Jonathan

6 minutes ago, Pool Boy said:

We'll miss you dude! Is Julien still at North Fork Table & Inn?

No, Julien is working at 8 Hands Farm in Cutchogue as they are startung to expand their offerings in their farm store. 

They have built a beautiful kitchen and butchering space in the barn as well as a killer trailer with a smoker, pressure fryer and more parked on the farm.

the farm has sheep, chickens for eggs and roasters, pigs and a beautiful organic garden.

My wife and I are moving out to the North Fork of Long Island in October. While it is difficult to say goodbye to a city and metro area I have called home since basically I was 6, we couldn't be more excited to move out to a place we have come to love.

We will keep you all posted on the places to eat and drink up there...as well as the happenings of friend Poivrot Farci.

1 hour ago, Steve R. said:

When we returned, I remember chatting with someone on this board who is (was?) the chef at the DC location.  Am I right... isn't he a DR.com member?

I was the chef at Ghibellina, which is owned by the same group that owns Acqua Al 2. Though I was never the chef at AA2, and I don't think any chef there is/was a member of DR.com.

8 hours ago, funkyfood said:

i went to pho 75 in rosslyn with my girlfriend 3-4 months ago after hearing how great it was.  perhaps we got a bad batch but it was almost entirely devoid of flavor, the way low-fat oreos taste compared to regular ones. we haven't gone back.

It could just be subjective. There are all different pho's in this city that seem to appeal to different people. For example, my friend loves Pho Hiep Hoa in Wheaton. I went once and really enjoyed it, and the other time it was nearly inedible. It was so fragrant with clove I found it totally unpalatable.

Hey Don, please add chef and baker Nathan Hatfield to the title of this thread. He deserves to get some recognition.

On 7/22/2016 at 10:55 AM, DonRocks said:

Jonathan, I'd personally love your opinion of your favorite 3-4 pho houses in the Pho thread - anyone who has eaten it 300 times in the past 3 years has covered some serious ground. Feel free to quote me here as a lead-in.

For me, the standard for Pho is Pho 75 in Roslyn. I have eaten Pho in NYC, DMV and Philly and I think Pho 75 in Roslyn is the most consistent, nuanced and clean tasting broth, much like Frank's vaunted consomme. The owners son claims his dad likes the broth at the Hyattsville location the best out of all of them but I haven't been yet. 

14 minutes ago, Laura H. said:

Ordering the spicy lemongrass pho is a must here! I said half spice and I thought that was hot enough for me. My boyfriend ordered it full spice and regretted it, unfortunately, later. Service here was somewhat off-putting but you come here for the food so just take it in stride. I wish I could order differently but I always get the lemongrass pho, because it's so unique, each and every time.

I have to disagree on this. To me, the spicy lemongrass pho is not pho at all, and never once satisfied my craving for beef noodle soup (which I have eaten religiously for lunch twice a week for the last 3 years).

In fact, I think the Pho here, in general, is so hit or miss that I no longer frequent it. (I've also seen a huge rat running freely in the restaurant, between the kitchen and the dining room, but that's another story).

So happy for the nice people at Bahn Ta. They were packed today!

 

I have a random question that's not big enough of a deal to warrant its own Help Needed thread.

erin79 will be meeting up with her friends at Convivial for brunch.  I'd like to take our 3 year-old son somewhere within close walking distance for a much more casual lunch.  The places that came to mind first (Dino, Zenebech, A Baked Joint) are all slightly too far away -- I will have just landed from a redeye after several days of fun in Vegas, so trying to minimize further transit.  Any other ideas?

Is the Royal close enough? Or Shaw's Tavern? Or Kafe Bohem?

Bangin' review from Sietsema today in the WaPo.

Both he and Kliman mention how portions are bigger than apps and smaller than entrees, with Sietsema calling it refreshing and not adhering to trends. This seems counter to everything I have encountered at restaurants recently. They are all providing "shareable" dishes that are smaller than entrees. And it is this trend that I am not quite getting. The Dabney, Sally's Middle Name to name just a few, also do this. And while their food may be delicious, along with Convivial's, I just don't get it.

I've now eaten there three times and have not had the time to write something longer, but I absolutely love everything about this place, and have not had a bad experience. I've also been able to just walk in on two of those occasions and be seated nearly immediately. The winter vegetable salad that they have on the menu right now is terrific. 

I'd love to hear more when you have time. It's on my list of places to get to soon.

Menu is ambitious and heavily mole focused. I have hopes it could be a fresh voice in the otherwise pedestrian DC Mexican food scene

I think this is a very valid discussion, not snipping at a place before it even opens.

If you hire PR and promote a place for months (or even years) before the stoves are turned on, and then come out of the gate with a $150 per person tasting menu, you should expect a certain type of lively discussion and realize that it might not be for everyone. While we live in an affluent area and I'm sure most of us here COULD afford a meal there...I am choosing not to go (and I could imagine quite a few others will not go as well).

Let's not forget, Komi was an ala carte restaurant for years before it became the Komi it is today. He progressed to the point he is at now, and I respect him all the more for his growth and trajectory. Kwame could be a rare exception, but until I hear credible people telling me I am missing the meal of a lifetime, spending that kind of change on food is not my cup of tea, or soup or whatever you choose your metaphor to be, 

You're just a jealous fuddy-duddy well into a twangy Traveling Wilburys kind of rock star decline.

