Keithstg

Highlights from a busy week in NYC.

Alto: Great dinner at the bar. Two courses a la carte - mackrel crudo with basil oil and fennel. Very clean flavor, could have used a little more acidity, but very good. A welcome change from the week's insipid business dinners. The pasta carbonara was also great - guanciale instead of pancetta, and asparagus rounded out the rich dish. Not cheap - two courses plus three glasses of wine was $98, but a serene experience (even during restaurant week) + the company tab = priceless.

Last night: Craftbar. Whoa, was this place packed, and loud! Risotto balls were very good, and a generous portion (3) for $7. Roasted Daurade with pea angolotti, speck, and pea shoots was also very good, and also very reasonable at $24.

Since we'll be moving up to NYC for the next 6-8months, I'll hopefully be getting to some more interesting places - right now it seems like work has me in a rut of caruso's pizza and les halles downtown (which I think is better than the DC version, for what it's worth)....

Rumors ... such rumors that I hear ....

Cos d'Estournel buys Chateau Montelena....

Last night with a couple of "Bryan Flannery" cut ribeyes - 1989 Leoville Las Cases. Elegant, and enough stuffing to stand up to the prime ribeyes. Wish we had more bottles!

Looks like burgers aren't just all the rage in Washington....

NYT on Parisian Burger Fad

I'd add the Argonaut to the list of good burgers. Good choice of toppings (smoked mozz and bacon on mine on the 4th), coarse ground beef, good brioche bun, just tasty overall. We were there most recently on the 4th - were thinking of going to Hell Burger, but didn't want to get a one month old in the car and drive all the way out there. While I wouldn't put the Argonaut burger up with CPS, Palena, et al, it is up with Bistro d'Oc, in my opinion.

What started as a pretentious bang appears to have evolved into a rather pedestrian effort. First dropping any and all smoked meats (along with the "world famous" rubs and sauces), and choosing a suburban mall location over an urban one. And then following the tried and true chain ideals of serving food that is "influenced" by every and any cuisine that the chef/consultants can dream of. Does "Fire Brushed Flat Iron Steak With Salsa Fresca and Cilantro Crème Fraiche", or "Thai Flank Steak - Bibb Lettuce, Roasted Peanuts, Scallions, Torn Basil, Oranges, and Sweet Ginger-Chili Dressing" really belong on the same menu with "skillet cobbler" and "Slow Roasted Pulled Pork Topped with Cole Slaw, Garden Tomato, and Dijonnaise"? Dijonnaise? Why not just Miracle Whip?

I am sure that the new Annapolis Mall location will provide a higher volume of customers, and in the end they may indeed put out good food, but frankly I am not counting on that.

I hope her ghostwriter really needed the money.

They serve drinks at the bars -- not the regular food places where they stop serving after the 7th -- during the extra innings.

But then some person chose to make his first ever post on this board a long slam of the restaurant, anonymously, and with no indication of having taken up his problems with the management and given them a chance to resolve them before trashing the place publicly. People reacted negatively to that post. It seems a perfectly reasonable reaction to me, and is in no way a reflection on you or your posts, and in no way an indication that Jamie is part of the "DR Blessed" and you can't tell the truth about his restaurant.

My parents were in town this weekend, and when I dropped them off at the hotel I saw the Adour sign in the lobby. Any word on if the design and wine focus will be the same as the (excellent) NY location? I'd assume so, but you never know...

So how do you know when your brisket is done when doing it in the smoker? I've done brisket only once before and it came out tasty but a bit tough.

Aside from the obvious fact that one person does not belong in the final four, I was really surprised by how ungracious a judge Ilan was.

Very cool - I'm embarrassed to say I went out and bought a bradley a year or so ago instead of trying this out. If you really want solar power for the fan I might be able to help out.

Last night at Corduroy - 2002 Cristom Pinot - maybe Marjorie vineyard, but sadly I don't remember...

J. Paul's? Isn't this place just the M Street/Inner Harbor tourist trap joint or am I confusing it with something else?

Nope - that's it.

Made it to the new space last Friday night. Perhaps the best compliment that we can give is that the experience is as good as we remembered, and the new building is beautiful! To echo JimRice, the soft shell crab appetizer is fantastic, and is light meal sized. Aside from the softshell, we ordered some old Corduroy favorites, the lamb loin and the NY strip, both every bit as good as in the old space. Service was fantastic as always, and the space is absolutely gorgeous. Thanks to Ferhat for not laughing at me as a tripped up the stairs by the second floor bar - I had my head on a swivel, trying to take everything in. We can't wait to spend more time at the new spot!

Friday night at Charlie Palmer Steak:

1977 Heitz Bella Oaks: 750ml bottle, fill at base neck. Surprisingly dark - seemed to gain a bit of weight in the glass. Aromas of oak, leather, and cassis, plum fruit and coriander. Very good - wasn't sure what to expect, but fortunately the wine inside was as pristine as the bottle looked on the outside?!

1977 Heitz Martha's Vineyard: 750ml bottle, also base neck. Darker than the Bella Oaks, and the famous eucalyptus / mint nose was very evident. Completely resolved tannins, and spice, leather, and black fruits. An excellent bottle - so glad luck was on our side Friday night!

Has anyone else noticed an inconsistency issue with CP Steak? I've had some truly great meals here, interspersed with a number of mediocre experiences. Today at lunch, everything was oversalted coming out of the kitchen, the steak was overdone, the cheesecake had a giant thumbprint on the side, etc. On top of that, the service was absent-minded at best (forgot to give us menus, placed entree utensils for dessert, forgot the specials, etc). When paying 25$ for lunch it doesn't bother me as much, but at those dinner prices, I'm hesitant to roll the dice. Anyone else have similar experiences?

Last night - 2004 Copain Hawk's Butte Syrah. Decanted for about two hours - mmmm, bacon fat and black fruits! Very restrained Syrah, definitely not a fruit bomb. We'll see what the second half of the bottle develops into tonight.

Finally watched the first episode. They definitely camped it up a bit. I was cracking up at the "Black Gordon Ramsey, 4 Star General" comments, the "Hen in Pumpkin", and that one guy's out of control tableside flambeeing, where GR says "Try not to set the dining room on fire, you donkey!"

I've only been there once, but they have a list on the wall next to the steam table of the items that they cook to order, such as the catfish. Bob's baked chicken came from the steam table and didn't give any sign of being any the worse for being there, nor did the mac 'n' cheese. The waitress told me they aren't open on Sundays now.

They may not be running the stand but I did see one of the Ali brothers (owners of Ben's) behind a concession stand checking in on things opening night.

Okay, help me out here.

I go to Ben's pretty regularly with my buddy with whom I go to baseball games all summer. He's been eating at Ben's since the Senators left town.

He said he had a chili burger from the stadium and pronounced it "Ben's in name only". Claims that it's "Aramark with the Ben's name".

Now not having tasted it myself, I'm curious.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

a friend tells me that you can get a half-smoke with the works at all of the Nats Dogs stands around the stadium as well (there are a few of them). If that is all you are looking for from the Ben's stand no need to wait out the hordes.