Principia

Hit Wasabi with the +1 tonight. It was almost full the entire time we were there, including a couple of large party rotations. I'm sure business will pick up even further once their liquor license comes through. I have to wonder if the lack of alcoholic libations explained the heavily female skew to the patrons. [Yes, we know kaitenzushi is meant to be on the quick, but we were seated at the back end of the line.] As you enter, you'll be handed a small menu card. Its front enumerates the different price levels of the plates, and lists sides, soups and desserts. The back side lists beverages, including the beers and wines they're not yet allowed to serve. I doubt folks want me to get into a complete listing of the menu itself, or all the dishes we saw when we were there, but here's the skinny on the plates: Yellow - $2.00; Orange - $2.75; Red - $3.50; Blue - $4.25; Purple - $5.00 Some folks - including our waiter - confessed to having difficulty distinguishing between the red and the purple colors on the menu in that lighting. However, the plates themselves are sufficiently differentiated... as long as you understand that the purple plate is violet, as opposed to the almost-magenta of the menu. Our meal: I had zucchini (tempura) nigiri, avocado maki, spinach with sesame sauce, avocado and pepper tempura roll, sunomono, salmon anticucho, and green tea mousse. B had salmon nigiri, salmon sashimi, salmon tiradito, and tuna maki. We split orders of freshly steamed edamame and shrimp dumplings, and a bowl of gingered strawberries (the latter including 1) indeed, not enough ginger and 2) what I'm guessing is the same raspberry sauce used on the spring roll dessert). The tempura rolls I had worked quite well despite the theoretical temperature issues. The battering was very, very light - even for a tempura - which I imagine explains its continued edibility past the usual 5 minute mark. The anticucho was pleasantly tart and spicy, featuring an accompaniment of mashed potatoes. (Some of the chicken anticucho that went past us later featured rice instead.) In case you're wondering, yes B is a bit salmon-obsessed... but the tuna in the nigiri was tiny, and wilted to the point of practically shriveling up off its bed of rice. We didn't even see any tuna sashimi go by. The tuna in the maki was sufficiently protected to keep its lustre, though. The green tea mousse was light and refreshing, and the layer of mango sauce at the top is a nice touch. That having been said, I can't imagine a dish that looks more like a fridge experiment gone awry when it gets stirred. I'm not sure whether the waitstaff have yet been trained to keep an eye on what patrons are snatching up the second it comes out of the kitchen, but one thing they (or the kitchen) should learn is that when several parties ask after a particular dish that never made it past the first two tables, making several more does not equal making another three.

Just got back from sharing another superb Ray's experience with my +1, my mother, and her best pal, D. happy tummy My mom and D didn't understand why I'd wanted to stick my head in early to put our names on the list. Then they saw the line just to get in the door at 5.30. Having been admonished previously for failing to introduce myself, I made sure to give Chef Landrum the secret handshake this time around. In the interest of full disclosure, we were treated to demitasses of the heavenly crab bisque, and a healthy portion of blackened scallops and shrimp diablo. Mom's eyes bugged out of her head and she asked if Michael was going to be the best man at our wedding. For dinner, collectively we had the petite filet with brandy mushroom sauce, the petite filet au poivre, the salmon diablo, and a dinner order of the blackened scallops. The +1 also ordered (and managed to almost entirely down on his own) the broccoli crown, and then there were of course the ever-delicious customary sides. I have to confess I was rather famished, so I actually managed to finish all of my dinner (as opposed to my box-wielding companions). The +1 and I then split a dark chocolate mousse... and I was set to promptly melt into a puddle on the floor. The service, as has been my experience previously, reflected a staff who likes where they work, and who know how to be attentive without hovering or becoming obsequious. But everyone knows from my previous posts that the +1 and I love RTS - even though it's an occasional treat, due to the distance - so I figure I'll share my mother's and D's impressions. They were absolutely blown away by the quality, and D in particular, as she's a fairly regular patron of Morton's and swears she's never had anything there to even touch what she had tonight. Additionally, they were truly impressed by the value of the meal - by comparison we'd had dinner last night at one of their favorite restaurants in Leesburg, and the bill had been at least half again as much, and that with the two of them only having appetizers. Both enjoyed the neighborhood atmosphere immensely, and their only regret was that they were so full that they didn't have room for dessert. T minus 7 and counting to the Ray's The Classics dinner - I can't wait to see y'all there!

The +1, being a Philadelphian, loves him some scrapple. He prefers spicy, and usually eats it with syrup on... although on our last trip back up to his hometown, we saw scrapple with syrup in it (a la maple sausage).If you're too afraid to try the actual thing, apparently the meatloaf at the Old Dominion brewpub comes out quite close in texture and spiciness.

Because he's drawing comparisons to that other infamous Al, Al Yeganeh of Soup Kitchen International? Although I've certainly never heard of Mr. Yeganeh calling a customer a DFB, serving people wildly out of order, or taking 45 minutes to give someone their soup. I think a "M'am, he placed this order earlier today," would've sufficed.

