eatruneat

MichaelBDC and I mozied over to Milk Bar yesterday to get our fill of their hype. It was about 10am and while there wasn't a line, the very small store was crowded. We ordered a cheddar bomb, a bagel bomb, a cup of coffee, and a cornflake chocolate chip marshmallow cookie. The coffee was fine but forgettable and made me regret not stopping by Dolcezza or Chinatown Coffee Company for a pour over before going to Milk Bar. The bagel and cheddar bombs were busts. The cheddar bomb was slightly better than the bagel bomb but neither were great. They weren't bad, I just wondered (and still do) what the big deal is. I guess the point of both of these things is that one can grab a cheddar bomb on his/her walk to work and eat it without much of a hassle while finishing the commute. Other than that, I can't imagine myself buying either of those again. I saved the cookie for later and when I finally did get to it, I thought it was very good. It was a fun treat on par with most baked goods around town, but definitely not worth waiting in line for.

My friend was in town from LA and wanted to do a group brunch near the zoo so I happily suggested/pushed Bar Civita given what has been posted about the restaurant on this board. We met at 12:30pm and while outside seating was full, inside was on the empty side and two out of the four people in the party were able to be seated while waiting the arrival of the other two brunch mates. It was much appreciated that we did not have to wait for our full party before being seated. While waiting for the fourth, three of us decided to get a half order of donuts which included an apple cider donut and a chocolate krueller. I had half a chocolate krueller and it was so very good. The donut was light and airy and because it was still warm the chocolate was melting on the top. I wish I had a full donut to myself, and I am not a donut person. The apple cider donut looked great as well but the two ladies who split it did not want to share. I ordered the two poached eggs with smoked salmon, which also came with some potatoes and fall vegetables (carrots, parsnips, and cauliflower). I thought the plate was very good although my eggs were overdone and not runny at all. That was a big bummer. I was worried the caper hollandaise would overwhelm the dish, but fortunately, it did not. There was a healthy amount of smoked salmon and potatoes, which I devoured and the vegetables were well cooked and appreciated. Service was a little slow but there was a lot of conversation in the group so I think I was the only person to notice. Overall, everyone enjoyed their brunch and we had a lengthy discussion about how there could possibly be a line around the corner for Open City while Bar Civita was relatively empty. What is wrong with people?!?! As a former resident of Woodley Park, I really really wish Bar Civita was around when I was living there. Heck, I would trade Bar Civita for Busboys and Poets or Silo here in the Mt. Vernon Square area any day of the week. I wish the neighborhood appreciated it more than it did from what I saw on this lovely Sunday afternoon.

