Josh

We chose to meet a friend from out of town at Ghibellina tonight for an early dinner. We'd enjoyed brunch here with our toddler, so we figured it would be up to the challenge for dinner. Great decision. First things first, service was stellar from start to finish. Given it was early in the evening, they were happy to seat me and the boy before the others arrived (which gave Dad time to enjoy a Negroni, and the boy to get started on a wonderfully light and crispy fritto misto). As we were with an old friend we decided to order a number of things family style, and I was pleasantly surprised that the kitchen didn't take that as license to follow the prevailing trend of "sending dishes out when they are ready." Dishes came out 1 or 2 at a time, never overwhelming the table, and never before we were finished with the preceeding course. Serious kudos for this, given that so many other spots can't seem to get that right. A cheese plate and olives was a cheese plate and olives, but a welcome moment to catch up and unwind before having to decide anything further. The Francobolli Brodo was a perfect primi split 3.5 ways (the boy ended up loving it more than we expected). Tender ravioli with a peppery meat filling in a light but assertive broth with spring vegetables. It would be tough to go back and not order this to start. Next up came the Pizza Primavera with ramps (of course) and confit tomato. I echo Samul's assessment of the pizza quality here (although I'd throw Menomale in the mix, behind Pupatella). The crust was perfectly balanced between crispy and chewy, and held the balance in nearly every bite until the inner third. So often, pies turn into a soupy mess (tasty nonetheless) an inch in from the cornicione, but not here. The boy's marinara pie was no joke either, loaded with a fantastically sweet and sharp marinara with thin slices of garlic. For secondi, we had the lamb blade steaks and brick chicken. A blade steak is always a bit of a surgical exercise to get off the bone, but ours was cooked perfectly to the requested med-rare, and quickly devoured with after a squeeze of lemon and smeared with the chopped olives on the plate. Gnawing on handheld bones was involved and rewarded. The brick chicken was a more civilized affair, but equally liked. A crust that looked impossibly spiced (almost blackened) but was perfect gave way to meat that was cooked absolutely perfectly. 5 seconds less on the heat and it would have been undercooked, and 2 minutes more would have been what most places served. If I had one criticism, it would be for the management to either bring the wait staff up to speed on the wine list, or have them offer to send over someone who is when a table is looking for direction on wine. We ended up with a great Sicilian red, but that was largely because of my obsession with ordering Sicilian wines I've never heard of, and becuase our waitress admitted she had very little guidance to give on the wine front. I feel pretty comfortable saying that, viewed from my particular circumstances in life (toddler at home, limited babysitting budget), Ghibellina is our number 1 place on 14th St. The only other place I would put in contention is Estadio, but I don't see how they could accomodate a high chair (nor should they, necessarily), so Ghibellina it is.

You may be surprised... http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2014/04/22/what-the-hell-is-going-on-with-truorleans/

Another solid meal (at the bar) this weekend at Red Hen before a show at 9:30. I don't feel the need for a full report, but I wanted to give a special shout out the the Black paccheri with calamari and pickled peppers. I had it Friday, and am still thinking about it. Go order a bowl and some fried artichokes.

We stopped in for lunch before the Nats game yesterday, and I wish I could give a more positive report. While nothing was bad, exactly, nothing was good, or even slightly better than ok. (Except the micheladas, which were perfect, and served with the remainder of the bottle of Tecate.) Guacamole was somehow simultaneously too smooth and processed, and too chunky. It was as if half had been whizzed in a blender, and then mixed with big cubes of un-mashed avocado. I wish I could say the batch we had just needed a shot of lime juice, or a sprinkle of salt, but really, it needed both, plus cilantro, and spice. The salsa that is served gratis looked concerningly creamy, but had a great flavor and a moderate spice level. No complaints there. We shared fish tacos and chilaquiles as mains. The fish tacos tasted mainly of the tortilla in which they were served. The fish pieces themselves had a nice crunchy breading, but someone seemingly forgot to season it. Rice and beans served on the side were actually better than most...the beans were just a bit too saucy, but were flecked with tasty crumbles of salty cotija. The chilaquiles were served with dry scrambled eggs sitting atop room temperature sauce-soaked tortilla chips. Cold eggs on top of cold mush is not a winning dish. I was tempted to send it back, but ultimately dumped some of the piping hot black beans on top and kept moving. I think we may have ordered wrong, and probably should've stuck with ceviche and salads... The chicken quesadilla from the kids menu was something one might expect to get at the airport. I know it's for kids, but man...kids dig on some amount of flavor in their food too (at least mine does, and he bypassed the entire quesadilla for extra helpings of rice and beans). Our server was great, and mentioned that the new chef would be making significant changes in the dinner menu, but not the brunch...After our visit, I would urge him to take a look at that one too. The location is so awesome, I really hope they whip the menu into shape...if not, the Michelada was still great, and I would happily head back for drinks with some chips and salsa.

