Antonio Burrell

"Thomas Keller Launches Gourmet Gift Sets"

I just got a full on woody

Eventide is seeking a Pastry chef and Pastry assistant to head up our fabulous 2 person pastry team.

The Pastry Chef position is ideally suited for a Pastry Cook or assistant that is ready to step into a starring role. The pastry department at Eventide is responsible for bread, dining room dessert and sunday brunch production. It is a chance to learn how to run a small department and spread your wings. Must have an eye for detail and your own ideas about pastry and also be willing to listen to direction.

The pastry assistant position is strictly production and some assembly. Must be able to read and follow recipies and must be able to independently think and work unsupervised. This is not a learning position. You must have knowledge of breads, pastries, ice creams/sorbets and other various pastry related things.

I am also looking for a pm line cook. Speaking spanish is a plus but not necessary. Please be professional and willing to work and learn.

If you are someone that fits the descriptions above please pm me your resume.

If you think you are someone who fits the descriptions above but have major emotional issues, a drug problem, are an alcoholic or are someone who has problems with punctuality, you will not fit in here just so you know, so don't send me your resume, you'll just be wasting your time and mine.

The restaurant is located near the Clarendon metro at 3165 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon Virginia. Look it up on Google maps or whatever way you get directions. Consider that the very first part of the interview. The second part will be to see if you're smart enough to find the back door. Gunther Seeger in Atlanta always considered that a test for cooks. We never come in the front door. We provide the illusion for the guest, to come in the front door would destroy that illusion.

Wasn't referring to Joe's post. Was reading the post before Daniels about some spiciness issues as well as general over salting. I've been noticing the same things over 6-7 trips over the last 2 years, the last time being a couple of weeks ago.

Almost every trip we order some variation of our 7 or so favorite dishes: Sichuan crispy spicy beef, tofu with spicy tasty sauce, ma po tofu, spicy long pepper with preserved egg, fish fillet with tofu (h20), leek with pork and black bean and crispy spicy calamari or chicken. Over the course of the last two years the quality of these dishes has declined in both execution and seasoning. The beef has not been crispy nor spicy. But it has been salty. I've had to return it twice. The other dishes are misses of varying degrees but misses non the less. The spicy beef noodle soup has been fine, but again, not spicy. Each time I tell myself it'll be better next time but I think I've got to go somewhere else. It makes me sad cause when that spicy crispy beef is done right, it is easily the reason I go there, and I can't find a similar dish done the same way any where else.

I hated to say this but my wife and I have noticed a lot of the same things. There has been a general decline in the quality of some key dishes for me, in some cases markedly in the past year. I have ordered the spicy Sichuan beef. Hasn't been as spicy or numbing but has instead been very salty. In fact, that's my main beef here (hahahaha) is that iit all the stuff we've ordered in the last 3-4 visits haven't been spicy or numbing as we had grown accustomed to. Any ideas for a new Sichuan fix?

So I wanted to post some pics here of what we've been up to but I can only load this one. So here it is: Poached lamb/lamb bacon/carrots and corriander/white beans/balsalmic :-)

I will be moving things in and out as we phase old dishes out but....here it is in all its glory. The full menu will be available by the end of next week.

Eventide Spring Dining Room Menu

Soups:

Ramp and Potato Vichyssoise  leek/potato/rye crouton/6 minute egg, truffle

Chesapeake Oyster Soup  country ham/green onion/celery/oldbay oyster crackers/thyme oyster broth

Small Plates and such:

Cesar Salad "Summer Rolls"  romaine/rice paper/classic Cesar dressing/romaine-parmesean emulsion/anchovy bread crumbs/parmsean mousse croutons

Beet Beet Egg  roasted and raw beets/radishes/blue/pecan/pomegranate/hibiscus/orange

Beef Heart Tartare ala Oscar  hand chopped beef heart/crab/asparagus/hollandaise foam/fingerling potato crisps

Lobster Roll Salad  butter poached lobster/old bay aioli/celery/red onion/mache/brioche

Fava Bean and Riccota Agnolotti  ramps/meyer lemon brown butter/spring mushrooms

Sea Scallops and Fried Artichokes  black garlic/romesco/herb riccotta

Fishes and things from the sea

Brioche Crusted Halibut  farro/ramps/peas/favas/lemon tofu foam/dashi

Seafood Stew  Lobster/oysters/manila clams/shrimp/saffon isreali cous cous/old bay lobster broth

