Pizzaandbrew

Correction.....I told John and all my other regulars that I was seeking a "grown-ups job".....which is a funny way we hourlies say we are getting a day job. I've been in the business for 25 years now and know the value of having such skills. Entertaining people with food and wine never gets old, but the body does and it's time to move......I'm still up for guest bartending, though!!!

The incredible irony of this is the industry's collective perception of themselves. Few work harder for their money and yet fewer (on a "pound per pound" basis) are more reticent to honor or acknowledge the value of the service they provide.

Anyone been and can comment on the Fall menu? Sounds like the repetitions above were the boudin blanc, lobster bisque, skate, oyster gratin, lobster papardelle, and dover sole, but no comments since the Spring.

We're contemplating going next weekend for the pre-theater menu before Les Mis at the Kennedy Center. I am planning to call the restaurant to verify, but do you think if we have 5:30 reservations we'll have a problem making the 7:30 curtain? I assume they are used to getting people and and out and shuttled to the show.

My wife and I have hit Marcel's before Kennedy Center curtain times and have had no problem. They pull it off seamlessly. The offered "limo" service can be a little reminiscent of the college clown car-taxi cab ride on Friday nights to Georgetown but anything inside of the 4 walls of the restaurant is gold.

Does anyone have any recent comments? I am going to CityZen for the first time soon and looking forward to it. Thanks.

My wife and I went for our anniversary earlier this month for the first time. Worth every penny from beginning to end. We went with the 3 course option and my wife was interested in the soup (which featured shrimp which is an allergy for my wife). The spot on server, Nicole, said she would check with the Chef (and Chef Ziebold was very prominent) who didn't hesitate to sub lobster for the shrimp so as not to compromise the dish. Wasn't overwhelmed with the asparagus roti I ap I ordered but baby morels ruled the menu and were amazing. Both entrees simply put smiles on our faces and left us excited to share. Complimentary dessert wine was a nice touch. I don't have a sweet tooth so the cheese cart was an absolutely mind blowing finish to dinner. The space from top to bottom is completely relaxing. Cityzen, Blue Duck, Eventide... these places remind you why you should treat yourself (and your significant other). Awesome.

That's how I meant it.

My apologies for misconstruing. Shannon was actually a bartender for me a long time ago. I admire what she does in the kitchen and I think my protective instincts kicked in.

I may be wrong here but by "one bite" I don't think lperry meant the FIRST bite was overpeppered -- I thought she meant that A PARTICULAR/SINGLE bite was, at some point during the meal (and that others were underpeppered/undersalted, hence the inconsistency). That's how I read it.

Point taken. Thanks for the perspective.

I ordered the morel and asparagus ravioli and was disappointed. The asparagus and mushrooms were delicious and cooked to the perfect bite, but the pasta was tough and a little dry on the edges, seemingly from sitting for a while. The seasoning was uneven across the plate with both the salt and pepper. I had to grab my drink after one bite because of the amount of pepper it had on it.

Service was fairly inattentive. Even with our initial drink order, we waited quite some time, and we both found it difficult to describe the situation as we left to go to the car. The best we could come up with was “aloof,” as if we were a little bit of a bother. The situation was one where we thought about mentioning the problems with the food to the server or the manager on the way out, but we didn’t because of the inattentiveness. Arguing both sides, in the server’s defense, I was asked how the meal was, but it was after I had only a couple of bites, and then I wasn’t asked again. "

Not to be argumentative, but you mention you knew after the first bite that the ravioli was overpeppered and had to reach for your drink. Yet when asked after a couple of bites you chose not to mention this. At what point are diners responsible for their own satisfaction?

Finally had a chance to try DC Brau (on tap) last night; $8 at Vinoteca, which I agree is steep. Holy hops! I would love to see the stats on this, because it drinks nothing like a pale ale. If the IBUs aren't well into IPA territory they are overpowering the malt character to a degree that your palate perceives it that way. Don't get me wrong, it was a good beer, just not at all what I was expecting. Where oh where are my sessionable American pale ales? Of the "local" brews Oliver's does it best (but they are explicitly trying to emulate British ales)

Don't know that you'll be able to find any as it was a spring seasonal, but look for 21st Amendment's Bitter American. Also Victory's relative newcomer Headwaters Pale. Both closer to 5% abv and very sessionable!

