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Birch & Barley, 14th Street at Logan Circle - Chef Kyle Bailey and Beer Sommelier Greg Engert Downstairs from ChurchKey in 14UP


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I know I've been harping on this, but why keep announcing dates to the public if you're really not sure you're going to be open? I don't understand the philosophy here other than frustrating potential customers with the tease of finally opening. I walked by on Saturday during the day and they looked more than a week away, but we'll see.....

Peeked in on my walk to work today, it's at least window dressed for a soft opening (maybe that was the Monday date?). Greg was tinkering behind the bar, I suppose that's a good sign.

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Peeked in on my walk to work today, it's at least window dressed for a soft opening (maybe that was the Monday date?). Greg was tinkering behind the bar, I suppose that's a good sign.

dates move as construction issues pop up here and there. Contractors give you a date to turn over the place, and sometimes the inevitable happens, a late shipment on a piece of equipement, an inspection doesn't go as well, a contractor gives wrong dates. It happens in this business all the time, and yes it can be frustrating, but would you rather have a restaurant open half-ass, and work around you while you dined? Or gave you a false impression of what the place was really to look like and then change it 6 months later? The rule of thumb is "once you open those doors, there is no shutting them once you start".

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It reads like rusticos menu... But is far from it. The bar menu while seemingly simple is very different. Our pizzas are far more upscaled, and at 11x6 rectangles with organic quality ingredients prepared fresh every day; I feel are worth the price. The Veal Neck Sausage flatbreads and Quail Egg BLTs are must tries. Days of Marinara and mozz are gone my friends, welcome to the dark side.

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We checked out the scene at Churchkey and it was absolutely packed, so my group and I decided to hang out downstairs rather than deal with the crowd. We were seated right away. An almost 10-minute wait for our drinks was my only complaint of the evening - and certainly understandable, since it was their first night open to the public. Our server, Max was polite and knowledgeable - and brought us a few free beers ('mistakes' from the bar) to make up for the wait. We tried a few different beers between us, and my favorite was the pumpkin cask ale.

Between five of us, we started the arctic char tartare, the octopus and the scallops. The tartare was standout dish of the three. Breads were brought to the table around that time - a "pretzel" roll, and a bacon/sage bun which was beyond delicious. As far as I am concerned, all bread should be made with bacon.

For entrees, we all either got the burger or the cod. The burger was very good - made with prosciutto and topped with cheddar and pickled red onions. Cod was also tasty - served with green beans, fingerlings and and preserved lemon. These are very solid versions of classics.

The desserts are big enough to share and worth saving room for. We tried the apple beniet and something called a confection plate which featured "upscale" versions of classic treats like a "Hostess" cupcake, oatmeal cream pie and a pudding pop. Holy crap. These are some delicious sweets! And then we got the bill...they were only $5 and $6! In fact, the entire meal was very reasonable - about $200 including tip for the five of us.

This is a great addition to the neighborhood and I have a feeling that they are going to do very well.

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Rovers2000, leleboo, goodeats, and I shared a pretty awesome dinner at Birch & Barley tonight. The service was great, and I really love the whole design of the place. And of course, I'd be remiss in not mentioning the monster beer list, which offers more options than one can wrap their head around (as some at our table, who didn't get to the food menu for a good 20 minutes, soon found out, haha).

Since we were pretty much set on sharing everything we ordered, we avoided entrees and aimed for a slew of appetizers and all the 2nd course or pasta/flatbread options on the menu. I won't go all out and give a complete breakdown of the meal, but I will throw out a few of my favorites...

Seared Sea Scallops Israeli Couscous, Cauliflower, Lemon Confit ($11): I really liked this dish. The scallops had a nice sear, but weren't chewy or overdone. They sat on a mound of delicious israeli couscous, along with some perfectly smooth cauliflower puree. I believe the lemon confit was grated into that creamy mix. It was all sprinkled with toasted pine nutes, which added good flavor and a bit of crunch.

Arctic Char Tartare Yuzu Gelee, Ginger, Basil, Sesame Crisp ($12): I'm pretty sure everybody was a big fan of this dish. A generous portion of diced arctic char, seasoned beautifully with the yuzu, ginger, and basil, and served with crisp sesame chips. It was hard to stop eating this in order to share.

Vialone Nano Risotto Roasted Beets, Wilted Greens, Goat Cheese ($10 half/$15 full): This was the dish I'd been most looking forward to, and it didn't disappoint. At first glance, it's simply stunning: a mountain of insanely purple risotto topped off with a scoop of snow-white whipped goat cheese. Upon digging in, you soon find chunks of roasted beets, as well as those wilted greens, dispersed throughout the amazingly creamy risotto, which, surprisingly, did not have an overly strong taste of beets, even though it was thoroughly purple. The whipped goat cheese really pushed it to the next level though.

Tagliatelle Braised Rabbit, Thumbelina Carrots, Housemade Ricotta ($13 half/$19 full): This was the second dish of pasta with rabbit I've ever had (the first being from Dino), and it's tough to pick a winner between the two. What I can say is that this version was very well done - the pasta was cooked well, the braised and shredded rabbit meat was truly succulent, the carrots added a touch of sweetness, and the ricotta brought some creaminess to it all. Either this or the risotto would have to be the dish of the night for me.

Definitly a great meal, and I'll definitely be making a point of trying some of the entrees in the near future (while I know that the duck is a fantastic dish, I'm in the dark about how the rest of the options taste). I'm sure the others will have plenty to say on their favorites, so I leave the rest to them.

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As usual, Gennaro has given quite a lovely run-down of last night's dinner. I might add a few things...

