for decent checkered tablecloth Italian around here (esp. now with Peanut's carbohydrate addiction)

It's been awhile, but from what I remember, decent Italian, great opera. Talked the owner(?) into singing some Puccini if I recall.
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I might start spending more time in Georgetown... 

:)

An update to Todd's breaking news: An inside source contacted me this afternoon, and told me that Harvest will be at the Ritz downtown on 22nd and M Streets (replacing The Grill), not the one in Georgetown.

And personally I'm not the least bit excited about the prospect of another absentee chef. Everyone always cites Thomas Keller - as they should - as someone who has done it the right way. But how many others are there in the world like Thomas Keller? Two?

Burden of proof is on Ripert & Company.

Rocks.

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Trattoria da Franco -- anyone ever try this place. I'm always on the hunt for decent checkered tablecloth Italian around here (esp. now with Peanut's carbohydrate addiction)

Went there 2 weeks ago on a Friday nite, and I'd say what Escoffier replied. Being from Philly, where the red check table cloths and opera serenading is ever present, I really enjoyed myself.

TK mentioned that nothing is over 14 dollars, which I believe to perhaps apply only to the pastas. I had a veal dish and it was definitely more than that. I want to say 21-22? bucks.

The chef/owner did indeed serenade us, as well as the singer in the tux, channeling Tony Bennet.

Will definitely be going back.

And, there is free parking behind the adjacent bank. Bonus.

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An update to Todd's breaking news: An inside source contacted me this afternoon, and told me that Harvest will be at the Ritz downtown on 22nd and M Streets (replacing The Grill), not the one in Georgetown.

Cheers,
Rocks.

Now the only question is whether the name "Harvest" is the lamest name ever or the most hackneyed or both. Is it open only in the fall? All Neil Young, all the time? What?
Whatever, it certainly doesn't bode well for this being anything other than an unimaginative, throw-away way to capitalize on another SuperChef's name.
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Now the only question is whether the name "Harvest" is the lamest name ever or the most hackneyed or both... All Neil Young, all the time?
Cheers, Michael. That's officially the worst concept for a restaurant that I've ever heard. :)

Disregarding my crush on Mr Ripert...I gotta agree with Rocks.

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Today's chog. There's not a single blueberry pancake in all of Northern Virginia Todd could have suggested?

I'm also not exactly sure about what Chrissie chiming in constantly contributes to the chat. I think I'd prefer more back & forth with chatters than a discussion between the two of them. Just my $.02.

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Crabcakes are available either broiled or fried. I usually prefer mine broiled; not here. Get them fried. The lumps - all lumps, no clawmeat - are picked right in the back of the restaurant at Todd's processing plant, and they're bound together by a little mayo and a lot of the sweet mustard of the crabmeat. It's $9.95 for a sandwich. At dinner, you can get two 5 oz. crabcakes for $18.95.

Ocean Odyssey is a rundown, former "Red Barn" hamburger drive in from the '50's with a gravel parking lot sitting directly on route 50 in the middle of town-a good distance from any water. I would suggest stopping at the Narrows on Kent Island for a crab cake (broiled) on the way to Ocean Odyssey and making your own taste test. Ocean Odyssey may very well use lump MD crab meat but they also know their way with filler. I don't think I'm alone in my suprise that this was not the crab cake of my dreams. On such a heavily travelled road this should have been discovered a long time ago. Alternatively, Suicide Bridge isn't too far away in Hurlock and consider their cream of crab soup with sherry and almost anything else on their menu-this may be, overall, Maryland's best "Maryland style" seafood restaurant.

http://www.chowhound.com/midatlantic/board...ages/44130.html
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Today's chog. There's not a single blueberry pancake in all of Northern Virginia Todd could have suggested?

I'm also not exactly sure about what Chrissie chiming in constantly contributes to the chat. I think I'd prefer more back & forth with chatters than a discussion between the two of them. Just my $.02.

I agree 100% about Chrissie. Incidentally, someone did mention Vermillion, which is in NOVA (I think, I don't cross the river much!)
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Was it really necessary to allow "Bethesda" to whine an additional three times about beverage service? The "Washington" vs "DC" tangent was entirely irrelevant. And what's with the hate for working out? While Shakespeare's advice about cooks who won't lick their fingers (no wait, that crosses over to the hygiene thread) may be sound, there are plenty of us who hit the gym particularly because we love food so much.

Am I the only one picking up a chaos vibe from the recent Chogs? It seems increasingly heavy on "get the readers to interact" and light on "these are my picks", deferring to the participants much in the way my conference calls used to go when I didn't feel like adequately prepping :)

Maybe Kliman is on edge following the Peter Chang debacle. Or maybe I'm just inferring things that aren't there.

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Yesterday's chat is here.

I was interested in the post about the downfall of City Lights/Meiwah; I'll add Chen's for the trifecta. I live in the area and have had so much middling Chinese delivery lately it's not even funny. Have any of you heard of the restaurant recommended as an alternative--Peking Gourmet Inn? Or can you recommend any standout dishes at other neighborhood places?

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A relative newcomer, the Fractured Prune, is serving up fresh, hot cake donuts. You choose the glaze and toppings; they fry 'em. What's not to like?

There's a sign up near 22nd and P that says a Fractured Prune location will be opening there.

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There's a sign up near 22nd and P that says a Fractured Prune location will be opening there.

The freakin' FRACTURED PRUNE! In Dupont!!! We saw the sign on the walk to Georgetown the other week and I practically tripped over myself doing a double take. Man, this doesn't bode well for me ...

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Help! Does anyone know how to get to last week's chat? I need to look up something there, but all I can find is today's and July 11 (and earlier). Thanks.
Et voila.

ETA: Whoops. That's July 18. (I have no idea what day it is. :) ) I couldn't seem to find July 25 either...

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Saravana Palace, I think.

ETA: Yes, definitely Saravana Palace. They even have a WEBSITE. The menu looks pretty tempting, although too bad about no alcohol.

That's it! Thanks!

ETA: btw, I was able to find the transcript by looking up Saravava on Google, then selecting the 'cached' option.

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