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Capital Icebox

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Everything posted by Capital Icebox

  1. Capital Icebox
    The Ghetto Gourmet is a good source for finding underground restaurants and supper clubs: theghet.com
  2. Capital Icebox
    I love Vegas, and agree that it's a great food destination. We're there about twice a year.
  3. Capital Icebox
    We'll have a lot of flexibility, right now I'm thinking a night in Bilbao, 3 nights in San Sebastian, then dip into France to eat at Euskadi (looks very promising) and maybe hit a few other spots. Then I think we'll back-track a little along the Northern Coast, and see Asturias and Galicia (with a side-trip down to Rioja). I don't know if the budget will allow for Mugaritz or Arzak, but I'm looking at those as well as Extchebarri. Primarily we're hoping to do the pinchos thing, both the upscale and the more traditional places. I'm having a hard time telling if Portugal is worth it on this trip from a culinary perspective. The eG boards don't make it sound too promising, especially considering what's on offer next door in Spain. Any advice/thoughts on this are appreciated. We have the option of coming into Portugal from Galicia and working our way down the coast from Porto to Lisbon. It also looks like we'll be in Barcelona for a week, I'm looking forward to checking out the nascent "bistronomia" scene. Many thanks to all for the help and advice thus far.
  4. Capital Icebox
    We'll have a car, yes, so any out-of-the-way spots are especially good. And we'll also be in Northern Italy a bit, so Bologna could be an option. (Lyon won't be on this trip, but we do have time to go over to Bordeaux while we're in Basque Country.) I'm thinking 3-4 nights in San Sebastian -- too little, too much, or about right?
  5. Capital Icebox
    My wife and I are headed back to Spain for about a month in May (the first trip was four years ago, after we decided on there from this thread). We'll be hitting the usual suspects -- San Sebastian/Basque Country, Madrid, Barcelona, as well as spending some time in Lisbon and Galicia. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for great food towns or restaurants (or wine regions), especially anything that's a little off the beaten path. We have a fair amount of time on our hands, though I'm sure it will go fast. ETA: Any recommendations for those "usual suspects" are appreciated as well, of course (and I'll be checking those threads). By the way, is there a web page somewhere with the latest Michelin reviews of Spain? I can't seem to find it at first look.
  6. Capital Icebox
    I haven't been, but Frank Bruni seemed to really enjoy Feast.
  7. Capital Icebox
    Not quite right. We went in August and got the Palazzo deal for $189 with Phantom tickets.And to keep this food-related, the bar tasting menu at Guy Savoy was a real disappointment.
  8. Capital Icebox
    I was really surprised by how much we enjoyed CUT by Wolfgang Puck at the Palazzo. I am not a fan of his culinary empire-building, but it was a very well-executed (and affordable, if you split a steak) meal. The oxtail consomme is killer (and a filling app).
  9. Capital Icebox
    Like Waitman said, you gotta roast it. You can also mash it up a bit after roasting and add come cheese, which I've seen used as a substitute for mashed potatoes.
  10. Capital Icebox
    There is a free trolley that runs from King St. Metro down King St., right past Eve; it leaves from the Metro every 15 minutes. On the way out, they can call you a cab but it also wouldn't take long to hail one on your own. I thought PX is only open Wed.-Sat., but maybe that's changed.
  11. Capital Icebox
    They spilled our bottle of wine (probably lost about 8 oz. in the process) and didn't offer to replace it until I prompted them.
  12. Capital Icebox
    I agree -- L'atelier is way overpriced and you have to walk through the outdated MGM casino to get there. Boulud has always been spot-on in the three times we've been there, the free show on the lake is fun and you can't beat their prix-fixe menu. We could have eaten at Boulud three times for the amount we spent on one less-than-stellar meal at L'atelier.
  13. Capital Icebox
    If Chef Armstrong likes it, it can't be that evil.