Rovers2000 ... goodeats, and I shared a pretty awesome dinner at Birch & Barley tonight.

Honestly? The company couldn't have been better. :( However, I have to say that the service could have been. It seemed as though there was a bit of confusion among the waitstaff as to who actually had our table. Service was incredibly solicitous and accommodating of our taking our time as we worked our way through the beer and wine lists, but when we actually needed to get the attention of ... well, anyone, it proved overly difficult, particularly in a room that at that point was only about half-full (if that).

Arctic Char Tartare Yuzu Gelee, Ginger, Basil, Sesame Crisp ($12): I'm pretty sure everybody was a big fan of this dish. A generous portion of diced arctic char, seasoned beautifully with the yuzu, ginger, and basil, and served with crisp sesame chips. It was hard to stop eating this in order to share.

This was my standout dish, hands-down. The flavor of the fish stood up to the citrus and spice of the yuzu and ginger, and the crunch of the sesame contrasted with the silky texture of the tartare.

I also greatly enjoyed the Charred Octopus Warm Fingerling Salad, Pickled Eggplant, Capers ($11). We probably should have ordered a second one of these to share, as we each got only a small bite of octopus, but wow did the kitchen know what it was doing with that small piece. Perfectly charred with a nice smoky flavor, the octopus had not a hint of rubbery texture, and the tiny dice of potatoes had bite and flavor, not getting lost at all in the brininess of the dish. I would really like to try this again.

The bread board was a lot of fun, particularly the warm pretzel rolls with the grainy mustard that have been mentioned upthread. (Aside: as I bit into the roll, I had a total Simpsons moment, flashing to the episode "Homer the Smithers," wherein Mr. Burns is frightened by a drunk Lenny after a baseball game and complains that "his breath reeked of beer and pretzeled bread." Pretzeled bread, indeed...hee!)

The flatbreads were both very tasty and would be wonderfully satisfying "fancy-casual" food for a night of exploring the beer list further. I am incredibly picky about fig and pork flatbreads, although the Port Glazed Figs Gorgonzola Cremificato & Prosciutto Flatbread ($13) came pretty close to the one that will forever be my Platonic ideal of this dish (note to kitchen: maybe add very thinly sliced scallions before serving?). The sausage on the Veal Neck Sausage Roasted Mushrooms, Pecorino Flatbread ($14) had an incredible flavor for an unsweet sausage (usually my preference in a pizza/flatbread situation).

I took one for the team and tried to do a little exploration of the wines available. Sadly, the list isn't online, and I don't want to misstate what I tasted, but the selection was enough for a restaurant focused so heavily on beer, and decently priced as well ($8 to about ... $13? $14? I can't recall the upper limit on the by-the-glass list). One request would be to have a small one-sheet of the glass list, as having to wade through the entire, formidable bottled beer list to find the single sheet of wines available by the glass was a bit of a downer.

I definitely want to go back and try some of the entrees -- given the quality of the arctic char and octopus and scallops, I'm interested to see if the kitchen can hold its own with the cod and striped bass (my guess is yes) -- and if there's ever a time when Churchkey isn't a total madhouse, I'd be tempted to head upstairs as well and give the bar a try.

Thanks to Gennaro for the idea -- last night was a blast. :P

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Gennaro (and now Leigh) beat me to it, but I'll chime in with my thoughts on the meal and beers from last night:

First the beers, of which I had 3:

-The Mahattan Project by Brooklyn Brewery - This tempted me b/c I'm always down for a good Manhattan and I was curious to see how a beer crafted to taste like one would come out. Deep red color with some strong cherry syrup/bitters notes at first with a definite rye aftertaste. Served in a tulip glass.

-Palo Santo Marron by Dogfish Head - Went with this as I've never seen it on draft before, definitely a deep black color with some caramel malt at the front and a spicy bite on the finish. The high alcohol content is apparent but it is a surprisingly easy drinking beer. Served in a snifter.

-Black Chocolate Stout by Brooklyn Brewery - Tried this Russian Stout after discussing a few different options with the server. Great aroma of chocolate and coffee. Definitely a creamier feel than the Palo Santo and it was a nice end to the meal as it was definitely a more filling brew that went very well with the deserts we had ordered.

As someone who has now eaten both upstairs in Churchkey and downstairs in Birch & Barley, while the service is spotty I think it is important to remember that the place has been open for what, a month? In terms of the food, I really enjoyed the Arctic Char Tartare from the app course and the Fig/Gorgonzola flatbread and the Risotto from the seconds we had at the table (Gennaro and Leigh have captured the food well above so I won't go into detail). Additionally I really thought their take on a dessert plate was cool ("hostess" cupcake, oatmeal cream pie, pumpkin pie ice cream with graham cracker crumbs, home made marshmellow, etc) and extremely tasty and a great conversation piece.

All in all, I really have enjoyed my two visits and look forward to many more to both Churchkey and Birch & Barley. While the upstairs bar gets packed they definitely do their best to keep it managable (resulting in a line out the door). The decor downstairs is mesmirizing (fortunately I had my back turned to the "Beer Organ" or I would have been staring longingly at it all evening) if a bit loud. The place is off to a great start in my opinion and once the staff get some more seasoning this will really be a bright spot not only for beer, but for food in Logan Circle.

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As someone who has now eaten both upstairs in Churchkey and downstairs in Birch & Barley, while the service is spotty I think it is important to remember that the place has been open for what, a month? In terms of the food, I really enjoyed the Arctic Char Tartare from the app course and the Fig/Gorgonzola flatbread and the Risotto from the seconds we had at the table (Gennaro and Leigh have captured the food well above so I won't go into detail). Additionally I really thought their take on a dessert plate was cool ("hostess" cupcake, oatmeal cream pie, pumpkin pie ice cream with graham cracker crumbs, home made marshmellow, etc) and extremely tasty and a great conversation piece.

