Josh

Man, those miso meatballs with carrot noodles were good. So good in fact that we made the recipe again (with ingredients we bought) last week. Our 3 year old loves it.

I've found over time that I tend to tweak some of the technique/spicing to tailor the recipes to my own tastes, but we are still fans.

I still wish you could choose between dishes, since sometimes the ones featured on the 2-serving plans look better than the ones that week in the family plan and vice verse.

Bummer. I go from time to time for a veggie burger when I'm seeing patients up that way.  Nothing fantastic, but (used to) hit the spot.

On 4/11/2016 at 5:30 PM, DaRiv18 said:

Mixologists Jamie Macbain and JoJo Valenzuela are doing the Cumberland (I think also on Friday), a cocktail bar upstairs at Vendetta for a limited time. Cocktails and small plates. I agree with JoshNE on his picks, too. I am a fan of SMN still.

A small plates tour is best done with two, possibly 4.

Interesting...do you know where I could find more info on Cumberland? 

I dunno. Maketto typically has several smaller items in addition to the 2 types of bao that could lend themselves to a progressive dinner of "small plates" down H.

The was a day, not very long ago, when this entire list would have consisted of three words:  Horace and Dickie's.  Do they continue to belong on the list?

Also, Shawafel was excellent when it first opened, but I haven't been in a while.  Still worthwhile?

H&D only for nostalgia's sake.  I wouldn't categorize it as "good," and certainly not a place to stop by for "small plates and drinks."

Shawafel is good, and despite my post from last year, so is Micho's.  In fact, we hit Micho's more frequently these days, though that's more due to proximity than anything else.  Again, not places I would turn to for small plates/drinks (though Micho's does have a patio and cheap beer).

Start by looking across the street to Ocopa.  I've only been once since the chef changeover, and everything was fine, but something to be aware of.

I was initially pretty enamored with Sally's Middle Name, but after some poorly executed meals there, I worry about recommending it.  That said, it's perfectly set up for a small plates kind of thing, so it would be worth popping your head in and checking out if anything on that day's menu grabbed you.

Granville Moore's continues to put out excellent mussels, and I recently devoured their burger and found not a thing wrong with it.  Wouldn't be a bad idea to stop in for a shared bowl of mussels and frites along with a Belgian beer.

Toki Underground is beloved on H for a reason, but you're already coming from Maketto, so maybe not ideal? You could grab a shot of Jameson and a handful of cheese puffs at The Pug downstairs to fortify you on your trek Westward.

Copycat Co. puts out reasonably good dumplings and grilled skewers, which you can either eat downstairs with a canned beer, or head upstairs to the darkened but loud cocktail lounge for excellently prepared drinks.

I wouldn't miss out on Boundary Road on the West end of H. Always an interesting cocktail and beer list, with great people behind the bar.  IMHO, the appetizers there were always the best things on the menu, and sharing them amongst a few people would work perfectly.

As for waits, most every place on H is going to be pretty busy with a wait on a Friday night, but the places where you can order at the bar (Granville's, Copycat, Boundary Road) should be good options.

I don't know if this is the place for a random Eric story, but I was at Honeycomb a few months ago looking lost and he asked if he could help.  I had just bought some short ribs at Harvey's and told him I had some vague notion of doing something East Asian with them.  He went into the back and made me a braising liquid from scratch (which turned out fantastic), and charged me peanuts for it.  I was really impressed. He didn't know me from Adam.

This is amazing.

I see Eric there and at Honerycomb in Union Market all the time. There is seemingly no ego there. Doing what needs doing. His attitude is a big part of why I love his joints so much.

Just went here for the first time (Columbia Heights location), and this place is PHENOMENAL. The brunch is easily the best deal in the city (and I don't mean "best deal for brunch," but best deal for food, period). You get a starter, a main, and a dessert for $14.95, plus your choice of beverages for $2 each (the Bloody Mary was really good, but the michelada was better).

Every one of the courses was outstanding, and it's almost too much food overall. I had the pozole rojo as the starter, and it's one of the best pozoles I've ever had; excellent depth in the broth. The huevos divorciados for the main were huge and very, very good. And for dessert, my gf and I each got the toreja, which is a lovely piece of french toast with caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream, what looked like corn flakes for crunch, and a dusting of powdered sugar. The toreja alone could have been a delicious breakfast.

Total cost for both (including a horchata, a Bloody Mary, and two micheladas): $40 + tax and tip. I'm definitely going to be coming here again as much as I can before they close; I wonder if Mt. Pleasant is in their free delivery area?

Based on this review, we went for brunch/lunch today (Columbia Heights) only to find that they weren't serving brunch...at least I think they weren't.  Interactions with our waitress were very difficult due to what I think was a combination of a language barrier (though things didn't improve when I spoke Spanish), and her being very, very young.  Needless to say, she didn't know if they ever served brunch, or if they would again, so we couldn't take advantage of the deal written about above.

Despite the (incredibly aggravating) service issues, the food was absolutely delicious.  My wife's "Pambazos" sandwich was excellent, as raved about by Carman...I was impressed that even as soft as the bread was, it held together without a problem.  My tacos (lengua and pastor) rated highly, with nicely prepared and spiced meats, and delicate tortillas.  Very, very good, and certainly in the same league as Habanero down the street.  I think that either could edge the other out depending on the tiniest of factors that change day to day.  I also had the gordita de carnitas, which was a thick, fried corn tortilla/cake filled with rich carnitas, nopales, and queso fresco.  I loved the combo of meat + cactus, but I think my preference is for the thinner tortilla.  YMMV.

