Jump to content

lhollers

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    162

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    5

 Content Type 

Everything posted by lhollers

  1. lhollers
    This sounds outstanding - thanks for the heads-up, and for the report. I work right by here...will definitely check out this week and weigh in! Cheers!
  2. lhollers
    I mean, he's on the ten...same thing, really.
  3. lhollers
    Alright, alright - after a false start last week, we finally made it in. Great recaps above, so no need to dive in too deep. My main takeaway: for the quality of food and level of service, you'd be hard pressed to find a better value in DC. A couple could easily get out of here with three to four dishes and a glass of wine each for around $100. That said, one could also drop a few hundred by ordering some of the items listed on the "Indulgence" and "For the Table" menus. We were in the former group last night, ordering the lobster french toast (could've licked the sauce off the plate - outstanding dish); the Muscovy duck (my favorite dish of the night); the Hungarian sauerkraut (basically a thinly sliced pork loin with some shredded pork and shredded cabbage); and the Aoyagi clams (weakest dish of the night for me - loved the clam, but the bok choy and sticky rice didn't stand out as accoutrements). Lobster and duck will be mainstays for me from here on out; the pork was heavily salted and a *lot* of meat...not that that's bad, it just wasn't what I was looking for last night. Clams were interesting - sliced thin, the muscle was very sweet and very chewy. The shiitake tempura added some nice crunch and umami. I actually liked the clams themselves, but there weren't many, and, as mentioned above, it just didn't feel like a cohesive dish as a whole. That said, my date loved it, so wtf do I know? To each their own. We actually met up and had a few drinks with Kerstin beforehand, so got the inside intel on the wine and drinks program. She's really trying to make an accessible list (as are all somms, I would hope) that runs the gamut from affordable, lesser-known varietals to the "big spender" celebratory bottles. It was obvious how proud she was of the great values she had found re: bottles in the $40-70 range - bodes well for diners. I had a really nice 2012 Pouilly Fume sauv. blanc that was a blast of bright, fresh citrus; perfect for perking up the palate. With the mains, I moved on to a Hungarian Furmint Sec from Tokaji (sp?); I'd never heard of it, but Kerstin recommended it. Fantastic. Creamy, dry, and some nice acids to counteract the rich sauces on some of the dishes. Also, that butter tho. Some of the best I've had in a restaurant, easily. Service was good, not perfect, but they're just working into their own. As I mentioned in my year-end roundup for BYT, this place is going to slay. Average age in the dining room last night was probably 35 - not what I expected for a chef with this pedigree and background, but definitely welcome. Can't wait to get back and try more dishes. Full service at the (large and beautiful) bar. Cheers!
  4. lhollers
    Ha! Sorry, sorry! Girlfriend had a conflict, ended up having to push it back to tomorrow night, the 11th. I did learn in the interim, however, that my old bartending partner from Le Grenier, Kirsten Mikaelbrown, is the new somm there - she kicked ass for a while at Rose's, and Kinship is super lucky to have her on board. Can't wait!
  5. lhollers
    That was awesome. I've had a reservation for January 6th for a week or so now and didn't think I could be more excited. I was wrong. Outstanding recap.
  6. lhollers
    Jessica Sidman over at Young & Hungry posted this cool video of Silverman's TED Talk entitled "How I Built the Number One New Restaurant in America." Inspiring!
  7. lhollers
    The Pub and the People in Bloomingdale has a ridiculously good poutine on their brunch menu for $7. "Hand-cut Crispy Fries, Cheese Curd, Brown Beef Gravy, Poached Egg [vegetarian gravy available]." Right portion size (anything bigger would be too much of a gut bomb), not too salty (almost always the case with poutine), and excellent, crisp fries (as opposed to weakly fried potatoes that wilt even more once gravy is added). Here's a not very good picture I found on Instagram (sorry, ditriech). Cheers!
  8. lhollers
    Yep. Our go-to was always to wait until a few counter seats overlooking the kitchen and grills opened up. Actually being able to chat with the chefs and get steered in the right direction was a huge improvement over the service otherwise throughout the restaurant.
  9. lhollers
    Couldn't agree more. Staff is awesome, food is some of the best Ethiopian/Eritrean I've had in DC, and the prices are absurdly low. That ful is easily two meals and is under $7; tough to beat that. FWIW, I live a block from Ethiopic and still hit up Keren way more often. Cheers!
  10. lhollers
    You're thinking of Bagels & Baguettes. Solid, but not spectacular, especially with Bullfrog moving in just down H. Lines out the door on Saturday and Sunday mornings, though.
  11. lhollers
    Precisely. Like I said, I'm not sure if they were just trying to overestimate or what, but it's kind of a cluster there at the host stand. I'm sure they'll smooth out as they go along and find a system that works. It's definitely a place designed to turn tables (food comes out as it's ready, and that kitchen bangs dishes out *fast*), so most waits will probably be less than quoted...