Can't wait to hear my friend from South Boston order this dish.

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I had a nice dinner at Birch & Barley. Honestly my favorite part of the meal was the bread board that was served! It's an incredibly generous bread board; the night we were there each person got three rolls: a pretzel roll (served with grainy mustard), a ciabatta roll, and a cranberry/nut bread. So good and everything is baked in-house by their pastry chef.

As did many other people on the board, we split the artic char tartare which was very, very good but I wanted more chips!

For entrees, my friend and I ordered together and split both entrees. We had the rabbit tagliatelle which I we both thought was quite tasty. The rabbit had a great texture and I think it was a very approachable dish; even less adventurous eaters would surely enjoy it. We also got the pistachio crusted cod which I did like but I am less of a fish person than my friend is, so this was her choice. It was good though.

For desert we got a peanut butter chocolate tart that was served with ice cream and a mini vanilla shake. It was soooooo good if a bit decadent.

We walked out of there very pleased and I will definitely be back!! This is a great new restaurant.

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Bob and I managed to snag an 8 P.M. dinner reservation last night, which seemed like a good pre-snow, last dinner-out before Christmas. We had a not-too-long wait for our table at the slammed ChurchKey upstairs, and were escorted to a table behind the host's counter--not ideal, but there's a reasonable vestibule to protect from too much draftiness. The staff was very friendly and gracious, though not without some awkwardness (see below) and our meals--fig flatbread shared as a starter, brat burger for Bob, beet risotto for me--was very good. I love the 4-oz. pours of beer, especially those served in snifters--it's a style that encourages sipping, not chugging, and the friendly prices encourage trying several different styles. The beer sommelier (is that the right term?) brought us the Monk's Blood Ale to pair with the flatbread, and we ordered the cask Bell's Cherry Stout to round out the menu--both were great.

There was one big problem, however, that I'm not sure how we should have handled--all the food was delivered at once, even though the server had put in the flatbread order as a starter. It seemed silly to send back the entrees to the kitchen until we were done with the flatbread, but having everything there all at once was cumbersome, and made it less possible to enjoy the beer pairing that had been picked for the starter. The server asked if there was anything he could do to compensate, and we said no. I don't blame him for the mix-up, and we didn't chintz on the tip, but I sort of feel that it should have been up to him to offer a solution for us to accept or reject rather than ask us what a reasonable comp might be, which puts the diner in an awkward spot.

That said, it wasn't a deal breaker. The food's good, the beer is great, as are the pour options, and I'd covet coming back on a less busy night, and hopefully when they get some of the kitchen/serving snags worked out.

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Is there such a thing? I've tried 3 times now unsuccessfully to snag a spot at the bar upstairs...it's always been crazy busy.

It's my understanding that Monday's are generally the most low key night there...I've gone early each time I've headed to Churchkey and its been ok, but once the 630-7 time frame hits, it seems to get crazy.

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It's my understanding that Monday's are generally the most low key night there...I've gone early each time I've headed to Churchkey and its been ok, but once the 630-7 time frame hits, it seems to get crazy.

Mondays are definitely low key in comparison to the rest of the week, as are Sundays. Either going on one of those days, or arriving before 6:30 any other night, pretty much guarantees you a table/spot at the bar at Churchkey.

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Mondays are definitely low key in comparison to the rest of the week, as are Sundays. Either going on one of those days, or arriving before 6:30 any other night, pretty much guarantees you a table/spot at the bar at Churchkey.

Unfortunately this is not the case Tuesdays, as my wife and I stopped in at 6:45 and both Churchkey and Birch & Barley were packed, with a 2 hour (!) wait for a table at B&B quoted by the hostess.

I'm dying to try this place but kind of annoyed that it is still so crowded months after it has been open.

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Unfortunately this is not the case Tuesdays, as my wife and I stopped in at 6:45 and both Churchkey and Birch & Barley were packed, with a 2 hour (!) wait for a table at B&B quoted by the hostess.

I'm dying to try this place but kind of annoyed that it is still so crowded months after it has been open.

I figured the day before Christmas Eve would be pretty low-key there, and I was right. From 4:30 to 6:00 there were seats remaining at the bar, and things were pretty calm. A great atmosphere to talk to the knowledgeable, friendly guy behind the bar, and explore their amazing beer menu. I had tastes of most of the cask ales, but the highlight for me was the "King Crimson" from Peak Brewing. And the charcuterie board, which among other treats included an absolutely tremendous chicken liver mousse.

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I may need to stop by tonight or tomorrow while the city is still empty and we can get a seat at a decent hour ...

Don't count on it (or at least, try to get there early). I stopped by at 5:45 tonight ... there wasn't a seat to be found, and there were a half dozen people waiting at the top of the stairs for barstools to open up.

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Don't count on it (or at least, try to get there early). I stopped by at 5:45 tonight ... there wasn't a seat to be found, and there were a half dozen people waiting at the top of the stairs for barstools to open up.

Ouch--this place is too popular (deservedly so, I think), at the moment. DC needs more great beer places. Uggh. Keeping my fingers crossed on the beer selection at the new Wiedmaier place in Bethesda, whenever it opens.

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Had dinner last night at Birch & Barley with leleboo and her husband, and despite the 3 course RW options on offer, I couldn't resist going for the 5 course tasting menu. At $55, it was definitely worth the price.

