Kanishka

Mie n Yu? I mean, they'd definitely be a contender for best bathrooms in DC, but best restaurant? I call shenaningans. Where can I get a list of all the winners? K

It's not like they're talking about a Dream or even 18th St Lounge style club here; at least ChiCha and GuaRapo are nothing like that. I think it would be nice to have on the Hill, especially if there is dancing. As of now, all the dancing I ever do in my neighborhood is in my room (don't get me started on the upstairs of Hawk and Dove)

Got an email from Eli today. They will be opening to the public for both lunch and dinner tomorrow.

Saturday lunch. Piccolo Bollito. Fantastic. No more needs to be said.

This event seems so overpriced... and really, isn't the best way to learn how to be a good writer of any sort to practice? Ah well. I'm sure it will help some; this is just my knee-jerk reaction to any sort of writing class kicking in. Besides, to paraphrase Elvis Costello, writing about food is like drinking about architecture.... which doesn't sound so bad.

Driving down Aliceanna to Pazo was a trip down memory lane. These were the alleys where I snuck many a beer underage, where I sat watching friends skateboard, where I would stop for a late night meatball sub after a local band rocked the stage at Fletchers. But the streets looked different. Sure, I was a bit older -- but it also seemed that the line between sketchy Baltimore and hip Baltimore had moved quite a few blocks since the last time I was in Fells. That block where Homeless Joe tried to sell me crack was now high priced condos. It was like running across an old car, but seeing it completely refurbished. Very surreal. And nowhere was this surreality more evident than in the dining room of Pazo, where Baltimore took on a sheen of style and class -- sans pretension -- that I had previously never experienced back home. We were seated at 6 on the upper level of the restaurant and treated to a delicious amuse of crispy sunflower crackers (There's a better term for these, but that's all I got) served with a chili oil and an olive oil dipping sauce. While snacking on these I perused the wine list -- the incredibly well priced, delicious looking wine list. We settled on a red from southern Spain I was unfamiliar with (the website has the bin 305 as a $21 Mourvedre, but our bottle was $30 and I believe was not a Mourvedre) but which was advertised as being light and a strong compliment to Pazo's late Spring/early Summer menu. And it was. This wine -- light, bouncy, a perfect warm weather red -- would easily go for $60 in DC. My father, normally a bog-standard Cab man, was happy with the choice, surprised that a medium bodied red could still be so tasty. (I've tried to teach him, it's working slowly). The menu was, in a word, long. The four of us couldn't settle so elected to go the grand tasting route, adding 8 extra courses to feed four of us. The amount of food was perfect, though having a pair of light eaters at the table helped. Highlights of the meal included the massive portion of eggplant dip, the salmon tartare, the roasted mushrooms served on arugala, the fantastic shrimp cooked in tomato and garlic, the asparagus wrapped in what appeared to be prosciutto but turned out to be cured beef tenderloin, the halibut served on a small piece of potato, and the absolutely amazing slow-cooked lamb. This last dish is one that is not to be missed; the second my fork hit it, the meat fell off into amazingly tender strands. It was lamb the way lamb is meant to be served. Note: these highlights are just the courses I remember a few days out. Everything we had was delicious, with the exception of the pork ribs, which were mediocre (too dry, not much flavor). One loser out of 18? Not bad. Dessert was a goat cheese cake and a trio of sorbets. The cheesecake was good, the sorbets better. Their coffee sorbet in particular was exemplary, exploding on the tongue and then disappearing suddenly, a fleeting dream. I'm not a dessert man normally and I loved it. Pazo is worth 3 stars. Pazo is worth the hour drive north. Pazo is worth the four gallons of gas it takes to get there. Pazo is worth every laudatory statement it's been given. I've already mentioned the (super cheap) price, but even at a percentage more I would recommend it. It's easily on my top three meals of 2005 thus far list. Referring back to another thread -- sure, the wonderful experience I had was generously aided by being with family and with some great conversation, but I think I could have been dining with Homeless Joe and a cardboard cutout of Mussolini and would still have loved my meal. K

Wish I wasn't in a hurry because I'd like to do a long form post. That will come, soon. But the summation: Went to Pazo. Fantastic service. Delicious meal. Pork ribs were okay, everything else delicious. Had a Spanish red I'm 75% sure would be $60 in DC for $30. 18 tapas courses (grand tasting dinner plus 8 other dishes to feed four of us), a dessert wine, four cups of cappucino. The bill? $200, and that's with a 25% tip. I asked my dad as we were leaving the restaurant: "How much are condos going for in Baltimore again?"