The kids would be more than fine there. Plenty of not-too-out there pasta options for them, and the vibe of the place is the opposite of stuffy and stuck up. As I said, we were with our 1 year old, and they couldn't have been more accomodating. Enjoy!

A 77 year old man slinging the same pies he has for decades in the same beat up joint is the NYC I loved when i was there. There are some great pies in various other styles to be had in the city, but for a straight up NY slice, Dom has my heart.

That's a bummer...I've bought the pho terrine in the past and it certainly was recognizable as pho-inspired. Sounds like that was a bad batch. I'm sure if you brought it up with them they would do something to make it right.

I picked up some Scottish salmon this weekend, and used it in a curry. The quality of the fish was really outstanding. Heads and tails above from what we've gotten used to from Whole Foods. I was skeptical, but pleasantly surprised it was so noticeably better.

Stopped in for a late lunch today. Seems strange to say it, but I think I've finally decided that the shrimp dumplings at East Pearl are my favorite dumplings of any sort in the area. I love the snap (almost a full on crunch) of the large chunks of shrimp and slivers of mushroom. They're great in soup, but today I got them spicy "Hong Kong" style. Really not spicy at all, but very tasty...and honestly, I think these dumplings are delicate enough that too much fire would do them a great disservice. I also had a small cup of wonton soup to treat the cold I've had for the last forever. The broth was excellent today...the flavor seemed a bit more concentrated than when I've had it in the past, and that's even with the deadened taste buds from the congestion.

I'll take one off your hands...2 if no one else responds. Thanks!

District Fishwife is a new permanent vendor in Union Market that, like Red Apron is combining retail and prepared foods. I had the chance to attend their opening party, where they served up fish and chips as well as some meaty fried oysters. Last time I was in the market, I didn't see the oysters on the menu, so I don't know if that was a one off. The fish and chips were fantastic. The fish was excellent...substantial, crispy crust without a greasy feel or taste. No complaints about the fries (er, chips) either. They were served with the standard accoutrements, including a house-made ketchup that didn't really do it for me (needed more vinegar, I think). There really isn't much to indicate that they are more than a retail fish-monger (like how Red Apron has the bar area), so it'll be interesting to see how they reel people in for the prepared stuff. (Sorry.)

After the terrific lunch of rich, sweet fesenjoon and saffron rice I had today, I'd say you could call it Amoo Will Punch You in the Babymaker, and I'd still come back for more.

Had the 2012 Occhipinti sp68 red blend at the Red Hen last night. I was pleasantly surprised with how light it was. Bright fruit flavors, not super complex. Very easy to drink and went well with the octopus, burrata, and even the rockfish. Still had just enough heft to work with my wife's pasta with braised duck. There are a number of other Sicilians on the menu (including one at $400), so since Red Hen is closer to my house than Etto, looks like I'll be back a few times.

Thanks all! I've got some buying/drinking to do now.

I've decided to initiate a little palate re-education, and go intensively through various regions of wine. For whatever reason, I'm starting with Sicilian wines. So what are some favorites or bottles not to miss? I thank you all in advance, and will dutifully report back on the suggested wines I find and drink.

Just replying to say I hope no defense is needed...I don't mean to go on offense. Just a nice example of how seemingly tiny details can change peoples' perspective of service. And of course, good on NolaCaine for clarifying.