Scallop Crudo pink peppercorns, blood orange : This was my first encounter with a raw scallop (well, with any intent other than to cook it), and it may have been the dish of the night for me. If versions I try in the future are even half as good at this dish, I'll wish I'd started eating them much sooner. It seems like Chef Bailey really has a way with raw fish, given how delicious his Arctic Char Tartare was, and now this. The thinly sliced scallop was dressed with (I think) a blood orange vinaigrette, and topped with tiny blood orange segments and a bit of frisee. The blood orange brought simultaneous sweetness and tartness, while the frisee cut in with the sort of freshness that only a green component can bring. The best facet of the dish, though, besides the silky texture of the scallop itself, was the contrast offered by the coarse salt and the pink peppercorns, as well as the subtle heat brought by the latter ingredient. It all just worked together perfectly.

Gnochi al Forno tomato sauce, pancetta, ricotta salata : While good, this was probably the weakest dish of the menu. The gnocchi were perfectly soft -- I can't recall having a better version -- but the sauce just wasn't quite complex enough to make me want to eat this again. It was nice and tangy, but it just grew slightly boring after a bit. The ricotta salata, however, was a great touch, as was the house cured pancetta. I think that simply adding more pancetta (I didn't really find the few small pieces present until I'd finished the gnocchi) would probably have brought this course up to the same level as the others.

Halibut roasted fennel, violet mustard (Fudged the wording on this one, can't quite remember it) : The violet mustard was what set this dish apart. And shockingly, the most flavorful component was the fennel, which was roasted exactly to that oxymoronic point so frequently referenced in vegetable-centric recipes: crisp-tender. The halibut was certainly good - moist within, nicely seared without, and paired well with what I think was a grapefruit vinaigrette/sauce - but I might have been just as happy with a big plate of that roasted fennel and the violet mustard.

Venison wild rice, cherries, roasted chestnuts, brussel sprout leaves, butternut squash puree : I'm undecided as to whether this was better than, or just equal to, the amazing first course. What made it so impressive was the level of synergy between all the components - it was far more than the sum of its parts. I'd never had venison before, so this was another first. Alone, the venison (cooked rare, so that it was perfectly tender) tasted like a purer form of beef. It was good, but not mind blowing. Similarly, the wild rice, with cherries and chestnuts was good, but not something I'd necessarily hunger for again (the wild rice with dates and hazelnuts, which Chef Bailey serves with his duck dish, seems head and shoulders above this rendition). But upon joining the rice and venison together, the dish reached perfection for me. The butternut squash puree was like a glue for these two components, not merely because of its texture, but also because of its earthy sweetness. And somehow, the light sprinkling of charred brussel leaves each had such a concentrated flavor of brussels that it felt like I could have been eating a mouthful of them, without the bother of taking up mouth-space or chewing time that was rightly devoted to the rice and venison. All together, it was just awesome.

Figgy Toffee Pudding candied walnuts, ice cream : Tiffany MacIsaac, Birch & Barley's pastry chef, wins at dessert (and bread, though that subject seems to have received enough attention lately). Between my last dinner and this one, I've tried a number of her offerings, and all have been good...but this one might just be the best. Leleboo described it well: the level of caramelization, and the subsequent depth of flavor, was what made it so awesome. It wasn't overly sweet, just warm, rich, and wrought with the kind of dark flavors that develop from long, slow cooking. Hitting the mission figs scattered throughout the column of cakey pudding meant a slight spike in sweetness, and a nice change of pace (both flavor and texture wise) that could have kept me interested well into a second or third helping. The candied walnuts offered some crunch, and the ice cream paired nicely with the pudding (though I'm blanking on the flavor), rounding out each bite.

Pictures - some of which are awfully dark thanks to the iPhone's stellar ability to capture images in low light:

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All day brunch begins today, and goes from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM. It's listed on the brunch guide, but here's a link to the menu anyway.

Few things in life are more enjoyable than the Sausage, Egg and Cheese served on crème fraiche biscuit ($14). Based on the McDonald's classic, but 3 times larger and infinitely better. A folded french omelet instead of microwaved eggs, a five ounce patty of juicy, house-ground breakfast sausage instead of a one ounce hockey puck of mystery meat; and pepper jack instead of barely meltable Kraft singles style cheese, all on a house-made biscuit that's tender and insanely rich thanks to the crème fraiche in the batter.

Come, eat, and say hi. If there's a wait, just go upstairs and drink beer until you get a seat -- it'll be like emulating the college students (and plenty of others) who get drunk and turn to Steak 'n Egg and similar diner-like institutions at 4 in the morning for sustenance, except it'll be the middle of the day, with better beer than Natty Light, and awesome food.

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Few things in life are more enjoyable than the Sausage, Egg and Cheese served on crème fraiche biscuit ($14). Based on the McDonald's classic, but 3 times larger and infinitely better. A folded french omelet instead of microwaved eggs, a five ounce patty of juicy, house-ground breakfast sausage instead of a one ounce hockey puck of mystery meat; and pepper jack instead of barely meltable Kraft singles style cheese, all on a house-made biscuit that's tender and insanely rich thanks to the crème fraiche in the batter.

That sounds tasty. But, you got Egg McMuffins all wrong...

