Marty L.

44 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Thank you, cheezepowder. Can anyone confirm that the adjective is "Lao" and not "Laotian?" I guess I never knew, so used something that "sounded reasonable."

I believe, but am not certain, that "Laotian" means from the country of Laos, whereas "Lao" is an adjective referring to the particular ethnic group, who might or might not be in Laos (e.g., Lao Isans in northern Thailand).  My sense--but I'm happy to be corrected--is that "Lao" is much more commonly used by people from Laos.  More to the point for present purposes, Chef Seng refers to "Lao food."

13 minutes ago, saxdrop said:

Made a Sunday post-Dunkirk swing through. 

Went full on chalkboard specials: Whole Crispy Snapper, Shrimp in Tamarind Sauce, Fried Soft Shelled Crab, Banana Blossom Salad

I clearly undervalue this place since I don't eat there at least weekly - I need to reevaluate my priorities. Lone complaint this round was none of the items brought any heat, but I "chalk" that up to being specific to the dishes themselves and not a change in the kitchen's mission. Also the riesling they had by glass was a garbage August Cellars option, but that's not so much a complaint as a warning.

Had the banana blossom salad (with shrimp) last week -- great.

On 7/24/2017 at 0:53 PM, Simul Parikh said:

Got the pork - peanut skewers and golden fried pockets to start. The skewers were very tasty, and the sauce that it comes with wasn't even necessary. The fried pockets are really cute and tasty, comes with a sweetish sauce.
...

"golden fried pockets" brought this to mind (which I'm sure is a far cry from what's served at BT!)

4 minutes ago, Simul Parikh said:

Interesting ... I'm more cost conscious when dining, much more than regular posters... but, in my experience, Mirabelle just didn't get that level. You go to normal steak houses that charge this much.. and ...The Fiolas. Metier/Kinship. Convivial. Le Diplomate. Omekase at Sushi Taro. Izakaya Seki. P&P. As mentioned above, Komi. Many more... I'm not even a huge fan of Mirabelle's cuisine, but hammering on them for price seems a little odd. It was expensive. As dining in DC tends to be. Nothing over the top... 

I agree.  Mirabelle would be slightly less pricey with a different address, and if it were trying to attract a different clientele.  But Komi and P&P are much pricier.  That's why I suggested its lack of (relative) popularity is mostly a function of location and, especially, formality/stuffiness, real and perceived, more so than the factors McArdle identifies.

32 minutes ago, hopsing said:

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-07-21/when-a-restaurant-is-simply-perfect-not-novel

Megan McArdle identifies some of the reasons people aren't flocking to Mirabelle, but she neglects the two most important:  location and, especially, formality-bordering-on-stuffiness--both of which are largely responsible for the prices (which she does mention).  It was obviously designed for an expense-account, business crowd. Which, along with the prices, keeps the crowds away.  And that's a shame, of course, because she's right: there's no one better than Frank Ruta.

(FWIW, I've only been once, two months ago, and thought the food was, not surprisingly, wonderful; but since then I haven't thought once of returning, largely for the reasons stated above.  By contrast, I *always* yearned to go to Palena (the "front room" cafe before expansion, especially), though the food was no better there.)

Case in point:  Komi.  Virtually everything McArdle writes is equally true about Komi, and Johnny Monis. Except that it is even more expensive. Yet it is booked every night.  It's not very hard to see the differences that are the cause of the disparity.

3 minutes ago, Gadarene said:

The ara yaki here is probably my favorite dish in DC right now (it's that or the marinara pizza at Etto, now that the carrot cake is off the menu at Tail Up).

The meat left over from butchering fish for sashimi, broiled on the bone with salt and lemon.  So simple, so ridiculously good.

It's long been a fave.  (That carrot cake was amazing.  I'll have to go back to Etto to try the marinara.)

I get the sense that a lot of great places--most of them very familiar--don't get very much play on the boards these days, perhaps because there's not a lot new to say about them (which is, generally speaking, a good thing).  There have also been a slew of new and intriguing openings in the past 12-24 months, many of which haven't been reviewed very extensively here.  I was hoping, therefore--and Don encouraged me to post this here--that I might entice many of the regulars to give us a sense of your "favorites."  What I'm looking for is not your "10 Best" lists--this isn't intended to be a recapitulation of, or correction to, e.g., Sietsema.  What I have in mind, instead, is something like a list of the places we most enjoy going to regularly.  Which places stand the test of time?  And which newer spots keep you coming back (at least for now)?  