Well, regardless of the refill rules, I would gently suggest that if you write a critical comment about a restaurant, you make sure to accurately describe the situation. What you initially described and what actually happened are very different.

That cacio e pepe sounds similar to a version we had in Rome at Sora Margherita...only in that case topped with fresh ricotta. Looks like we'll be hitting Casa Luca next week.

I would hate to see the bar seats of any restaurant limited by a wait list. While it can be frustrating to scope out where to wait, most times if you catch the attention of the bartender, and let them know you'd love to sit and eat when a space opens up, they will alert you to who may is leaving soon, and even warn off others who arrived after you. This was our experience at Red Hen a while back.

I believe the chef's name is James. Used to be at Lyon Hall of all places. A couple weeks ago he was serving some killer duck noodle soup. He's really turning out shockingly good stuff from that tiny booth.

You clearly don't know who I am.

I'll add the perspective of a parent that still tries to dine out frequently (with and without the little dude). My wife and I have been to Rose's twice, the second of which was the day the review came out. We love it. But... There really is no way to plan for childcare with a restaurant like Rose's. If it's a matter of a 45min wait, that's one thing, but 3-4 hours, or showing up at 5 when we are both still at work? Not gonna happen. Selfishly, I'd love to see at least some reservations, but I understand the reasons for not doing so.

Kudos for a great, unique selection of beer. I wish more places would put as much thought into what they offer.

Ah, so they are doing brunch. I can't find a menu for it online.

Bidwell opened recently in Union Market, and as hard as it was to pass up the amazing smells of Toki Underground (he was serving a Thai yellow curry), we decided on a real-deal sit down lunch. The space is very smartly done, balancing the sterile white of the market with a mix of dark and grey wood. The country music playing was a bit of an odd choice that really didn't seem to fit the mood of the restaurant or the neighborhood. From what I can tell, there are not separate lunch and dinner menus. There were 4 of us, plus the boy, so we sampled a reasonable bit of the menu. Swedish meatballs: We ordered these right as we sat so my son would have something to munch on. No one was particularly impressed by them. Very dense and served in a brown gravy that could've used...something to brighten things up. Lobster tacos: These have gotten a bit of press, but don't go expecting tacos. This is more of kind of an unfried flauta. The lobster filling had a nice texture, not the least bit rubbery, and the avocado-tomatillo salsa was a nice, if a bit too subdued accompanyment. I would call for a good bit more spice, but I tend toward the spicy. I actually think the dish might be improved if the tortilla had a bit of crunch to it to contrast with the lobster. Crispy deviled eggs: Just a standard deviled egg fried with a light batter. The ranch dressing is touted as having roasted jalapeno, but I didn't taste any smokiness or heat. Probably would be a pretty good bar snack with a few beers. Fried oysters with green chile buttermilk dressing: Nicely fried...these went in a hurry, though at $12 I kind of expected 4 oysters instead of 3...YMMV. Raclette grilled cheese: White truffle listed on the ingredient list...pretty mild influence on the flavor of the sandwich. It was nicely grilled, and I liked the poached egg on top. Definitely a knife and fork kind of sandwich. I guess I'm just used to a more pungent cheese in my grilled cheese (Taleggio is our house favorite), but I found this kind of on the bland side. Gin and tonic salmon: This was the clear winner of the day. A lightly cured piece of salmon that was perfectly seared. Quite tasty on its own, and fantastic with the bright slightly creamy lime emulsion. The cauliflower "steak" beneath it was excellent, with tons of great carmelized bits. Definitely a go-to dish here. Our server was great, and they didn't bat an eye at bringing out a high chair for the boy. I'd be interested to hear what kind of dinner service they are doing. We were 1 of only 3 tables during lunch that day. Of course, that location doesn't really lend itself to a bustling crowd for a formal sit-down lunch. Overall, I'd call it a pleasant experience, but nothing that blew me away (except the salmon dish). Of course it's early on, so I'd be interested to hear others' experiences in the next few weeks. We'll be back, given we're in the market multiple times a week...I'd be curious to see if they start a brunch menu, as I imagine they would do a brisk business.