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I had a truly great meal at Birch & Barley tonight. I had the venison, which is now (or at least today was) accompanied by braised red cabbage, potato puree, and cipollini, not the wild rice GennaroE had. The venison was tender and paired very well with the sides. I'm not a big meat eater generally, but I gobbled all of this up, except for the slice I swapped for a taste of my friend's crispy wild striped bass, with baby fennel, artichoke, sunchoke, and olives, which was also delicious. We rounded out the main courses with maple glazed brussels sprouts, which were a good accompaniment to the venison, though they were a bit sweet (not surprisingly, I suppose). For a starter we shared the Arctic char tartare, which was nice and light and flavorful, and I loved the accompanying sesame crisps, though would have liked a few more to add more crunchy bites to the dish. Our server, Adam, was great. The highlight was when he swept in just before the char tartare was served with a small glass of a light beer because he realized that the dark beer (the Gouden Carolus, I think) he recommended for the venison would overwhelm the fish. Now that's service.

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Shortly after moving here in 2007, I got together for dinner with my highschool "little sister" (who actually also went to the same college I did, so we'd stayed in contact). Since then, she and I have pretty much failed to get together, until we ran into each other on the Metro recently and vowed to make it happen. We hit upon Birch and Barley's new all-day brunch -- breakfast food! without having to wait an hour and a half at noon on a Sunday! -- and planned it for an early evening tonight.

I have to acknowledge what I thought was a really nice move when the restaurant called to confirm my reservation yesterday. The hostess said, "I also want to be sure you know that Sundays, we are serving brunch all day, and not our usual dinner menu." This is a lovely customer-service touch; particularly for those who book through OpenTable.com, there is no sign that the usual dinner menu isn't available on Sundays. While it turns out that they have started offering a supplemental menu of a few dinner items, starting around 5 in the afternoon, the main point of the day is still the brunch food, and I thought it was really nice that they made sure no one was going to show up and be disappointed.

(Before I review the food, I want to give full disclosure: GennaroE finished his shift right as we were getting started, so he joined us, and as such we were given a bunch of extras (side of bacon, sausage, and extra hash browns); and despite protestations, the restaurant insisted on applying the employee discount to the entire bill. We tipped on the pre-discount bill and then some.)

I am a huge omelette fan, so I had to get the Birch and Barley version. It came with nicely dressed arugula in a mustardy classic vinaigrette, and the hash browns, which were little patties flecked with herbs and not too greasy at all. The omelette, however, was the true star--a classic French rolled omelette, fluffy and light, with the egg not at all browned or hardened on the outside. It was deftly filled (and not overstuffed) with roasted mushrooms, caramelized onions, and Gouda; the earthy, nutty flavors complimented each other, but did not overwhelm the delicate eggs. I fell in love with omelettes living in Paris (I think I ate a simple omelette fromage avec salade mixte just about every day for lunch there), and I have rarely had one that so evoked the simplicity, and yet utter perfection (in my view), of that meal.

I tasted the lemon-poppy doughnut, which was soaked in lemon syrup and more like a beignet, warm and pillowy, and the sticky bun, which I could swear had whiskey in the sauce. I'm not a big sweets person, but both of these were excellent, and either of them would work well as dessert (which is what we did with the sticky bun) if you are not of a mind -- or sweet tooth -- to start your meal with a sugar rush.

By 5:15 they were out of the "brunch punch," which was kind of a bummer. I'll have to get back and try that, but I'm hoping it will have rye in it as it says on the online menu; now the in-house menu says it's made with bourbon. ;)

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My husband and I had a late dinner here on Saturday night. One of the things I love, in a perverse way, is by-passing the hoards of youngsters lined up in the cold outside the door waiting to get into Churchkey. If you have a reservation, you go right up to the bouncer and he checks your name on a clipboard and lets you in. There's nothing like getting past the imaginary red velvet ropes as if you were the elite going to some swanky club.

This was our second time dining at Birch and Barley and both visits have been wonderful. The bread board is terrific all by itself -- warm pretzel rools, calamata rolls, and something like raisin pecan bread, all fresh, soft and toasty warm from the oven, and served with soft butter and mustard for the pretzel rolls.

I had to start with the crispy duck egg with frisee and pork belly as an appetizer. It sounded so intringuing -- they take a soft boiled duck egg, and after removing the shell, they roll it in fine bread crumbs and deep fry it. The concept was great, but unfortunately, the yolk was a little too firm and didn't run over the frisee when the egg was broken into. The pork belly (3 nice pieces) was wonderful. My husband had the arctic char tartare, which was very good also. It was seasoned with an asian style dressing -- probably soy sauce, a little sesame oil, ginger. The main courses were port glazed fig flatbread with gorgonzola cheese and cavatelli with lambs neck. Both were delicious. The first time we ate there, we had the brat burger, which was so outstanding that it was difficult not to order it again. Everything we have tried so far has been very well prepared; all the textures, flavors, and seasonings have been perfect. We have been very impressed by the high quality and value of the menu. The wine list, somewhat surprisingly, given the focus on beer, also offers some good choices. We had a 2005 Nuits St. Georges from Michel Gros that seemed very reasonably priced.

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I had the chance to go to both Againn and Birch and Barley in the past few weeks, and it was an interesting comparison. You can see my comments on Againn in its listing, but I left Birch and Barley wanting to go back (while I don't see myself going back to Againn until maybe next winter, if I am looking to fill up on some hearty food). I thought beer-wise, Birch and Barley wins hands down (it really isn't fair to compare). If you are a beer lover, I say try and avoid the crowds and go off hours for an great, wide selection. I like that they do half portions as I can't drink as much as I used to, but I liked being able to try different things. The waitress was very knowledgeable and it made for a fun evening of trying new beers.