The criteria for these lists are, roughly speaking, three:  (i) great food, of course; (ii) consistency; and (iii) relative value, or bang for the buck.  That wouldn't rule out, e.g., Komi and P&P, because they might be worth the steep price; but what I'm really looking for is inspiration for what ought to be in my regular rotation.  For me, anyway, there's a fourth criterion in play, too:  Most of the places on my list are, not coincidently, restaurants where there's obviously a real investment in the enterprise by both the kitchen and the front on the house, and at which I (and many other patrons) always feel welcome.  Perhaps it all adds up to something like this:  What are those places you don't feel any trepidation about choosing--no fears of a bad meal, a (relative) waste of $$, or an impersonal "scene"?  Or, the converse:  the restaurants that you are invariably happy to revisit.

Ten is a fairly arbitrary number -- feel free to include fewer, or more.  When enough of us have weighed in, perhaps there'll be some mechanism by which our consensus views (if any) can be shared more widely on the site.  My list, for starters, looks something like this, in no particular order except that those at the top are the places I go to most frequently and/or that I love most unconditionally:

1. 2 Amys

2. Little Serow

3. Thip Khao

4. Tail Up Goat [full disclosure: my kid works there]

5. Seki

6. Daikaya Ramen

7.  Indigo

8. Sichuan Jin River

9. Amoo's

10. Maketto

I'm fairly certain that Hazel, Himitsu and Timber could soon be on the list, too, after further visits.  Perhaps Kyirisan, too.  And of course Bad Saint, although I expect I'll rarely be able to get a table there.  (I haven't yet tried Ruta del Vino, among other places.)

Other favorites include:  A&J, Arlington Kabob, Baked & Wired, cf folks, District Fishwife (for lunch and, well, fish); Dairy Godmother (although I haven't been since Liz Davis left), Donburi, Drift, Hong Kong Palace, House of Mandi, Kabob 'n' Karahi (which might make the Top 10 if it weren't so far from me), Mi Cuba Café, Mi La Cay, Nido (and perhaps Mola, soon), Northwest Chinese Food, Pho 75 (Rockville), Pimento Grill, Ray’s the Steaks, Rose’s Luxury, Sushi Taro (esp. for chirashi or ramen at lunch), Taco Bamba, Takumi, Teaism, Thai Taste by Kob, Thanh Son Tofu, Vit Goel.

Little Viet Garden might make the list if it turns out to be as good as Banh Ta Deli was—but I’ve only been once, and it was good then, not great.

I’ve eaten at Full Kee and Jaleo (downtown) more often than anywhere else save 2 Amys, and they can both be great, but they aren’t quite as consistent as they once were.  Bar Pilar is another old favorite that seems less consistent nowadays.

R.I.P.  Palena, Eat the Rich w/Julien Shapiro, Proof/Estadio as they once were

7 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said:

Any idea what the line situation is on Saturdays? 

Different from week to week.  Generally speaking, if you're willing to eat on the late side, just go at around 5:30 or 6:00 and tell them that; most days you'll be ok.  If you want to be in the first sitting, good idea to be there by 4:45 or so.  In between, it's very hard to predict . . . .

On 7/15/2017 at 7:10 AM, porcupine said:

We just got back from a 13 day trip: four full days in the Faroe Islands (Føroyar) followed by five full days in Copenhagen, and although I loved the latter, I really wished we had spent two more days in the Faroes.

This is not a destination for everyone. The main reasons to go: appreciate the bleak, beautiful landforms; hike; birdwatch; experience a modernized yet still traditional country that does not yet have a well-developed tourist industry.

I could write pages and not do it justice, but will try to get a few details in. If you're considering going, please post questions in this thread and I'll happily answer them.

Getting there: currently service is offered by Atlantic Airways (the Faroese national airline) from a handful of European cities, and SAS once daily from Copenhagen. Also there's a ferry from Copenhagen and Iceland but that takes days. The shortest route from the US would be through Iceland, though you have to change airports. 

Weather: temperatures range from the low 30s in winter to the low 50s in summer. Summer is drier but still wet - kind of like Seattle, not pouring rain but light rain and mist, frequently. Bring all your raingear and dress in layers. The main issue here is wind. One guide told us that last Christmas Eve, they had a storm with winds at 70 meters per second. 

That's 156 miles per hour.