Touche...But Tom Petty still rocks.

A few criticisms and a compliment to the Egg Hash Sandwich with Salsa Verde and Masa Bread:

The two most dominating parts of the sandwich: mayo and a cabbage type slaw, were not listed on the menu and were a bit of a surprise when I got the sandwich. Also the salsa verde (I love salsa verde in all its forms) was pretty much non-existent.

The whole sandwich, even the toasted bread, was room temp or cold. Perhaps they are pre-toasting the bread.

The sandwich was a nice size for $7.50 and the side of sliced dried chilies were a nice smoky, spicy complement.

Lastly, and most importantly, the amount of waste with the wrappers and the boxes and the bag and the plastic containers with the chilies, was a bit staggering for a breakfast sandwich. I do hope they find a way to remedy this.

This is season 13 of the show (is it still drawing a large audience of viewers?). The DC market has restaurants by at least 6 contestants (Mike Isabella, his partner George, his other partner Jennifer Carroll from Philly, Spike, Voltaggio, and Marjorie). I'm not sure what a 6th place chef would draw in this market. Kwame seems like a nice guy but his strong point seems to be southeast Asian cuisine, which Little Serow sells at less than $50 per person, not $150 per person.

Seems to me George, Mike, Marjorie, Spike and Voltaggio (along with Carla Hall) are all doing pretty well for themselves.

Never underestimate what PR and being on Top Chef can do for a guy. Something tells me he isn't trying to attract people who are savvy;on DR; or are scouring far away strip malls for the best cheap eats. More likely going for the folks who are excited to eat the food of a pseudo celebrity chef with a "good story."

But honestly, at this point in my life I'm not willing pay $150 per person (and upwards of $500 a couple) to eat the food of Frank Ruta: chef with a wealth of experience, technique and a pretty amazing cannon of delicious dishes filled with nuance and depth.

I wish Kwame the best of luck, but this is an extremely bold move for any chef striking out on their own for the first time, let alone such a young one with so little experience.

Count me as one who will not be gracing the doors of that restaurant. I'm sure he has a wonderful story and is a talented cook. But this is not what I am seeking in a dining experience from an inexperienced chef.

I don't understand how an entree type dish that is meant to "share" is so small. Shouldn't shareable dishes be bigger than a typical dish? Where did this all come from?!? Tapas in Spain are served behind a bar and you can literally eat one shrimp or one piece and be charged for that...this whole small plates/share thing may be related to that but it is so far removed from what actually happens at a Spanish bar that I have a real difficult understanding where this whole thing was born from.

This is a very exciting opening and great addition to the city.

I highly recommend ordering the Kanom Krok for dessert next time you all are at Baan Thai.

They are just the warmest, most delicious, perfect sweetness, dessert for a post-blizzard treat...attached is a photo of what they look like, though the photo is not from Baan Thai.

If you are with more than one other person get two orders.

i really like the tofu from thann son, and get some to munch on while browsing and more to take home and cook with. they often have special items like spring rolls near the register and those are usually quite good. i wish i knew the name but there's a great boba/iced coffee place on the side of the mall perpendicular to Thanh Son (if you're facing Thanh son, it's on your left. i wish i could remember the name, but maybe someone else does). you can enter it from either inside the mall area, or from the parking lot (taking a few steps down). i love their iced coffee-so rich and sweet with both boba and little coffee jellies and i recently had a papaya drink there that was fantastic-clearly made with fresh papaya.  

The place you are referring to is my go to spot for steamed and roasted pork buns. They are amazing (and 6 for the price of 5....they get me every time) and the woman who runs the store is extremely friendly.

I always thought it was Rob's restaurant....learn something new every day.

The Brisket with Long Hots is quite delicious too. I think about that sandwich quite a bit.

The one small issue I have with the bouillabaisse involved plating. Since the big bowl is meant to be shared, it would be helpful to provide small bowls to the table to hold the broth. 

Does anyone else think it's kind of misguided to serve a dish such as boulillabaisse "family style?" To me, you have to plate it table-side or serve it for one; otherwise it's just awkward.

Baan Thai has been my go-to delivery Thai for a year plus now.

Last night I decided to eat in for the first time, because I just didn't want food that had been compromised by being steamed in the containers, and I wanted to see just how good Baan Thai was, eating the food there, constructed properly.

I can unequivocally say that Baan Thai has the best curries I have had in the DC area. I am a huge Bangkok Golden/Thip Khao/Little Serow fan, but the Khao Soi and Northern Thai Pork Curry are just on another level than the other stuff around down. In comparison to the competition, they are thicker, richer, more flavorful and don't have random chunks of undercooked red peppers and raw chunks of eggplant (both huge pet peeves of mine) floating in the broth.

I also love their choice of using a whole chicken thigh and nice chunks of pork shoulders in their curries rather than the ubiquitous thin sliced pieces of leaner cuts of meat at most Thai restaurants. The meats at Baan Thai are always so freakin tender and actually add richness to the curry.

We also ordered a Crispy Catfish Salad that was a part of their "Winter Specials" which was outstanding. Spicy, sour and extremely well balanced, just like all of their food. In fact, I love spicy food, but I have never had to augment any dish I have ever gotten from Baan Thai. While it doesn't have the name recognition of a Monis or a Seng, this place is serving some pretty amazing food at the moment.