The Dabney is a much anticipated restaurant opening, but for MichaelBDC and me, we were just happy to have another restaurant in the neighborhood that we could put in our date night rotation. The Dabney now takes reservations via OpenTable but were fully booked last night so I met MichaelBDC at 6pm in hopes of grabbing one of the tables available for walk ins. The entrance of The Dabney is in Blagden Alley and, while not hard to find, a little difficult to figure out. It's not obvious what door to use for the restaurant as the one that lets you in right by the bar does not have a hostess stand and the door with a hostess stand puts you right by a bunch of tables where people might be eating. Fortunately, one of the hostesses saw me walking back and forth trying to figure out what door to use and opened the one by the bar for me. After some chatting, we figured out that the hostess standing by the bar entrance does not handle reservations/walk ins so MichaelBDC went to chat with the other hostess about putting our name down for a table. All the tables in the dining room is for reservations but there are four tables around the bar area (two two tops and two four tops) that are reserved for walk ins and have table service. In the end, we decided to grab a few drinks and eat at the bar. Like the rest of the restaurant, the bar has a really cozy feel, with exposed brick, cushioned bar stools, and a smooth wood bar. From all the house made stuff on the bar, one can assume that the bartenders put a lot of work into their craft. All cocktails are $12, which is standard for the city these days. I started with "The Gentleman's Bet" (old forester bourbon, sumac, the dabney blackberry preserves, spice berry), which was good minus the fact that the blackberry preserves just sat on the bottom of the glass. Wish I had a spoon or something so I could have tasted it. MichaelBDC stuck to Redemption Rye (neat) and a glass of Champion Shower Beer ($6). Not hungry after the first cocktail, I ordered the "Orchard Scintillante" (contratto apertivo, apricot eau de vie, the dabney stone fruit bitters, and bubbles) which is a great refreshing cocktail that is sort of a play on an aperol spritzer, but less bitter and more citrusy. I started getting a bit hungry halfway through the second cocktail so MichaelBDC and I put in our order for the first course. We decided to split the Fall Greens Salad (charred apples, country ham, pickled onions, and sorghum vinaigrette $9) which was well composed and refreshing. There were some unfamiliar greens that were a bit peppery and bitter, but still quite delicious. The charred apples were very crunchy and could be mistaken for croutons. Overall, a great starter. We also split the root vegetable chowder with skinny dipper oysters, bacon, and brioche. The brioche was toasted and very buttery. MichaelBDC and I both enjoyed dipping the rich bread into the chowder. The chowder itself was also very good and light on the cream, which was appreciated. We had three oysters, and a good amount of root vegetables and bacon. We could have used some pepper for the soup but overall I found it to be really good and well made. After the first course, I asked for a glass of sangiovese ($10) to go with our second course. I ordered the Whistle Pig Hollow Pekin Duck ($24) which is a duck breast serviced with roasted cauliflower, brandied cherries, and marjoram. I liked this dish a lot but a few things kept it from being great. The duck was a bit overcooked and a little difficult to cut at first and the cauliflower, though well prepared, seemed to be a bit of an afterthought. As a contrast, MichaelBDC's seared fluke with sweet potato puree, black garlic and country ham jus, and charred cabbage ($23) was great. The fluke was well prepared and seasoned and we both enjoyed the sweet potato puree and charred cabbage. While interesting, I didn't think the black garlic added much to the dish. Overall, everything (except for the slightly overcooked duck) was cooked well, I am not sure anything we ordered wowed us. We ended the evening with a cup of coffee (La Colombe is served) and a dessert of peanut butter cake with celery ice cream, which was very good. The bartender, Julian, explained it to us as a version of "ants on a log." Unlike other things peanut butter, the cake was not at all super rich. It tasted as though someone at crushed peanuts themselves for the cake. The celery ice cream was interesting but worked well with the cake. The ice cream tasted a bit like vanilla at first but the finish had a definitive celery taste. Service was really good and easy going despite a busy bar at the beginning of our meal. We had a great time and it's always nice to have a good dining option in the neighborhood. We look forward to returning soon.

Bullfrog bagels are also available at a few places around DC. I know Glen's Garden Market has them as well as Big Bear Cafe.

I picked up an order for MichaelBDC and myself yesterday evening. The set up is still pretty bare bones and there were a few to-go orders, but only one person was actually eating in the establishment. No alcohol yet but a few bottled sodas were available. MichaelBDC had a single patty of The Mack while I had a single patty of B.I.G. Poppa, both ordered medium rare. We also split a side order of tater tots. While I did not ask or have a bite, MichaelBDC seemed to like his burger. The B.I.G. Poppa was cooked medium rare and was quite juicy. The bottom bun didn't hold up very well, but it wasn't terrible. I enjoyed the peppercorn crust on the burger as well as the bleu cheese, sauteed mushrooms, and grilled onions, though the peppercorn and bleu cheese were so strong I couldn't really taste the mushrooms and onions. I wish I had asked for lettuce and tomato to cut through the richness but overall I thought it was a solid burger and would order it again. The tater tots were standard tots. They came with a sauce that tasted of mayo, ketchup, and horseradish which I liked. Looking forward to more trips to this place to get my burger fix.

Follow up from the Washington City Paper. According to the article, Fig&Olive was nearly shut down: But this is what it was telling the public:

Has anyone eaten at Posto recently? Trying to decide between Posto and Red Hen for a pre-marathon dinner. While Red Hen would probably be the better overall experience, I won't be indulging much with 26.2 miles of running waiting for me in the morning.