Chris

I agree that the food was a step-up in quality. But I'd also say that most of the food that was meant to be hot was either cold or barely warm. This definitely lessened the overall food experience. I understand that when serving massive quantities of food it's a challenge to keep food warm. Is it possible to have warming trays at every station, especially given the great financial success of the event?

The Savor Flowers beer was an excellent and unexpected nice touch.

I have encouraged anyone who's ear I can bend to find a way to involve DC chefs inspired by beer. The encouragement isn't falling on deaf ears but the reality of the logistics is proving to be quite the challenge. The improvements this year I believe are testament to the desire to make this a killer event. The peripheral events are getting better and better though, truly making this a notable celebration. Flying Dog had an amazing thing on Thursday with Bryan Voltagio's involvement with speakers ranging from a local farmer and AU professor speaking to hop sustainability to the brewery owners, brewers and even a European importer. Additionally, while this week is Utopia for many of us, its pre-season for many of the folks involved (Philly Beer Week next week is the true season opener followed by a relentless stream of like-minded events all over the country all summer and fall long).

Wanted to share highlights with those who attended SAVOR this weekend and others who might be interested. There were certainly too many good ones to mention. Here a few that I thought were really great and unique as well. What were your favorites?

Harpoon Munich Dark: a really drinkable dark. Looks like a stout but sessionable like a pale.

Yazoo Rye Saison: a number of good saisons....the rye in this one added an extra dimension that I thought was great.

New Holland Envious: listed as a raspberry fruit beer but really more of a touch that really added a lot to the whole package.

Rogue Creamery 75th Anniversary: I asked the guy from the brewery what the style was. He said it was a mixture of everything. What do you think? It seemed to be a sweetish brown or black IPA.

Avery Dios - brewed with bacon wrapped dates (I believe) and aged in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. Insane goodness

The folks behind the event truly stepped up the food this year (kudos Teddy Folkman and anyone else involved).

The parting gift of Jim Koch and Sam Calagione's Savor Flowers Beer awesome.

There is a hidden parking garage Randolph that serves Rustico.

Its so hidden I parked steps from the elevator door on a Saturday night at 7 PM. Take advantage of it while you can!

From what I'm reading, probably. Some celiacs can get sick from miniscule amounts of gluten.

Hey Eric - From my time at Rustico, I can tell you unless your dough is prepared in a separate kitchen and cooked in a seperate oven, its not possible to guarantee someone they won't have a reaction. While we received mostly praise for the chickpea crust, I responded to more than a few phone calls and letters from people who said they didn't feel right the next day. We started to coach the employees ("we do offer the gluten free crust. While we don't want to scare any one off, if you are very sensitive to gluten, your best bet is to avoid pizza altogether as we can't guarantee cross-contamination blah blah blah..."

Since moving to matchbox, the inquiries about a gf crust here are non-stop. I've found when I choose to explain why we don't offer it, I get thanked for looking out for their interests. Still looking to try out your new digs...

I honestly think there's a huge difference between reading a hard copy newspaper and reading a newspaper on an iPad or laptop--a hard copy is finite while an iPad or a laptop is limitless and more likely to make noise. A person with a hard copy paper is less likely to camp out beyond the time it takes to read the paper. But a person with an iPad could go from reading a newspaper online to skyping to playing angry birds to retweeting @justinbieber.

Coffee shops have the inherent tension between inviting people to linger and turning away new customers who can't find anywhere to sit, so I don't mind coffee shops trying different approaches to address this, even if they specifically target electronic devices that aren't always the culprit (ever try to get a table on a weekend in this town a month before the summer bar exam?). And patrons can always vote with their feet as the poster above did so if a policy isn't very popular, the coffee shop should soon realize it in their bottom line.

