Blue Ridge, Wisconsin Avenue in Glover Park - Closed

[cajcaj]

I thought he wasn't going to cook anymore.

GOG Blog

(Don, move this as you see fit.)

[synaesthesia]

Am also guessing that this is probably where Justin Guthrie (ulysses) is landing? I can't remember the ref of who said he was going to GP... SeanMike?

[monsterriffs]

I thought he wasn't going to cook anymore

I suppose it's a bit like saying "I'm never drinking again" the day or days after a wicked bad drinking experience. Only his bad experience was the mgmt at Hook.

[Michael Landrum]

I thought he wasn't going to cook anymore.

As long as he isn't wearing any underwear, I say, "Cook away!!!"

Everyone is allowed to slum every once in a while.

And, umm, Don, I believe the "b" and the "s" are lower case, as was reported in the Washingtonian.

[SeanMike]

Am also guessing that this is probably where Justin Guthrie (ulysses) is landing? I can't remember the ref of who said he was going to GP... SeanMike?

Yes - they told me as much at Central when I asked.

[cajcaj]

Menu per washingtonian.com

[esjacobs]

Does anyone know if they have set an opening date? Washingtonian says "the end of the month," which I assume means May, but maybe someone knows something more specific?

[Toogs]

Does anyone know if they have set an opening date? Washingtonian says "the end of the month," which I assume means May, but maybe someone knows something more specific?

I think they are open.

[esjacobs]

The website isn't live yet and I haven't been able to track down a phone number. Any more info out there?

[DonRocks]

I think they are open.

The website isn't live yet and I haven't been able to track down a phone number. Any more info out there?

I poked my head in the door tonight - they won't be open until sometime next week.

[TMFIII]

Yes - they told me as much at Central when I asked.

Looks like Justin will be at the forthcoming W Hotel rather than Blue Ridge . . . (according to Washingtonian)

[jfw]

Looks like Justin will be at the forthcoming W Hotel rather than Blue Ridge . . . (according to Washingtonian)

Was at Sonoma Saturday night and talked to a manager about the opening schedule at Blue Ridge. She explained there was some soft opening activity going on over the weekend. Anyone get to attend those activities? Anything to report? Rocks?

JFW

[Anna Blume]

Was at Sonoma Saturday night and talked to a manager about the opening schedule at Blue Ridge. She explained there was some soft opening activity going on over the weekend. Anyone get to attend those activities? Anything to report? Rocks?

JFW

I am not Rocks, but saw one of the principals yesterday and he said tonight.

[synaesthesia]

Press release says today.

Blue Ridge is open for lunch Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., dinner Monday through Wednesday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Brunch service is also available on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. Blue Ridge will also offer an abbreviated bar menu available as an afternoon delight from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily and an additional 30 minutes before closing each night. For additional information or reservations please call (202) 333-4004 or visit www.blueridgerestaurant.com.

[AlexC]

Was at Sonoma Saturday night and talked to a manager about the opening schedule at Blue Ridge. She explained there was some soft opening activity going on over the weekend. Anyone get to attend those activities? Anything to report? Rocks?

JFW

I managed to sneak in for a soft opening meal on Friday night. It's tough to attach much weight to anything that happens under those circumstances; the wrought iron fixtures with naked light bulbs, dark wood ceilings and light, unfinished wood tables created an austere, Whistler's Mother farmhouse vibe... but the dining room hadn't been fully decorated, and it may look totally different now. They could certainly pack a few more tables in to the spacious dining room.

Similarly, some decisions were still being made about plating and garnishes and myriad additional minor details were to be settled over the weekend.

As such, I don't really want to break down all the specific preparations, as any of them could have been altered in part or in whole in the interim.

Eh, except for the chicken pot pie, which I thought was excellent, and a good window into what drives this restaurant. It's a one-pot dish served in a cast-iron skillet, with a single drumstick standing straight up in a thick sauce studded with biscuits and shot through with shredded chicken and diced carrots.

The sauce was rich without about being heavy, oily or greasy, filling without making me feel loagy and the simple, well-dressed (and seasoned) green salad balanced out the entree well. I'd go back for it.

Overall, we left with the impression that Blue Ridge is a neighborhood restaurant without serious pretensions, serving simple, healthy food at a sub-$20 price point. It's not Hook, and it clearly isn't meant to be, though both the sustainability ethic (fish on menu: two kinds of trout, catfish, and farmed arctic char) and the grilled octopus with pesto were more than a little familiar.

