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lhollers

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Everything posted by lhollers

  1. lhollers
    Sorry to resurrect an olllllld thread, but I recently attended one of the new Beast Feast dinners at Birch and Barley. Pretty cool concept, really - you make a reservation for any number of people (two is definitely too few...six to eight would be perfect), and Chef Bailey and his crew take a few whole animals from the best of whatever came in that week and design a custom menu for you. Greg Engert pairs beers with each course, and the kitchen sends out a nice surprise or two along the way... $95 per person, regardless of party size (which sounds like a lot, but really is quite reasonable when considering the quality and amount of food and limited-edition beers we got). Full disclosure: I was there on behalf of BYT, so didn't pay; that said, this will absolutely be one of my first choices for a group dinner celebrating something cool. Write-up here, if you're interested. Cheers!
  2. lhollers
    MichaelBDC: I wrote that BYT piece, and agree with absolutely everything you wrote above. I was underwhelmed with everything but the chips and salsa and the service... Good review!
  3. lhollers
    Not to be a dick, but...still sucks. Girlfriend had a $50 gift card she won from work, so we figured we'd give it a shot. Whoops. Tuna and crab ceviche had no heat, the addition of soggy watermelon overpowered with sweetness, and the "coconut" mentioned in the description is what seemed to be a can of coconut milk (easily, and horrifyingly, similar texturally and taste-wise to mayonnaise) dumped on the fish and fruit. Hey chef? Please study this for a bit. Thanks. Jicama salad was dressed with a cloying "orange red chili vinaigrette". Naah. It was this, with some added sugar. At least the pieces of undressed arugula were good. Neither dish was finished. Cochinita pibil tacos were ok - nothing offensive. That said, one can easily find throughout the DC area vastly superior, more filling tacos for less than the $11 you'll pay here. Chilean seabass a la parilla was actually good...can't hate *everything* you order, right? Very well-cooked fish, meaty and moist, resting on a pile of charred sweet corn. Lime and smoked chili really shined through - good use of acid to help offset the rich fish. Minor quibble: $28 for (ballparking here, and erring on the side of overestimating) 4-5 oz. of fish and a cob's worth of corn. Tasty, yes, but a good value? Maybe not. These dishes, a Pacifico on tap, and a sangria (which was, admittedly, really good) came out to $96. Absurd. Used the gift card, paid our $46, dropped a $20 bill, and got the hell out of there. Sorry to have wasted your time (and ours) with this visit / review, but suffice to say - spending too much money on shitty food sucks, especially in a badass dining city like DC. Nothing's changed here. Skip it. Cheers!
  4. lhollers
    Wow. Thanks so much for posting this. I never would've heard of Fishnet had it not been for this site; since randomly stopping in to give it a shot before a show at the 9:30 Club, we've been back three times (once for the awesome one-year anniversary party). We've honestly loved the food and drinks each time (how they serve some of the beers they do at the prices they do is beyond me - outstanding value to be had), the happy hour is one of the best in Shaw, and we've always had exemplary service (we've only ever sat at the bar, never in the main dining room). This article almost makes me feel guilty for not spreading the word more. Count me among those now dedicated to helping this place succeed. Thanks again for sharing this article here, jrichstar.
  5. lhollers
    Sadly, I've had these exact same issues the last two times I went... I'm a salt fiend, and both visits (the first of which included brisket and wings, the second of which was ribs and the brussels sprouts) were just a salt overload. Hopefully these are just anomalies, as I've also had transcendent BBQ experiences here. Just not recently.
  6. lhollers
    Might be a little late, but I feel like a Francophile would love Bistro du Coin, and they do lunch on Thursday-Saturday. Seriously delicious rustic French cuisine at really quite reasonable prices. Check it out: Cheers!
  7. lhollers
    I had an outstanding roast pork with broccoli rabe from Bub & Pop's last week. Finally made it in after my roommate raving about the place, and it was well worth the $8 - huge sandwich (I got a half, can't imagine finishing one of the whole sandwiches that I saw coming out of the kitchen) with thinly shaved provolone and a nice nut-based gremolata to crunch it up. Son and mom were running the show that day, and both couldn't have been more kind. This is a great sandwich shop, and one that folks working downtown should definitely hit up. Cheers!
  8. lhollers
    Nice work Pat, Josh, Waitman, and hillvalley getting shout-outs on Eater! http://dc.eater.com/2015/5/7/8565425/the-early-word-on-h-street-hot-spot-maketto
  9. lhollers
    I live just southwest of Driftwood; reading this review makes me reflect on how lucky we on the west end of H St. are to have made the 180* change from the atrocity that was TruOrleans to, now, an increasingly improving restaurant with a proven, outstanding chef. Any idea on when they'll open up the outdoor seating on the west side of the restaurant? Great writeup!