Food wise I look forward to coming back to B&B and I do hope that they do add some more spring items to the menu, as it was a hearty meal. We liked the flat breads (and they brought a complimentary one which was a nice touch- I am not sure if it was because of a delay or what). I had the braised pork cheeks and they were great. I couldn't finish, but was very happy to eat the leftovers the next day. A friend had the venison, which I found to be well seasoned and I would order it again for sure. I didn't taste it, but a friend has the bass and she did not seem to like it as much. Another friend had the burger and I wish I could have had a taste, as he seemed to enjoy it. I would be curious to try it next time, though I have the luck of having Rays the Classics near where I live, so I usually go there when I desire a burger. We ordered the brussels sprouts at both Againn and Birch and Barley and I thought B&B's were more subtle and interesting. Againn's were so rich, I only could eat a few bites. I guess what I would say I found interesting in comparing the two restaurants came down to subtlety in flavors. I found B&B did a better job there, while Againn was hearty without a break in the heaviness.

Like Againn, we didn't make it to dessert, I honestly don't know how anyone does after eating all the rich food. I hope both restaurants add some lighter items to the menus. While not everyone is a vegetarian, it would have been nice to have some choices (neither restaurant had one on the entree menu). I would also note that both restaurants had oysters and my husband and friend ordered them at both restaurants, but I don't know if either stood out as fantastic compared to the other.

So in the end, advantage Birch and Barley for more subtle flavors and great beers. Both had nice atmospheres, but I think B&B was more funky and comfortable, while Againn's was going for the more clubby downtown venue.

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I had a truly great meal at Birch & Barley tonight. I had the venison, which is now (or at least today was) accompanied by braised red cabbage, potato puree, and cipollini, not the wild rice GennaroE had. The venison was tender and paired very well with the sides. I'm not a big meat eater generally, but I gobbled all of this up, except for the slice I swapped for a taste of my friend's crispy wild striped bass, with baby fennel, artichoke, sunchoke, and olives, which was also delicious. We rounded out the main courses with maple glazed brussels sprouts, which were a good accompaniment to the venison, though they were a bit sweet (not surprisingly, I suppose). For a starter we shared the Arctic char tartare, which was nice and light and flavorful, and I loved the accompanying sesame crisps, though would have liked a few more to add more crunchy bites to the dish. Our server, Adam, was great. The highlight was when he swept in just before the char tartare was served with a small glass of a light beer because he realized that the dark beer (the Gouden Carolus, I think) he recommended for the venison would overwhelm the fish. Now that's service.

We had a similar experience with Adam. He is a wonderful, thoughtful and articulate server. ( Of course it did not hurt that Gennaro was working that night, too). Order the Pan Roasted Skate in Parmesan Broth with grilled radicchio and Yukon Gold potatoes. I love skate and this one was cooked perfectly -- and the broth was fabulous. We asked for spoons so that we could finish it. Very umami -- deeply flavored with ham hock and parmesan. The Striped Bass with baby fennel, artichoke and olive was good but the skate was excellent. Someone mentioned that the Crispy Duck Egg appetizer was not runny enough to season the frisee. It is now.

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Went to B&B last night with 4 girlfriends and am really looking forward to going back (especially to check out brunch). The bread board is as awesome as everyone has said. I love when restaurants serve warm bread with soft, spreadable butter, but getting three different kinds of fresh-baked bread (kalamata roll, fruit bread and pretzel with mustard) was great. All three were delicious and I'd have a hard time choosing my favorite.

I got the Brät Burger (Beer-Braised Sauerkraut, Emmenthaler, Fries - $16) and for the most part really enjoyed it. It's definitely more of a brat than a burger (just a brat in patty form), and even though I'm not a huge kraut fan, I thought it all went well together. The biggest problem was that the second half of my burger the bottom bun was so soggy that it was somewhat difficult to eat. It's served with some really tasty boardwalk-type fries and little ramekins of ketchup, mayo and a nice, grainy mustard.

One friend had the Port-Glazed Figs Flatbread (Gorgonzola Cremificato & Prosciutto - $14) which came highly recommended by our waitress. The small bite I had had a very nice contrast of sweetness from the figs with the saltiness of the prosciutto and gorgonzola. I'd definitely be tempted to order this on my next visit. Two friends got the half order of Tagliatelle (Mussels, Clams, Seafood Sausage, Lemongrass - $12) and both said they were glad they didn't order the full portion as the half was plenty of food. It seemed to be a lot more pasta than seafood, with not a lot of sauce, but they both enjoyed it. The last had Hand Rolled Ricotta Cavatelli (Braised Lamb Neck, Manchego - $14) and hers was fairly large for a half order as well. This was much richer and more dense than the seafood pasta.

For dessert we were all full, but really wanted to try something, so we split the French toast (oatmeal ice cream, caramelized banana, bacon caramel - $9.50). This was delicious. A good-sized chunk of french toast nicely toasted on all sides and the oatmeal ice cream was amazing. It also comes with some granola-type chunks scattered around. I really didn't taste much bacon in the caramel, but the dessert still worked well as a whole. I'm looking forward to trying the peanut butter and chocolate torte and the plate of confections that has a homemade Hostess cupcake, oatmeal cream pie, pudding pop, etc. So fun!

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Last night had dinner with the +1 at Birch and Barley prior to checking out the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit. Since the reservation was for 5:30 we had to wait a bit as I assumed they were wrapping up their staff meeting which was fine. Upon being seated our very gracious waiter (who I can't for the life of me remember his name...I am notoriously bad with names) walked us through the new additions to the menu and draft list.

