Banco

The word "elitism" has become so corrupted by indiscriminate use and politicization that it is now practically meaningless. Still, I don't see how eating less but better is elitist. It may be something that socioeconomic elites do more than others, but that doesn't mean that all people who eat this way are elitist.

I had the 20 buck pris fix today for lunch and it has got to be one the best values in town. Just a few impressions: a bisque rich with seafood goodness and delicately laced with Cognac; a roast pork loin done to rosy perfection, and a castello blue served at the perfect temperature with delightful garnishes that put me straight off dowdy Dr. Atkins.

I can think of few greater testimonies to the power of food to generate pleasure and interest than a dour vegan fussbudget working himself into a lather over it. Pass the paté!

I knew somebody would say this. I know it's true for the fussy (and I mean that in a good way) type of bar like Central and PX that is enjoying a trend right now and mixing their own original creations. But that high standard reflects the very existence of the high cocktail culture in this country that Europe generally lacks. And it's very difficult to rise to that standard if you're a bartender who has been acculturated to measuring pours for gin-and-tonics and whiskey sodas. (Having said that, the best Negroni I ever had was in Bologna, but that's perhaps an unsurprising exception.)

In this age of globalization, one of the few great cleavages that still exist between Europe and America is the cocktail. I once ordered a Margarita in a Mexican restaurant in Bonn that made a big deal out of its bartending skills. I received an unsalted, small Old-Fashioned glass filled with a treacly pink liquid the further details of which I have thankfully forgotten. And we all know the transatlantic cognitive disjuncture of the concept "martini." But you would think this gap would have narrowed over the decades. Perhaps because most bars in Europe use measured pours, it's hard to get a real cocktail culture going.

Absolutely gorgeous! Bravo.

Sorry man, I beat ya to it: Oh....yeah!

Uh...can someone pass me a tissue, please? Or two?

John, you have expressed exactly my thoughts and feelings in this matter, which I have had difficulty articulating myself after reading some of the other posts in this thread. Thank you.

It's been fun following this thread. As a former employee of this venerable fat factory (or farm, judging from most of the clientele), I too retain a hankering for a good Wendy's double/bacon/extra cheese now and then. Better than 5 Guys in my opinion. As for salty fries, one trick that often works is to order your fries without salt. That usually means you get a fresh hot, crispy batch, then you can add as much salt as you want at the table.

The stark lighting, twisted angle, sunglasses, poised shining knife, and raw meat all combine to give something very Dario Argento to this picture, which would be complete if he were wearing black leather gloves.

I look forward to attending.

Just to get your attention... The real story here is that the Washington National Opera Chorus is giving a FREE benefit concert on Sunday, February 13 at 4:00 at St. Ann Catholic Church on Tenley Circle. The program includes beautiful, diverse selections from the operatic and non-operatic repertoire, and concludes with the rousing finale from Beethoven's Fidelio with yours truly as one of the soloists. Free-will offerings benefit a fund set up by the American Guild of Musical Artists to support unemployed or disabled singers and other musicians. For more information click here. I hope to see you there! (This message was approved by Don Don.)

Agreed. But I do have an All-Clad NS omelet pan that has served me well (under light use) for several years. Pricey though.

Don't forget Liberty Tree and the Atlas Room. Both are quite good and probably serve the best food on H Street right now.

I have a griddle from that same series. The non-stick surface began to fail after a year or two despite careful use of plastic or wood utensils. I think generally non-stick items have an extremely low life span and you're better off going cheap and replacing often. For omelets, though, I'd avoid non-stick altogether and use a classic steel pan specifically for the purpose.

Trader Joe's rack of lamb last night, with some leftover polenta and steamed broccoli seasoned with olive oil and fleur du sel. Then a tree limb fell on our car.

I thought it would be a good idea to start this thread as a place to put recipe ideas and overall advice for those on the Atkins diet. My wife and I have decided to give it a try. We're not very overweight (our loss goal is about 10 lbs. or so) but are starting at Phase 1 and have never done this before. Most of my cooking is fairly meat-based anyway, so I don't think it's going to be too difficult in that regard, but any ideas and suggestions are welcome.

Any pin will do. I use a trussing needle. ETA: I remember Pepin saying that letting the eggs rest in cold water draws out the hydrogen sulfide, the reaction of which with iron in the yolk causes the green ring. I imagine this would help even if the eggs are overcooked slightly.

The hole in the shell allows the gasses to escape while cooking and prevents the shell from cracking, but you'll still end up with a greenish yolk if you don't let the eggs sit in fresh cold water after they've been cooked. (My German mom would always call this process "schrecken" -- to "scare" the eggs.) That also makes them far easier to peel.

