Keithstg

19 hours ago, franch said:

i think it only seems natural that i'm the one to start this thread, eh?

in any event, Laura Hayes profiled French Quarter Brasserie recently. gone are the most comfortable bar seats in all of history. in is a spin-off of a Cajun-inspired Fairfax spot. 

So did those chairs end up on Rasmus or has someone involved with the place kept them?

Great subtle dig in the article as well: "Not a lot of people have seen the location, so we're not planning on a lot of modifications" Zing!

Following on to this, there is an excellent documentary on Jeremiah Tower out now called The Last Magnificent. I believe that it opens in DC soon. Saw it in NY - they do a great job capturing a complex guy, and don't gloss over the fact that Alice Waters plagarized her entire first cookbook from Jeremiah.

"Review: Jeremiah Tower Doc 'The Last Magnificent' Sizzles from Start to Finish" by Joshua David Stein on eater.com

I haven't been to Masa in a number of years, but I have to say that a Masa/ Le Bernardin combo for a quick visit to NYC is pretty much my ideal trip, price be damned. Nothing like them in DC.

www.walephotos.com

Wale is a former colleague of mine, and while he primarily shoots weddings he also has come to our office to take headshots.

To Don Rickles. One of the all-time greats.

Peter Meehan confirmed the shutter via email today. This is a shame - one of the only magazines I truly looked forward to reading.

"Behind Magazine's Closing, Colliding Visions" by Tejaj Rao on nytimes.com

On 3/14/2017 at 5:52 PM, Kibbee Nayee said:

I have been a member of the Tower Club in the past, which counted the Franklin Club at 13th and I Sts NW (Franklin Square), as well as the City Club at 13th and F Sts NW (Columbia Square) as its other two properties. The Franklin Club has since closed because of falling memberships -- these clubs cater mostly to the Federal business development community, with the occasional law firm or lobby firm in the mix.

The initiation fee for the Tower Club and City Club has dropped to $1000, probably in an attempt to lure more members. In addition, about $250 - $270 a month in membership fees are charged, which are typically covered by corporate expense accounts. And on top of those fees, each meal is charged -- although breakfast at the Tower Club is one of the best deals in town. It's a buffet with an omelette station, for something like $9.95.

Yes, but those are ClubCorp run establishments, and have a fraction of none of the history of the other entities you list. Consequently they will struggle in comparison to the more long-lived and exclusive clubs (like the Metropolitan for example) - many of which are struggling themselves. With respect to how these entities survive (or don't) it seems to be a combination of a few things - offering new amentities aimed at younger professionals (e.g. day spa, improved athletic facilities and events for families), prudent management/ investment of funds and endowments and long-term ownership of their locations. Any slips on either of those three fronts can trigger a death-spiral.

As to the Cosmos Club and it's survival (which is not in question, but was mentioned upthread), just look at the club's Real Estate. If the board felt like selling Hillyer House (and removing the connecting bridge) they could fund the club's continued operation for many years.

15 hours ago, lotus125 said:

Has anyone seen any ramp dishes on spring menus yet? 

I believe that Tarver King had some on the Patomack Farm menu last week.

13 minutes ago, Pool Boy said:

 And, if you have not had their Rick Flair cocktail, you really should try it. Mmmmm.

Don't you mean "Wooo"!

Another option, and I would absolutely go to Le Bernardin btw, is DB Bistro Moderne.

There is one open in Winchester as well.

17 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Where did I dine?

More specifically (and fairly, because I know of only one person here who might guess the restaurant), what is it, and how much did I pay for it?

(To put things in perspective, note the size of the tongs on the fork.)

PS - Don't worry about the price question; I mistakenly thought it had cost $10 more than it did, and I had smoke coming out of my nostrils.

Bearnaise?

I've used Trevino Trucking (trevinotrucking.com) to deliver vehicles ranging from a Grand Wagoneer to a Volvo P1800 to a 356 cabriolet. They do a great job - something to consider.

On 2/19/2017 at 11:19 PM, DonRocks said:

I'm always confident and eager to answer people's questions such as this; I honestly don't know the answer to this. 

Anyone?

Times like these I wish Etrusco was still open with George Vetsch behind the stove. Both i Ricci and La Perla are in decline - the former having had a good run, the latter not so much. More casual than you are thinking, but what about Al Tiramisu? Service is more laid back than "correct", but the food will be better. Assuming you don't need to be around the West End, I'd say Tosca. Still rock solid.

I haven't been to Villa Mozart in years, but one perspective - were I to attend a professional group meeting in DC I would be FURIOUS if we had to drive to Fairfax City (or anywhere outside the city for that matter) for dinner.

11 hours ago, Rovers2000 said:

Realm was on my list...I'm actually debating which wines from my allocation to purchase.  Would love your thoughts on the winery itself and which wines you've enjoyed from them since it would be my first time purchasing.