That was an unusually strong storm, but winds can make travel to and within the islands challenging, and I've read that pilots consider the airport at Vágar to be one of the most challenging commercial airports in the world (Mr. P did not appreciate me reading this to him while we were on final approach). Be flexible in your plans, because boat and helicopter service are frequently canceled or delayed. And the weather is extremely difficult to predict with any accuracy. Just dress appropriately and be adaptable. The weather may be fine half an hour's drive in another direction.

We stayed in the Hotel Føroyar just outside the capital, Tórshavn. It was described everywhere as the best hotel in the country. It was rather like a very nice motel. This is not a place for luxury. Tip: ask for a room on floor one, which is above floor two. Our room on floor two had a weird odor which was so bad on the second day, we asked for another room; they were happy to move us, explaining that the odor was "a known problem." An evening walk on the property led me to believe the problem is the septic system. However, the rooms are reasonably spacious, clean, and comfortable.

The Faroe Islands is not a foodie destination, although there is a Michelin 1 star restaurant (KOKS). We didn't eat there. We had some very good meals (call it the Noma effect), and some good food. Nothing was extraordinary, but neither was anything bad. One dinner was fish and chips at a village convenience store. It wasn't great, but it was hella better than a lot of fish and chips at DC restaurants. I'd say on average the quality of food is rather good, just don't expect fine dining or service or you'll be disappointed. The range of ingredients is limited: not much grows there. Expect fish and seafood (especially salmon, as salmon farming is the major industry), lamb, bread (really good bread, actually), potatoes, other root veg, and rhubarb.

This is probably reading like a hell-trip, but actually we loved it. Absolutely loved it. We're going back next summer.

They don't exactly have a tourist infrastructure, but they do provide for visitors. For example, many of the villages are too small to drive in, or have no place to park. So there's a small parking lot at the entrance, and frequently there's a WC there as well. Every building we went to was impeccably clean, sound and sturdy.

These people take pride in their land, and it shows. They have rules, only a few simple ones, and so long as visitors follow them, it will remain a delightful place to visit. Mostly the rules come down to common sense and courtesy. Like, stick to the paths in the infields, the trails in the outfields. Don't harass the sheep. Close the gate.

Most of these villages will have a little cafe that might serve something savory, but more often than not offer just coffee (espresso, really) and "vafur" (waffles), which are always served with rhubarb jam and whipped cream.

I'd read that the Faroese were reserved, and think that's generally right, but at the same time they know hospitality. In one village a man had set up kaffi & vafur outside, but when the rain started, he moved us into his kitchen, where we sat and chatted with a Danish couple. In another, a woman gave me a coffee - we walked into her shop (ground floor of her great-grandfather's house), and she said "oh you look cold, I'll get you coffee". I tried to buy a sweater she had knitted, but I didn't have enough cash, and she couldn't take a credit card. So she gave me a slip of paper with her bank account info and asked me to deposit the amount into it within the next two weeks.

How can you not love that?

Faroese is the official language, but everyone speaks Danish and almost everyone speaks at least some English. 

Roads are generally good (better than Iceland), but some of the tunnels can be challenging (think one lane, unlit, and five kilometers long).

There are sheep everywhere, including the roads (though I think the Faroese build better fences than Icelanders do). Watch the road. And watch your step, because with sheep everywhere comes sheep droppings everywhere - including the entryway to our 5-star hotel. Seriously.

The hiking is challenging. There are some mostly flat hikes, but the topography is such that mostly you're walking up and then down. After one hike our iPhones registered 4.5 miles walked, 170 flights of stairs climbed. As you ascend, the weather comes in - the mountains catch or create the clouds, fog rises on the slopes, and sometimes when you reach the top you're socked in and can't see a thing. Sit still for 45 minutes, maybe it will clear up a little and you'll have a beautiful view, maybe not.

There's a new excellent hiking guide online (here), and free copies of it at the airport and tourist info centers. Read it and pay heed to the warnings. In Mykines there's a memorial to men who've lost their lives at sea; on the other side is listed the names of people who have fallen to their deaths from the cliffs.

I'm not kidding. It happens. Poor footing and fog are a dangerous combination. And I heard tales of scheduled helicopter trips being canceled because the 'copters were needed for search and rescue ops. This is an inconvenience for the tourist but a real problem for the residents, because many of them depend on those helicopters for supplies and transport, so much so that as a tourist you're only allowed to travel one way by helicopter, and must take a ferry the other way.

