mr food

Blue Duck served me excellent backfin lump LA crab last Friday so I suppose it depends on who your supplier is. Snyders off Georgia Avenue featured lump Venezuelan crab for $7.50 a pound which produced decent winter crab cakes recently.

Andy D'Epanier (sp) is more than just a wine guy. I have bought wine from him for 25 years and he has taught me much besides selling me such joys as Beaucastel 90, 88 AND 90 Cos D'Etournel, Caymus 90 AND 91, and 90 Philipponnat "Clos de Goisses (drank my last bottle Friday-stunning). I never remember the food at Rips being more than ordinary but a trip to their companion wine store (especially on Mondays when 2 or more bottles are 20% off) is worth a visit.

We had a nice time last night. We were seated at the chef's table which was excellent as we were doing a wine dinner and there was plenty of room for our bottles. Service was also excellent and they provided as many stems as we needed for the bottles of 89 and 90 Bordeaux we were drinking. I wish I could say the food was top tier but it just wasn't. Nothing was bad but nothing was truly compelling, IMO. Portions were large and not overly priced. I had the signature duck which was properly cooked but just not that flavorful especially the confit. Unfortunately, they had had an oven fire the previous saturday and the marrow was not available. Bryan came out towards the end of the meal and we gave him a glass of 89 L'Angelus which he seemed to enjoy ( I certainly enjoyed my glass). The entrees were served family style so we all could share which was fine with us. The foie gras terrine received mixed reviews, attractive presentation but again not that melt in your mouth consistency-they use Hudson Valley/River? foie gras in this dish like so many other restaurants The various sides were ok (mashed, spinach, and leeks which were slightly overcooked). I ordered the apple pie which was hohum-fresh ingrediants but again timidly spiced-the large portion is enough for three or four people. We all enjoyed walking around the busy kitchen and all the employees were very cordial and welcoming. In BD's defense the menu was very new so I predict the food will pick up after a week or two. We'll get back there at some point at least for the marrow.

We're dining there tonight. any recent visits/comments??

Anyone know if the semi private room is available? They're nice on the phone but the guy who handles it (Bryan) can't seem to return my calls. I'm trying to put together a dinner at the end of March.

we made a Chrismas tree ornament out of saved corks and then spray painted it gold.

We ate there recently. Decent wine list and I appreciate the freshness of the pizza-dough and ingredients . Not a worldbeater but good for what it is-glass or two and maybe a pizza to eat there or take home. My preference is to sit at the bar.

AND, it has a Stel-Vin closure, too

It was good to see Joe again after several years. The Shadow is a nice QPR if a bit light in the mid palate, very nice bouquet. Joe said he would like to stick this in a tasting of mid priced Nothern Rhones to see how it would perform. I think it would do well.

My favorite on Cordell is also what I think is the best Indian in metro DC--Passage to India. Reasonably priced Indian with a unique menu, divided into East/West/North/South Indian dishes. If you go, I highly recommend the Chutney Ni Murgi or the Chicken Makhani.

Also recommended is Faryab, a very good Afghani place just down the block.

thanks. Passage To India sounds great!

We're going to see some friends play Friday night at an Irish bar called Flanagans on Cordell Avenue and want to have dinner beforehand. What's good these days in the moderate category near the bar so we can park early and then walk?

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[The following posts have been split into separate threads:

Flanagan's Irish Pub (ustreetguy)
Buono Sera (porcupine)
Kabob Bazaar (Pool Boy)
Bangkok Garden (Pool Boy)
Grapeseed (Choirgirl21)
Parking in Bethesda (jrichstar)
Tout de Sweet (jandres374)
Freddy's Lobster and Clams (jandres374)
Pizzeria Da Marco (Pool Boy)
Jetties (jandres374)
Bold Bite (Pool Boy)
bd's Mongolian Grill (jandres374)

Red Tomato (Pool Boy)]

'bonaire said:

I used to eat at Marathon when I went to school in CP. It was a nice break from dining hall food and the Cluck U I'd order at 4 am. Plus, when most of your $$ are spent on booze, it was relatively cheap for a gyro meal.

I like the gyro from Pita Pit better.

I thought the food over priced on my one and only visit

Brooklyn's $5 complete breakfast on weekends is an excellent value. Try their home made corned beef hash.