I'm looking forward to another visit in a few weeks... though, as our meal on Friday was comped, we may have to order less than two appetizers per person the next time.

Oh, and I asked about brunch when I was there... they hope to get that up and running as soon as possible, but it is probably a few weeks away.

[DaRiv18]

Last night we sat at the bar. Started with the deviled eggs and the grilled calamari. Both nice, both in the same pesto-ish sauce. Will revisit the calamari.

For dinner, the arctic char and the grilled trout. Very nice entrees at $16-17. Also shared a side of fried green tomatoes - yummy!

I will say that despite getting 2 apps and 2 entrees and a side, we were still fairly hungry. Now the prices are right and the portions are such that I should aspire to be content with them, but this is almost a tapas joint. Nothing wrong with that, but I had different expectations for comfort food. The chicken pot pie that I saw coming out looked very substantial, though.

The bar offers something I haven't seen before: $29 punchbowls! There were 3 recipes that I recall, and I believe I tried at least one of them at HTM (Government Punch or somesuch?). I would definitely like to return with 2 other drinkers next time and give it a go, or perhaps just see if anyone else at the bar is willing to chip in. Or at least pretend to be in my party as I drink the entire vessel myself . . . As it were, I settled for a Jupiter Cocktail in a very nice coupe glass, and enjoyed myself.

Service was friendly and attentive. I don't think it's second nature for last night's staff to make these classic cocktails, but what I saw encouraged me that they would get up to speed very very soon.

If I were to change something: my wife and I were not totally comfortable in the bar chairs. The bar itself is beautiful and custom-made, but the chairs are too high -- our thighs have no room underneath the bar. The chairs actually pair well with the bar tables behind us, which are taller than the bar.

[pidgey]

We decided to stop in at Blue Ridge yesterday for their new brunch menu. Some of their regular entrees are on the brunch menu, but there were a lot of egg dishes on there as well. Unfortunately, they seemed to be having a really bad morning, both service and food-wise. The hostess greeted us cheerily with a smile, but then said nothing. I had to ask if we were meant to seat ourselves. She ended up seating us in the dining room, where we saw lots of wait staff rushing around without any particular purpose. It soon became clear that not too many people knew which tables were assigned to whom. Also, it turned out that the hostess had given one of us a brunch menu, and one of us a dinner menu. Our waitress was friendly enough, but it did take her a while to get to us (despite a relatively empty dining room). We ordered a burger, medium rare, and a fried green tomato BLT. While we waited for our food, we observed two other tables get seated without being waited on for almost 10 minutes, another waiter go to another table to apologize for the long delay in the food, drink orders taking almost 20 minutes to fill, and food being delivered to tables that did not order them (including to one of the tables that had not been waited on). When our food came out, my BLT was missing the T, and my husband's burger was overcooked. The waitress apologized profusely for both of those issues, and she did correct the lack of fried green tomatoes on my sandwich (my husband did not request a new burger, but as the beef was grass-fed, he does think the overcooking affected the flavor). She also ended up giving us half off our bill. The sandwich was pretty good, but instead of mayo they used a pimento spread, which was a little strange, as I think I would have preferred a homemade garlic mayo type spread.

I'm not saying any of these things to be spiteful, but more as a reminder that this place is brand new, and there are a lot of issues that they are working through. We'll probably go there again in about three to six months or so to give it a second shot.

[giant shrimp]