Cod Piperade  confit peppers/country olives/counrty ham and basil breadcrumbs/zuchinni ribbons/pepper coulis

Shrimp and Grits  Marvesta head on shrimp/anson mills grits/greens/caramelized onions/lager thyme cream

Meats and stuff from the land

Fried Chicken  brined and fried breast/thigh roulade/spring green succotash/cornbread croutons/beer mustard chicken jus

Roseda Farms Ribeye  house made summer sausage/marrow flan/peas and mushrooms/smoked fingerling potatoes/whiskey peppercorn glace

Lamb and Lamb  basalmic poached loin/bacon/corriander glazed carrots/white beans/kale/goat butter/wood sorrel

Pork and Pork  house cured ham steak/pork belly/rhubarb chowchow/summer squash casserole/red eye cafe au lait

Sides

Smoked Fingerling potatoes Lyonaisse

4 Cheese and Macaroni Gratine

Anson Mills Grits/Whipped Goat Cheese

Greens and Mushrooms

I have always thought understaffing in the front of the house was/is one of the stupidest things a restaurant can do. Sure you need productivity out of employees, but I feel someone who is hustling for tips @$2.72 an hour shouldn't have to sweep or mop or clean excessively. If the money was an hourly rate and a good one that is commensurate with experience perhaps it would motivate for more professional growth in young servers and make it a "respectable" long term career as opposed to a college throw away experience.

At a recent spot I worked at (name withheld to protect management) often the owner was bartender, busser, host and food runner during the first part of the week while I got to play full time prep and line cook, wash dishes. Customers often left because they couldn't find anyone to seat them and when they did, we'd have to buy alot of food cause it's near impossible to do anything over 30 during a lunch service with that kind of staffing model. Needless to say I've seen just about everything bad about how to run the FoH but I tell ya, this was taking the cake. Needless to say, I extracted myself from that situation quickly.

When I was a kid, my dad used to take us to Hardee's for sausage gravy and biscuits before we'd go hunting. It was always such a treat.

My Mom always got me hot ham and cheese from Hardee's cause I loovvved ham and cheese when I was like 6 or so.

Also....When my dad and I would go hunting/fishing at the ass cracked of dawn, my Mommy always made me a sausage, fried egg, mustard on wheat toast sandwich. Two of em, wrapped seperately. I would usually barely function as I put on my seat belt, but as we got rolling, I'd eat one of those sandwiches and watch the scenery and just talk to my Dad. Still love sausage and mustard to this day as a breakfast sandwich.

Here's a funny lil tidbit. I have been a cook for 20 or so of my 38/9 years of life on this earth. To. This. Day. If more than 4 of my Aunts get in a room, I suddenly know nothing about cooking and am allowed to touch nothing :-) and I love it.

One day I'll tell ya my whole hog story

As I sit here and look at that list of suspects, it saddens me to no end, breaks my heart. Any one of those restaurants have been instrumental in creating timeless memories for many, and to lose any of them impacts not only us but their families and all the struggles that went into making the dream a reality in the first place. The loss of any of those places whether Ben's or Eve or Palena leaves us all as a community a little poorer. I drink a drink tonight to whomever you are...I hope this is but a pit stop on the way to something better, a bump and not an end.

I got to thinking as I do from time to time about the things that formed me as a person. From how I view life in general and more lately thinking about what formed the paradigm through which I see food. I thought it'd be interesting for all of us to exchange stories about what made us love food first. What memories do you tie to specific people and times, good or bad, funny or somber. Share them all. Let's all get back to what this community was founded on. Good food, good conversations about said food and meeting people who like the same shit you do. Everybody chime in and let's find out how similar we are.

I'll start with two particular memories:

1) the love I have of fresh off the vine, perfectly ripe and warm tomatoes and cucumbers, washed and slice. Dressed simply with salt, vinegar and pepper if you wish. The tomatoes so juicy that it makes its own sauce with the vinegar. The salty bursting through in pockets, the cucumber so crisp, a quick pickle in its simplest. 4-5 things top all perfect. Love it.

