DanCole42

Try Washington Deli. They specialize in office catering. In my fiancee's (who's from the New York part of New Jersey and knows a thing or two about pizza) opinion, it's the best REAL pizza available in the city.

http://www.washingtondeli.com/

Be warned, you may want to order a few days in advance!

Try the "Fancy White Pizza; Olive Oil, fresh garlic, spinach, feta cheese, mushrooms!"

My guess is that a computer system won't help -- taking reservations got him yelled at and not taking reservations seems to be about to do the same. Others don't have his problems because they are larger places, or less attractive ones.

I think the only thing that would thin the herd is higher prices, and I, for one, certainly wouldn't welcome that change!

Maybe he should set up a "floating" restaurant. Every night it appears in a different location and is gone the next day. Or maybe he should board up the windows and put up a big "condemned" sign. That way only the right local, neighborhood people would come.

The old reservation system was a bit rough. Certainly something like OpenTable would make things easier for you, Michael. But they'd ALSO make things easier for the kind of people you want to avoid. I think based on your whole philosophy keeping with walk-ins rather than reservations is probably your best bet.

Or maybe get a trap door that you can toss your unsavory customers into to do battle with the Rancor would help.

Normally I let this kind of stuff go. Not this time. Mr. Cole, let me tell you something. 25 years ago on my first official sommelier job, I worked with a guy who embodied all the negative sterotypes that sommeliers have garnered over the years. I saw firsthand how to be an arrogant, dishonest jerk from this guy. I am neither arrogant, dishonest or a jerk. I do not now, nor have I ever ignored a customer's request for a certain price range. I am not an armtwister, quite the contrary. It is in no one's interest for me to recommend wines at twice the price requested, especially mine. In addition, I would never pull a cork and just start pouring a wine. I really, really resent this kind of 5 years after the fact character assasination that you posted. A retraction would be most welcome.

Best Regards,

Mark Slater

Chef Sommelier, Citronelle

Mark- I was warned that you posted here and that my response might ruffle some feathers. I realize that what I said basically cuts to the core of your life's passion and your reaction is completely understandable. It would be like going up to Paul McCartney and telling him that his guitar is way out of tune.

I've read your posts elsewhere on this board. That's part of what attracted me here in the first place - the opportunity to see what the local culinary celebs are REALLY like - and that's really important to me. I believe that the pleasure a chef's cooking (or a sommelier's wine selection) brings to a patron is as much a function of that person's PASSION for what they're doing as their technical know-how or experience. I can tell from your other posts that you ARE someone who has passion for what he does - you genuinely enjoy it. If you didn't, you probably wouldn't have been as bothered by my comments.

When someone asks me about dining at Citronelle, I tell them what I think. I will, however, qualify my statement with the fact that I have not been there in several years, and I do encourage them to, if they so desire, form their own judgments. I see now my mistake in not including this fact in my initial post.

It is entirely possible that the sommelier(s) I dealt with were NOT you, and judging from what I've seen of you they were not. So on a personal level, I completely and humbly apologize for the offense you took to my statements. It was in no way meant to be a direct "character assassination" and I'm sorry you took it as such. I suppose insulting your restaurant and performance, regardless of whether or not it was an assualt on your character, would be taken as such, and I apologize for that particular error in my judgment.

My intention was not to criticize Citronelle, but merely to find out whether others had shared my experiences - because maybe I was crazy and should give you guys a second (fourth) chance.

Please accept my apologies, and I hope we can turn this into water (wine) under the bridge. I look forward to participating on these forums for a while on down the road, and like I said one of the things I'm most excited about is the opportunity to talk to and learn from passionate culinary professionals such as yourself.

So please, as I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone, take my review of Citronelle with a grain of salt - it was, after all, five years ago.

And Mark, hopefully, no hard feelings.

I would probably nix the bolded clause.

PS - Your grammar and punctuation are excellent. 

I agree on both counts. Only problem is when I put on my patent-pending "See the World Through the Eyes of A Patronizing Asshole Customer" glasses, all I can see is a big blank space in your post. I'm currently working on a polarizing filter you can put over the sign so the people it's actually aimed at can see it.

You certainly won't go unheard, but I'll bet I'm not the only one who would appreciate a more detailed description of the food you ate and where you found it wanting.

Unfortunately, this was about four or five years ago, so I don't recall what I had.

Since I've only ever been on weekdays (twice back during the Reservation Era and once during the Modern Walk-In Period), when do you think I should get to Ray's to ensure a table for four at six on a Saturday?

Clearly I'm part of a very small minority here (or else the world's quitest silent majority), but my meals at Citronelle place it towards the top of my list of worst dining experiences - especially considering it should be at the top of my list of best restaurants.

I've been there for dinner three times because I kept hoping that my previous times were flukes. I really wanted to see why people were calling it the best restaurant in town, and one of the top in the country.

I found the food, while somewhat original, to be relatively bland. And one thing I'm well known for is ordering the best items off a menu, so I know I wasn't making bad choices. I just found everything to be lacking the depth and richness of flavor I usually associate with a place like Citronelle. Especially at the prices I was paying.

And yes, Monsieur Richard WAS in the kitchen for two of my three nights there, not that it should matter.

The food was nothing compared to the service. My first time there I wore pressed slacks and a sport coat with tie. The next two times I upgraded to one of my better suits - with no effect.

I don't know if it was because I looked young or what - I certainly didn't look like someone of modest means - but all three waiters I had treated me as if they were disgusted to be waiting on me. When they weren't aloof and inattentive they were downright rude, scowling at me when I told them I'd be declining dessert for one of the evenings. One night I had to ask three times before my water glass was refilled.