Oh, and ferries are frequently canceled because of rough seas. People get stranded on some of the smaller islands. Those islands have no accommodation for visitors. Do your homework and be prepared. And if you're prone to motion sickness, consider getting a scopolamine patch.

Back to food. Favorite restaurant: Áarstova, by a mile. Simply prepared food but a little elegant rather than plain. Coffee: Brell Cafe in Torshavn (they roast their own beans). Kaffihúsið is good, too, but they use beans from Iceland (Kaffitar). Breakfast: just eat at the hotel if it's included in the room cost, because unless you want to eat pastry and eat it late, you won't find much of interest. Good pastry: Paname Cafe. Good fish and chips: Fisk and Chips (really, that's what it's called). All of these are in Tórshavn. In Klaksvik, Fríða serves a good cup, with nice pastries.

That's all for now. Again, happy to answer questions/provide details for anyone who's considering going.

FWIW, Tyler Cowen opines that KOKS is perhaps the best restaurant . . . in the world!  

https://tylercowensethnicdiningguide.com/index.php/is-koks-the-best-restaurant-in-the-world/

9 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

This statement caught me off-guard, but after thinking about it for two minutes, you may be correct (are you including BlackSalt?)

Haven't been to Black Salt in a long time, for two reasons:  (i) Have always thought the value/cost ratio was less than ideal (but that's true of many very fine restaurants 'round here); and (ii) had heard rumblings of downhill alerts with chef changes, etc.  We have, however, had several fine happy-hour meals there in the past, at more reasonable prices.

Black Salt might well be the best D.C. restaurant west of 2 Amys, and perhaps even better than Afghan Bistro.  But if the latter is half as good as reported here, I suspect we'll frequent it much more than we do Black Salt, if only because it'll be much more affordable.

18 hours ago, Marty L. said:

Where?!  (Be still my heart.)

Just checked:  5100 Macarthur, just south of Arizona; Sept. expected opening.  It might well immediately become the best restaurant in DC west of 2 Amys.

On 7/6/2017 at 6:40 PM, lhollers said:

100% in agreement.

Went with three others (myself and another are both former roommates of [new homeowner!] Chef Kevin's, and two others were in from out of town) on Saturday night. Amazing, as always. Walk in, say "please tell Chef to send out whatever he wants," say the same to Carlie, and settle in for the night. Funnily, Kevin's [also a new homeowner!] girlfriend and a big crew of our homies rolled in right after us. We got seated as a 4-top right away (this was at probably 9:45 pm).

Fryer is on point - fried oysters were fantastic, plump and juicy and oceanic and paired with a bright green garlic spinach puree and dusted with fermented spinach powder. There's a new-ish squash dish that's Kevin's take on elote, covered in cojita cheese and popped sorghum that looks like mini popcorn. Charred radicchio was good, but you have to like bitter flavors. Composed raw fish dishes are still the Chef's forte; the hamachi with a fish sauce, thai chili, and orange vinaigrette has been on the menu since Day One (still great), but he has a new dish of bigeye tuna and compressed watermelon that's visually gorgeous and really, really delicious. Karaage because of course, and cabbage e pepe because innovative. Favorite dish of the night was the new tomato and strawberry salad that @jca76 referenced above - the parsley and tarragon puree that sauces this dish is insane. Bottle this, please. 

@Gadarene couldn't have put it better: this is one of the best restaurants in DC, hands-down.

No Supreme Court Justices when we were there last night, but nevertheless a fantastic meal.  Basically agree with all that lhollers writes above--the elote (popped sorghum!), hamachi and strawberry/tomato/insane parsley-tarragon sauce were particular favorites.  I really liked the rapini dish, too.  And the nigiri--wow.  Best ikura I've ever had, among other things.

What a wonderful addition, to Petworth and to DC.  (Is that now the best eating/drinking block in town?  Chantal Tseng honoring Zadie Smith this weekend, btw.)

On 7/7/2017 at 8:09 PM, Kibbee Nayee said:

they now have a lease in Palisades

Where?!  (Be still my heart.)

4 minutes ago, lhollers said:

Went with a few others last Thursday night, and had the same experience we always do - super fun atmosphere and service / outstanding food. Highlights for us were the spicy laab, the pork curry (more like a porridge, and super good with the crisp raw vegetables alongside), and (surprisingly) the shrimp toast, which was almost like a pate spread into a warm brioche loaf. Note: the lamb ribs are straight-up not good. I love Erik, I love James, and I love the place...but the lamb ribs just aren't a good dish. Tough, stringy, gristly; maybe we got a bad batch, but the fried chicken here is just too perfect an entree (and the whole fish too perfect a substitute if you aren't feeling chicken) to waste time trying the lamb ribs. I get the intent, but the flavors and execution weren't there. 