I might be biased as a former employee of NRG, but I agree completely with the last poster. When BUZZ opened, the owners (parents of more than a half dozen kids under 10) had all kinds of amazingly cool kids kitchen toys etc. You would walk in on any given morning tripping over kids while their moms were having a book club meeting with possibly 5-6 coffees purchased for a ridiculous amount of the available square footage being used. The whole place was packed and it was completely uninviting for non-parents (and it should be noted I do not fall in this category). I can count the number of experiences where I have walked into Paneras on one hand, but I am not exagerating to say in every single one I have been amazed to see people with computers without any discernible Panerra product in front of them. In multiple instances, this has occurred while I'm struggling to find a table for my wife and child to eat the food we've purchased.

I went into the downtown location tonight after a dinner at Jaleo. Didn't partake in the food, but wanted to share that I was really impressed with the beer offerings on tap. Enjoyed a Bell's (?) IPA and a Rogue Schwarzbier (the latter particularly hit the spot for me). Service at the bar was very friendly and we watched (and smelled) pizzas being made and served all evening with envy. If this place were in my neighborhood I would definitely stop by for drinks regularly and I look forward to going when I can try the pizza. The fire-something was the last to come out before the oven was shut down and smelled a-maz-ing.

Thanks for the kind words about the beers, Choirgirl 21. If your tastes are more in-line with the Schwartzbier, you may want to try to make it to Chinatown on Monday night for our Great Lakes Glassware Giveaway. We're gonna pair some of our menu items with a few beers from Great Lakes (and they really know how to use their malts). We're featuring the Christmas Ale (they hid some of this holiday favorite specifically for this event), Conways Irish Ale, The Edmund Fitzgerald Porter and the Commodore Perry Pale Ale. Every guest who tries a Great Lakes Brew will leave with a piece of Great Lakes glassware (while supplies last).

+1 and I had an excellent first visit to Vermillion. We ordered one tasting menu and some a la carte dishes to accompany. Everything we tried was at least very good and there were some outstanding dishes - bison carpaccio with truffle oil and burrata, a well executed bacon wrapped rabbit loin, and an incredibly decadent mushroom gnocci.

The service was excellent too. Prompt and attentive, without being the least bit intrusive.

What I read said that they left "some" of the inventory at Bricks, not "all". So I imagine some of the rarer stuff will make it's way over to RFD.

Don't think the sub-moniker of the area's largest tap list still applies.

Next up in Arlington; a Gourmet PB&J truck with fresh-blended peanut butter and artisanal jellies! Early summer we expect to see a dessert truck serving S'mores made with artisanal chocolate, homemade marshmallows, and graham crackers imported from France!

Patrick is a great guy with years of industry experience. I envy his gumption to go it alone. He is figuring things out as he goes (e.g. I know he's looking for help) and may find Arlington to be a narrow demographic, but as I watch this segment of the industry get more and more attention in D.C and beyond, if he figures it out, there is no reason it can't be a home run.

My apologies for not responding! Not intentional but with 3 restaurant openings in the last 6 months things have been a littel crazy. Not a great excuse - simply the truth. Phone number for rockville is 301 816 0369. To my knowledge, it may not be operational yet. Thanks for your patience folks. Looking forward to a great opening.

Chris

Thought this also might be helpful: http://www.matchboxrockville.com/index.php/locations

Ditto! I've been waiting and even pm'd Pizzaandbrew to see if there were any updates. I needed to arrange a lunch with my sister and cousin on the 18th so we went with Againn instead. Maybe we'll be able to change plans since it looks like they may actually open. Now all I need to do is find a phone number to call the place. (No, it's not on their webstie, or listed anywhere; I even called one of the other restaurants yesterday and was told they didn't have a contact number yet...but they will be open on Saturday evening )

My apologies for not responding! Not intentional but with 3 restaurant openings in the last 6 months things have been a littel crazy. Not a great excuse - simply the truth. Phone number for rockville is 301 816 0369. To my knowledge, it may not be operational yet. Thanks for your patience folks. Looking forward to a great opening.

Chris

Can anyone confirm/deny? Been waiting for this to open for a while!

