KeithA

Well so hear comes the menu changes too. I went back about two weeks ago for a second visit and already there were some changes. The "flatbreads" were now called pizzas on the menu and the tomato basil one we had was very nice. Very thin crust (which could use a pinch more salt for flavor) topped with very fresh ingredients of tomato, basil and mozzarella. Good size for value too - my wife and I shared it as an entree along with our apps. For apps, my wife had a second time the risotto balls and really loved them again. We hope they stay on the new chef's menu as they are one of the winning dishes so far. I had the smoked trout salad that others on the board recommended and it was indeed very nice - hopefully that will stay too. I can't wait to see what items replace the weak ones.

Been reading the book, Save the Deli, so i had a hankering for pastrami that was fulfilled greatly during lunch on Saturday at Parkway Deli. It is funny, I saw this old post of mine from almost 3 years ago and Parkway doesn't change. It is still the same eating experience as before - great pastrami on Deli Twins, corned beef was good too. Still not a fan of the coleslaw. Wife still loves the hot dog, potato knish, and ginger ale combo (although out of 2 recent trips they only had Dr. Brown's version once). Our newest addition to the regular order is the side of onion rings - very crisp and yummy. So I know there are detractors of Parkway, but for what its worth - it is very good deli and a quick zip outside the city. When we went 2 times in the last month on weekends - it has been pretty packed too, so I guess business is doing fine. Now I just need to check out Uptown Deli in Bethesda for the comparison.

We've taken our toddler several times to Open City in Woodley Park with good success. The waits aren't always great, but they have highchairs, crayons, loud noise and changing tables (although the bathroom is down a flight of steps but easily manageable). Also, went to Parkway Deli with her recently - highchairs, crayons, loud, deli - didn't check if there are changing tables though and bathrooms are small. I've never been to Dino with my kid, but I know lots of people do it and Dean, the owner, actively encourages kids and has a good kids menu - again not sure about the changing tables.

Had a very nice lunch yesterday in the new Cafe. I really like the space, nice to sit near the kitchen and watch the chefs' work their magic. The service was good, but still a bit rough around the edges - our waitress told us that all of the wait staff in the new Cafe is new to Palena, so they are still learning - very friendly and trying their best. Started with the tuna salad which was is a very refined, composed salad consisting of a good size chunk of soft-cooked tuna with a bit of greens, radish, and some really good white beans on the bottom. Overall a nice dish, but I'll likely try something else next time. My friend had the Caesar salad, which I tried and was very good and rather large. It is a romaine heart with some pieces of hardboiled eggs and lots of lemony caesar dressing with capers. My friend said there was also some sour pieces of grapefruit? in it too. The waitress originally encouraged me to get the chestnut soup minus the scallop, since i don't eat shellfish and expressed interest in the dish, but the chef clarified that the shellfish was not removable. I always hear wonderful things about Palena's soups, but as a kosher-style eater (no pork or shellfish), I've yet had the chance to try one. Crossing my fingers that Chef Ruta may add kosher-style friendly soup in the future. For main course we both had the gnocchi, which right now has mushrooms, shredded cheese, and chives on it - and sit in a pool of butter. Despite the slight heaviness of the butter shelacking, the dumplings themselves were small and light - or as my wife put it when she had the same dish a week or so ago, "little pillows of heaven." On the side we had the bread basket, which was $2 at lunch, it was a generous helping of crusty white bread and a brown/oat? bread with a sweet, nutty flavor. Overall, a nice side to munch on if you want extra carbs, but nothing knock your socks off. Unlike the really good bread I had last time at 701 which had yummy cornbread muffins, foccacia, etc. For dessert, I had the chocolate semifreddo - which was very good. Kind of like really good chocolate ice cream with the consistency of chocolate mousse - it seemed to have a slight coffee flavor too - befitting its cute presentation in a coffee cup. Can't wait to go back and try some more. I'm intrigued by the open face fish sandwich - anyone tried it yet? Also, I just checked the menu on the restaurant website and it is already out of date/changed. They really do mix things up there and as in the past it looks like their website is not keeping up with the menu changes. Most of the lunch menu online is what was on the menu yesterday, but the weekly specials were different and several items were add/missing/modified.

So what makes something "flatbread" and not "pizza"? I personally like my pizza with a thin, crisp crust (Vace nearby is a good example), so I'm confused on your yes to the flatbread the second time, when it still sounds like a pizza. I didn't try Ardeo's flatbread, but the several ones I saw on other tables looked like pizzas.