Does anyone have specific recommendations/discommendations for caterers 'round these parts? The +1 and I are looking at somewhere between 50 and 100 people, either at Great Falls Grange or at the City of Fairfax's Old Town Hall, next spring. Investigations thus far have turned up the following possibilities: 3Citron Catering by Windows Occasions Caterers (although I'm given to understand they're rather pricey) R&R Catering RSVP Catering An acquaintance also mentioned that "somewhere" in the vicinity of Rosslyn is a regular monthly open house-style tasting party featuring multiple caterers on a rotating basis, but was unable to provide further details. Has anyone heard of this particular series of events?

Hence the plot (such as it was) of Smokey and the Bandit. The ever-helpful Wikipedia informs me that this was because Coors was/is not pasteurized - and hence was not legal to be shipped where it could not be under constant refrigeration. Apparently these regional limitations continued until the '90s!

I don't know where the trend started, but to me it's always been reminiscent of people who get vanity plates that describe the make or model of their car. I mean, does one really need a plate saying "99 BENZ" to tell one that he or she is in fact approaching their car?

From CG's June newsletter:"The Doors are Opening in DC! Mark your calendars for the week of June 12th! The doors of our new shop at 919 F Street NW in Washington, D.C. will be opening and we can't wait to welcome you in. As you enter the door, come prepared to enjoy the sight, the aroma and the taste of farmstead and artisan cheeses. It is all part of the experience in exploring the world of handcrafted cheese and discovering new favorites. Lynne Kirchner, our shop manager, and her staff will be ready to help you!" And this may have been mentioned before: "In addition to selling the farmstead and artisan cheeses that Cowgirl Creamery has become known for, the shop will also be selling charcuterie, local breads and wines. Come visit us!"

I can't confirm the closure, but I note from the health inspections record that they have a chronic problem with a non-draining wokline that was periodically backing up into the kitchen, a problem neither they nor the mall management seem to have figured out a fix for. The last major inspection indicates that the HD was going to institute "enforcement inspections" if the problem wasn't fixed as of about a week ago.

In the interest of topicality, here's my report on last night's visit to RTS: Our three-top arrived at about 8.20, and we'd figured on at least an hour's wait. I was a bit worried that we might not be able to get in at all (given the stated waits at the 6.00 hour), but Michael cheerily took my name, and gave us a guesstimate of about 8.45. He took our cell phone number in case a table was to open up sooner. Best laid plans and all, my original figure ended up being closer to the mark. If we'd been a two-fer, I'm sure it would've been sooner. It's certainly worth the wait, but Michael did express chagrin that he hadn't been able to deliver on his original estimate. Short of standing behind a group of lingerers and intoning "GET OUT," ( ) I don't really see how much control he can hope to have over when a given table departs. We started with the spicy cashews and a bit of bread, and then moved on to baby greens salads and a bowl of the crab bisque. The bisque was excellent as always, and much appreciated by all 3 members of the table. The +1 and I ended up benefitting from H's deep-rooted hatred of raw tomatoes... those babies were scrumptious. I postponed trying out the scampi to make it a chateaubriand for 3 (when in Rome). Or 12, depending on how hungry a crowd you're travelling with. Despite our best efforts, we still ended up with a spare person's worth of take-home, with the +1 winning that particular game of Rocks-Parchment Paper-Fish Scissors. For dessert we had the dark chocolate mousse (mmmmm), and the white chocolate mousse (which was all the +1's, since neither H nor I like white chocolate). Grace notes included the considerate presentation of our teetotallers' wine (San Pellegrino) in a marble wine cooler, the addition of some strawberries to accompany the mousse, the cups of hot chocolate, and Michael's generous sharing of his cashew preparation method. And yes, we were good little eskimos and were out of their hair by the 90-minute mark. H has now added Ray's to her (very short) must-return list, so I expect to be back there to try the scampi soon. I can't wait!

Per hillvalley from the OpenTable thread: "From the official OpenTable sales kit: One-Time fees: Set-up and Activation is $1295 per restaurant which includes the computer console, configuration, installation and training. Monthly fees: $199 for technical support & marketing Cover fees: It's $1 per seated cover if they go through the OpenTable site...the party must cancel through the system or call the restaurant to cancel them out or else they are considered no shows. The restaurants are not charged cover fees if the reservation cancels prior to the reservation. If the reservation is made through a link on the restaurant's site, they are charged a $.25 per seated cover. Phone reservations made manually are not charged. There are tons of other fees associated with the system depending on what you want/need...desktop software for the back office, remote access, card printers, the 1000 pt. club, etc."

You could always refer them to The Cheesecake Factory. If they're screaming at you, I think they might have a coronary when they find out the wait over there often runs to the three hour mark. And then neither you nor any other restaurant would have to put up with their barbarism again. I'd suggest perhaps "Our Guests" instead of "Sir or Madam" (a little more squishy/friendly), and "before asking to be seated" (potentially keeping them away from the host stand altogether). The fact that you haven't resorted to the all-bases-covering list of slaps upside the head that adorns some menus/websites speaks to your patience, good grace, and desire to elevate the level of discourse. Edited to add: Since when does not wanting to get yelled at for having a wait for your tables equal an elitist attitude?