Lately I have been troubled by the foodie term. But really, is there a better one? I guess the difference between loving good food and other hobbys (reading, music, art) is that everyone consumes. Though I dislike the baggage of haughty superiority that the term carries, there really ain't much better. I think Robb Walsh is a great example of a true foodie -- someone who appreciates food in any context and in any situation to realize its merits. It doesn't need to be served on linens, decanted into crystal, or presented on fine china. Good food is good food. Jonathan and DonRocks, thanks for your stories -- that's kind of my point exactly. I ate what was basically a potato latke, Tibetan style, at 12,000 feet, piping hot, out of a newspaper cone from a street vendor. And I can still taste it. Kanishka

My two cents... I consider myself a food snob, but not an elitist. From the dictionary: Elitist: someone who aligns themself with the upper classes or those in power Snob: an offensive air of superiority in matters of knowledge and taste Well, I'd take the offensive part out of that, but I certainly think that there are foods that are superior to others. But that doesn't mean upper class or expensive -- just higher quality. Sure I could use meat from Safeway to cook, but why when I can get an organic free range chicken from the market? And there are plenty of pricey and downright mediocre restaurants out there (Restaurant Kolumbia immediately comes to mind) that I would pass over gladly to chow down on Sodere's Doro Wat. And I'll fully admit that that is snobby of me. But is that wrong? Maybe the better word would be "picky" -- I'll eat anything, but I certainly prefer quality -- and price does not factor in there. Oh, and JPW: Sausage biscuits are good, but nothing beets an egg mcmuffin to chase a hangover. Hypocritical? Probably. But not elitist.

Though it's been discussed on Chowhound, I've never seen anything about Oohhs and Aahhs here or on eGullet. Sure, its not the usual kind of eating that comes up. No reservations, no linens -- hell, the food is served in a styrofoam container. But what food! The macaroni and cheese and Oohhs and Aahhs is phenomenal, perfectly tender and gooey. Its not an elevated kind of Mac; instead, its the down-home style that sticks to your ribs and warms up a cold day. The cornbread is also phenomenal, served hot and fresh with butter. I had my meal with fried chicken -- very tasty, though I think next time I might try their crabcakes. Seats were, at one point, limited to 6 at Oohhs and Aahhs (though this is certainly not minibar). But just recently they expanded to have upstairs seating. If you want something delicious, served quickly and with a beautiful smile, Oohhs and Aahhs is the place. Makes me wish they were open late as an alternative to Ben's... Mr Rockwell requests more details.... Oohhs and Aahhs is a tiny little room on 10th & U NW thats reminiscent of an old-timey lunch counter. They serve soul food -- turkey wings, greens, crab cakes, fried chicken, a plethora of other items that I can't remember. The place opened a couple years ago and originally only had six seats at a counter. At times people would struggle to get a seat, or just eat at the counter standing. There was a Kliman column about the spot a while back, but the consistently incorrect spellings of the restaurants name makes it hard to track down. Found a few mentions of it on Chowhound but thats all. Not fine dining, but delicious in its own right.

As long as there's some Jaal Jeera to wash everything down. Oh, and phhuchka (what do western Indians call that, anyway?)

Good god. I will never understand why some smokers want to smoke with their meal -- and I'm a smoker myself. Its just not good form, especially at a restaurant like Eve. The explanation given by Cathal and Meshelle explains it perfectly. 1 cigarette = 10 minutes = ruined dish = complaining about the food at Eve w/o mentioning the fact that you'd let each dish sit until past its prime. I've got little sympathy for the complainants here. Nicotine craving so bad that you can't sit through dinner? Buy a patch. The visitor was from France so most likely flew here -- you think after not being able to smoke on the plane, they could get through a meal sans devant fumer. (apologies for my super-rusty French)

I've heard stories from the media preview of E&C. And the stories are not good. Not good at all. Not that that makes sense, anyway -- its like having a media preview for a new Cheesecake Factory. K

I'd say Alero is more the Lauriol Plaza of CP. Is there an Italian version of Lauriol Plaza in DC?