We started with a half order of the risotto (with shrimp and andouille) and the crispy duck egg salad. The portion of the risotto was a really large size for a half portion and I can't imagine how large the "full" size portion is, non-the less, it was delicious and in my mind a definite improvement over the beet and goat cheese risotto that I had previously. The crispy duck egg was perfectly done, spilling out its lovely yellow yolk when cut in half, providing great contrast to the vinegary dressing covering the greens. She started out with the Gruut (sp?) a very light Allagash like beer while I jumped in with the Troegs Nugget Nectar on cask (delicious, and a great comparison to the bottles I have in my fridge).

For mains the +1 had the brat burger and was thrilled with both the burger and the accompanying crisp fries. I had the braised pork cheeks over grits which I was very pleased with. However, the highlight of the meal came when Greg stopped by as I had wondered if they still had any of the Rye ale that Don had mentioned above. While they were sadly out of that, he came back with 3 4oz pours of the various single hopped Mikkelers that were on draft. Walking me through the differences and listening to how I thought they tasted, it was clear Greg is deserving of all the accolades he has been receiving of late. Jen had a lager from a tiny brewery in an 800 person town in Germany (re-read that...I'm pretty sure absent heading to Germany, the chances I ever taste that beer again are minuscule. Just another reason why we're lucky to have this place).

Even though we were filled to bursting at this point we marched on with the desert sampler. They do an incredible job with their deserts and I would strongly urge that when you go, ignore the pleas of your stomach to stop and order them. While I probably would've been fine with coffee, I couldn't resist pairing the Sierra Nevada Fritz and Ken's with desert and I was not disappointed.

All in all it was a great meal at Birch & Barley. I am really looking forward to diving into their brunch in the near future.

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Don't let anyone tell you that fresh Blue Point oysters on the half shell with a minced green apple mignonette does not work, because indeed it does. Well.

So true. We were sent two of these as an amuse and I sincerely hoped Gennaro didn't want his because mine was so good. (Alas, he liked his. Frak.)

The meal was the second part of a sort of progressive bar dinner so I won't mention everything we tasted, but I just have to say that the gnocchi with ramps, housemade rabbit sausage, and ricotta salata, was out of this world. (Thanks go to the kitchen on this one, as we got a pasta sampler off-menu; if I can give any notes, I recommend putting this gnocchi/tagliatelle/cavatelli sampler ON the menu, as people will order it, and not only is it very good, but its presentation is just adorable.) The gnocchi were so light that it was hard to believe they were real; the rabbit sausage was full of flavor without being in the least gamy or stringy; and while neither of us saw what we thought was an identifiable ramp, the gently onion flavor (almost Thai in nature; did lemongrass work its way in, as odd as that may sound?) was so outstanding with the meaty rabbit that it didn't matter where the ramps were hidden.

I spoke briefly with Chef Bailey and Pastry Chef Macisaac at the end of the night. I rarely swoon over dessert but I do over Tiffany Macisaac's, precisely because they don't hit you with a wallop of sugar; I like desserts (when I even bother to eat them) that err on the side of unsweet, and hers are all about the flavors and not the teeth-gratingly saccharine. Chef Bailey is working his butt off over there, and I have to say, more power to him. The food at Birch and Barley is nothing like I thought it would be when I first heard about the place opening, and if the food at Churchkey upstairs (which I've yet to sample) is, as reported, too low-end bar food for the excellent beer list, then suffice it to say that it's vastly outclassed by the finesse of the food in the restaurant on the first floor.

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The meal was the second part of a sort of progressive bar dinner so I won't mention everything we tasted, but I just have to say that the gnocchi with ramps, housemade rabbit sausage, and ricotta salata, was out of this world.

That gnocchi was, without a doubt, the star dish of the night. I recently had a take on braised rabbit (a fantastic bowl of cavatelli at Radius), and the contrast between that and Chef Bailey's use of rabbit sausage was really interesting. Grinding the rabbit and forming it into sausage, undoubtedly with heavy use of herbs and other seasoning, concentrated its flavor, as opposed to the dish at Radius, which was delicious, but also focused more on exploiting the tender texture of the rabbit: that beautiful, fall apart quality that this meat takes on after a good, long braise. The use of sausage made sense given the tenderness of the gnocchi; it brought variation in texture texture to a dish that otherwise would have been all pillowy and soft. The ricotta salata (made in house), and the ramps, completed the addictive flavor profile, and set it apart as a real Spring dish. I wish I was eating another bowl of it right now, despite being stuffed.

While the Tagliatelle was less than stellar for me, the Cavatelli was extremely impressive. The Cavatelli themselves, almost as tender as gnocchi (no doubt thanks to the ricotta that they are composed of) coupled with rich, braised lamb, while not quite so Spring-like as the rabbit gnocchi, really rounded out the pasta tasting as a whole with its rich, comforting qualities.

Of the food we actually ordered, most every dish was completely successful: the crispy duck egg over pancetta, frisee, and asparagus was lovely (and wonderfully messy: the yoke was so runny that as we cut into the egg, it erupted from the plate); the new risotto, packed with chorizo, shrimp, and parmesan, then balanced with toasted garlic, the sweetness of a balsamic vinegar reduction, and the acidity of chorizo vinaigrette was great; and the new side - sugar snap peas with almonds and preserved lemon - screamed Spring, combining almonds, almond oil, lemon juice, preserved lemon, and butter to form a tight glaze on a bunch of perfectly cooked (not at all mushy) sugar snap peas.

And of course, dessert (along with Tiffany's other direct contribution to the meal, the oft praised bread board) was fantastic. We opted for the peanut butter chocolate tart, a creation that ingeniously exploits the traditional combination of savory peanut butter and sweet chocolate, balancing the two components expertly to avoid oversaltiness as well as an equally dangerous threat: too much sweetness. Tacking on a mini vanilla whiskey milkshake and a sorbet for good measure only elevated this dessert further.