If I recall correctly, this problem has gotten so bad at Tryst recently that they were considering shutting off their WiFi on weekends. I say more power to 'em. I'm almost afraid to imagine what will happen to these places when municipalities start installing omnipresent free WiFi. If I were an owner, between that and all the damn cell phones, I'd be thinking about turning the joint into a giant Faraday cage: I think there's even a company that does signal-blocking paint now. I mean, I've hung out at Tryst or the Amphora similar places for a few hours myself - but only with a group of friends, and only when we're continuing to order food and drink as time passes. Otherwise y'all should be hanging out in someone's living room, y'know?

Pretty much anything stew-like or that is meant to retain moisture will both travel and also reheat well. For my two cents, I think the phenomenon of upscale restaurants doing takeout is generally a capitulation to that segment of their clientele who demand to do things their way rather than do the food justice. Dammit, I don't care what you think, you only cooked the food! Now gimme!

I'm not quite sure why they couldn't have just called the flavor 'Half & Half', which would be the non-offensive equivalent... although I'm sure they assumed Americans wouldn't have the faintest clue what they meant. They could've just called the thing 'Chocolate Stout', for that matter, and it would've more accurately reflected the flavour's contents. On a pedantic note, a half & half and a black & tan aren't quite the same drink: the latter is made with Bass (British, hence B&T), the former with Harp (Irish). Having been stuck at work until 2:15 in the morning, I didn't get free B&J's of any stripe. Oh, well.

Well, then M. LeDuff misrepresents himself on his own website, because he portrays La Mad as a member of 'Groupe LeDuff', not some random company he happens to invest in.

Now that sounds like a Checker's (or a Rally's, the former having bought the latter a few years ago).

If there was ever a Checkers in the Tysons area and I've somehow missed it while regularly traversing the corridor for 30 years, I may cry.

Nope. Perhaps you're thinking of the Arby's that used to be a bit further up 7? Anyhoo, the nearest Sonics to here are in Ephrata, PA (that one's brand-new) and Williamsburg. There are also several in the Newport News/Hampton Roads area, which is a bit further away except when I'm down there for Nekocon. According to their newsletter (yes, I subscribe) they are in the midst of an expansion push for more outlets up north. As to the reputed Sonic in Fredericksburg, I'm guessing Mel's friend may have been thinking of the Rita's Water Ice that is indeed down there.

They did indeed say at the time that all the city areas in the top 10 or so would looked at very closely. For my part I put in a postcard for anywhere in the DC area (so as not to split my vote), but suggested Alexandria, Arlington or Bethesda as probably the best places to drop what would hopefully be their first one in the area.

As a person involved in this exchange who's actually been in the building in question, I have to query exactly what about RTS would involve not being wheelchair-accessible? It's a completely flat space in a single-floor building - and Guajillo, its immediate neighbor with a very similar floorplan, does not earn that designation from the W'tonian. I'm especially surprised given that both the City Paper (http://restaurants.washingtoncitypaper.com/restaurant.php?rID=635) and AOL CityGuide (http://cityguide.aol.com/washington/dining/search.adp?page=detailDetails&id=118133342&layer=venues) label RTS (to my mind, properly) as 'Wheelchair Accessible.' Back to the topic at hand: WTOP's Bob Madigan just talked about the Fran O'Brien's closure from the vets' angle. Perhaps this won't go quietly after all...

Ahhh. Turning your back on a customer to continue a phone conversation is just rude, no matter who the customers are. I'm guessing if he'd stayed facing them then there wouldn't have been an incident. I'll point out that Tom is the one who decided he needed to post publicly about what sounded like a private bitching session. He does seem to love the drama.

The guy was being an asshat, but that having been said: why should the host of a restaurant in New York City be expected to recognize two Washington chefs on sight? I think Mark & Michel's point was not that they were affronted because they weren't recognized (and thus not treated as celebrities), but rather that the host shouldn't be treating any customers that way. I imagine Tom's point in posting the complaint was to say "See, it happens to guys like us too." I would also question what the GM thought the utility was of calling the host to tell him to serve the customers coming in the front door, thus preventing the host from, well, serving the customers coming in the front door. And why the relationship between the host and the GM is (was?) such that the host didn't feel he could tell the GM to hold while he helped out two customers.

Is that crickets I hear? At any rate, in case the person who was wondering about Japanese pastries happens to wander by, I believe that Todd Kliman might have been referring to Minamoto Kitchoan (http://www.kitchoan.com/E/index.html), which is located across the street from Rockefeller Center (and also happens to be right near the Kinokuniya bookstore). I highly recommend paying them a visit if you get the chance.

The only time I've ever made a panic call like this is when I saw my card had only been authorized for the exact amount of the bill not including the server's tip! I didn't want our waitress to get stiffed, so I rang 'em up. She happened to be working again that day, and was able to verify she'd gotten tipped out properly. I never did figure out why the initial charge was only for the amount of the tab; maybe that's state law in Pennsylvania or something.