Dinner at Sushi Capitol last week with MichaelBDC had more than the average number of treats including uni from both Santa Barbara and Maine. The uni from Santa Barbara was sweet and smooth and rich, served as nigiri but inside an uni shell. The uni from Maine was a little saltier/brinier and was also delicious. It was really nice to have both and be able to compare the uni from the east and west coast. Another highlight were thinly sliced scallops topped with some actual real gold flakes. Despite all of this, our favorite bite of fish was the simple mackerel from Boston. The food was good and fresh as ever and MichaelBDC and I had a great time as we always have had at Sushi Capitol. However, the highlight of the evening was Chef Aoki who was more talkative than usual and graciously humored humor two tipsy sushi lovers.

There was recent chatter on these boards about what qualifies as a neighborhood restaurant which made me realize that Baby Wale is a really great neighborhood restaurant and a perfect complement to Corduroy. A lot of restaurants claim to be a "neighborhood restaurant," but I find that it is just an excuse for inconsistent food not worth the money and indifferent service. A recent visit to Baby Wale made me realize that it is what I am looking for in a neighborhood restaurant. 1) Not always super busy, but not dead. I found myself at Baby Wale when my dinner plans were cancelled at the last minute and it was too late to pick up groceries and cook dinner. I had initially tried to go to Corduroy to eat at the bar but was denied for the third straight attempt when the place was closed due to security around the Convention Center (POTUS was giving a speech there). Ninth St. was shut down but some pedestrian traffic was allowed on the west side so Baby Wale was on the empty side but there were still a few people there. 2) Friendly service. I grabbed a seat at the bar and was given a stack of menus by one of the bartenders. There was friendly conversation, food recommendations were made, and I didn't feel rushed to order. 3) Eat however you want. This is harder to find than I'd like as so many restaurants want you to order three courses and multiple alcoholic beverages. But what I want in a neighborhood restaurant is to eat as much or as little as I want, and there isn't any pressure to order a glass of wine (or more). If I just want to stop in for an entree, that is fine. If I want to order three appetizers and desert, that is also fine. If I only want desert, they can do that. I wasn't very wacky in my ordering this visit, but I did not feel any pressure to have a structured order. A woman sitting next to me promptly ordered the Crispy Filipino Spring Rolls when she sat down and then proceeded to look through the menu and order whatever she felt like eating. 4) Accessible but delicious food. There are places to get fancy but a neighborhood spot is not one of them. I'm usually looking for food that I am familiar with and I have a good idea of what I am getting from the description on the menu, not that one is always needed for "hot dog with french fries." On my most recent visit, I started with a really delicious Caesar salad. Light and rich, not overly dressed, and a good amount of croutons. For my entree I ordered the lobster salad sandwich with a huge serving of french fries on the side. The lobster salad was really good, with lots of big pieces of lobster and just right amount of other stuff to complement the lobster and still let it shine. The fries were also nice and crispy, but I didn't finish them. I would have liked the sandwich to be a little bit bigger, but really, I could have eaten a sandwich three times the size of the one that was served and still have been hankering for more because it was so good. 5) Price is right. Everyone has their own limits on what they are willing to spend on meals. For a simple weekday dinner when I just need to put something in my stomach, I am trying to spend less than $50. Dinner at Baby Wale came in at around $45 including a glass of wine, tax, and tip. Not a cheap meal, but still a great value for the quality of ingredients and how tasty everything was.

Pat, JoshNE, and pras make a good point in that the public still does not know what happened at F&O and whether it is likely to happen again. The restaurant and the DC Health Department think it's the two menu items on the menu, but they aren't sure. It seems as though F&O checked the boxes and are moving on, hoping the public will forget. And as a large corporate chain, F&O can take the financial hit of a being closed a few days. Lawsuits and the discovery process are more potentially fatal than the embarrassment and the financial hit they have taken. No one knows whether there would be a lawsuit if something similar happened at a place like Rose's Luxury. It depends on how they handled it. I would like to think that if they took the same approach at F&O, there would be a lawsuit. Hopefully, a smaller restaurant without a team of corporate lawyers and professional PR handlers on retainer would be more transparent and thorough in pinpointing the source of the outbreak rather than saying "Weird. We will sacrifice two dishes from the menu and give you free dessert. Nothing more to see here." Finally, I am being cynical here, but I am willing to bet that if this happened at a smaller local DC place rather than a large corporate chain based in New York, the restaurant would still be closed by the DC health department.