We went to one fairly recently-a Rhone tasting. No heavy hitters so I thought the pricetag a bit steep though there were some interesting CDRs. Food was mixed-Citronelle-great and the lamb chops from somewhere were good. We all liked Butterfield 9s offerings. Overall, though it was too hot and quickly too crowded. A quick review of the burgs offered is not too thrilling but the really good ones are pretty much all sold when produced. I'd probably see what Jadot is pouring as their higher ends can be a good to excellent value, Brocard, Fevre, maybe Maufoux. FULL Disclosure: I like burgs but the inconsistency can be annoying especially given the cost of the wines. It's an expensive playground.

fried clams have been good before.

liked the 05 Monbousquet and the Pavie (a bit less) though aren't these wines surplus press juice?

98 Chante Perdrix CNDP. I've happily gone through a couple cases of this bargain Rhone (less than $20pb).

We enjoyed our meal last night. Sausage biscuits were great to start then onto the filet (poivre) and hangar steak again both delicious. Michael was floating around chatting with guests and, briefly, us at the bar. They're doing the best they can with the wines given MOntgomery County regs and we enjoyed a 97 Gran Reserva Rioja for $40 decanted by our friendly bartender/server Eewa(No idea how to spell his name). When I asked where he had worked previously he mentioned Citronelle so the wine service was no surprise. Salads were good (no charge with entrees) but the one named cress had no water (cress) so we sent it back for a tasty Caesar. We also enjoyed a glass of their house rose before the red but the glass selection should be expanded and some half bottles placed on the list; however you can take an unfinished bottle home per the new law in Maryland. Unfortunately, we were too full for dessert. The room itself is sparse but we both thought the bar stools were unusally comfortable and a great place to check out the scene. We're glad Ray's The Classics is in Silver Spring!

We'll be in Bethany Beach 6/9-14, and if anyone has a suggestion for a good, casual, kid-friendly seafood place I'd be much obliged. Seafood market suggestions a bonus. Our condo is a little north of the "downtown".

Also, how expensive are the grocery stores?

Generally cheaper to bring food/wine from DC though no sales tax in Deleware. Stop for produce on the way down-plenty of places from which to choose.

also keep in mind that from approximately June-September, it's too hot to safely ship wine so purchase from a place that will hold it in temperature controlled storage until the fall. With the rise in fuel prices, shipping charges have gone up as well.

No, not at all. Obviously he didn't have a good experience and that bothers me. I am sorry we let him down and hope we can give him a better one if he gives us another chance. I am saying that some people, no one in particular, make statements about food or drink that are ill informed and lack kwowledge. It's like saying Pizza hut has the best crust as compared to a thin wood fired pizza crust. It's totally subjective, but because its different from what they are used to, they make assumptions based on limited experiences. Bottom line it comes to different people, different opinions.

Your reply encourages me to return again, and I look forward to a better food and service experience next time.

Very curious to know what varieties of cheese were ordered.

I'll ask her if she remembers.

"but wants to have good product at a more affordable price on a regular basis".

I have no problems with the food pricing just the quality.

I am absolutely not trying to start any kind of flame war here but I must say our meal last night was pretty disappointing. Our server was very sweet but basically clueless ex. what kind of sauasage is in the prawn pasta- "Italian" . She had no knowledge of the wines and finally another waiter came over to assist and after the initial greeting left us for quite a while before reappearing; as the restaurant wasn't that full this was hard to understand. None of the food was very interesting except for the wild boar pasta and all the seafood was far from fresh and, in the case of the shrimp, overcooked. Most items were luke warm at best. The polenta and mushroom dish that I ordered as a half-size starter, while generous in portion, was ill conceived as the polenta was basically mush. My wife said the cheese plate she had tasted dry and basically flavorless. Good things-The olive oil on the table was excellent, fabulous wine list and very well priced. We enjoyed all the wines we ordered. Michael was great and told us he has been banned here for telling people to make their own judgements???

Anyway, we still had a fun evening but I really can't recommend Dino for the food. The other two folks with us are real foodies with extensive experience in the industry and they concurred with my opinions.

Montebello is good juice. Paul Draper is one of the good guys ITWB-fair pricing and quality hand in hand. I will happy to drink any leftovers Sunday BTW, what's the corkage policy as we're celebrating a new job for moi and champagne appears to be required?

Sams Club in Laurel sellls 2.5 pound bags for $13. Best price I've found and they have several different varieties (including the Cubano which is excellent). Beans are so fresh and oily they clog my burr grinder.