Early report: this place tends to be gloomy, bare and brown, though in the dark, when all the exposed bulbs are glaring in their jars from the ceiling, it has a down-and-out edginess. It’s too clean by far to feel genuinely like you’re in the vicinity of Virginia mountains. Hanging quilts look like they were taken from home and maybe want to go back. They are disconsolate. Right now, the food is a plain, easier version of what they are cooking at woodberry kitchen in Baltimore about a 10 minute walk downhill from the hon village, and not as accomplished. The menu starts with a few snacks, such as radishes and butter, but a rolled-down paper bag of popcorn, slightly sweet with brown sugar and trace amounts of paprika, is served for free, in place of bread, I guess. What look like bread plates on the table are apparently intended for something else, sharing perhaps. This is a good way to occupy the kids, but not my idea of the best way to start out a meal, and if it doesn’t come to your table, and sometimes it doesn’t, then you need to ask for it. The lemon dressed leaves in a mounded arugula salad are just about perfect, hand-picked, lightly seasoned with clinging mint and shaved apple. Frisee accompanies many of the entrees, too many, but ordered as a salad it carries the barbecue flavor of chorizo. There is smokiness swirling through the menu, and a grass-fed beef burger tastes a bit overwhelmed by it. cheddar and bacon added to the cooked patty help cut through the smoke, but the meat is dense and packed. However, you’ve almost got something as good as a saint-x burger within your grasp. Fish of the day has been arctic char, served on a bed of thinly sliced green squash, one of the best things I have found here. the family-style meals offered nightly are not as reliable, judging from maple-glazed pork shoulder, served as wan gray fatty cutlets, not tough, not stringy, in the oven just long enough, providing some intriguing flavors, resembling something you might find at home on nights when the children are forced to eat their dinner. The pork is propped up by mashed potatoes, but the portion seems stingy because you could eat more of them. Sides of beets and turnips and a sliced cucumber salad show that vegetables are the one thing the kitchen seems to have under its belt. a postcard advertising the Saturday morning farmers market down the hill at hardy middle school is presented with the check, and it’s a reminder that you could actually easily replicate a lot of what you are eating here at home. Splitting a piece of pie is the way to end the meal – strawberry rhubarb and blueberry are what I’ve tasted, I lean to the former though both are decent. A scoop of vanilla ice cream (from the local countryside?) sounds good with them, but embraces sweetness that the pies wisely do not. Mixed drinks don’t always measure up, and the cocktail list, a salute to the tried and true, is boring. If you like your martini dry, ask for it to be very, very dry. The wine list is more interesting, with glasses available from local vineyards – a warm black ankle passegiata (syrah), a festive albermarle rose and church creek chardonnay. On the Maryland side of the Potomac, vineyards have now moved in as close as Frederick and sugar loaf mountain/Dickerson. I haven’t had a problem with the serving sizes at blue ridge, but it’s expensive enough that I won’t be eating here every day, with a full dinner for two, tax and tip included, rising into the $130 to $140 range.

[Hannah]

We were in for lunch on Saturday, and had some of the same problems with waitstaff not knowing the menu ("I'm sorry, you can't order those separately (looks at menu) - oh, hang on, that's changed!"), unexplained delays, etc. I think there's potential there - I really liked the bacon roasted almonds and the ham cracklings that are available as snacks, and the burger with gorgonzola met with spousal approval.

On the other hand, I think Barton Seaver and I have a fundamental disagreement over the concept of "gravy" - I'm reasonably sure that when you describe something as gravy on a menu and don't put it in Thomas Keller-style ironic quotes, there ought to be some sort of liquid component. Thus, my crispy grits cakes with mushroom gravy should have appeared with some sort of mushroomy liquid accompaniment, not with lightly sauteed, barely glistening chunks of mushroom with no gravy to be seen. The cakes themselves were good, they just needed some actual gravy to go along with them. It didn't occur to me at the time that the kitchen might have forgotten a component of the dish, since the mushrooms were there, so it may be that I was supposed to get gravy and didn't.

Like I said, I do think there's potential, but there are some kinks to work out.

[zoramargolis]

We stopped in for an impromptu dinner early this evening, and it was perfect in the back patio next to the pond with the waterfall burbling and catbirds singing in the trees overhead. Plymouth gin and Dolin dry martinis were reasonably priced ($8) compared to the prices for premium cocktails at other places--and served in modestly-sized glasses. The smoked trout mousse tasted like something I make (good, in other words) but the cold mousse was served in a burning hot ramekin that liquified the outer rim of the mousse. We questioned whether this had been intended, and after the waiter went to the kitchen to check, he came back to report that "sorry 'bout that" the mousse had mistakenly been served up in a ramekin that had just come out of the dishwasher. Even though we had eaten a fair amount of it, they replaced it with a fresh serving.

Since J doesn't like catfish, I never cook it at home, so I took the opportunity to order it. Three large, thick chunks of cornmeal-crusted fish, hot from the fryer with a shmear of herb aioli were plated with some pickled cabbage slaw that they called chow-chow (where's the corn, cuke and red pepper? It wasn't chow-chow in my book) and a tangle of lightly dressed frisee and arugula. The fish was delicate, tender, sweet and perfectly fried in clean oil. J ordered pork meatloaf for his main, which was served in a cast iron skillet on top of mashed potatoes and topped with a thick tomato ragout. The slices of meatloaf had grill marks on them, which added some interest. the meatloaf was firm, moist and well-seasoned, but it was not exciting, if meatloaf can ever be exciting. The mashed potatoes were correctly made, but boring. A little roasted garlic would get them closer to deliciousness. I offered J a taste of my catfish, and he tasted it gingerly, but after I had eaten two of the three pieces of fish, he wanted to swap plates with me so he could have more. If I could find catfish that sweet and tender, and fry it that well, he said, he would eat it all the time.