Great! I am a big fan of the winery, and have been buying since their second vintage. Of the single vineyards I typically buy a case of Farella, as coombsville cabs really seem to suit my palate more than the beckstoffer's. Of those, I prefer Dr. Crane. I typically do a case of farella and a half dozen dr's. No experience with the white wine or Houyi.

That said, I do love the blends, and buy the Bard and Tempest in quantity each fall. To my palate they are ripe, but still remain lithe. Jammy and mouth-coating are not words I look for in wine (or anything really), and I think that Realm is a great example of walking the tightrope between correct (to me) and too ripe.

The wines are built to age as well. Still drinking 04's and 05's which have a lot of life left. Haven't touched anything newer yet.

Realm. Outpost. Copain. Failla. Harris Estate.

ok, so more than one, but all different and worthy of consideration.

Wow - what a shame. Unfortunately, I think we can expect several additional restaurant closures in this neighborhood in the near future. Betony was aces.

8 hours ago, Bart said:

What's the relationship between the two places?

Sandy Lerner owns them both.

2 minutes ago, twj410 said:

That's too bad. It's such a unique place in a great location.

Agreed. Right now the *only* things on the menu executed with any degree of consistency are the shepherd's pie, chicken pot pie and superfood salad. Any meat cooked to temperature is a challenge.

Hunter's Head is in serious decline. While I have enjoyed going there for years, we now head to HH due to proximity as opposed to the expectation of a good meal. Consider this past Friday - of our group, two entrees were sent back - a lukewarm pot roast and a severely undercooked Rib Eye (blue as opposed to medium). While I have praised HH previously and repeatedly as a value and as a good dining option I can't do so any longer. Maybe ownership is distracted by Gentle Harvest's opening and eventual expansion, but Hunter's Head will be off our radar for at least a while now. Caveat emptor.

2 hours ago, DaveO said:

.  For a long period of time from its inauguration it served among the best food in Tysons.

A relative term, to be sure.

1 hour ago, Ericandblueboy said:

What's the Rasmus auction?

Rasmus.com

13 hours ago, southdenverhoo said:

have more words ever been written on this site about a place that served so few meals? 

no insult intended to the principals, in whose shoes, though less publicly and dramatically, I have stood...

The only restaurant that may come to mind is Indian Ocean waay back in the day.

Wow, how undercapitalized was this place?!? Or, how skittish were the investors? Not much of a lead time to set a new direction, budget, etc etc.

On the plus side, I guess I can look forward to bidding on those reindeer chairs in the next Rasmus auction.

Had a very nice meal at the Ashby Inn last night and seems like Chef Whitaker (Tom, not Patrick as I incorrectly stated above) is settling in well. The majority of the menu hasn't turned over yet, as he just started four days ago, but Chef Whitaker has high ambitions for the restaurant. Dinner will largely remain the same with a tasting menu option alongside typical a la carte menus, but lunch service will see the Inn adopting more of a Pub fare menu. Given how awful our meal was at Hunter's Head this Friday the pub menu will be a most welcome addition.

Started off the meal with the rabbit en croute - basically a rabbit pot pie. As I've mentioned before, this is a standout appetizer and perfect for the winter months. While I know this is Patrick Robinson's dish it would be great if it stuck around on the menu for a while.This is a very generously portioned appetizer - one member of our group had it for an entree.

Main course was a venison loin with potato puree and mushrooms in a red wine sauce. The venison was cooked to a perfect medium rare and the sauce was a great match for the venison and the earthiness of the mushrooms. I'd have liked one more slice of venison loin for the price, but a very well executed dish. My sense is that the entrees will gain some complexity as Chef Whitaker gets his bearings, but this was an excellent first impression.

We finished by sharing apple beignets alongside popcorn ice cream. The beignets were excellent, however I now know why popcorn ice cream isn't available in every grocer's freezer section.

The wine list remains strong - we had a couple bottles of '09 Donkey and Goat Syrah which paired well with the rabbit and venison.

Had a thoroughly mediocre lunch at Passionfish in Reston this week. I can understand that business lunches are the rule on weekdays, and I was there for a business lunch as a matter of fact. That said, was it really necessary to push soups out a minute and a half (or less) after they were ordered. Crab and corn chowder was hot - but that was the defining characteristic. Little discernible crab flavor or nuance, and some odd bell pepper notes which really detracted from the corn flavor.

Decided to double down on crab and order the crabcake sandwich - the "boardwalk" fries were great - perfectly fried and well seasoned with Old Bay. The crabcake was insipid. Again, little discernable crab flavor, and a lot of mayo used as a binder. Both sides of the crabcake were seared a bit too hard as well, making the whole thing a bit awkward as the top and bottom of the cake were leathery and the inbetween pretty soft.

If this is the best Passionfish has to offer, and the best in Reston Town Center, I'll be looking elsewhere for lunch for the forseeable future.