Finally, a new restaurant opening on the Hill worth posting about. I had a truly delightful dinner at the bar here tonight with leleboo and her +1. The chili glazed wings that TS mentioned in his "First Bite" review were crispy and sticky with their hot and sweet glaze, perfectly balanced with generous lashings of fresh, fat scallion slices. You'll need a hosedown afterward, but they're worth it. Bok choy with oyster sauce and crispy shallots brought out the succulent texture and flavor of this vegetable, a stellar but simple presentation, with the shallots balancing the softness of the cabbage.The autumn roll with egg, jicama, Chinese sausage, and a peanut-hoisin dipping sauce was a model of its type, with a crisp tempura-like crust that gave a perfect textural counterpoise to the delicate vegetables and sausage within. (How often have such Asian-inspired roll dishes failed to live up to this simple standard, even in otherwise excellent restaurants?). The purple cabbage with soy vinaigrette, peanuts, and cilantro was somewhat overwhelmed with soy, but this was only bothersome because everything else in the dish--the bladework, the balance of cabbage and herbs, the freshness of the ingredients, the contrast of textures--was spot on. I took nibbles of the short ribs with hoisin, scallion, and peanuts, and of the kabocha squash and coconut milk--both delightful and upholding the high standard of the previous dishes. The wine list is small but extremely well chosen, with a good selection of wines--Mosel Riesling, Loire Chenin Blanc--that go well with this type of cuisine. The Nebbiolo from Langhe Rosso I had (8 bucks for a generous pour) was excellent, and the Sazerac I requested with Overholt Rye was worthy of the best bars in town. (Sazeracs go very well with those chili glazed wings, BTW.) Prices for everything were reasonable, a refreshing change from the semi-chains that have begun to dominate the 8th Street strip with food usually not as good. The concept is generally small plates here, but even the most substantial portions, like the short ribs, were under $20. The location, in the former Locanda space, has been beautifully adapted. Parking can be a problem, perhaps, but the Eastern Market metro is a half a block away. No excuse not to explore this great addition to DC dining posthaste.

That's exactly my MO as well. Which kind of scares me a little.

Union Meat at Eastern Market usually has standing rib roasts this time of year.

I think this might really be the rub. The fact is people do come to the Hill to dine, but, as I said in my previous post, they are coming mostly from other areas that are even less well served, which brings the standard down farther than it would be if local residents were the only ones calling the shots. Perhaps Adams Morgan is actually a good comparison. If current trends continue, the Hill might see itself similarly overrun with a lot of places in which one can eat more or less badly.

You sound like you're trying to outdo the NYT at its own game. While there is a kernel of truth in what you say, my impression from living on the Hill for 15 years is that most people live here simply because they want to and prefer its atmosphere to the quasi suburbia of areas like Cleveland Park. (I could simply be projecting my own experience here, but that is my impression as a long-time resident.) The demographic picture is also more complex than your broad brush paints. The Hill reflects the overall trend in DC away from a demographic dominated by federal employees. Most of the people I know work for international organizations, law firms, or have retired from similar careers. And where do these people go when they would like to eat well? Not to the Hill. The reason for this used to be that there was nothing here at all. But now that the restaurant scene on the Hill has indeed taken off, people are rightly asking why it must take off in the direction, generally, of glorified fast-food. I think the answer lies in two things: 1) The many legislative staffers that work here and are indeed of modest means (perhaps those are the "federal employees" you were actually referring to) and 2) the proximity of the Hill to less affluent areas of the city. If you go to places like Ted's Bulletin, Matchbox, or even Sonoma on a Friday or Saturday, less than half of the people you see will be from the Hill. A good many actually come from the suburbs in MD or VA. So, every weekend, there is a kind of migration of diners--to the Hill from points East, South and North, and from the Hill to the good restaurants in the rest of the city. I'm not sure the NYT was "zeroing in on the Hill" as being representative of the DC dining scene. But it is not comparable to North Jersey or a commuter town (that would be Silver Spring, Bethesda, or Arlington). It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and lies smack in the middle of it, and as such I think a food critic is right to point out the relative weakness of its restaurants and, from this, conclude that the DC dining scene still has a way to go. (And do we really disagree that it does, all comparisons with NY aside?) Finally, as I've said before, local pride is all well and good, but it can generate an emotional reaction to outside criticism that clouds objective judgment. A lot of the DC-NY discussion on this board I think falls victim to that tendency.