I can 2nd the recommendation for the michelada, which came with a straw caked in a tamarind/chili powder/sugar concoction.

All in all a good showing despite the communication issues.

Any recent reports? The time of our departure from DC is quickly approaching, and I'm trying to hit places that need hitting before leaving.  Curious to know if folks still think this is a top restaurant.

I don't know enough about the wines on the list, but the beers & cocktails seem to be at the (inflated) DC standard.

The always delightful John Oliver on Johnny's Half Shell at 4:14

Further proof that Washington occasionally gives DC's dining scene a bad name.

I generally like John Oliver, but that segment really rubbed me the wrong way - especially the unwarranted comments on the owner's appearance.

I should clarify that I mean only the part specifically regarding Johnny's Half Shell.

Is this still the place to get a a special treat in D.C., or has it been overtaken? What about the bread?

The bread at their sister restaurant, "A Baked Joint" on K St. NW is pretty good.  I had a great baguette and loaf of whole wheat sourdough there pretty recently.

Stopped in Friday night after the Nats-Twins game.  Don't sleep on ordering the burger here.  There were 3 options: bison, beef, and veggie.  I've had the bison before (during brunch service), and it's always been cooked to temperature, and tasty.  The veggie burger is generally good as well, but nothing exceptional.

I went with the beef this time, which comes as 2 4oz patties with cheese and the standard fixins.  The "smaller" patties (still really substantial, and felt larger than 4oz each) were cooked to a medium-ish temperature, but retained a TON of juice.  This thing was a greasy gutbomb in all the best ways.  Of course served with perfectly fried frites that I finished despite being full.

They have it at Dolcezza Gelato Factory/Coffee Lab near Union Market, and at A Baked Joint on K St. NW.

The other play if you're in the East Village/Alphabet City, is beer at Drop Off Service (although I've heard that after a recent facelift, they are no longer serving imperial pints), accompanied/followed by a pork burrito from Zaragoza Mexican Deli next door. Stop at Muzzarella Pizza down the block on your way home to pick up a slice or 2 for later (excellent plain slice, and everyone should try the lasagna slice once).

Superiority Burger was a 2016 James Beard (National) Award Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, which is why I was seriously considering it a few weeks ago, but there was such a bounty of restaurants near where I was staying in Midtown that I just didn't get a chance to make the trip - believe me, I was tempted.

Thank you both for posting about Superiority Burger - it looks "impossibly interesting," for lack of a better term.

If you go, get take out, and have it with a beer and a Jameson at HiFi a couple blocks away.  Good people. Good bar.

I ate the burger with the broccoli and potatoes with (a few) beers at HiFi on Ave. A last time I was in NY.  I agree that it was a very good burger, and something I could see myself eating frequently if I still lived in the neighborhood.  My only issue (not a complaint), is that the burger is on the small side, and I would want 2.  My friend's wrap was huge and dense, and would definitely be filling.  I agree the sides were excellent, and definitely did not take 2nd stage to the burger.

I just noticed that now they are doing a lunch service (which they weren't doing back in February).  I think that'll go a long way to quell the lines.

Damn, now I want another burger.

Boundary Road. A venerable neighborhood restaurant that has hosted the President, is in a quickly changing part of the city, and now has a new talented chef who is a member of our community.

Huh. I had no idea this was written by the Coens.  Now I guess I'll check it out.

That was my criteria. Not movies that I necessarily put on myself, but the ones that if I come across when channel flipping, require an automatic stop.

Ocean's 11 (1960) or Ocean's Eleven (2001)?

2001

Without spending 4 hours putting together a painstakingly detailed list, I would say:

Pretty much any of the Coen Brother's movies, but most of all:

Fargo

Big Lebowski

Burn After Reading

Any of the first 3 Wes Anderson flms (Bottlerocket, Rushmore, and Royal Tenenbaums). His schtick kind of wore thin after those, but I did enjoy The Fantastic Mr. Fox, and to a slightly lesser extent, Moonrise Kingdom.

Any of the original 3 Bourne movies.  I am constitutionally unable to turn away from these if they are on.

I Agree about Alien, and would say that it belongs not only on my "favorites" list but prominently on my "best" list as well.  I also tend to get sucked into even poorly made sci-fi thriller movies (even ones that I know are objectively terrible, like Event Horizon).

Inglorious Basterds. I can't say for sure why this one gets me, other than to say I love Christoph Waltz's performance.

Ocean's Eleven.  Great cast, great dialog, great editing.

Of interest the attack in Nigeria occurred over a week before you reported it here.  The size and scope of Boko Harem violence against people in Nigeria and nearby nations is remarkably under reported here in the states.  We simply have no feel for the level and scope of violence in many parts of Africa by Boko Harem and other like groups.  Violence here, Europe and other parts of the world very visible and subject to media coverage...violence in Africa remarkably under reported.  Its sad.

Absolutely.  I was alerted to the article by a friend and didn't notice the date until after posting it...immediately felt bad that I didn't know about it sooner.  There were also the beach attack in Ivory Coast, and the suicide attacks in Turkey.  Perhaps a topic for a whole different thread, but it is astounding the different levels of coverage events get depending on where they happen.

If you can get past the jaw-droppingly ignorant first sentence, this is actually a pretty interesting and informative article.  A lot to digest.

Inside the FBI's Secret Muslim Network by Michael Hirsh on politico.com

Another awful attack...this time on a mosque in Nigeria.

"2 Female Suicide Bombers Attack Mosque Near Maidugrui, Nigeria, Killing over 20" by Dionne Searcey on nytimes.com