eatruneat

MichaelBDC and I had a lovely dinner here last night. The restaurant was only about half full when we arrived for our 7:15pm reservation. Our nice server, Diana, guided us through the menu while Justin Guthrie helped us select a great Rhone wine, the Ferraton Pere et Fils "Matiniere." Unbeknownst to him (and MichaelBDC), he also saved us a couple of bucks as I was leaning towards a pricier wine.

We ordered the duck egg beignets and the cauliflower blanc-manger. I liked both dishes, but especially the cauliflower, which had great flavor and texture. MichaelBDC ordered the coq au vin fried chicken which he LOVED and kindly shared a few bites with me. We both agreed that the dish deserves all the raves it is getting. I had the quail with green PUY lentils. I really liked the quail, but I wish there was a larger serving of the quail, because the actual meat to lentil ratio was skewed heavily towards lentils. The lentils were well cooked and rich, balancing out the gaminess of the quail. We were both full and ended up skipping dessert.

A lot of the menu piqued our interest and I can't wait to get back and try some more.

Thit do/red meat would probably refer to the Vietnamese style char siu or in Vietnamese xa xiu.

Walking around Union Market, MichaelBDC and I stopped here for a later afternoon snack. We were just in time for happy hour (4pm-7pm). I love dollar oysters and Rappahannock River Oyster was offering four different oysters that day (from mildest to briniest: Rappahanock River, Stingray, Snow Hill, and Olde Salts). I got a selection of three of each and given my preference for oysters on the briny side, really loved the Snow Hill and Olde Salts. Unfortunately, I did find some shell pieces and grit in more than a couple of oysters. MichaelBDC had the tuna and beet tartare, which he really enjoyed after a few dashes of salt. I washed down my oysters with a few glasses of an adequate vinho verde ($4 a glass) while MichaelBDC stuck with one happy hour beer. We go to Union Market a lot and after many stops at other places, I'm glad we were finally able to check out RRO. 

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.

Bullfrog, DGS, WTF and BreadFurst if they offer them, Georgetown.

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:

In response to the customer's complaint, DOH sent an inspector to check out the restaurant the next day, Sept. 9. What the inspector found was not a pristine kitchen. In fact, the restaurant was nearly shut down for a number of other health code violations.

The inspector found ten critical and six noncritical violations: Employees were not frequently washing hands or changing gloves between tasks while preparing and serving food. The temperature of the water in the hand washing sinks was not as hot as it was required to be. The prep table and other food contact surfaces as well as a rusty can opener were unclean. Wiping cloths were not stored in a sanitizing solution bucket. Some cold food items were not stored at the proper temperatures. The ice box had visible mold. Flies were found in the kitchen and at the bar. And the restaurant had no written employee health policy for the prevention of foodborne illnesses"”an infraction that the health department first noted before the restaurant's June opening.

Despite all of this, the restaurant was able to correct five of the 10 critical violations to the health department's satisfaction, which meant it could stay open. It takes six critical violations that cannot be corrected on site for the health department to automatically suspend a restaurant's operations"”Fig & Olive was just one shy.

But this is what it was telling the public:

That evening, the Washington Post reported that several people had been hospitalized with salmonella-like symptoms that appeared to be linked to Fig & Olive. The restaurant's VP of Food & Beverage Fabien Guardiola claimed nothing was wrong. "This morning the health department conducted a full inspection of our premises," he told the Post. "We are not aware of any violation or risk found." (Guardiola did not respond to City Paper's request for comment.) General Manager Ian Kitzmiller likewise told the Post that the restaurant had gone through all its products and food-handling procedures and "there were no issues."

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.

I hear you. But, say this happened at Rose's. Bad batch of lychee and 50 people get sick. Not like Chef AS was trying to hurt people. After the loss of business, after the embarrassment, after the reputational hit, does it make sense to go after them with a lawsuit?

The public still really doesn't know what happened.

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.

So, with the help of a good friend, I will be spending more time at Miriam's Kitchen as an employee, have free time to run and train for the Marine Corps Marathon, and finalize my business plan and search for money to open my own casual eatery where I am quite sure you all will love.

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.

This is one of Tom Power's pet peeves. The website itself states "No shorts."

It applies to women too.  I think there used to be something about no flip-flops, but it doesn't look like that's there any more.

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.