Enjoyed a wonderful vegetable-centric meal at Garrison last Thursday and can't wait to go back. It was a lovely evening so MichaelBDC and I opted to sit outside. I was a bit hungry so I put in an order of the poppyseed gougeres as soon as we sat down. The gougeres were as light and wonderful as everyone has said. Next we ordered the chicken liver parfait, heirloom tomato salad, grilled mushrooms, squash blossoms, and corn tortellini. We were still hungry so we finished the evening with the fluke crudo, which was a surprisingly perfect end to a delicious meal on a warm evening. This is not at all descriptive but all I can say at this point is that all the plate were really really really good -- satisfying, perfectly thought out and executed, well seasoned, and beautiful plating. I am still thinking about the fluke and the grilled mushrooms, though everything was wonderful. I am really glad to have Chef Weland back at a restaurant and doing what he does best on his own terms.

MichaelBDC and I have been craving cheese more than usual, so we grabbed brunch at Sona to satisfy our cravings. MichaelBDC ordered the classic grilled cheese which was served with a small side salad. The sandwich was filled with three gooey cheese and hit the spot for MichaelBDC. The bread was very good and the bread to cheese ratio was perfect. The salad was nice and refreshing but nothing special. We both hope that it can be replaced with a cup of soup in colder months. I had the breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon, and cheese. It was perfectly respectable and my only complaint is that the eggs were scrambled rather than over easy or poached, which is my preference. The sandwich also came with a side salad and both MichaelBDC and I had coffee to drink. While service was fine, the kitchen was S-L-O-W. We were only one of four tables when we were seated and I observed that one table was finishing up their meal, while two others had already put in their orders. Still, our food took so long to come out we joked that we could have made a grilled cheese and breakfast sandwiches ourselves in that time. Our server came by regularly to keep our coffee filled but didn't mention anything about the status of our food or offer us bread or the chance to order something while we waited. Looking back, we probably should have ordered something to nibble on once the wait got to be on the long side. We also picked up three cheese on our way out (L'Amuse (gouda), Shropshire (blue cheese that was actually orange), and Quicke's Cheddar). Very helpful and friendly cheesemonger that eagerly gave recommendations and tastes. We definitely need to go back for a cheese board.

Maybe I was too tired and/or hungry to think hard, but I did not picture the "La Mitraillette" coming out as it did. The menu describes the dish as "bratwurst/schwienewurst/or half smoke with hamburger, sautéed onions, frites, ketchup, mayo." I had envisioned a burger topped with a half smoke with the frites on the side, but what I got was the monstrosity MichaelBDC described above. I was slightly disappointed the hamburger was crumbled onto the sandwich and not in the shape of a patty or in some form that could be cooked to medium rare. I wish I had taken a picture of the "La Mitraillette," but I was so hungry I could only waste two seconds planning the best way to attack the sandwich. I ended up treating it like an open faced sandwich, trying to get some half smoke, crumbled hamburger, and frites with every bite. It was good, but I was jealous of my friend's burger, because ultimately I was craving juicy red meat and the crumbled burger that came with the La Mitraillette was well done, though not dry. Overall, my friend and I liked our food The Airedale a lot. Enough to plan on ending one of our Saturday long runs here for brunch (starts at 10am).