We split an amber ale and a piece of blueberry pie a- la- mode, and the bill was $63 before tax and tip. Portions seemd quite generous, and we left feeling satisfied. When the weather is cooperating, the back patio is a very pleasant place to eat. We're looking forward to going back again.

[DonRocks]

J ordered pork meatloaf for his main, which was served in a cast iron skillet on top of mashed potatoes and topped with a thick tomato ragout. The slices of meatloaf had grill marks on them, which added some interest. the meatloaf was firm, moist and well-seasoned, but it was not exciting, if meatloaf can ever be exciting. The mashed potatoes were correctly made, but boring. A little roasted garlic would get them closer to deliciousness.

I had the Rustic Pork Meat Loaf ($14) several nights ago, and it was exactly as you described.

There were also grill marks on the (fish portion of the) Smoked Bluefish Salad ($13), an overcooked, way-too-hot piece of bluefish plopped on top of blasphemed Davon Crest Farm salad greens, nominally served with citrus-horseradish dressing, but completely neutralized and wasted in context of this bland, uninspired dish.

But forget the bluefish salad; a self-composed macro plate of Green Eggs and Ham ($13) was one of the great culinary moments of my past week. Consisting of Deviled Eggs ($5), two eggs, split, deviled exactly as you'd want them to be, and served atop an "olive and herb spread" which was dark green and nearly pesto-like, these were the 'green eggs' to accompany the ungodly ham, Bev's 14-Month Long-Leg Ham ($8), an important, rolled-up piece of fatty ham from Bev Eggleston's EcoFriendly Foods. I've had many a great piece of ham in my day, from Iberico, to San Daniele, and a whole lot in between, but this little portion of tenderly loved pig was as memorable and meaningful as any I can remember. Fatty as all-get-out, lardo-like in parts, and as good, in its own way, as authentic Caspian Sea beluga, this incredible ham was the anchor of an unbelievable tandem of dishes that must be tried side-by-side to be fully appreciated.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[mdt]

I had totally forgotten that this was open until I saw the review. 1.5 *s from Tom.

[yassandhu]

Had a very pleasant Brunch in the garden yesterday afternoon. I had no idea that there was outdoor space in the back, so my party and I were happy to find such a relaxed and calming (nice water feature) environment to enjoy our leisurely-paced Brunch.

Highlights were the Funnel Cake Doughnuts - crispy, warm, with a hint of sweetness, the Grilled Trout was perfectly cooked and had a great accompanying sauce (roasted yellow pepper?), the Pork Steak and Eggs also had a fabulous smoked tomato sauce, and the Fried Green Tomato BLT was very tasty with the fried tomatoes having the appropriate amount of crunch.

For dessert, we had fun with the Root Beer Floats -- there are 4 different kinds of root beer to pair with ice cream. We tried the Sprecher, but I look forward to going back and doing a side by side comparison of some of the others. Only disappointment was the Blueberry Pie, which had a sad, soggy crust.

I'll definitely be back for Brunch. Also, the snacks (bacon roasted almonds and deviled eggs) and classic cocktails looked interesting enough to merit an evening visit (especially if enjoyed in the back patio area.)

[Divine One]

Went for an early dinnner with mixed results - some bad, some good. First, the bad - was meeting a friend to catch up, so chose the location thinking it would be fairly quiet. Seated on the back patio near the pond, which my first thought would be a good location. However, since we were on the early side, there were 4-5 small children as well and the main problem was that they swarmed around the pond the entire time, and thus our table. Really annoying and I tend to not notice children at restaurants, but when they are grabbing at your table's umbrella, hiding under the tree by your table, and constantly being chased down by their not-so-attentive parents it becomes a nuisance. So although the patio is a lovely space - it is without design flaws. But the good news - enjoyed the food, especially the grilled okra snack. Two mains were both good, but especially the smoked bluefish with mint pesto. The fish was tender and perfectly cooked, had nice touch of smokiness and was nicely balanced with the mint in the sauce. Would dine indoors or much later next time!