Beers were also great, and thanks to Kevin, the tender, most of these courses were paired perfectly with suitable brews. The most successful of these was the match up of a dark, smoky beer with dessert, a combination that totally blew my mind.

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Brunch at Birch & Barley today was terrific. I was lured in by word of maple-bacon doughnuts, but everything that followed was worth the visit too.

Generally speaking, I don't seek out lemon flavors with food, and never understood the appeal of poppy seeds (although I eat them). Imagine my surprise when I loved the lemon-poppy seed doughnut almost as much as the maple-bacon one. The small dark chocolate dipped doughnut was nice, but dull in comparison to the other two.

My friend devoured her Croque Madame. For my main, I had the terrific sausage and egg sandwich on a creme fraiche biscuit. Along with the sandwich came two delicious little hash browns and a generous side salad. I couldn't finish it all - largely because I ate more than my share of the doughnuts.

With tip, the bill for two was $42 and we left stuffed.

I'm looking forward to returning, either for another brunch or to try dinner.

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Fantastic meal last night at Birch and Barley, highlighted by the gnocchi (which I believe is currently a different preparation than has previously been mentioned here; I'm a bit sketchy on the details from last night) and some outstanding desserts - after finishing the tasting menu, we might have ordered more desserts, just because we could. The goat's milk cheesecake with cherry pepper sorbet was just fantastic, and the carrot spice cake with a passion fruit sorbet worked far, far better than I thought it would.

Overall, it was one of the most enjoyable meals I've had in a long time, and I'm anxious for a return trip.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I did drink for free, but it was unexpected, and had no bearing on my opinion of the food)

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While I was in town a couple of weeks ago, I made reservations at B&B for my project team - we were delivering a big presentation to the muckety-mucks, and we needed an appropriate place to celebrate when it was all over. The bottom line: the food and beer were outstanding, but there were customer service issues throughout the experience that made it unlikely for me to return (which isn't any big skin of their noses, since I live in Atlanta, but still).

The first pair of issues that irritated me were 1) that I had to plunk my credit card down to make a reservation (we were a party of 7-8), and 2) that even though I did plunk my credit card down to make the reservation, we were not allowed to be seated until everyone was present. Half of our party arrived before the others (but only by about 5-10 minutes), and we had to stand awkwardly at the (small) host area - which, consequently, was right in front of the table they had clearly set up for us - until everyone filed in. Just seemed a little wonky to me.

Like I said, food and beer were awesome - the duck egg appetizer was really nice, the bread plate was great (those pretzels in the mustard are just ridiculous, and I even liked the Kalamata olive bread more than I thought I would), the skate was perfectly cooked and had wonderful flavor, and the cookie/candy plate was very cute and tasty. Others ordered and raved about the risotto, the pastas, and the brat burger. I don't think there was a dish that was less than delicious. The kitchen definitely impressed me!

It's just a shame that we had more service issues to distract us from the wonderful food. Here are the basics: before ordering anything, we request separate checks. Server says "Not a problem, and hey, thanks so much for being courteous and asking beforehand." We proceed to enjoy a lot of food and beverages. Restaurant gets busier and server disappears for long stretches. Server reappears only to tell me that he can't do separate checks after all because he's too busy with his other tables, and then he runs away before I can even get a response out. I go to the host stand and ask to speak to a manager; I explain that we had been told that separate checks would be no problem. Manager's response: "Well, we have a policy not to do separate checks on large tables." I responded that I was unaware of that (unwritten, as far as I could tell on the menu) policy, and that the server had agreed to do it for us. Manager's response: "Well, I don't know why he would have said that." I responded that WHY he said it was largely irrelevant - he said it, and then he took it back at the last possible minute. She said she'd see what she could do, and a LONG while later, we got separate checks...that were all incorrect. We decided to just work it out amongst ourselves, but once we collected everyone's payments, we had to wait and eventually flag down another manager to run the cards. Again, we waited a LONG time - so long, in fact, that I believe the beer sommelier came over and asked what was going on - and then HE had to go flag down the cards. We finally got everything squared away, and nearly three and a half hours after our 6:30 reservation, we were leaving.

If the server had told us up front that separate checks wouldn't be feasible, or if the manager had responded to my concerns in a non-argumentative manner, I think we would have left B&B with a much more favorable impression. The way things were handled, our group felt like the money we spent there just wasn't appreciated - like they were doing us a favor by letting us eat there.

Again, I want to emphasize that the food was incredible - I just hope that others experience service that allows the dishes to shine.

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Why would either of the reservation issues be odd to you? With a party that size, a no-show screws the server (and to a lesser degree, the restaurant). Additionally, if you lied about your party size (which happens a lot - I can't tell you the number of times I've had two people come in and ask for four or six seats because "the rest of their party is running a bit behind" only to quickly jump right in to start the meal and assume the others are gone), money is lost again because the table is underseated. Having a credit card on file is irrelevant - you really can't charge a no-show fee for a party that did arrive.

It doesn't explain or excuse any of the issues you had DURING the meal, but I can completely understand why the restaurant did what they did at the start.

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No, I totally understand the economics of no-shows and cancellations and incomplete parties - I worked as a server and a restaurant manager for many years - but call me crazy, some of these policies just don't sit right with me (and it really can't be JUST me). I would never just not show up for a reservation or lie about my party size, but I suppose the bad apples ruin things for the rest of us. Birch & Barley was the first restaurant in a LONG time to exercise both the credit card AND the incomplete party seating policies, so they got under my skin - perhaps unfairly.

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