ALargeFarva
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Everything posted by ALargeFarva
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Received a somewhat cryptic email that Bartlett Pear Inn won't be serving after September 24th, and that Jordan will pop up somewhere in the area. I imagine he is moving to a space with a bigger kitchen and I am very much looking forward to it. -
Since I have nothing better to do than speculate wildly, I will take a stab at where I think it ends up: 3 stars: none, Michelin will make any deserving restaurant wait and IMO Metier is the only DC restaurant that fits the profile of a 3 star restaurant 2 stars: Metier 1 or 2 star toss up: Fiola Mare, Minibar, P&P (haven't been), Kinship, Komi 1 star: Plume, Rasika, Rose's, Little Serow, Convivial, Marcel's, Jaleo, Rasika, Bombay Club, Fiola, Iron Gate, Masseria, The Source, Bourboun Steak, plus another 1/2 dozen that could go either way (maybe Taro, Ogawa, Seki, Corduroy and 1 or 2 good not great IMO French restaurants). I think it will be a relatively short list to start, and that you will see more tasting menus and more restaurants prioritize food as something to eat. The food scene is quite strong, but nowhere close to NY and there are sushi places in NY and SF with 0 stars that are IMO better than DC's best offerings. Once they move outside DC proper, I suspect Inn at Little Washington will get 3 and that Restaurant Eve, Patowmack Farm, Bartlett Pear will get 1-2 stars. Can't think of any others I've been to outside DC that are deserving. Thoughts?
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I had a similarly bad experience with service when I dined with them a few months ago, only at dinner. Probably the worst service I've had in the past year or two. Our server disappeared for 15 minutes at a time most of the evening. We didn't get to place our order until we'd already been sitting for 30 minutes. Our server spent most of her time in the back expoing food and/or doing god knows what, while the food runner brought us out incorrect food, left us without silverware, etc. I politely highlighted for her how that service model is suboptimal, and that an expo was more important than a food runner in this case, but she got defensive. I attempted to track down a manager but there wasn't one in sight. So, I gave up. Lastly, this was the night of the ice storm and their sidewalk was a veritable ice rink. I almost fell myself and cringed as older patrons attempted to traverse the sidewalk, only to give up and turn back. I alerted the hostess and she looked at me cluelessly, as if to say what am I supposed to do. The food was edible but not worth coming back for - run of the mill 1.5 to 2 stars. There are too many good restaurants in DC for me to bother giving them another shot.
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This is pretty spot on. I would even say the service, the experience, the ingredients, the execution is 3 Michelin star quality without question. In fact, better some 3 star restaurants I've been to (I'm looking at you, Saison and Benu). For me, the taste of the food at Metier wasn't transcendentally exceptional like The French Laundry, but nowhere is in my opinion. It is a really intimate space with truly exceptional service and they focus on making it an experience and really focusing on the guests (which I can't say for some 3 star places, like Jean Georges or Le Bernardin, which don't look and feel all that different from a 1 star caliber restaurant like Marcel's or Fiola Mare).
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To answer your question, I believe service is included in all stated prices. Our check doesn't have the word gratuity anywhere and no gratuity or service was added for the drinks we ordered. There isn't even a place on the receipt to add gratuity if you wanted to. Hope that helps.
- 93 replies
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- 3
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- Mount Vernon Square
- Modern American
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This will not be a long or overly detailed writeup, as I don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone. The space is lovely and it's obvious that they focused on every little detail and spared no expense. I would say they put more thought and effort into their ceramicware than any restaurant I can recall. Dinner took about 3 hours and, even on opening night, the service was impeccable. My wife and I enjoyed the food, though we admittedly had higher expectations given how much we love Kinship. Metier is not Kinship 2.0 -- there are obviously some similarities, but Metier is more innovative, more imaginative, is done with more precision, and is a very different experience. Everything is executed flawlessly, but I think the Kinship menu may just be more to my taste (at least compared to last night's Metier menu). Which isn't intended as a knock on Metier, because everyone has their own tastes and I happen to think Kinship is the best restaurant in the DC area. I suspect most will prefer the food at Metier. Regardless, it's a 4 star experience with 4 star execution.
- 93 replies
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- 5
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- Mount Vernon Square
- Modern American
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There's a part of me that wants to try P&P, but there are 3 reasons I probably won't. 1) I don't drink alcohol and I'm not going to spend $75 on a mocktail pairing. I find it offensive. I know I can avoid that by sitting at the bar, but why require people who don't drink to sit at the bar?? 2) They aren't open on Saturdays. I believe it's a terrible business decision and they will eventually realize it. My work schedule isn't predictable enough to make a weeknight reservation with 100% certainty, and I'm not going to risk $250 on it. 3) I ate their spicy fried chicken sandwich for lunch and, maybe I'm just clueless about acceptable ways of frying chicken, but it was burnt to a crisp on the outside (to the point where it was black in color and the outer 1/2 centimeter of the chicken had zero moisture and was stringy. Maybe I'm just ignorant and this is a perfectly acceptable way to fry chicken, and I'd be curious if that is in fact the case. Even if I am wrong, if the chef can't cook a fried chicken sandwich to my taste, I'm not going to trust them enough to drop $250 on dinner. I won't wish failure on a restaurant, but I do worry that if Aaron Silverman succeeds with P&P in its current form, he will push the envelope even more on his next restaurant and require guests to eat blindfolded standing up, cook their own food and clean their own table, charge $25 for special filtered water, or something similarly absurd.
