B.A.R.

Try finding "smatch" using Google Images. It is very insightful.

I eat at the Fairfax Wegman's all of the time. I always left a generous tip, because the drinking is ridiculously cheap ($3 16oz Dogfish 60 Minute IPA / $5 Chimay drafts, sometimes excellent wines BTG) and the food has great value as well. I stopped leaving tips when I found out that yes, the $10 or $20 left on the bar gets rung up in the register as a purchase, and not pocketed by the staff.

nevermind

Now, I am gonna have to Google this.

Bingo. Any customer should be able to pay in any manner they damn well feel like. Rolled coins, sweaty dollar bills from your too tight jeans on a hot summer day, etc. etc. Restaurant service relies upon timing, and there is no greater time sucker for a large table than splitting a check multiple different ways, and in multiple different amounts. These transactions, start to finish, can often times take 10-15 minutes. And even if the server has one 6 top, a four, and two dueces, those other tables will suffer while the math and authorization jujitsu takes place. It's a killer.RW Boones point is correct, that virtually every restaurant can and should do this. But those that are adversely affected are rarely the party choosing to split the bill up six ways - it's everyone else.

I remember hearing something a few years ago that the custom in Japan is that guests pay for nothing, and do not present a gift. This includes travel to the wedding, hotel rooms, etc. But there is a quid pro quo, in that if you accept the invitation, you reciprocate in kind. Essentially, wedding expenditures are one big community escrow. Can anyone with knowledge of Japanese culture clarify this, or call me an idiot? Back on topic, I was amused that Tom seemed surprised at the news of Restaurant Element "run by two former IALW alumni" in Front Royal. Did he not remember that he reviewed Apartment 2G? ***ROCKS, WTF is wrong with my default font size and spacing, and how do I change it? --- Go up into the "Size" box (5th thing from top left) and change it to size 14.

Jake, What are your favorite Bourbon's? Makers is my go to bourbon at home, with some Bakers and Bookers thrown in for good measure when the budget allows. Clearly this is in your wheel house, and I would appreciate your recommendations.

Was the total on the credit card receipts altered, or was the $18.98 what showed up in your online account? Most POS systems will authorize the CC for 20-25% more than the total, to pre-authorize for a gratuity.

Chesapeake Long Bass

We should name it here! Surely we can come up with a few better descriptors and then have a poll. If Patagonian Toothfish can become Chilean Sea Bass, and Sablefish can become Black Cod, then Snakehead can become Sino-American River Trout

Three predictions of no particular importance: 1) The food here will be excellent. Chef Donna has always been a tremendous talent in the kitchen. 2) The place will be packed on day one 3) Judging by the pictures in Eater DC, this will be one of the loudest restaurants in DC. I like the design, but it appears to be all small tables, tight confines, and hard surfaces.

To Counter Culture Coffee, for making my morning!

As long as we keep chat room topics steamy and lascivious, this will be a great *ahem* enhancement to the Forum.

Surely this was posted after leaving a four hour, 100+ btl wine tasting.

I got "the last" copy, but they appear to be multiplying

First they came for the elitists, and I did not speak out because I was not an elitist. Then they came for the people who eat only free-range organic chicken, and I did not speak out because I cannot afford to eat only free-range organic chicken. Then they came for the vegans, and I did not speak out because who gives a shit about vegans anyway. Then they came for a somewhat famous purveyor of mediocre pizzas and sloppy burgers, and everyone spoke out, because....what was I saying? Squirrel!

Stopped in for dinner last night and remembered that I was quick to post a criticism a few years back, but have yet post anything constructive. Shame on me. I have had 3-4 meals here in the past few years, and each time I leave thinking "Why don't we come here more often". The dining room is small, maybe 20-tables. The service is mature and polished; very, very good. We ate simply: arugula salad, terrine of foie, house ravioli, and risotto. Simple is not easy to execute, and all of our dishes were fantastic. Two highlights: Risotto with Butternut Squash and Wild Boar Sausage (?) - The online menu is not up to date and I was too busy paying attention to my lovely wife than paying attention to the actual menu description. This was one of the best risotto dishes I have ever had. Perfectly cooked, rich but not overly so, the sausage crumbles adding a nice hoggy/earthy punctuation mark. A great dish. Terrina- Terrine of Foie Gras and Oxtail with pickled chanterelles, frisee, brioche. This was one of the best dishes I have had in recent memoriy and will take the place next to the tagliatelle with sea urchin I had at Komi years back as one of those "simple" dishes, perfectly executed, that I will remember forever. Outstanding. Finished with a chestnut souffle that was merely *meh*, but souffles aren't really my thing. Villa Mozart, thank you for an excellent meal.

This will be the most significant restaurant to open in DC since the last most significant restaurant to open in DC.

To Ahmad Bradshaw, for having to feel bad about scoring the game winning touchdown in a Super Bowl.

PS7 has all of the above

Whenever I needed something of high quality printed, fast and cheap, I went to Master Print in Alexandria. www.master-print.com But you need to accept donations to defray the cost, and then we can all start tagging every shitter in DC. Epic idea.

Does this mean they are going to stop burning their coffee?

This is amazing. I can't think of a more exciting lineup in the country, let alone our city.

A friends father passed away on Christmas and I need to find a site to hold a post-funeral reception, Friday, December 30th. I would need space for 60-80 people, mid-afternoon (time TBD, guesstimate between 2-4). Proximity to Fairfax Memorial Gardens (9900 Braddock Road) needed. Ideally, we are looking for a space that can provide food, so church halls, etc are kind of out as we don't want to deal with an outside caterer. But since beggars can't be choosers, any facility you know of will be helpful. Thanks, Brian

Seems to be a consensus of two! I'm eating it and will report back. The original brine had both Juniper berries and caraway seeds, so the flavor is already in there.