  12. lhollers
    Rieux, we've been twice; the first time, a Sunday night, we waited about 40 minutes, but when we left around 8:30 pm or so, there was no wait. Last night, there was no wait for four or two tops at 6:00 pm; when we came back around 6:30, we were quoted an hour wait, but ended up just chilling in the entry area for maybe ten minutes before being seated. Hostesses are actually quite helpful (though a bit overwhelmed). Friend of mine went Tuesday night and waited right around 40 minutes. Cheers!
  13. lhollers
    Had two buddies in town from South Dakota who wanted to try it, so back to Momofuku again last night. Ate a lot of the same stuff, but the new fried chicken and fried catfish are both outstanding. They also must've heard the rumblings about drinks, as we saw an $8 glass of wine, some $9-10 cocktails, and two new beers, one at $6 and one at $7. Between the four of us, we had three beers, one glass of wine, pork jerky, spicy cucumbers, pork buns, brisket buns, ramen, chilled spicy noodles, scallion noodles, the catfish, and the fried brussels sprouts - total bill was $112 before tip. $29 a person, and we were all stuffed. That's absurd. One of the better values in DC, which I didn't anticipate. Totally agree with Mark on the entrance / host stand. The problem is that you can't tell them what time you want to eat and just leave your number for a text...once your whole party is there, you're either seated or asked to wait in the entrance area until a table is available; if people could go grab a drink or something, it would really help with keeping the flow of people moving, rather than having everyone waiting milling around in a confined space. Regardless, it worked out - host staff was awesome, as always. Good stuff.
  14. lhollers
    Just asked my dude from Momofuku (who was at Oyamel before he moved over to Chang) - he said line cooks for Jose start at $15/hr. Still not enough, IMHO, but good to hear Jose treats his BOH crew better than most.
  15. lhollers
    I had the same question as Bart: in reading that quote, I thought Chang was saying that's what he *eventually wants to get to*, not what he's doing now. Is that the wrong reading? I ask because our downstairs roommate is one of the (I think he said four, maybe five) sous chefs, and he just burst out laughing when I asked him about the $100k number I read in Kliman's piece. If Chang (and the restaurant industry in general) can eventually get to that point, then yes, I agree with astrid - I'd feel much more comfortable dropping $17 for a bowl of ramen.
  16. lhollers
    Great recap. And thanks for linking to the menu - those prices are ridiculous(ly cheap, I mean)! Cocktails for $5-7 (makes up for the $8 Sapporo, I guess); add-ons for a dollar or two (pretty standard, but starting with a $10-11 bowl is fantastic)...have to get here soon. Cheers!
  17. lhollers
    Bart, not sure on the ratio of reservations to walk-in tables held, but when we went Sunday evening, there was a line. Everyone waited in line outside; when people left, another couple or two would move inside to their little receiving area / host stand and put their name down, at which point they took your phone number and texted you when your table was ready (no one left, but rather just waited in that area as most tables were ready within five minutes or so). After putting our name in *after* waiting in line, I wasn't really sure why you wouldn't be able to walk in and put your name down and then leave and wait for a text; I was kind of just going with the crowd. For what it's worth (and keep in mind this was a Sunday night), by 8:30, there was no line outside and there appeared to be no wait for tables.
  18. lhollers
    One of the chefs here is our downstairs roommate; went last night to check it out. Old Bay pork rinds ($6) were the weakest dish - pork skin's always tasty (natch), but the pieces are huge and cumbersome, without a lot of spice. Spicy cucumbers ($7) were outstanding; no clue what the sauce is, but it seemed almost a thinned-out, pureed avocado and ... ? ... Togarashi and roasted peanuts on top. Brisket buns ($13) were one of the better things I've eaten this year, no joke. The horseradish is a great touch, and with a squirt of Momofuku's Ssam Sauce (branded and for sale, because of course it is), these were a great few bites. Loved the flavors on the Shrimp Louie salad ($14), but it's nothing groundbreaking. Bibb lettuce, super thick Russian dressing, fried shallots, perfectly poached, halved (the long way) shrimp. Salad was a bit heavy on the dressing... I get it, it's hard to evenly coat individual leaves of Bibb lettuce, but it just didn't seem the cohesive dish that it could be with some minor tweaks. Momofuku ramen ($17) was really good (of course it is. it's ramen.), but at that price level, I'm likely to stick with Daikaya (best noodles in the city, though Momofuku's specially-made Sun noodles are outstanding) or with Toki (their kimchi tonkotsu is my favorite broth in the city) for less money. Chilled spicy noodles ($14) were interesting. Same Sun noodles, which were perfect; really, really spicy crumbled Szechuan pork sausage (crisped up in a pan or on the flattop to really get that nice crunchy