2) I always associate bryers ice cream with my Grandfather Luther. My Granddaddy. Well when I was just a wee lass, my Grandaddy used to take me to the store and let me pick out a half gallon of icecream. In the beginning it was Pine State which was awesome and then later it got to be Breyers cause it's what replaced Pine State at the store. I always got to pick the flavor although sometimes he'd hint at something. It was usually chocolate or mint chocolate chip. Every night of my vacation to the farm, after my bath, he'd sit me on his lap next to the freezer in the dining room. It'd just be me and him by the light filtering in from the kitchen, eating ice cream, taking turns feeding each other and rapping about life.

So that's the kinda stuff I'm talking about. You wanna share life shattering stories about some restaurant you visited that changed your life? Fine I guess but..snooze alert. I don't care about that stuff, we wanna know the real you. The online real you anyway.

Share away peeps...

I can't wait for nice weather and head over there.

Weather is suppose to be awesome this weekend ;-) I figured I'd let ya'll in on a lil secret...we are changing the menu in Odd Bar tomorrow. This menu will be doing double duty as the roof top menu. It's something we wanted to change first because those are both areas where people are more apt to give us a try. Hopefully we reach enough people who dig what we do and how we do it and want to come back and try the dining room. And by we I mean the entire front of the house also. I haven't met a bunch of people more focused on the guest being happy and having a good time in a long time, they all seem genuinely happy when the guest are. It make's a great environment for working that's for sure. Anyy......wayyyy... before I wandered off....

The new Odd Bar Menu.....sans pricing...you'll have to come in and find out hahahaha. na it'll be on the site soon with prices.

Plates of sizes that vary:

Truffled Fries, parmesan, basil aioli, ketchup

Sweet Chili Glazed Chicken Wings, fried garlic, cilantro, celery-blue cheese slaw, smoked onion ranch

House Baked Soft Pretzles, rarebit, burn yer nose mustard, pimento cheese

Nachooooos, cheddar, sour cream, guacamole. choice of chili or chicken

Cider Glazed Pork Belly Sliders, Parker House Rolls, Carolina Slaw, House Pickles/Frickles

Deviled Eggs:Pick yer Flavor: Classic, Pimento Cheese, Smoked Salmon and Caper

Cesar Salad Summer Rolls, hearts of romaine, rice paper, classic Cesar, romaine parmesan emulsion, anchovy breadcrumbs

Pickled Egg and Beets, raw and roasted beets, blue, radish, orange, pecan, pomegranate, pickled egg

Green Tomato and Avocado Gazpacho, avocado relish, BAT (House Bacon, Arugula, Fried Green Tomatoes) on brioche, lemony aioli

Plates tending to feed one person:

Classic Fried Chicken "Basket": Leg and Breast with whipped potatoes, carolina slaw, smoked honey and a buttermilk biscuit

Lager Battered Cod, Housemade chips, Tartare Sauce and assorted things that taste good fried (lemons, olives, pickles..no oreos)

Steak Frites, 10 oz Roseda Farms Ribeye, pan seared, natural jus, frites, petite salad, house butter

Shrimp and Grits (Homage to the Bueben) Seared head on shrimp, anson mills grits, chard, charred onions, thyme lager cream ( can't mess with a classic)

Bladdy bladdy blah about local farms, etc etc, you guys know me, you know what I like to cook. Come get a taste, come back later have another, then brings some friends. It'll be cool, we'll be like friends and stuff :-)

Goodnight. If you do stop in in the next few weeks, say hi, somebody on here can vouch for how charming I am lol.

Antonio -- I want those pickled red beet eggs "a la Lancaster County" that you were playing with on your Facebook wall

ask and ye shall receive. Our new beet salad:

Beets and Beets and Radish

Roasted and Raw Beets/Radishes/Blue/Pistachio/Pomegranate/Pickled Egg

I would like to say thank you to all for the warm words and welcomes. It feels good to be back in the area. I am very excited to get moving and I think the possibilities for Eventide are limitless. We are planning to aggressively change the menu for Odd Bar and the roof top first. This is the priority because the patio season is upon us. Soon thereafter we will be slowly phasing in the dining room menu. Nick has given me the opportunity to establish a vision for the food here, which is an opportunity that rarely comes along, and that has me chomping at the bit, and has me feeling grateful.

I would also like to add that without Donrockwell.com, which is where I saw Nick's posting for a chef, this wouldn't be happening.