  14. Capital Icebox
    They are closed Mondays and Tuesdays, just like Grape and Bean.Their cupcakes are a bit small, I only tried one (the Chocolate Espresso Meringue) but am looking forward to sampling some of the others, especially the Peach Mint. At first taste, I am much more inclined towards G-town Cupcake, which win in the size, flavor and especially the design department (speaking of the cupcakes only). But it's a beautiful space and worth a stop if you're in the neighborhood.
  15. Capital Icebox
    light bump... I'm headed there in October, so if anyone can chime in, please do. Or Wolverine, if you're going to be there before that, please do post your experiences.
  16. Capital Icebox
    NYT op-ed by Tyler Colman on the virtues of (some) boxed wines, notably those that use the TetraPak. Has anyone tried the ones he recommends on his website? They are the Yellow + Blue Malbec from Argentina and a line of wines from Three Thieves Bandit in California. Apparently his favorite, the D-Tour from Burgundy, has been "temporarily withdrawn from the market."
  17. Capital Icebox
    Majestic continues to underwhelm: At the height of summer, the only tomatoes on the menu are of the cherry variety. The lone special was tempura asparagus. (Is local asparagus still in season?) And liver, meatloaf and seafood stew in August? Majestic isn't awful, it just fails to leave an impression on me. The NY Strip is a beautiful cut, but there is very little sear on it and absolutely no char, robbing it of a lot of flavor. The baked gnocchi are drowned in tomato sauce and ricotta, a heavy-handed dish, something you might expect at a family Italian restaurant but not here. There is no surprise, no distinct impression left by the cooking (this was the fourth and likely final visit). And it certainly doesn't seem like the kitchen is going for it, either, since the entrees haven't changed much in the last year. I am a faithful devotee of Eve, Eamonn's and PX, but for me Majestic remains the one weak spot of the Armstrong Armada.
  18. Capital Icebox
    I like Wempel's introduction to the issue, where he circumvents the question of why CP has taken up a "Best of DC" list again after so long by jabbing at the Washingtonian. But the reason why CP made the list is the same reason why the Washingtonian does it, or any publication for that matter -- it sells ads, tons of them. Just look at the size of this thing, it's about twice as thick as your usual issue, with places like Ben's and Bar Pilar taking out full-page ads. But there didn't seem to be anything in the food picks that was greatly at odds with what the Washingtonian or the Washington Post have on their top restaurant lists, or that went beyond Carman's previous reporting on our city. I'm not saying CP doesn't deserve a chance at the honey pot, but for me the effort came across as grasping. With one exception -- the profile of Frank Ruta, which captured everything I love about Palena and his cooking. That could have been a standalone "Young & Hungry" column.
  19. Capital Icebox
    I almost wish I had never heard this: "[Frank Ruta] entertained dreams of selling [hot] dogs, and his celebrated truffled cheeseburger, at the Nats' new stadium, though he says he didn't press his case hard enough with team ownership." -- 4.18.08 City Paper
  20. Capital Icebox
    I've had both as well (many, many times in the case of In N Out), and on their best day Elevation Burger has come nowhere close. Individual tastes aside, In N Out knows how to properly season and sear beef, they use fresh (not store-bought) buns, and In N Out has steadfastly resisted the temptation to over-expand or franchise (only members of the family may own a location). Every time I go back to EB give them another chance, things remain the same or worse, and the fact that they're franchising now does not bode well. Saying this is like getting In N Out on the East Coast only makes it hurt more. FIX YOUR BURGERS, dude! (In EB's defense, In N Out has nothing like the EB no-bake cookie.)
  21. Capital Icebox
    Blasphemy.
  22. Capital Icebox
    This man obviously has no clue. At first I thought by "corked" he meant to say "littered with cork," but it's obvious he is talking about how the wine tasted, which must have confused the staff.
  23. Capital Icebox
    The New Yorker isn't a fan.
  24. Capital Icebox
    Even if it is straight revenue -- $32,000 of charcuterie a month? That's over 80 orders of the stuff each night they are open.
  25. Capital Icebox
    Maybe because Komi doesn't have a bar? I think if a place stopped serving hard drinks, though, it'd be fair to ask why, or at least if they had really stopped serving them. It's so touchy about RTC around here... The sacred cow goes Mooooooo!
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