Its a birthday dinner extravaganza with la famiglia Saturday night and Pazo. Reservations and special requests have been made, but here are my questions: has anyone been, how does it compare to, say, Jaleo, and is there anything on the menu I shouldn't miss? Someone else is paying, btw... so I think I might suggest Veuve Clicquot to start...

Okay, maybe my description is a little heavy handed. Back when I lived in the hinterlands, the Washingtonian Cheap Eats issue was one of my favorite reads. Now that I'm in the city and better acquainted with food here, not so much. And after reading this years issue I'm befuddled. Did someone who knows eating in DC even consult on this issue? I could go on about how some of the choices (Lauriol Plaza???) suck, but there is more to bash... Problems I have: Someone needs an atlas. On the quick summary page, Mandalay in Silver Spring is listed as still being located in College Park. In the description, it is described as Malaysian food. Grrr. There are zero Ethiopian restaurants on the list. No mention of Kotobuki, which has to be one of the best places for cheap sushi in the city. Instead, the passable-but-not-fantastic Spices gets a nod. Udupi Palace in Langley Park is described as "sprawling" Just four of my qualms with an issue that put swirly margaritas on the cover. Next year I hear they're going to feature a half eaten half smoke from the vendor at 2nd & Penn NW. Anyone else think the feature was bad, or am I overreacting?

Can't wait to wash down a plate of deconstructed truffled mini burgers with a CosMojiTini.

... which is why giving the choice to the proprietor is such a good idea.

Grrrr... There's got to be some kind of distinction drawn here. Smoking at a restaurant during a meal, in dining room -- gross. Smoking at a bar -- no problem. I like the way its done at Halo, or Martys, or Palena, or Spices, or Saint Ex pre-11, or sections of any number of other DC restaurants: leave it up to the proprietor. If they want to allow smoking, let them. If they want to be smoke free or have their own smoking restrictions, that's cool too. And if Congress ever acts on this nationally, I'll be surprised. Its a fundamental violation of State's rights at the very least. Yes, I'm a smoker (a light one). I have no problem with non-smoking establishments; in fact, I enjoy them. But a bar is a bar, and a beer and a cigarette is a nice combination. I'm all about encouraging non-smoking bars, but forcing every bar to follow the rule is going overboard.

This may not count as "ethnic" to many, but since I grew up on Indian, Italian is pretty darn ethnic to me... and I cannot stop going to Litteris. Maybe that's because I'm just hopelessly addicted to Prosecco... but I think its the best Italian market in D.C. They don't have fresh produce, but they have great meat and a really amazing selection of vinegars and oils... A stretch as far as "ethnic" goes?

I'm there Friday at six... very excited! Thanks everyone for your notes, and thank you to Jared et al. for bringing this to the Hill. As Banco notes, we are starved for quality options. Yes yes, we can just Red line it to Palena or Firefly, but having a place like this so close to home is wonderful.

Yeah... I'm not that excited. Overrated is a kind word. Wrote about it here.

My immediate -- and snarky -- reaction to that question: Go outside the beltway... you can find Horn & Horns, Old Country Buffets, and Cracker Barrels aplenty if you look hard enough. Also, the TGI Fridays by GW....

My dining companions last night had burgers and loved it. Odd.

I moved beyond the cheeseburger. Last night, the cafe salad and the artichoke antipasto plate. Yum. Both plates were wiped clean of any and all bits resembling food. The artichoke flavor on the antipasto was perfect, and great with the mozzarella. The two types of ham (cantimpalo chorizo and serrano? Couldn't tell) were awesomely delicious. One problem: I completely forgot to note the fruit that was in the cafe salad. One of my dining companions is on a mission to attempt recreating the roast chicken at home. We tried getting secrets out of our waitress but the only ground she gave up was that the meat was brined. Anyone have any other clues? I'm sure nothing could really compare, but to get close in the home kitchen would be nice. K