  10. lhollers
    Erik has maintained throughout that Maketto is a team project - a mixed-use space that isn't strictly a "restaurant", per se, but more along the lines of a marketplace. The proprietor *is* centered on his food and drink. But Erik's not the only proprietor. The other proprietors, Will Sharp and Chris Vigilante, are centered on their fashion lines and coffee, respectively. I also don't think that "a place offering Vans and cute socks" is that cool; but, when combined with food I really like, an innovative and in-depth coffee program, and (you have to admit) a *bit* more in terms of retail than just "Vans and cute socks", it's a really great concept. It's a new idea; if the kitchen is still working out a few kinks, fine - the place hasn't even been open a month. I get it if you don't like the aesthetic or layout or appeal of the combination of retail and food service, but some people (like me) dig it. It's a beautiful, open, clean space with some dope clothing and good (soon, hopefully, to be great) street food. There are a lot of places that offer tablecloths and linen napkins - this isn't one of them, nor was that ever the plan for Erik and his partners.
  11. lhollers
    Mark: we did the exact same...stopped by around 10:00 am, realized they didn't serve lunch until 11:30, got a coffee, then wandered up and down H before returning around 12:30 pm. I was really surprised at how few people were there for lunch after seeing what it was like on Saturday night, when it took me damn near 20 minutes just to get a cocktail at the bar. Love the layout, that back area is perfect on a beautiful day, and the Cambodian sandwich is on point. Cheers!
  12. lhollers
    Oh I'm quite sure, at some point. From Josh's posts, it seems like we have the same haunts... This website rules.
  13. lhollers
    Ha! Weird...we did the exact same thing. My first time at Fishnet, third time seeing the Mountain Goats. The latter was outstanding, as always; the former was outstanding, as expected. You have good taste, my friend!
  14. lhollers
    Great report by DaRiv18. I was super impressed as well. Nice to see such a vegetable-centric restaurant moving in - seems like that's the next big wave in dining. Loved the sablefish and the roasted carrots; Rose's has a similar roasted carrot dish, and it always blows me away how sweet the vegetable can be in the right hands. Also, Brenden, the former beverage director of Boundary, has taken the same position with Sally's; outstanding cocktails and an eclectic wine and beer menu are kind of standard with him. Psyched to have them in the neighborhood!
  15. lhollers
    E-mail just came through from Maketto - finally opening!!! MAKETTO HOUSE WARMING PARTY APRIL 4, 2015 DOORS OPEN: 7PM, FIRST ACT: 8PM PERFORMANCES BY CHUCK INGLISH | AVERS | M.I.L.F. | BOND ST. DISTRICT HOUSE DJ GAVIN HOLLAND CO-SPONSORED BY ALL THINGS GO x JAMES RIVER DISTILLERY x ROCK & ROLL HOTEL TICKETS $25 BUY NOW: WWW.DURKL.COM MAKETTO'S OFFICIAL OPENING WILL BE FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015 AT 7AM
  16. lhollers
    I chatted with James for a bit at the Cochon555 event last Sunday - he expects Maketto to be up and running by the first week in April. So excited. Place really is outstanding - I'm in here once a week for something or other. Ton of house-made kimchis, miso pastes, noodles, nuoc cham, soy sauce, fish sauce...you name it. Sarah is always tinkering in the back room, and couldn't be more helpful in guiding you through some of the more interesting ingredients they have on hand. Lots of pantry items and cookbooks, as well. And Pocky sticks! This place rules - should be even bigger inside Maketto.
  17. lhollers
    Super jealous. Easily the most interesting and interactive dining experience I've had in DC. Make sure to get the drink pairings; the mocktails, especially, are really, really well done (this coming from someone who loves booze). Enjoy!
  18. lhollers
    Nice report! Those fried oysters look awesome...
  19. lhollers
    Mint chutney on the burger, but one of their dipping sauces is the bright green coriander chutney you mentioned. Actually, their entire dip game is on point - there were multiple, all made in house, and all available for free, as many as you want. The coriander chutney especially worked on the garlic fries (though what wouldn't, really? they're garlic fries), and a tamarind sauce they had was great with the dal dishes. As to the naan, we were there for a media thing, so all the naan was coming fresh out the tandoor and was amazing. From what they told us, there's a chef specifically manning the tandoor during the day, ensuring warm and new naan throughout. Be interesting to see if that's really the case. Cheers!