I got a friend in town and wants to take his pops out to dinner. Dad likes prime rib but kiddo doesn't want to spring for dinner at The Prime Rib. Someplace kinda old school would be neat. Just a good slab of prime rib and Au jus.

Yes, it was busy, bustling, vibrant. I loved the vibe of the place, but it made me a little sad inside: you could never, ever, open a joint like this in Bethesda. 

Nope, you sure couldn't.....

So I got to thinking that if I'm going to help a trend jump the shark, I better do it REAL FRICKIN BIG. so I did. Featured in the bar at redwood after 10pm till 11pm and only on Friday and Saturday nights we will be serving a Buttermilk fried chicken breast sandwich on a cornmeal Parmesan waffle with bacon maralade, maple mustard and sharp white cheddar. We are only making 20 a night, that's it. Get there early and reserve some space at the bar and reserve one early (that's a dr.com special hint) and help me make your tummies happy. :-D. I can't seem to figure out how to post a pic here so I'll let someone else post one, I know someone out there has already had one :-)

Charcuterie plate from Ancora by Bob Kinkead in the Watergate?

It's not often I am moved to post something negative on this board. I understand how hard it is to make a go of it in this industry and that everyone is busting their tails to do their best. Also, I'm not one to cast stones, who knows if someone out there doesn't like what I'm doing. But I must say something here.

This was by far...by far I say! The. Worst. Burger. I have ever eaten. How bad was it. First it was charred to an almost inedible, dry crumbliness that I would have found disturbing had it also not been topped with an equally overfilled and flavorless egg. Add to that that I had turkey bacon foisted upon me in the stead of proper bacon and it all added up to a miserable, dead, soulless version of what glories my burger could have achieved had it been treated right. Then I had what must have been the fort Knox of onion rings, fortified with enough "crunchification" that I almost crunchified a couple of teeth, inedible, save your money. All in all we wasted 23 dollars on what amounted to fountain drinks and an edible side of sweet potato fries.

I don't go in with unrealistic expectations. If you are a steak house, I expect a proper steak. If you serve burgers, I at least expect them to be juicy even if well, seasoned, and served with sides that are equally prepared with care.

well....after much to do and much hard work, both by me and my wonderful staff, we have overhauled the menu. Some of the more popular items we kept, especially at lunch, but it is mostly a new, revamped menu. I am pretty much an idiot when it comes to getting menu's posted to stuff like this but I am sure that they are posted on our website http://www.redwoodbethesda.com/menu.html

Hope to see familar faces, meet some new friends and most of all.....feed some happy people.

-A

Geez--you're away unable to check the board for a day or two and this happens! Will the chicken ever appear again?

Will have limited orders of dark or white with Mac n cheese and beans of some sort :-)

Hey Colin,

I'm one of the many here who'll definitely be heading up Redwood way to check this out soon. Very exciting.

Only if time permits, would you mind sharing just a few thoughts on why the full dinner menu will be more than a month away? I ask solely because I'm interested and suspect any detail you can share would be a bit educational for many here and drive respect and appreciation levels even higher for what you and other better restaurants do when bringing great chefs on board. What will happen to design and test the menu before it goes public?

Really looking forward to this. And thanks so much for engaging with the board here!

I would be glad to answer this...

It breaks down in two mindsets on how you change over chefs and change the food.

One way to change chefs and menus is to do it as fast as possible. Like ripping off a band-aid. The idea being that the change has been needed for awhile and therefor the quicker the change over the better. This can often lead to rushed and incomplete menu ideas, poor execution and general chaos for all involved.

Another way to change chefs is to let them get acclimated to their surroundings, how the kitchen works, how the kitchen staff is, get to know what the likes and dislikes of the clientele are. I generally favor this method. What takes so long when you are talking about how we are approaching the revamping of the dinner menu is that we are extensively testing menu ideas and perfecting the recipes so they are consistent. We run the items as specials and have the servers solicit feedback. One of the biggest challenges that each chef faces when doing a new menu for an existing place is training the staff on cooking the new items, how they should taste, how they should be plated and whether or not the timing it takes to produce the dish is inline with the other dishes on the menu. It can be a fairly complicated process sometimes. Then after you have sorted out all of that, comes the seasonal consideration. We are testing and trying out new dishes with an eye towards spring, eagerly anticipating all the new produce that will come and that honestly is why it's taking so much longer than the bar menu. We are really just waiting to make the changes to fall in line with the seasons.