[jfw]

Went for an early dinnner with mixed results - some bad, some good. First, the bad - was meeting a friend to catch up, so chose the location thinking it would be fairly quiet. Seated on the back patio near the pond, which my first thought would be a good location. However, since we were on the early side, there were 4-5 small children as well and the main problem was that they swarmed around the pond the entire time, and thus our table. Really annoying and I tend to not notice children at restaurants, but when they are grabbing at your table's umbrella, hiding under the tree by your table, and constantly being chased down by their not-so-attentive parents it becomes a nuisance. So although the patio is a lovely space - it is without design flaws. But the good news - enjoyed the food, especially the grilled okra snack. Two mains were both good, but especially the smoked bluefish with mint pesto. The fish was tender and perfectly cooked, had nice touch of smokiness and was nicely balanced with the mint in the sauce. Would dine indoors or much later next time!

We must've been seated near you, though we only saw two little ones going a bit bonkers. Playing with a free-standing patio umbrella did look a bit risky to child, pond, and nearby diners.

For the fourth or fifth time, we really enjoyed all our food (and drink) at Blue Ridge. Kinda pains me that it has received recent bad press. Highlights included the grilled okra (we've had about eight orders of this over all our visits), though the accompanying cream sauce was a bit different this time. Still a nice, rich sauce, but not consistent with what we had in the past.

Not knowing they were participating in Restaurant Week when we walked in, I ended up taking advantage and ordered three courses at $30.09 ($5 less than others were charging). Started with the broiled oysters. They were fine. Nice and big, but I always prefer raw. Breading was nicely browned and well-seasoned. Good enough, but probably not worth the $11 on the regular-priced menu. My flank steak with mashed root vegetables (a bit early in the season for those?) was cooked to perfect med-rare and was an excellent piece of meat. The mashed veg was good and I enjoyed the tartly dressed salad greens atop the whole assembly. My wife's trout was perfectly grilled. I continue to claim the cooks at Blue Ridge know their grill very, very well. Her accompaniments (some zucchini and onions and tomatoes?) were light and lovely. Solid dish. A vegetarian friend's grit cakes with mushrooms and grilled green beans all looked hearty and flavorful. I didn't taste, but he reported great satisfaction. The green beans were monstrous.

I also finally had the 'Barack-wurst' snack. Tight sections of sausage on skewers. Nothing mind-blowing, but a filling snack if you expect to order a light main. The dill cream sauce was well balanced.

Two bottles of Lolonis Old Vine Cuvee were also good. An unexpected flavor profile. Can't remember all we tasted in it, but we did order two bottles. Something must've been right with it. I see it retails from the winery for $12, so the $29 price at Blue Ridge seemed a bit high for their mission statement. Still, I do think they offer a truly excellent wine program at a palatable price point.

The coffee selections looked very appealing and I was willingly to risk the caffeine buzz to try the pressed coffee. Turns out, they were out of my preferred bean and said they subbed Whole Foods organic (presumably from across the way). I appreciated the honesty. But, turns out, they did have the decaf version of the coffee I initially requested. Score! It was a wonderful cup of rich, dark coffee. Pecan pie was good enough.

The place was empty and I was very bummed to see that. I continue to enjoy good value and good food at Blue Ridge. Give it a try. It's an excellent neighborhood spot.

[MsDiPesto]

I hadn't seen my friend Kate since she had her baby, and I had suggested Blue Ridge for lunch, only to find it was closed on our arrival today. I imagine they'll be open tonight, as there was a delivery sitting outside their door, but I saw nothing on their web site to foretell their being closed. We settled for mediocre Chinese a few doors away.

[B.A.R.]

I was reading the article about Joshua Wiggham taking over Bazaar when I saw this link

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2009/10/01/barton-seaver-to-be-named-esquires-chef-of-the-year-controversy-ensues

Sorry, can't make hyper-link thingy work. At any rate, is this serious? No disrespect to Barton Seaver, but he would be on the periphery of the discussion ("0 Bet Chef's in Washington DC".

Chef of the Year in Esquire Magazine? Seriously?