In lieu of restaurant week madness, The Partisan hosted "Lambrusco Week" with ten different lambruscos and special pairings. The thought of a variety of lambrusco and charcuterie was enough to get MichaelBDC and I to The Partisan last Thursday. MichaelBDC beat me to the restaurant after work and was already enjoying his usual beer and shot of Old Overholt when I arrived. I was early for the reservation as well, and although the restaurant was ready to seat us, I stated that we preferred to wait until our reservation time. I found MichaelBDC at the bar, ordered a glass of Copain Mourvedre, and we chatted about our day until the anointed time. Once we were seated, our server Joe handed us a stack of menus. Our first stop was the menu for "Seven Days of Lambrusco," which offered charcuterie and wine pairings of three, six, and ten. Our last few meals at The Partisan were disappointing so we felt that we had nothing to lose* by going nuts and getting all ten lambruscos paired with the ten different pieces of charcuterie ($60). That turned out to be a great decision as we had a really fun time eating and drinking our way through the pairings, which were delicious to boot. The menu I brought home from Thursday's meal is different than the one on the website, but a few pairings that stood out to us were the Nicchia served with a preserved lemon & urfa chili bologna; the Molo 7 served with a calabrian-tangerine sausage; the Saetti served with the Tarese, and the Camillo Donati served with smoked pecan rilettes. I also enjoyed the Chiarli served with pig heart-lardo salami but MichaelBDC did not enjoy it that much. After we plowed our way through the pairings, MichaelBDC and I topped off our meal with two more orders of charcuterie (red menace and the curried pork pate) and glasses of the Nicchia and the Molo 8. Service was really great and the highlight of the evening, even considering the wonderful charcuterie and lambrusco. Our server Joe was patient, charming, and checked in on us regularly without being intrusive. Joe and the other servers and runners at the restaurant helpfully cleared away empty wine glasses so they wouldn't continue to clutter our table. Finally, Brent Kroll stopped by our table as soon as we put in our order to go through the ten lambruscos with us and stopped by at the end to give us additional information on where we can find the wines at retail stores in the DC area. In talking to Brent, it was obvious he has a passion for Lambrusco and really worked hard to put the pairings together. I wish MichaelBDC and I could do this more often but our waistline and our cholesterol levels are grateful this extravaganza is offered only once a year. *We were sorely mistaken. We did lose a little by going with the pairing of ten lambruscos and charcuterie. We lost our sobriety. It was worth it.

I have had some really pleasant food at A Baked Joint in recent weeks and surprisingly none of food I had was a baked good. I have a huge sweet tooth and was positive that I would gain ten pounds and empty my bank account at this place, but to date I have had coffee, breakfast, happy hour snack. I have also put A Baked Joint in the rotation of places to stop and pick up a bag of beans for home brewed coffee. A former co-worker moved into the neighborhood and we met up for a drink after work one day a few weeks ago. Happy hour prices are $2 off glasses of wine and $5 beers on tap. My friend ordered a glass of white wine and I had a glass of 3 Stars Peppercorn Saison. We were both a little hungry and decided to split a Veggie #1: smoked eggplant puree, roasted sweet potato, goat cheese, crispy kale, and peppers agrodolce served on focaccia bread ($10). The sandwich was really really good. The flavors worked together really well and with the bread, which was also delicious. And it was surprisingly filling as I only needed a light snack when I got home to complete my dinner. MichaelBDC and I stopped by again this past Sunday for breakfast. The place was packed but we managed to find a two top and did not have to eat standing up. I ordered a pour over coffee and a breakfast sandwich consisting of North Carolina country ham, two organic fried eggs, cheddar cheese, and mayo on a bollilo roll ($6). The yolks of the eggs were already runny and making a mess out of the sandwich, but that's what I like about breakfast sandwiches. The roll was also really enjoyable, with just enough bread that was firm on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. I could have done without the mayo, and maybe added a slice or five of avocado, but other than that, this was an ideal breakfast sandwich. It's hard to find a good simple breakfast sandwich but I think I finally found it after over a decade in DC. The only downside was that the egg was a little over salted, but hopefully that is not the norm here. MichaelBDC ordered a slice of veggie quiche ($4.50) and a meat&cheese biscuit consisting of ham, jalapeno, and cheddar ($3.50). I had a bite of the biscuit and it was delicious. I would get a breakfast sandwich made out of this biscuit next time, though it may also be overkill. The quiche was a bit of a disappointment. Not particularly flavorful or memorable, although cooked well. I couldn't even tell which vegetables were in it, or if there were any veggies in it. A Baked Joint is a really great addition to the neighborhood. It doesn't look like they are going to be serving cupcakes any time soon (a menu of baked goods has a line about how the slices of cake are just like cupcakes), but there are plenty of baked goods to choose from. It seems like the neighborhood is loving this place as much as me. MichaelBDC and I were there at 10am and the place was already packed. Lots of people in workout clothes (me being one of them), which is very fitting for the area. I will have to try some baked goods soon.