Hell, last night at Outback I didn't even have to ASK to get my water refilled.

The sommelier kept trying to push wines in the $100+ range when I told him I was only interested in $55-70. I was NOT asked to sample the wine before it was poured for me and my guests.

I expect a little snobbery at places like Citronelle (and am all the more pleased when I see it absent from places like 1789). I expect a little extra snobbery because of my youth. But I do NOT expect to be repeatedly disappointed by both the food and service at what is reputably the top establishment in DC.

I'm sure my opinion will go unheard because I'm utterly overwhelmed by the POSITIVE criticism of the restaurant, but I needed to get this off my chest and would like to hear from others out there who have had similar experiences.

Most great food is the product of specialized technique or equipment, or some deeper knowledge transformed into passion.  Recipes rarely help.  A great chef is almost always humble about his craft and therefore willing to share.

I think you should teach a cooking class. But not just to anyone. It would be like in Fight Club, or at a Buddhist temple, where applicants have to wait outside for three days and nights in total silence while you berate them and throw rancid beef grissle.

I ain't eating at your house until you wash your hands...

8.5/10

Thank you for picking up on that.

Speak for yourself, babe. 

Food and sex sure go hand in hand, don't they? It's why I learned to cook...

June 4

I have no idea what any of this means, but I'm absolutely fascinated.

I've picked up suburban housewife, asparagus, George Orwell, and I think the word potato somewhere in there.

My fiancee and I have been at each others' throats over this.

While Palette's hot chocolate is richer and more chocolatey, Michael's hot chocolate (like most food at Ray's) seems to activate the mysterious Sixth Taste Bud. Seriously, there's a flavor in it that I've never tasted anywhere before. I'm convinced one of the ingredients fell to Earth in a meteorite and landed in Michael's backyard.

So what's the verdict for best hot chocolate? Palette? Ray's the Steaks? Or some blasphemous third restaurant?

Michael, if you could shed some light here, I'd love to get my hands on some of that secret ingredient. Seriously, good hot chocolate is like a Get Sex Free card with her.

Were you at a bar?  It only works at a bar....

I keep a flask in my desk. My WOOD desk. That's LIKE being at a bar, right?

Nobody knows, but they say if you repeat his name three times, he shows up next to you at a bar, buys you a glass of white Burgundy, and disappears without a trace. 

I tried that. Now my assistant is looking at me funny.

Do you consider it "appropriate" to ask a professional chef for a recipe?

Will the chef think "Wow! He must REALLY like this dish! I'm flattered," or "How dare he! This is MY recipe, and I will NOT let him steal it! I don't go around asking HIM his most intimate personal details! Harumph!"???

What's the best way to approach someone with this question?

I absolutely love these forums, but one thing I can't figure out is where everyone came from!

Do you all know each other? It seems like people are always getting together for events and dinner.

Who is Don Rockwell?

Where did this site come from? It seems like it's just a forum hovering in limbo somewhere in cyberspace, and yet you all seem to have "ins" with all the top restaurants in DC.

How is it that you all seem to have "ins" with all the top restaurants in DC?

I feel like I've stumbled into some secret room where the culinarily priveleged go to swap secrets - - - and I don't belong!

-Dan

As they say...Our prices are TOO LOW to advertise! 

Come by the restaurant if you get higher authority approval and we can discuss details.

You're the best. I'll be trying to get the higher ups on board. Should I stop by during normal business hours or before?

Geez, before... that'd be like peering behind the curtain.

I've been to Ray's three times. Definetely OUR kind of place. Maybe next time I'll actually introduce myself.

To DanCole:  Congratulations!  We couldn't close Saturday night for you, but if you wanted to do a supper at, say, 4 we could maybe do something and get everyone on their way to the hotel for relaxed catching-up and a good night sleep before the event.  We are very very casual, though, and not everyone's idea of an appropriate place for a special event.

I like B. A. R's idea above.  A rehearsal dinner should be about family and friends, not about how fancy the place is.  The less over-done and relaxed the venue the better.

Michael - having my fiancee there with me will, as it has been with every visit to Ray's, make the place look as fancy and done up to me as L'auberge Chez Francois.

She's not reading this, so I'm not sure why I'm trying to butter her up...

But I digress.

That sounds PERFECT (to me, anyway - I'll have to run it by the bosses). What do you think we'd be spending on something like this?

Maybe I should buy monogrammed steak brands for everyone...

Need more info.  Do you require a private room, if not, would have a section of a restaurant work for you?  Most rehersals are on Friday (IIRC).  You could ask Landrum and see what he says.  That would be a hoot.

Wow, during this whole wedding no one has EVER asked me what would work for ME. This is stunning.

I should probably defer to the future Mrs. and the in-laws, though.

A private room would probably be best, if only to protect the other restaurant patrons.

Our wedding is on Sunday, so the rehearsal would probably be on Saturday, since many of the attendees will be arriving from out of town.

What does IIRC mean?

Thanks!

Salutations everyone! I've been browsing the boards for a while now, but this is the first time I've ever posted.

I'm not even sure if I'm in the right forum - all the threads here seem to have specific restaurants as the subject, so I hope this isn't too general a topic.

My fiancee and I are getting married in October at the Sequoia in Georgetown.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good place to have the rehearsal dinner? We probably won't be more than 20-30 people (we better not anyway, or I'm feeding dog food to the in-laws).

Does Ray's the Steaks do private parties? How would one go about arranging this? Should I worry about my fiancee leaving me for Michael?

Thanks!!!

-Dan Cole

I saw the subject of your thread, and I opened it intending to write pretty much exactly what you just wrote.

Maybe it got crushed by the huge building that's towering over it.