  20. lhollers
    Agreed on the pakoras - breading was waaay too thick, and I don't think eggplant and potato are the way to go with this idea. Kind of turns into a pile of mush. The crunchier vegetables were better, but they need a lighter hand on the breading. If you want hot and crispy to start, go with the garlic fries - super legit, salty, and diced real garlic, but not an overwhelming amount. Important to point out that the review is of "The Penn Quarter Naan Burger", which is a veggie burger. I can see how the potato and pea patty would fall apart in a format like this. I had the regular Grand Trunk Naan Burger...gonna be honest - I kind of dug it. There was too much naan, no question, but you can rip the extra off - I liked the crunch of the lettuce and tomato, the mint chutney was a cool foil to the burger patties, and the beef actually tasted like beef (and was a perfect medium rare). I didn't *want* to like it, on principle, but I kept going back for one more bite. Then one more. Then one more. Etc. Other good stuff was the Agra chicken tikka masala (loved the interplay between the sauce's subtle sweetness and hint of heat), and the savory naans. Honestly, don't see myself coming in here a lot - I'm not in the Penn Quarter area enough. That said, they're super close to the Mall, they're opening up an outdoor patio / lounge / seating area soon, and they'll be selling house-made mango lassi and ice cream at a stand outside during the summer. This place is going to get crushed with tour groups and people wanting a quick bite for cheap just off the Mall. You could easily spend $10 on much worse food. And, for what its worth, the owners are two brothers who are DC natives; the only food items that ever see a freezer are the fries and ice cream; and any unused food at the end of the day goes to DC shelters. Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the interior. It's f*cking absurd. Every bit of it. Garish design literally everywhere, TV's in the floor, a tux'ed doorman, and bidets in the bathrooms...at a fast casual place. DC needs a little kitsch every now and then, but whoa - take-out might be their game, at least until they build up a late night crowd. Also, no booze (booooooo). Longer review will be up on BYT early next week if you want to see pics of their food. Cheers!
  21. lhollers
    While related to cilantro, culantro (which I've also seen listed as Mexican coriander) is actually a separate plant. And really, really delicious - kind of an amped-up version of cilantro, and really does brighten up East Asian soups. More information here. Glad you enjoyed!
  22. lhollers
    Looks like khao mon gai. I've had it at Thai Taste by Kob, but that plating looks too fancy for TTbK...think I'm going to have to go with Soi 38, as well.
  23. lhollers
    Had a buddy from college in town and figured the threat of a storm would bode well for our chances at Red Hen. Arrived around 8:00 to find the place far less crowded than we had anticipated (thanks, snow!). Place is still firing on all cylinders - even in a city with a rapidly evolving restaurant scene, it's so nice to find a spot that knows and loves what they're putting out. From drinks to food recommendations, our bartender Morgan was on point. Started with the Seeds on Hard Ground (Beefeater Gin, Cassis, Dijon Mustard) and a Stillwater "˜A Saison Darkly'. I've had a lot of cocktails, but never one with mustard added...really interesting, almost piquant flavor profile with a nice mellow backbone of dry gin. Foodwise, ordered up the Tuscan Chicken Liver Mousse and the Grilled Octopus to start. Mousse tasted great, but needed warm bread to accompany; slices we got had a nice char, but were semi-stale...made it hard to spread the mousse. Octopus was super tender, and the white beans a la Romesco were a great counterpart on the plate. Also ordered the Mezze Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage Ragu (so hard to stray to other pastas when this is so, so good) and the Wood-Grilled Chicken "˜Fra Diavolo'. Chicken was the one misstep (if you can even call it that). Didn't pick up a ton of the flavor one expects from a fra diavolo sauce, and really just...tasted like chicken. Not that that's a bad thing by any means, but when there are other interesting options on the menu, I wish I could've talked my companion into venturing out a little. (you can take the guy out of South Dakota, but you can't take the South Dakota out of the guy, right?) Finished off with a taste of comped house-made amaro and got out of there for right at $100 before tip. As I mentioned earlier, DC has really blown up in terms of awesome cuisine, but Red Hen continues to be an excellent spot where one can always, always find an outstanding meal with dynamite service. Bravo.
  24. lhollers
    Agreed with Mark. Our pre-PP&S go-tos were We, The Pizza and, when we were wanting more of the Midwest-style that reminded us of home, Armand's, both of which I feel are inferior to PP&S. In terms of pizza joints close to me (3rd and H NE), Tim Carman gave some love to Wiseguy NY, but they don't do delivery as far as I know... PP&S isn't anything incredible, but it gets the job done on a random weeknight (or after stumbling home from Boundary and Big Board). (edited to point out: delivery is available from Union Station to RFK, and from NY Ave. to East Capitol)
  25. lhollers
    Le Grenier on H St. NE also has a damn good bowl of French onion soup. Caramelized onions in it are dynamite.
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