char); spinach; and candied cashews. The heat wasn't blast your face off...more that nice, numbing buzz you get from Szechuan cuisine. Candied cashews rode the edge between being too weirdly sweet to match with the other flavors and just the right balance. I thought it was a great dish. Lady friend had a $15 Gamay (absurd for the wine poured ); I had a $13 signature old-fashioned. All the wines and beers are $3 too expensive; I don't think I saw a wine by the glass under $14 (though I'm sure there are), and a DC Brau was $9. I get it - Chang's huge and popular, Momofuku's huge and popular...but this isn't New York. That said, the place was banging on a Sunday night - they'll sell their booze, regardless of price. Staff couldn't have been more helpful. As with other Momofuku locations, there aren't really defined "roles" - everyone runs and drops off food, everyone can help you out with whatever you need, etc. Bartender, servers, and FOH management helping us all seemed psyched to finally be open, and were working the room like champs, making sure everyone was well take care of. If you're a solo, you'll likely be able to walk right in; two and three-tops waited about 40 minutes. When we left around 8:00 pm, there was no wait. Cool addition to the DC scene, and a huge get for City Center. We'll be back for sure...after grabbing drinks beforehand somewhere close by. Cheers!
  19. lhollers
    The almond hemp burger at Khepra's is on point, though it sounds like the texture might not be right for you. Not a ton of crust or sear on the patty itself, but the flavor's there. Meridian Pint's lentil barley burger is also great, with the texture leaning a little more toward the "real burger" side. Always tough to find the nice, hard browning you get from the Maillard reaction of fatty beef.
  20. lhollers
    Absolutely on point.
  21. lhollers
    Can confirm. I live on 3rd and G NE, straight south of here, and try to hit them up as much as I can. My blurb about Indigo in BYT: "H St. was seriously lacking solid Indian food (Cusbah's fine, I guess), so Indigo's opening in late 2013 marked the shop's long-awaited transition from food truck to brick and mortar. This truly is a mom and pop joint "“ the hand-written chalkboard menu changes daily, and lists not only their outstanding authentic Indian street food (all based upon traditional family recipes), but also cute, funny notes from the owners to their kids. Kind of cheesy? Yup. The type of shit I love about locally-owned small businesses? Absolutely. Standout dishes include the spicy Chicken Saag, with (approximately) eight pounds of spinach wilted in with the chicken, and the Goat Curry, a deep, ridiculously heady blend of tender goat and a house-ground spice mix. Can't decide? Go with the Thaali platter that allows you to select five different meat or vegetable options. Tons of vegetarian and vegan dishes, as well, and a dope patio perfect for weeknight lounging. This place rules." Don (and all), would highly recommend you check it out ASAP. Cheers!
  22. lhollers
    THIS. The food *is* good, and, as I, JoshNE, Don, and others have mentioned above, is the type of food I want to see more of and want to eat. They're taking fresh ingredients, not doing too much with them, and letting the individual parts shine on their own. That said, Marty L. nailed it: their plates are: "fine, solid ... but nothing special" and ridiculously overpriced. People have been mentioning SMN in the same breath as Rose's - come on. You can go to Rose's and get a full meal composed of excellent, thoughtful dishes for roughly the same price as cut / grilled / sauteed fresh fruit and vegetables. Again, I do like SMN, and, as an H St. resident, I want them to succeed; the food is just far too overpriced for what they're currently pumping out. Also, no comment on the tipping policy - I always go 20%, so anything that saves me money and contributes to more income for FOH *and* BOH, I'm cool with. Cheers!
  23. lhollers
    Red Hen is one of our go-to's...we've never waited more than half an hour or so. They're cool with you snagging a drink and just chilling there, but sometimes that can get awkward just standing - we often head down the block to Showtime or Boundary Stone. Worth the wait. Cheers!
  24. lhollers
    Man, what a tough question... Izakaya Seki for...well, everything. Sushi Capitol for one of the most affordable (and outstanding) omakase experiences available. Panda Gourmet and / or Hong Kong Palace for Szechuan Chinese (depending on where you're moving, of course - if it's somewhere with a great Chinese scene, nvm). Red Hen is another favorite of ours - nothing mind-blowing, just consistently excellent. Thip Khao is a really great representation of Lao cuisine, which isn't super common. Fiola Mare was our one huge blowout meal last year, and it was worth every penny. Service, food, and view were impeccable. Super excited to see what others come up with! Cheers!
  25. lhollers
    Brunch here today. BLT at $10 was really good; tomatoes and bacon were first-rate. But the menu item labeled as "fried chicken biscuit"? Two fried drumsticks. One small biscuit. $13. I'm sorry, but that's just absurd. No problem paying for good food, but when a beer, a BLT, and two drumsticks and a biscuit are $41 - no way. Dinner is more reasonably priced. I'll be sure to stick to that.
×
×
  • Create New...