I do eat American kosher as you call it and so when we went to Ardeo on Saturday night, we avoided the kingklip since we didn't recognize the species. However, after hearing the good reviews above I checked out it status and came across an article or two showing that kingklip is clearly not an eel, but a traditional fish and most, but not all rabbis say it is kosher. So depending on how strict kosher you are, give it a try next time. I think I will. As for our dining experience, I have to disagree with the statements that the desserts are still so good. Yes, I agree they were fabulous in the past and somewhat sophisticated/complex. Now, the dessert menu is more homey with apple cobbler, molten chocolate cake, etc. Not any less good in its own right, but different (for instance before they had a chocolate date cake and panna cottas, etc.). The two desserts we had were duds I'm sad to say. The ginger spice cake was very very dry and was piled with way to much whipped cream to hide the fact. The orange sherbert that came with it was good though. The other dessert was the apple cobbler with rum raisin ice cream - the ice cream was ok, pretty strong rum flavor which I didn't like. The cobbler itself was constructed well, but the undisclosed addition of star anise (I had to check with the waitress) was a badly executed attempt to be different - the anise flavor was so strong it overpowered the apple and just didn't go. I hope the pastry chef keeps working the desserts and they get back to the old, great level quality Ardeo's desserts used to have. The rest of the meal was hit or miss, which may also be reorganizing/growing pains (we live in the neighborhood and always really liked 90% of the dishes here on the many times we went). The good: risotto balls with a light tomato sauces spiked with capers - very fresh, only lightly fried with a lot of risotto flavor (as opposed to the suppli at 2 Amys that are good, but taste more fried, then cheesey, whole lamb shank confit on the bone with citrus yogurt and gremolata-like topping - really tasty, sauce complemented the meet alot, and really big - enough for 2 to share as an entree. The so so: cauliflower side cooked in the wood oven - cauliflower was only half-cooked, not carmelized at all similar to when its roasted, but the parmesan bread crumb topping was very good - it was a shame though you had to keep spooning it on top of the vegetable to combine the flavor, otherwise it just fell off onto the plate. salt cod fritters - which like the waitress told us, look and tasted like fish sticks and not really that much better than most freezer fish sticks - I liked the mayo slaw with capers, but my wife thought the whole dish failed. Crossing my fingers that Ardeo will work out the kinks and get its quality back up to snuff in its new, more casual setting.

Anyone know if the new extension/wing is open yet? When I was in a few weeks ago, they said they were hoping to open right about now. I also heard that the plan was to keep the two parts of the restaurant (cafe and formal back room) more separate -with an expanded cafe menu which would no longer include ordering a la carte from the main restaurant. Anyone actualy been lately who can dish more?

I wholeheartedly agree. I had the duck confit as part of the pre-theater/early bird menu this past Saturday and it was really good! It is a nice size portion - but I was happy to help my dining companion finish hers Also really good was the salmon crudo appetizer. 3 small slices of porcini dusted salmon with some marinated slivers of apple on top. Kind of small - but hit the spot, especially in combo with the filling duck confit. For dessert, I had the sweet potato tart with praline ice cream and sesame wafer cookie. The tart was filling and only so so - I was expecting something lighter, but it was basically a dense mini-sweet potato pie. What made it really enjoyable though was the excellent ice cream. The ice cream did better than the sorbets that the others ordered - 3 big scoops of sorbet - date, banana, and cranberry. Date was the weakest - lots of it melted on diners plates , but the cranberry and banana were very good. I tried them all and concurred (and I really like dates). Overall a very nice meal with good service. This dinner was a special family birthday celebration in 701 small private room that can sit up to 12, i think. Great spot for this type of event.

I work very close to the Chevy Chase location so usually I don't do delivery, but over the weekend the family really wanted some chinese so we had delivery for the first time from the Dupont location. The food was ok - but boy was the delivery wait a bitch - 1 hour and 20 minutes and this is when my house is only about 20 minutes in traffic from the restaurant. I will give the delivery guy credit for a first - I've never had one call in advance to apologize for running late and then apologize profusely upon delivery. Anyways, I had my usual eggplant with garlic sauce that was very good. We also had serviceable/standard-seeming beef in broccoli and vegetable lo mein (it's what the wife likes).