- 178 replies
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- 4
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- Barracks Row
- Fine Dining
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I was able to get a reservation for Tuesday, so I can confirm they're open (can't say for sure if it's the first night, though). I'm beyond excited.
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Proposed additions: Best Service Best Value Best Ramen Best Sushi Best Decor Best Fine Dining
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Went to The Partisan tonight, before I realized they had a new chef. I personally think the Partisan did meat better than almost anyone in the city -- whether it's the charcuterie, the burger, the foie, the pork tomahawk chop or the beef tartare. Tonight, the charcuterie and cheese were great as usual. But most of the rest of what we ordered seemed 'off.' The things we tried for the first time seemed to be fine but underseasoned. A couple things I've ordered many times before tasted different this time, to the point where I told my wife I bet they had a new chef -- the beef tartare (for the worse, in my opinion), along with the burger (which also had one of the chef's long hairs in it). The server and GM were both very apologetic about the hair and comped the entire dinner without my asking (and even though I offered to pay). I told the GM that, while off-putting, it happens; but, that I was more disappointed that the beef tartare and burger had changed for the worse in my opinion. She said that the new chef had in fact changed the tartare recipe but that the burger recipe remained the same. I've had their burger half a dozen times and I know it was different, which is even more concerning if the chef and others there can't tell the difference). It's not that the food was bad; it was just underseasoned at times and not to my taste otherwise. The pacing was awful, as well. Never had an issue before tonight. Our apps came out 1/2 way through charcuterie and our entrees came out before we were 1/2 done with the appetizers (and we're both fast eaters). The server recognized the issue without prompting, and offered to take the entrees back to the kitchen but we declined. Anyway, if you weren't a big fan of The Partisan before, you may want to give it another shot with the new chef. As for me, I was quite fond of it before and will probably wait for the current chef to move on. I'm a firm believer that you don't fix what isn't broken, and that if you decide to do it anyway, you better be damn sure it's an improvement. PS - The previous executive chef is now at a Kimpton hotel restaurant in Winston-Salem NC.
- 28 replies
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- 3
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- Penn Quarter
- American
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I can't help but think the impending opening of Métier may have pushed the rating down a 1/2 star. I genuinely can't fathom how it only got 3 stars. Everyone's taste is different, but it's hard to dispute that the food, service and decor are among the very, very best in DC.
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100% agreed on the skillet. I never cover the lid on mine, but I'll have to try and would probably help to melt the cheese more on thicker slices, like a Sicilian.
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Couldn't agree more. Our server indicated that they made a big menu change over this past weekend, which I inferred to be the only big change they've made so far, and that she expects more frequent changes once Métier is up and running "soon." If you want it, order it before it's gone. I also noticed that I wrote it was tagliatelle when it is actually agnolotti. They're obviously nothing alike, aside from some common letters.
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I've been twice and can confidently say it's the best restaurant I've been to in the DC area. He took the Parmesan reggiano agnolotti off the menu recently, which is unfortunate because it was my favorite dish at CityZen and so far my favorite at Kinship. Must orders for me are the mushroom torchon, beets and stroganoff (and Parmesan reggiano agnolotti). The service was fantastic both times. The interior, including the main dining room, waiting area, and especially the bar area, is in my opinion the most well-done interior of any restaurant in DC. It is luxurious without being pretentious, which is so hard to pull off. I went in jeans, sneakers and a polo the second time after wearing a suit the first time and felt equally at ease
- 276 replies
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- 2
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- Mount Vernon Square
- Fine Dining
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1789?
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Went here this afternoon for the first time. My wife and I both enjoyed the food (turkey BLT on ciabatta and a salad, respectively). I also got the tomato bisque, which was quite unusual. It tasted like thanksgiving stuffing (I'm thinking sage, celery and onion but not sure). It was actually ok but didn't taste at all like tomato to me or my wife. As I write that, I suppose it's possible they brought us something other than tomato bisque...
