DIShGo

On 3/22/2019 at 11:20 AM, donk79 said:

I did not touch the fancier dining scene while I was there, but I can heartily recommend Taste of Belgium for solid and tasty fare (And a pretty decent beer selection as well!).  Also, if I were back in Cincinatti, I would be at Maplewood Kitchen and Bar at every opportunity.  In particular, the goetta is not to be missed!

Maplewood Kitchen and Bar did not disappoint! Thank you for the recommendation. The lemon ricotta pancakes, with a side of house-made sausage, were deliciously decadent.

I really enjoyed "Little Big Man." Two of my favorite performances were by Chief Dan George as Old Lodge Skins, and Faye Dunaway as Louise Pendrake (aka Lulu Kane). I love the way the film ended. The director deviated from the book's finale, and the result perfectly suits the movie's tone.

Chief Dan George received a well-deserved Academy Award nomination for his work in this film. Dunaway, who impressed me with her dramatic roles in "Bonnie and Clyde," "Chinatown" and "Network," shows off her comedic skills in "Little Big Man" as the sexually frustrated wife of a minister who later turns to prostitution.

I certainly see how this film influenced "Forrest Gump," and perhaps "Orlando" as well. This is an entertaining movie that I highly recommend.

4 hours ago, DaveO said:

Never stayed there, but I have stayed in hotels in Baltimore.  That is a lovely room at a great price, an excellent deal and intimately close to Little Italy and the Baltimore Harbor.  Well worth it.

It was a lovely room,  and oh so close to things. It was fun to stroll around Little Italy, and the Harbor was just a short walk away. 

On 5/17/2019 at 7:40 PM, TheMatt said:

That said, I'm not sure the music they were playing was of this world. Or I'm getting old.

I must be getting old, too. Every song sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks on speed.

11 hours ago, saxdrop said:

What's your early take? Esp. now we know he didn't direct or write any of the episodes.

I haven’t seen it yet, and I wasn’t aware that he didn’t write or direct any of the episodes!

I am looking forward to the class and to meeting all of you!

I am glad I saw "Us," but it is no "Get Out."

Jordan Peele is a talented director, and the acting in this movie is outstanding--particularly the performance by Lupita Nyong'o in a very demanding role. I am looking forward to Peele's upcoming "Twilight Zone" series. I think this idea is perfectly tailored to his directorial style.

I am not a fan of horror films, and "Us" is heavy on the horror, compared to "Get Out." Maybe it is because I figured out the plot twist early on, but "Us" dragged for me in the last half, and at one point, I felt like I was watching an episode of "The Walking Dead." There are many messages about American society in this film (as there were in "Get Out"),  but the plot, at times, seemed to be manipulated in order to make these points. In comparison, the story in "Get Out" flowed, with more delightful twists and turns revealed throughout.

The cumin lamb is outstanding. Can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes.

9 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I'm about halfway through "The Remains of the Day" (1988, despite what Wikipedia says), so if anyone else wants to pick it up and join in, I'm a slow reader.

I've also seen the film, long ago, so don't worry about any spoilers (although please mark them).

This is one of my favorite books. I haven't read it in years, but I remember rereading passages because the writing was so beautiful.

Today is International Women's Day. If you haven't yet seen it, treat yourself to a viewing of "RBG," the inspirational documentary about the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The film is informative and entertaining. It should not be missed.

In 1982, when I was a senior in high school, my school dance team won first place in the state competition in Chicago. To celebrate, we dined in the restaurant atop the John Hancock Center. It was the fanciest place most of us had been to at the time--we were from a small town in the southern part of the state with very limited dining options. I have fond memories of that wonderful experience, shared with my closest childhood friends and our moms.

15 hours ago, YoyoGrrrl said:

I will say that the pies we ordered for Thanksgiving were a bit disappointing. (We had ordered great pies from them before.) While the cherry filling and crumb top were as fabulous as usual, the bottom crust was so tough, I couldn’t even cut it with a fork. Same for the crust of the salted caramel chess pie. I chalked it up to overworked pie dough in the madness of the holidays. Last summer they had a blackberry pie that was loaded with cinnamon, which completely overpowered the fruit.

That said, the cherry pie is my favorite followed by the Mile High Chocolate pie. We’ve enjoyed the scones and salted caramel chocolate chess pie too (when the crust is tender).

The crusts we had yesterday, on the lemon chess and the chicken pot pies, were flaky, buttery, and easily cut with with a fork. So perhaps your tough crust was the byproduct of holiday madness.