Two years ago, I was training for my first ever marathon and spent many Saturday afternoons devouring pizza at Ghibellina after 15+ mile runs and a much needed nap. Unfortunately, I got injured a month before the race and wasn't able to get to the starting line. I am back at it again this summer training for the Marine Corps Marathon and have been looking forward to more Saturday afternoons at Ghibellina. They won't be the same knowing Jonathan Copeland isn't doing quality control at the restaurant. See you at the starting line chef. Happy training.

MichaelBDC and I had a pretty decent brunch at the Barrack's Row location of Ted's Bulletin yesterday. Admittedly, our bar for brunch is significantly lower than our bar for dinner (especially one in which we literally run to and arrive sweaty and in our running clothes) but we were satisfied customers. We decided on Ted's Bulletin because of it's earlier opening time (we are not running at 11am or noon in the summer for some of the later brunches in the city) and the offering of breakfast burritos. We arrived at 10:45am and the place was already packed. The hostess estimated that the wait for the two of us would be an hour and a half but we lucked out as two seats at the bar quickly opened up. We were quickly given menus and ice water as well as coffee upon request. I had my eye on the T.U.B.S. (Ted's Ultimate Breakfast Sammie) prior to running over to Ted's Bulletin but once I arrived, I felt that it would be too much food for me and decided on the Veggie Breakfast Burrito (house-made black bean patty, egg whites, with green chile sauce, topped with an avocado, and served with a bowl of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries). The burrito was pretty good with ample filling. Eggs were cooked well and the green chile sauce had a slight kick but I added a few dashes of Cholula for additional spice. I would have liked some cheese in the burrito (I didn't ask). Additionally, I am not sure about the point of the black bean patty. It got broken into pieces inside the rolled burrito and I would have preferred a big pile of black beans evenly distributed throughout the burrito. The berries on the side were nice and healthy but just a bowl of berries similar to the breakfasts I eat nearly every weekday, sans Greek yogurt. While I enjoyed the dish, the one word I would use to describe it is "inoffensive." It is like the kitchen had a great idea for an entrée but then decided to play it safe and not do anything that might turn off customers. This is in stark contrast to the Walk of Shame Breakfast Burrito which includes steak, scrambled eggs, cheddar, has browns, green chile sauce, and a side of hash browns. That burrito is excessive but at least they want the diner to stuff his/her face. Whereas with the veggie breakfast burrito seemed so uninspired. Don't get me wrong, if I found myself at Ted's Bulletin for brunch again, I could see myself ordering the veggie breakfast burrito again, I would just ask for cheese, add some hot sauce, and order a side of sausage. MichaelBDC ordered Jon's Omelet (mushrooms, spinach, and swiss cheese with a side of hash browns and bacon). I had a bite of the omelet and thought it was really well made. We both appreciated the thinness of the omelet, which made it easier to eat. The hash browns were okay, but were a bit under seasoned. Service was really friendly and attentive despite how crowded and busy the restaurant was. MichaelBDC and I had a good time, but are likely to explore other breakfast burrito options before heading back to Ted's Bulletin.