All inspections have been passed. Training is going on round the clock, the ovens are roaring and we're planning on Saturday night after a private practice on Friday.

I had initially missed this, but just saw pizzandbrew's post looking for chefs in the help wanted section. always nice to have another lunch spot close to the office.

Pizzaandbrew - Any guesstimates as to opening day?

Targeted date is Tuesday, December 7th. Employees are being trained, contractors are rocking and rolling. Looking good!

Matchbox is expecting to open our newest location in Rockville, Maryland before the end of the year. It is our biggest project to date residing in the busiest retail corridor in the United States. The success of this project, like all of our others, hinges on the quality of our people. Our multi-concept company is looking for leaders of people who expect nothing but the best from themselves and those with whom they work with and for. Candidates should have no fear of working a line when necessary but more importantly have the ability to inspire those who work for them.

You can currently apply in person at matchbox rockville (look for the small construction trailer in the parking lot) Mon-Sat from 11-7 or forward your resume to me at chris.schaller@matchbox369.com.

Chinatown. And, I haven't had one there in probably two years as it didn't really seem as child-friendly as some of the other alternatives given the waits. Surprisingly, there was no wait even with for a table for 5 at 6:30 but the hostess seemed extraordinarily annoyed when I refused to put my child in a high-chair that was stacked on another one so that it would reach the raised table at which we were seated.

Lackadaisi - I am sincerely sorry about the welcome (or lack there of) you received with your family. This is a challenge we have been dealing with as long as the restaurant has been open and while I do believe we are getting better, I know we are still far from perfect. As a parent of a 18 month old, I wouldn't be comfortable putting my child in that configuration of high chairs. Please know our host staff will be educated to seat those with little ones in an area more high chair friendly.

With regard to your pizza, please know it is absolutely impossible for us to premake pizzas and let them sit. If we sent out an inferior product, I am sincerely sorry and would like to make it up to you. I'd encourage you to message me through Donrockwell.com so I might have the opportunity to remove the bitter taste from your mouth. I'd enjoy the opportunity to welcome you back and show you why matchbox might be worthy of your time (and money).

Sincerely

Chris

Del Merei lets the diner choose how they would like to "dress" their steak, so if you aren't happy with how its seasoned (but it is cooked as you requested), does not some of the blame fall on yourself? As an operator, when you offer this service to your guests, you can't season every steak the same. Its been a few months since we've been, but I recall pepper grinders and salt shakers on the table. To paraphrase Michael Landrum, "don't criticize us for what we don't do (or don't offer), criticize us for what we offer and don't live up to". Great wine list, strong beer offerings, an eclectic menu and food cooked the way you ask... $ for $, Del Merei is a hidden gem in a neighborhood (Del Ray, Alexandria) full of them.

That seems to match my experience. Strip steak was cooked to the right level of doneness but tasted really dry and could've used much more seasoning. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed The Plate (even though some frickle pieces didn't seem to have any pickle and was just fried batter), especially the taquito and dipping sauces. Pie was also pretty tasty, although a more meager-sized slice than expected.

Has anyone been to the Columbia Pike Lost Dog recently? My family and I were considering trying it out since it's close to our favorite bike shop. My husband would be seriously disappointed in poor beer.

My wife and I have been regulars for 10 years and couldn't be happier that they are in the hood. The food at either location is consistent if not overwhelming. To your husband's point (and my heart) the variety is a huge addition to the neighborhood. The drafts are a nice offering of things off the beaten path (although as a "hop head" there wasn't an American Pale Ale that would have me popping me head in regularly). It is awesome though to order a pie for delivery and get a six of CAs Nectar Pale Ale or MIs Bell's Two Hearted. A Woodchuck cider was on draft though along with Blue Point's Blueberry (haven't seen it too frequently) with some other offerings as well.

Frank didn't exactly have a resume teeming with beer concepts when he came to Rustico. He was incredibly open-minded though and came to appreciate its versatility not just as a drink to pair with food but also as a wonderful flavor component to create with. Both Rustico and Birch & Barley offer open-ended adult playground-like platforms for a like-minded individual.