Recently, I was up in NYand had lunch at the new FoodParc - kind of a funky food court with touchscreen ordering. They have a few different options - Asian-inspired items, burger bar, pizza/italian, and sandwiches plus a full-bar, coffee bar and desserts. I mostly had asian stuff which was pretty good, but a bit pricey. The peking duck bun had a overly sweet sauce - but the Katz's Pastrami egg roll was EXCELLENT and worth a trip if you are nearby at all. It was a strange combo of real good pastrami mixed in with chopped cabbage and other normal chinese eggroll vegetable and then deep-fried. Went really nice with the mustard that seemed like a mix between chinese hot mustard and good deli mustard. One of the stranger, but better things I ate. Also, the decor of FoodParc is unusual too - all white with a futuristic look - apparently designed by the guy who made the sets for sci-fi flicks Bladerunner and Tron. It wasn't open yet, but I hope to check out the more refined dining upstairs at Bar Basque when I go back. I did get a peak and it also has this cool futuristic look but with deep reds.

Meiwah is only so so - some glop but some tasty Americanized-Chinese items too. I really like their Eggplant in Garlic sauce and there black bean sauce dishes are pretty good.

The Post article was nice. As of last weekend, the renovation looked pretty far along, but still some real work to go. You can't see the kitchen from the windows, but it looks like they have walls/floors/banquettes and tables all ready to go. Can't wait to see the new expanded space.

I was at Ripple a month or so ago and I have to second the chocolate cremeux dessert - decadent and delicious. Also, enjoyed the wines steered to by the sommelier and the cheeses were pretty good too.

Great small plates over the weekend. Best was the chanterelle mushroom crostino off the specials list. Tons of great mushroom savory flavor with garlic. Also good was the caponata with a sliver of anchovy on top - a nice blend of sweet and salty. Surprisingly for such a simple dish - the zucchini romesco with smoked ricotta was excellent. I don't know what they did to the zucchini besides grill it and coat it in oil and spices - but it was really really good. Less interesting was cheese plate of regular ricotta with chives. It was a very pretty plate, but kind of bland and I didn't like the fruity mostarda which had an odd spice that didn't sit well with me. I partly ordered the cheese plate just to get one of the tarali - italian pretzel biscuits flavored with fennel. it was ok and different, but I think I'll pass next time. All of these were new and fun to me and worth a try (except maybe the regular riccota). We also had our typical order of salted cod croquettes off the regular menu which continue to be amazing. 2 Amys really knows how to fry things well. I love that this place had such good small plates that I felt like I was in an Italian tapas/pinxtos bar, not a pizzeria, and so I didn't even have any pizza. Good to remember for those who want to go and skip the pie (although I do love their pies).

Went to RTS near Courthouse for the first time last night and WOW! Just a downright excellent meal. My friend and I started with the deviled eggs which are truly sinful - and different since they are topped with steak tartare. We both really enjoyed them and I'd recommend them to anyone looking to try something different. For entrees, he got the steak diablo and I had the hanger steak. They were both so good we ended up sharing half and half. While the diablo was a really nice cut of meat with a slight spiciness from the diablo marinade, it just didn't compare to the flavorful kick of the hanger steak. The hanger steak was definitely not for people who like really tender meat (those who love filet mignon), but if you don't mind a little chewiness - it has a great beefy flavor. I should mention that my friend thought the grilled onions that come with the diablo added a lot to the dish, but I thought they were only ok - nice to have the onion sweetness cut the chipotle spice. I'm curious if the hanger steak had any type of rub or seasoning on it besides salt and pepper - the charred crust on the outside was so tasty. Anyone know? Another nice, but not necessary addition was the brandied mushroom cream sauce I ordered on the side - went really well with the hanger still. This sauce is probably great on any cut or even type of meat. The free sides of mashed potatos and creamed spinach were welcome. However, I thought the potatos were not great - maybe it is just me but they tasted like instant spuds. The creamed spinach was much better and a fine example. Because it was my bud's birthday we had to indulge in some dessert. He is a pie man and thoroughly enjoyed the key lime. I was able to sneak a bite and it was worthy of its good reputation. I had the dark chocolate mousse which was really good and super rich. A huge portion too - definitely shareable for 2 and probably better without all of the whipped cream. The other nice dessert touch was the freebie for the birthday boy. I casually mentioned it was his birthday to our server when we ordered. I was actually hoping they'd just put a candle in it - but making it gratis was welcome. (although there was no candle - guess I should have been more specific). The prices were great and all non-steak portions very generous. My great glass of malbec was almost filled to the brim and only $5 - great deal. The steak portions were just right - big enough for a hearty appetite but not gargantuan that you'd get meat sweats from eating it all. Great experience all around. Can't wait to go back!