After the lengthy post on Osteria Morini, I realized that I neither MichaelBDC nor I posted on a meal at Casa Luca about a month ago. I think that is because our meal was mixed, not all on the part of Casa Luca. The good: The food. That is the most important part and everything we ordered was very very good. We enjoyed some cheese to start as well as some housemade grilled crescia bread and spicy gnudja. Although no longer on the menu, Michael ordered a ravioli and I had a seafood pasta, both very good. The wine. We ended up ordering by the glass, which ended up being a very expensive way to order, and had the langhe rosso (1 glass) and the barbera (3 glasses). Both wines were very enjoyable with the barbera being the winner. Sadly, I think that $28 wine menu is no longer available, though I could be wrong. The service. Our server was really good. Attentive but not overbearing, humorous but not too chummy. I ended up forgetting my cardigan at the restaurant and they retrieved it for me and held it until MichaelBDC returned the next day to pick it up. The not so good: The order. MichaelBDC and I did not really strategize on our order like we usually do which probably lead to a less than ideal experience. In short, we ordered too much carbs. There was the amazing bread to start the meal, the cheese came with some thin toasts, and the gnudja had the housemade grilled bread. By the time our entrees arrived we were stuffed. Next time, we will need to rethink our strategy. The tables. We had a table on the banquette and we overheard conversation from tables on both sides of us. It was also hard for us to converse because we felt like were competing with or interrupting those next to us. At one point, while we were discussing what to get one of the tables next to us overheard us considering the carbonara and insisted that we order it, which made it awkward when we didn't. The tables were also so close together and the room was so noisy that our server had to lean over MichaelBDC to hear my order because there wasn't enough room for him to slide in between our table and the one next to us. The noise. It was raining that evening so a happy hour that was supposed to be on the patio was moved to the bar. The whole room was one big noise machine. The restaurant did give us some lemoncello for free for our troubles and there was almost nothing else the restaurant could have done about the situation so both we and Casa Luca were left in a tough spot on that.

MichaelBDC's family wanted to come in from Northern Virginia to see their favorite city dwellers. Since the last trip to Osteria Morini with MichaelBDC's parents was such a success he and I suggested that the six of us go there for dinner last night. We had 6:15pm reservations and when I arrived at the anointed time straight from work, everyone had already been seated. We needed some guidance on the wine and after some discussion with the general manager ended up just giving him a price point and letting him pick out the wine. He ended up selecting a nice bottle of wine from Umbria at ($35). The wine was good, but didn't seem particularly interesting to me, but improved with some time out of the bottle and ended up pairing well with the food. We got a second bottle before the entrees arrived and enjoyed a sampler/flight of lambrusco as well, which was perfect for a steamy and hot evening. The table started off with a trio of crostini: smoked trout, mushrooms, and parmesan "gelato." All three were a success, despite some apprehension regarding the trout and unfamiliarity with how the parmesan and the mushrooms would be prepared. I'd like to think all of us on this board enjoy introducing our loved ones to new food experiences and take some pride when our guests end up really liking our food suggestions. Well, this was one of those moments for MichaelBDC and myself. We were so happy and relieved that the crostini were a success and it was fun to watch everyone try something different and finding themselves surprised and delighted. The trio of crostini also required additional toast which we received straight from the toaster/oven. Four out of the six of us ordered pastas as our entrees. MichaelBDC's mom and sister both got the tagliatelle with ragu antica. Both ladies kept saying how good they thought it was and there was not a morsel left in either bowl so I think they liked it. MichaelBDC ordered a pasta on special which was described as shells with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella (similar to a caprese salad). MichaelBDC did not enjoy the pasta that much, although he did not think it was bad, just not his taste. I had a few bites and thought it was good but it did feel as though something was missing. I ordered the much talked about bucatini with crab, sea urchin, basil, and calabrian chili. I would have preferred more chili for more of a kick, but overall really liked my dish. MichaelBDC's father ordered the hanger steak with potatoes while his brother in law ordered the Brodetto seafood stew. I didn't hear any complaints so I am assuming those two enjoyed their dishes. The table split four desserts: torte de limone, budino, tortino, and ciliegie. With dwindling stomach space, I ended eating most of the ciliegie which was fresh bing cherries, zabaione, almond chocolate crema, and amerena cherry gelato. I thought the dessert was good, but a bit muted compared with what other desserts I have had at Osteria Morini on previous occasions. I also had a few bites of the torte de limone which was as tart and lemony as I remembered. The others at the table seemed to really enjoy the budino (peanut butter and chocolate) and the tortino (chocolate on chocolate) as well. Looking forward to another visit and trying other dishes soon.

