mbalaver

A friend of mine went to Merkado the other night and was suprised to find that the menu had changed from Latin/Asian fusion to Latin only. She said the server said that they have a new chef. Has anyone heard anything about this or been there since the menu change?

Thanks -- this worked out perfect for me and my parents last Sunday. We got there at 10 minutes to 11 and stood in line behind only about a dozen people, so we had no trouble getting a table with the first seating. The guy behind us was the first of about 8 people in his group to arrive, and, surprisingly, the staff evidently accommodated them (spread out over two tables) even though few had arrived by 11. Brunch was great, though I should have ordered eggs, rather than French toast, to follow the donuts. The tasty and perfectly cooked bacon saved me from carb overload. By the way, it was quite chilly while we were in line, but a young girl (one of the chef's daughters?) was offering free coffee and $1.50 hot chocolate to those waiting in line. A nice touch.

My parents are coming to town for the weekend and I'm trying to come up with a Sunday brunch Plan B (Tabard was my first choice, but it's booked until 1:30). What's the drill on brunch timing at Colorado Kitchen? I'm assuming the best strategy to avoid a wait would be getting there before they open (11), but how much before? (I'd consider Creme, except I went there for brunch a few weeks ago and they were playing unbelievably loud pop music. At 11 a.m. I don't want to subject my parents to that.)

Has anyone been yet? This morning I asked a guy working at the Marvelous Market next door when Comet is opening and he said it is open. It sure doesn't look like it from the unmarked outside, but he said they were giving out free pizza last Thursday and that it's open from 6 to midnight or some such. He might have said it's closed Mondays -- I did try calling Buck's to ask about it and they are closed Mondays themselves, so I came up empty. Perhaps they are opening surreptiously to get the kinks out before the hordes descend.

The hangar steak was a great suggestion. I am assuming (and hoping) it is much smaller than many of the other options, because despite the frequent comments here about leftovers and my claim to a smallish appetite, I ate every bit of it -- as well as some of the delicious bread and the sides (including an order of the mushrooms). The whole meal, from complimentary spiced cashews to peanut butter fudge, was fantastic. (Regarding the cashews, I love places that bring you a bite to eat as soon as you sit down. It's so civilized.) I also was surprised and delighted that we had no trouble getting a table at 6:15. It's a reminder to take advantage of August by going places that are usually too crowded to get a table.

I’m going to Ray’s for the first time in a couple of nights. Any suggestions for which steak someone with a smallish appetite should order? (I tried to do my own research before posting, but I started getting carpal tunnel going through all the Ray’s posts.)

How about Hank's (not sure if it would be too packed whenever you're going)?

I couldn’t agree more. If your server doesn’t automatically bring the bread and dipping sauce, make sure you ask – it’s fantastic . The sauce reminds me of Argentine chimichurri sauce, with cilantro (I think). I often split the Afghani salad as a starter – the mint dressing raises it above the typical chopped salad (and the fresh vegetables make me feel better about all that bread I’ve just eaten). My favorite entree is the kadu buranee, sauteed pumpkin with garlic yogurt and ground beef. It’s pretty sweet, so for some the appetizer portion might be more appealing. I’ve also enjoyed the sabzi chalao, spinach simmered in garlic, onions, tomato and peppers, with lamb (like many of the choices, it can also be ordered as a vegetarian dish), as well as the chicken kabobs, which are always surprisingly moist. Many of the dishes come with saffron flavored rice. By the way, this is the same location as what used to be Khyber Pass. If I remember correctly, it changed owners around August 2001, a potentially inauspicious time. I’m so glad that it has done well – I think it’s the best restaurant in Woodley Park (faint praise, perhaps, but even so . . . ).

I feared my expectations for my first dinner at the Bistro at Restaurant Eve the other night were too high, but I need not have worried. We got there early, since no one seemed to be on the road this week, and started out in the bar. I had the Eamonn's cocktail (yuzu juice, Irish red lemonade, and Powers Irish whiskey). It reminded me of a lighter, fresher version of a sip of my grandmother’s old fashioned. For the first course I had the market sampler, a composed salad with green beans, radishes, tomatoes, macadamia(?) nuts, goat cheese, and half a stuffed egg. It was simple, fresh, and delicious, and a good segue to my rich main course: the Muscovy duck breast with blackberry preserves, duck sausage, and foie gras. I’m kind of a situational vegetarian who leans toward fish and vegetables, so this was a very daring order for me. The risk paid off. In concept it reminded me of the Rabbit Tasting a friend had at Citronelle last week, with the different preparations separately laid out on the plate but coordinating nicely. Since this was a birthday dinner, I couldn’t resist the rich, pink-frosted birthday cake. After dinner the server gave me a bag of “sweet little gift scone mix,” just in time for tomorrow’s breakfast at Wimbledon. Now I need to start rolling some quarters for a splurge in the Tasting Room.