[giant shrimp]

Chef of the Year in Esquire Magazine? Seriously?

maybe not exactly for this restaurant? even so, a recent meal at blue ridge showed that it has been making some progress. the hamburger, for one, was quite improved, not consumed by smokiness and hard, as i previously found it, the cheese melted, and served with fries. it's not what i would order here first, or second or even third, but the herbal gunk has been scraped off the broiled rappahannock oysters, making the main ingredient at least identifiable, and not bad. charrred green beans with chopped pecans show off the virtues of cooking vegetables within an inch of their lives. marcella hazan would approve of the blistering, and it's saying something that these are so good you can finish off the entire small plate before tiring of them. there is still room for improvement, though. i would start by hosing the generous mound of root vegetable mash off of the plate before serving the hanger steak. i finally made it out onto the patio, and agree it's a much better alternative to the oppressive indoor dining room. i'm apparently not the only one who feels that way. the dining room was totally empty. the menu could also use some scaling back; it's still running too much all over the place.

[giant shrimp]

Ordinarily, broccoli is no big deal, but the charred lancaster broccoli appetizer ($8) served here along with shaved parmesan and pecans shows that blue ridge is still not living up to its potential. Considering its pedigree, one i am clueless about except that I suppose it is meant to indicate the product was harvested from local fields, it was an unpleasant surprise that the vegetable hadnt been treated much better in this kitchen than it would have at a cafeteria. Several strides ahead of an absolute disaster, the broccoli was nevertheless flaccid and tasteless, buried in a flurry of fresh fallen, fluffy parmesan clinging to the spears like mountain crags. I didnt see any charring, but did smell smoke. The entire wintry scene could have been reduced to mush with a fork. In a way, this was just another ordinary broccoli story, and the shortcomings wouldnt have been quite as apparent if ordered as a side, but I was insanely expecting a signature dish that would go straight to the roots of the philosophy this restaurant has been clinging onto. Why glorify broccoli when you arent even willing to cook it properly? The kitchen says it was cooked to order, but assembled was probably more like it.

Drinks and service here remain inept. A martini ordered extra dry with olives tastes of splashed olive juice. No one ever seems to know who gets what even at a table for two. And there remain some lapses in judgment. Whats so exciting about the made-in-house, dark, almost burned, greasy potato chips accompanying the green tomato blt ($10)? The restaurant would be much better off allowing customers to carry in a bag of route 11 chips from the whole foods across the street . The sandwich I had read so much about in the city paper was okay, perhaps made by different hands, at its best in the bacon department, with some fishy notes and a little dry, and not as good as the traditional blt.

Uptight and snarly just below its icy surface, blue ridge has yet to become a welcoming or relaxing destination, although it appears to be attracting a fuller dining room, up from almost empty some nights. To its credit, it continues to make improvements. Finally it is printing out a traditional menu that reads sequentially down the page instead of appearing to be running all over the place like a delirious breakfast spot. burgers now come with fries, an inevitable concession made a while back. But I dont know if it will ever succeed in entirely getting its act together, and Ive just about run out of patience.

[zoramargolis]

Chef of the Year in Esquire Magazine? Seriously?

Someone I know at a food magazine playfully suggested a possible explanation: the Esquire critic has the hots for Barton Seaver...

[Kibbee Nayee]

I had an event meal at Sushi-Ko across the street, but Blue Ridge caught my eye as we arrived a bit early for our sushi feast. GF and I hit Blue Ridge for a drink, and the bar area was empty. The wine menu was perfectly acceptable, drawing from the east coast, the west coast and France, and looked like it was well thought through. Later, after the event meal at Sushi-Ko, we strolled back to Blue Ridge for an unnecessary night cap and an oh-so-unnecessary plate of charcuterie, which we were told are prepared in-house. I declare the charcutierie acceptable and will return to the bar on the future occasions I am in the Glover Park neighborhood.

[lekkerwijn]

"Blueridge to host “Fish ‘n’ Flicks” dinner screening series on January 15th. Sea to Table will ship exclusively wild, sustainable seafood to chefs at Blue Ridge, Eno Terra, North Pond, and Starfish Brasserie for their Fish ‘n’ Flicks dinners." I have no connection to this event. Saw the email in my in-box this morning. See details below. They don't mention a price for this special dinner, could it be free?

From: Sympa user [mailto:sympa@elist.tufts.edu] On Behalf Of annamghosh@gmail.com

Sent: Wednesday, January 06, 2010 11:56 PM

To: comfood@elist.tufts.edu

Subject: [COMFOOD:] Restaurants host dinners, screen film to shed light on crisis of overfishing

If you haven't seen the documentary The End of the Line yet, it's a must.