I finally took the plunge and procured tickets to Supper Club for MichaelBDC and myself. A former co-worker is a friend of Dan's and gathered a group of twelve to buy out the place this past Tuesday. I can't remember all the dishes but they were all very good with a few being superb. I left stuffed, and I am a big eater! Some of the highlights were: A cold soup (cauliflower?) with crabmeat Coddled egg over summer vegetables with perfectly cooked pork belly cut up into lardons Drunken "Noodles" which is like the Thai dish except softshell crab tempura were acting as the noodles Paccheri pasta with rabit sausage in some delicious sauce that ended in me almost licking the bowl Vanilla custard with roasted peaches for dessert The one dish that was a bit of a disappointment was the duck. It was perfectly cooked, but the cherry sauce overwhelmed the duck. I was incredibly full by this point, so that might have played a part as well. I enjoyed the wine more than I thought I would although I think some "reserve" wine had to be brought out. We are big drinkers. Honestly, I was really skeptical that the dinner would be worth the $140 price tag but I was wrong. The dinner far exceeded my expectations and the whole experience was very enjoyable. I left really appreciating what Dan is putting out/trying to do with the Supper Club concept and the work that was put into the whole meal by Dan and his staff.

In defense of MichaelBDC and also myself (who advised that shorts would be okay), we live in the neighborhood (I live four blocks away as the crow flies) and headed to Corduroy on a whim after a long day. We didn't even think to check the website, which is doesn't post the bar menu and is updated so infrequently I can't even remember the last time we checked it.

Back when I was playing the piano, I LOVED Martha Argerich. I have several of her albums. She gives very few concerts these days, and is known to pull out or cancel even those on her schedule. She was scheduled to play with the NSO at the Kennedy Center in 2006. I eagerly bought tickets but much to my disappointment, she pulled out the day of the concert the day of. I was so sad, knowing that I missed what was likely my only chance to see the legend in concert.

BKK Cookshop is from the team behind Beau Thai, not Thai X-ing. The spicy pork steamed buns were good and spicy, but the pork was on the dry side. I wish the pork itself had a sauce to go inside of the bun. The Brussels sprouts were really delicious and the use of fish sauce was interesting (in a good way). My Tom Yum Noodle bowl was definitely better than MichaelBDC's Boat Noodle Bowl. It had a very strong lemongrass flavor which was enjoyable at first, but seemed one note by the end. I still slurped my bowl clean though. On another note, BKK Cookshop does not have a bartender. Instead they have beer (draft, bottles, and cans), vermouth, and hard alcohol and mixers. If you order a mixed drink, you would conceivably get an ounce or an ounce and a half of liquor and small serving of the mixer so you can mix your own. I say that is what you would conceivably get because I tried ordering a gin and tonic only to find out they were out of tonic. Cool, I guess. Instead I ordered a can of beer. Next time MichaelBDC and I will just stick to getting Beau Thai delivered to get our good but not great Thai food fix and we'll grab the alcoholic beverage from our own stash.

Unfortunately, no. There weren't any cupcakes when I went Saturday morning and articles I have read said explicitly that there would not be cupcakes. I am still hopefull that the owners change their minds on this at some point.

More info from Tim Carman. Looks like they may be selling off what is left of their inventory and any extras that Dan makes as well as doing pop-ups on Saturdays. But the days of stopping by after work on Friday to pick up duck legs or meatballs or whatever other delicious goods for dinner are gone. That's too bad. The market has had a special place in my heart since the time I came down with a mysterious illness back in 2011. I didn't have enough energy to cook and eating out was also energy (and bank account) draining, so I frequently stopped by Seasonal Pantry for lasagna or soup. It really saved me from having to make Chipotle a dining option.