Ok, so maybe my quick internet search for the last spring frost date was flawed. I understand that it depends on the locale, but am at a loss for how to figure out when it is. I'm in DC - anyone know when the last spring frost date is/will be? even approximately?

Now that we have a yard for the first time, we've taken the plunge and are trying our hands at growing veggies and herbs this year. On Sunday, my wife started seeds inside for cucumbers, rosemary, tomatoes, thyme, and one or two others I can't remember. The only thing is that we feel like we may have missed the boat, some of the seed packets say to start them inside a month or 2 before the last spring frost which I looked up is 3/29/10. So not sure how they'll turn out having only half that time inside before that date. Cross your fingers.

My wife and I are thinking about participating in a CSA for the first time. Any suggestions on a good farm that either home delivers to or has a pickup spot convenient to NW DC? We're also looking for a farm that does half-shares as the food would only be for the 2 of us. Thanks.

To answer my own question - The Kosher Pastry Oven in Kemp Mill/Silver Spring is one of the best places in the area for sufganiyot - check out the Post article today: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121004167.html?hpid=artslot I knew of this place, but was hoping to find something in NW DC and that was open on Saturday. So please do share if you know of any other bakeries that carry sufganiyot or even really good donuts. Everyone else who has time to trek to Kemp Mill should check out the Kosher Pastry Oven.

So while latkes are usually the food of choice in our house for Chanukah, last year a friend brought us delicious sufganiyot - donuts, usually jelly fiilled, which are the most popular israeli chanukah food. So now we have a hankering for some sweet chanukkah sufganiyot to balance the savory latkes. Anyone know of a good local place that sells sufganiyot around chanukah? While some people just buy regular jelly donuts, israeli versions are typically lighter and fluffier than your average american donut. Thanks.

A friend wants to take me out for a cheapish belated b-day dinner and suggested Mama Ayesha's. I haven't been in awhile and don't remember it being all that great. Please give me any advice whether we should go to Mama Ayesha (if so, tips on dishes to order) or other better places in a similar price range in Woodley Park, CP, or more upper NW. Thanks.

So I just got my first grill. A gas Char-broil unit with 4 burners. So far I've done hot dogs, tuna, veggies, and chicken a few ways. Each with increasingly better results. I'm looking for some good recipes for rubs, sauces, or whole dishes. Please share. Also, I'd appreciate any grilling tips as I'm knew to cooking. So far I've realized bug spray helps when cooking outdoors.

Another story on the same credit card skimming ring in Wired: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/03/washington.html

This location is really more downtown on 19th between I and K st (close to Farragut West metro). It looks like they are almost done with the construction. I'm sure they are hoping to get the happy hour crowds from all of the office buildings nearby.

Had a nice meal for 3 at Posto on Saturday night with some hits and misses. Started with a pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, roasted peppers and bits of goat cheese which was pretty good, but not super great. The pizza was a good size app for 3-4 people to eat get a slice or two and was good as an app, but I don't think I'd go there just for the pizza with all of the many better choices in the city (i.e. 2 Amys). I had the tagliatelle pasta with pheasant ragout which was pretty good, but lacked a reall depth of flavor to make it great. Also the pasta was clearly made in house, but I think could have been cooked a bit longer (it seems a bit tough) and I like al dente pasta. On the other hand, my 2 dining companions both had the tortelli with spinach and walnut filling in a light parmesan sauce which was awesome. They were super happy with their choice and I agree after my wife was nice enough to give me a taste. This was a really good dish, worth going out to dinner for. For dessert, our friend had vanilla gelato which she liked. My wife and I shared the mixed berry cobbler with port reduction which both didn't like that much. It comes in a tea cup and the cranberries and port sauce were too tangy making the dish taste off, instead of a sweet dessert and there was so much sauce that the "cobbler" was really a thick creamy berry soup with a bit of crunch instead of a crust. The space is nice and table spaced well, but it is all open so it was a bit loud. Service was just fine.