This was my first time trying chess pie, and I am a fan! Would love to try one of the chocolate varieties. I also love a good cherry pie. So that is on my list as well.

3 hours ago, NolaCaine said:

Am I the only person who can't pronounce "Sfoglina" ? I also went to Sfoglina and enjoyed the food but here's the thing; I remember the Casa Luna lunch still, but not the So-fog-lina lunch.  That's how my brain pronounces it...I know it's not correct but there it is.

No! I do the same thing. I thought it was because I spent 25 years in the San Francisco Bay Area and it is foggy there... 🙄

On 2/25/2019 at 2:56 PM, DonRocks said:

With these, an order of Pulpo ($26), charred octopus with smoked mussels, salsa macha, pickled papaya, and charred avocado. As you can see from the picture, this also suffered greatly from "kitchen sink syndrome" - the octopus itself was "good," slightly soggy around the exterior, but firm enough on the inside to be enjoyable; the rest of this composed plate was a hot mess.

The Pulpo had way too many sauces on the plate, and there weren't any smoked mussels that I could find in the dish. The Chuparosa was definitely the highlight of the meal for me. I liked the atmosphere, the service and the guacamole. 

This movie had the potential to be great, but it fell short once the endless car chases and explosions started. I loved the first two-thirds or so of this film, but the director chose flashy sets and special effects over character development as the thinly-plotted story progressed. I have enjoyed a "Fish Called Wanda" twice, as well as "In Bruges," and I would view them both again in a heartbeat. I have no desire to see "Brazil" a second time. 

I watched "Two for the Road" last night in his honor.

On 2/7/2019 at 5:34 PM, eatruneat said:

Food standouts were the buttermilk biscuits with pimento cheese and the salmon collar. The pickled currants overpowered the lamb tartare, making us wish we had ordered the beef tartare or kampachi crudo instead. Unfortunately, the flat iron was a bust. Despite being cooked to a perfect medium rare, the steak was a bit tough. 

We almost ordered the biscuits. We will next time!

I went to Evening Star for the first time last weekend for a late, post-movie dinner. It was the best meal I have had in 2019. 

We didn't order any main dishes, instead opting for a number of smaller plates, and all were terrific. Two must-have dishes are the chickpea fries and the Hollander and de Koning mussels. The large, tender, and delicious Dutch-style mussels from Maine were served in a fennel and wine sauce with perfectly grilled bread. The "fries,"  baked in a pan and sliced, had the light, fluffy texture of a souffle. I will likely order them every time I go to Evening Star, if they are on the menu.

The Ricotta and Fig Agnolotti, with kabucha squash and buttermilk foam, was a winner as well. The pasta was cooked to perfection, and the subtly sweet sauce was sublime.

We chatted briefly with the new executive chef, Jonathan Till, a third-generation chef with a passion for finding fresh, seasonal ingredients.

  Hollander and de Koning mussels

 Chickpea fries

 Ricotta and fig agnolotti

I will miss the Newseum.The out-of-town guests I have brought there really enjoyed it as well. The collection of Pultizer Prize winning photographs is one of the most powerful musuem exhibits I have seen.

Run--don't walk--to Convivial for the daurade. If I were on death row, this dish would be a contender for my last meal. Perfection.

I bought some delicious country-style bacon with rind on at Harvey's Market in Union Market yesterday. I was going to get the Benton bacon, which was nearly twice as much, but the kind man working the counter said for a breakfast of bacon and eggs, their less expensive variety would do the trick. I took his advice and baked it for 25 minutes at 400 degrees, leaving the rind on. Fabulous results, with less mess and effort than my usual frying method.

We had dinner at St. Anselm last night. It wasn't bad, but I am not in a hurry to go back. The steaks were overly salty, and the dining room was so loud that conversation was difficult. On the plus side, our server was great, and the creamed spinach was delicious. The appetizer special, a hot crab dip served in a small cast-iron pot, was tasty.

I am sad to hear this. The meal I had at Garrison last May was one of the best I have had since moving to DC a year and a half ago.

To Leonard Thompson, the first recipient of an insulin injection, 97-years ago today.

"How a Boy Became the First To Beat Back Diabetes" by Dr. Howard Marketl on pbs.org

Just saw this story on the news about two furloughed sisters who are selling cheesecakes to make some money during the government shutdown. The sweet potato one looks pretty good. Might order one.