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Just My wife and I went on our first date at Eat Bar back in 2007. I've probably been there 20 times over the years, initially because I liked it and later only because of nostalgia. It was obvious to me as a patron that the kitchen was in a constant state of flux. The food was fantastic when it first opened and I remember it being quite good through 2007 and maybe early 2008. Everything was good, which was rare for a bar in DC - the bacon wrapped figs were incredible, even the ketchup was made from scratch. I raved about the place to my now-wife. We went on our first date there on August 21, 2007 and both really liked it. We went back with friends a few times. Then, sometime probably in 2008 the food was different and for the worst. Gone were the bacon-wrapped figs; the tuna tartare was heavily slathered in what appeared to be (and tasted like) mayo. The food coming out of the kitchen was often uneven or just plain bad. I probably went 1 or 2 times a year between 2009 and 2012 and the food was always disappointing. Some people will say that their location did them in. Some people will say it was competition. Both of those are true, but I think the food was a HUGE part of it. At the time, it was one of the few "upscale" bars and served great food. It was often completely packed, even on weeknights, and people buzzed about it. Then, the food fell off and nobody talked about the place anymore,
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Everything that's been said about the patio is spot on. We went there in mid-to-late May and it's so beautiful. Just to take it a step further, the best seat in the house is one of the two gazebos on the patio. Some of their food is great (soufflés), but I thought most of it was average. The service we had would have been great, but for one gigantic mistake with a food allergy. The person who said this is a 1789 or Marcel's kind of place, I'm not sure I agree (French cuisine aside). Like 1789, l'Auberge feels like you're stepping out of a time machine set to 1990. I don't see the similarities to Marcel's, though. I thought the food at Marcel's was much better and felt the service, atmosphere and presentation were very different. This is a great setting to dine when it's nice outside, and their lunch prix fixe menu seems to be a good deal. I won't go back and get dinner again any time soon, though.
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Went to dinner at Plume on Friday. The service was exceptional, undoubtedly 4 stars. My wife and I both have dietary restrictions, which were handled expertly. The pacing was great. The service staff was present but not overbearing. It was very welcoming and comfortable, which usually isn't the case when there is a small army of staff taking care of you (this is where Plume differentiated itself for me, better than Marcel's and CityZen on this occasion). The setting is perfect for a romantic dinner. It's quiet, a beautiful space, and the tables are well spaced. We were lucky enough to get the table right in front of the fireplace, which was a great touch. I wish I could say the food was as exceptional as the service, but it was still very good. It's certainly 3 stars. We ordered the tasting menu, although it was modified to our dietary restrictions, which unluckily didn't include foie gras (for two entirely different reasons). The amuse bouche was beet soup, which got us ready to eat... more beets, as it turns out. Next, I thought the beet and potato salad was very ordinary and something you could get in literally 1000's of restaurants. Cutting to the chase, the highlight of dinner: My wife ordered the rockfish, which she didn't like since she doesn't eat fish skin and all of the seasoning was in the skin, so the fish was pretty bland if you don't eat the skin. She didn't send it back or say anything, since it was coked fine and by this point I had already started to eat it. They noticed she wasn't eating it and offered to make her something else, which she politely declined several times saying she was full anyway and I would just eat the rockfish. Ten minutes later, they brought her a delicious piece of halibut (no skin), which she found the room to put back. Other hits - the shrimp and the lamb. One other critique - the number of courses is a bit light compared to other DC restaurants at similar price points (Komi, CityZen, Marcel's). The service is the star at Plume, but the food is pretty damn good too. Absolutely one of the 10 or 15 best places in DC.
- 32 replies
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- 2
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- Downtown
- Farragut North
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Went a week or so ago and came away somewhat disappointed, in light of all of the fanfare. The food and service are good, but I had higher expectations. My burger was not evenly cooked, the smoked salmon tuile was a miss, the sweet and sour eggplant was surprisingly the best thing we tried, the boudin blanc and foie gras terrine were both good but didn't stand out, and the crispy egg was more interesting than it was tasty. It isn't a destination restaurant for me, but it's a great addition to that area and probably one of the 50 best places in DC.
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Haven't been recently but going in a few weeks.
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@ktmoomau, I would try to ask a manager or someone else. I go there often and see people purchase a whole host of things from them that otherwise aren't listed for sale. I think you may just need to find the right person.
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Completely agree with weinoo. Went a couple months back and ordered 6 or 7 things off the menu. The only things that were even good were the octopus and the wings. The rest was very meh. Hadn't been before the change in concept that others are referencing, but I won't be giving it another shot. Probably 1.5 stars if I had to put a rating on it. I should note that I may be an outlier because I thought a similarly well regarded place (Mintwood Place) was just as meh in terms of taste.
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Went for dinner tonight. Food was excellent. The service there is very good, food was excellent, and the prices were reasonable. The food here wasn't far off Little Serow at all and I think the dishes more consistently good than at Bangkok Golden. Only two complaints were the single person men's room in the dining room, although I understand there is one upstairs. And, the place feels very cold and without character. The first two words that come to mind are white and plastic.
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I received a copy of their business plan about two years ago for a potential investment. It was doomed to fail for any one of a few reasons. As an aside, can't DC find someone other than the US Marshals for garden variety evictions? Seems a waste of talent and resources.