Here's the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roD47QiujY4

If you're interested in participating in this project, or are a journalist watching the sustainable seafood space and would like more information, please contact Anna Ghosh, annamghosh@gmail.com.

Media Advisory

Top Chefs Urge Diners to Choose Sustainable Fish

“Fish ‘n’ Flicks” Pairs Screenings of the The End of the Line with Sustainable Seafood Dinners to Educate Guests About What They Can Do to End Overfishing

Jan. 5, 2010 – America’s most renowned and ecologically conscious chefs will be crafting special sustainable seafood menus to accompany restaurant screenings of The End of the Line, the award-winning documentary about overfishing narrated by Ted Danson. To date, 12 dinner events are planned nationally as part of the “Fish ‘n’ Flicks” dinner screening series, to take place throughout January in and around New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Chicago and San Diego.

Debuting at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and playing in hundreds of cinemas, aquariums, and universities across the U.S. and the United Kingdom, Rupert Murray’s The End of the Line explores the inconvenient truth about the devastating effect of overfishing on the world’s oceans. Building on its success in the UK, where the film convinced top restaurants and grocery stores to overhaul their seafood offerings in favor of sustainable sourcing, the film’s restaurant screening series gives U.S. restaurants a chance to showcase the culinary—and ecological—benefits of sustainable fish.

The first major documentary to reveal the extent of the crisis facing today’s oceans, The End of the Line warns that the current pace of fishing will deplete most edible fish stocks by 2048. The film also offers a powerful call to action: urging diners, chefs and restaurants to choose sustainably sourced seafood over imperiled species. With 80 percent of the world’s fish stocks now fully or over-exploited, restaurants who replace critically endangered species such as bluefin tuna or beluga sturgeon with sustainable alternatives take big strides toward providing diners with ecologically responsible options.

As part of their participation, all restaurants featured in the Fish ‘n’Flicks series will also be among the first American restaurants recognized in the online seafood guide Fish2Fork.com. Fish2Fork is the only online seafood-specific dining guide to let diners rate restaurants not only for the quality of their food but also for the effect their menus have on marine life.

Fish2Fork will launch its U.S. edition the week of Jan. 10.

“Ordering fish in a restaurant should not be a moral dilemma. I commend the chefs and restaurants participating in the Fish ‘n’ Flicks campaign for taking a leadership role in educating diners and preserving endangered fish for future generations,” said Charles Clover, the creator of Fish2Fork and the author whose book, The End of the Line, is the foundation for the film.

List of Fish ‘n’ Flicks events to date:

Tues., Jan. 12

Yankee Pier, Lafayette, Calif.

Thurs., Jan. 14

Sea Rocket Bistro, Chef Christy Samoy, San Diego, Calif.

Fri., Jan. 15

Blue Ridge, Chef Barton Seaver, Washington D.C.

18 Reasons/Bi-Rite Market, San Francisco

Mon., Jan. 18

Starfish Brasserie, Chef Kristofor Sandholm, Bethlehem, Penn.

Jan. 18-24

Harbor’s Edge at the San Diego Sheraton, Chef Steve Black, San Diego, Calif.

Tues., Jan. 19

Eno Terra, Chef Carlo Momo, Kingston, NJ

Wed., Jan. 20

Oliveto, Chef Paul Canales, Oakland, Calif.

Thurs., Jan. 21

Sea Rocket Bistro, San Diego, Calif.

Fri., Jan. 22

Fish. Sausalito, Calif

Tues., Feb. 23

North Pond, Chef Bruce Sherman, Chicago

TBD

Palo Santo, Chef Jacques Gautier, Brooklyn, NY Bamboo Sushi, Kristofor Lofgren, Portland, Ore.

These restaurants are joined by Mario Batali’s restaurants in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York, and Thomas Keller’s Per Se, which will offer private screenings of the film to educate their chefs, cooks and kitchen staff.

Sea to Table, a family-owned sustainable seafood purveyor and supporter of the Fish ‘n’ Flicks campaign, will provide sustainable seafood to Fish ‘n’

Flicks participants. Certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, Sea to Table seeks out wild, sustainably managed fisheries needing better access to markets, and offers a direct line of traceability between local fishermen and chefs.

“The chefs we work with have a rare opportunity not only to highlight sustainable choices, but to help steer customers toward thinking about where their fish come from, who does the catching, and how it got from the boat to the plate” say owners Sean and Michael Dimin. Sea to Table will ship exclusively wild, sustainable seafood to chefs at Blue Ridge, Eno Terra, North Pond, and Starfish Brasserie for their Fish ‘n’ Flicks dinners.

The End of the Line will be released on home DVD Feb. 23. To preview the film’s trailer or select episodes from the film, please visit http://endoftheline.com.

Interviews available:

Charles Clover, prominent journalist and author whose book, The End of the Line, was the foundation for the film. Charles is the creator of the Fish2Fork online restaurant guide.

Barton Seaver, Esquire’s 2009 Chef of the Year and Sustainable Seafood Advocate

Christopher Hird, Executive Producer, The End of the Line

George Duffield, Producer, The End of the Line

Sean Dimin, Sea to Table

Contact:

Anna Ghosh

For The End of the Line/Fish ‘n’ Flicks

415-265-1568

annamghosh@gmail.com

[Rovers2000]

Strolled in (for the first time since their remodel) last night and I have to say it's a crime that this place is empty during peak happy hour times on a Thursday. The tweaked space is low key and the staff were extremely accommodating (offering sample pours of any beer I had questions about).

They have a solid lineup on draft (multiple Great Lakes offerings, wide range of seasonal beers from Harpoon, Anchor, etc) and EVERY DRAFT IS HALF PRICE FROM 430-7. I paid 4 bucks for an Ommegang Abbey ale, and 3 dollars apiece for an anchor christmas ale and Great Lakes Eliot Ness. I should also note that I was one of about 6 people in the entire bar at 6pm. I didn't have time to sample the food but their menu looks more than adequate.

I will certainly be returning since it is down the street from my office, but if you're in the Glover Park/Upper Georgetown area I would say it is worth your consideration.

[porcupine]

You know what's really annoying? When a restaurant's website says that it's open at a certain time, and the restaurant's voice mail system confirms that the restaurant is open at that time, and you get there at that time to find that it isn't open.

[neverecho]

Does anyone know when Blue Ridge is reopening?

[apicius]

I live 5 minutes walking and I don't know when it is going to reopen.

I just hope the food will be better than before !! went there twice for dinner a year ago; One experience was really not good and the other one just below average.

I am craving for a good restaurant next to home; I had hope for Blue Ridge but a pretentious not well executed menu ruined it.

Maybe the new formula will be better.

[DonRocks]

You know what's really annoying? When a restaurant's website says that it's open at a certain time, and the restaurant's voice mail system confirms that the restaurant is open at that time, and you get there at that time to find that it isn't open.

Does anyone know when Blue Ridge is reopening?

I live 5 minutes walking and I don't know when it is going to reopen.

So wait a minute - are you saying that Blue Ridge has been closed? FWIW, I was there the first week in December.

Cheers,

Rocks

[cjsadler]

So wait a minute - are you saying that Blue Ridge has been closed? FWIW, I was there the first week in December.

Cheers,

Rocks

Here's the story.

[clchurch]

Here's the story.

So, it's been over four months now, any word on when, or if, it will ever reopen? And what happend to Barton Seaver?

[neverecho]

Does anyone know what's going on with this place? It's been sitting empty for six months - they still have tables and chairs, you can still see the beer fridge through the window, and apparently the owner even threw a party there a few weeks ago. Why keep a functioning bar closed? It seems REALLY sketchy to me - like they ran out of money, or lost their liquor license or something.

[neverecho]

Just received a private message from the owner of Blue Ridge. They are stuck in permitting hell.

[DonRocks]

So, it's been over four months now, any word on when, or if, it will ever reopen? And what happend to Barton Seaver?

Does anyone know what's going on with this place? It's been sitting empty for six months - they still have tables and chairs, you can still see the beer fridge through the window, and apparently the owner even threw a party there a few weeks ago. Why keep a functioning bar closed? It seems REALLY sketchy to me - like they ran out of money, or lost their liquor license or something.

Just received a private message from the owner of Blue Ridge. They are stuck in permitting hell.

Just to bring some closure to this thread, Blue Ridge has permanently closed, and is being taken over by Town Hall. I'm not sure who broke the original story, but some information is here. I thought Tim Carman ran a story about it recently, but I can't find it.

I do hope Jared & Eli are finding success at Redwood and Sonoma; I haven't kept up with them as well as I've wanted to.