But, takeaway: still hip! still fun! still great food!

Thanks, Mark and lhollers.  It's been too long and I'm hankering to get back.  
 

Any recent dinner experiences/recommendations?

5 hours ago, funkyfood said:

$48 for a half chicken, salad and potatoes...

GRILLED RETTLAND FARMS CHICKEN half chicken, confit potatoes, summer salad, spicy schmaltz vinaigrette — $48

and a bit of schmaltz

You're making a big mistake if you don't go to Little Serow in the next four days for what might be the best Golden Mermaid menu yet.
 

Week of May 9, 2017

lon pla duk
warm catfish relish / coconut / yellow bean

gaap kai buu
coconut husk / mud crab / shrimp paste

laap pla gapong isaan
barramundi / galangal / rice powder

kanom bung na gapi
shrimp toast / khi nu chilies / tamarind

suki haeng pla muk
glass noodles / squid / garlic chives

pla tod
whole fish / salt cured ginger

sankaya chae yen
frozen custard!

$59

** sorry, no substitutions; dishes may
contain coconut, even when not listed

9 hours ago, nmorrell said:

We ordered and shared...

brown rice bread, house-made ricotta, shoot salad and granola

Vouvray Sec, Clos de Rougement

The pici is (are?) simple but amazing.  (One other tip:  The bread dishes are indeed delicious but very filling.  If you don't order one, order an unadorned side of bread and butter instead.  TuG has the best bread in town, IMHO.)

2 hours ago, Ferris Bueller said:

This place used to be packed all the time and on our way to the Cactus Cantina two weeks ago it was literally a ghost town at 5:30 PM on a Monday evening.  Ok, so Monday nite is a tough nite, but CC was ramping up and pretty busy when we left.  2 Amys still had many tables available.  Not sure if something has changed recently or just the time we were there.  We have enjoyed 2A many times in the past, but it always required a lot of planning or waiting in line to get a table.  Food has always been great.

On Sunday they were packed solid from noon onward until at least 8:00.  Many items 86'd very early on.  Go figure.

5 hours ago, DaRiv18 said:

The District Fishwife in Union Market has been offering a tuna poke for the past year.  

3 hours ago, Mark Dedrick said:

And salmon poke!   

Which is a great rendition.

11 hours ago, dslee said:

On March 10, 2017, I enjoyed the most extraordinary and exquisite tasting menu by Ryan Ratino and brilliant wine pairing by Jose Marie Aguirre!  Wow, this is one of the most exciting fine dining experiences in DC!

• Oyster & Mignonette! 
• Foie Gras, black pepper, rhubarb, sauternes, rye pancakes!
• Carolina Pink Shrimp, mushroom miso, scallop, noisette, en barigoule artichokes!
• Spring Nettle Agnolotti, snap peas, crosnes, green garlic, kalettes!
  • note:  I am unable to discern if it was due to the culmination of so much enjoyment or soley this dish. This dish is so exquisite, uncontrollable tears of joy poured from my eyes!  I can't recall the last time I had such an experience.
• Pheasant, spring onion, black garlic, morels, huckleberry!
• Citrus Ambrosia, tapioca, sherbet, meringue, mango!
• Foie Gras Truffles, cherry, hazelnut, milk chocolate! 

dslee:  The website shows a four-course (not seven-) tasting menu, with options of all or most of these dishes, for $59.  What was the cost of the seven-course?  And the cost of the wine pairing?  thanks

Sietsema gives it 3.5 stars.  Dinner menu here.

3 hours ago, dracisk said:

Tom's take.

The lagman pictured looks like the lagman I ate in Beijing back in the day, except that the lagman I ate was always made with cuminy lamb. I'm anxious to try this place.

In light of the problems that plagued them early on (see upthread, discussing waits of well over an hour for food), this passage is downright shocking:

"Like greyhounds out of the gate, the food at Dolan Uyghur races to the table. Order a few dishes at a time, then, to prevent your entire meal from showing up in minutes."

If true, good for them for figuring out how to fix what might have been a fatal failing . . . .

4 hours ago, Bart said:

All good things to say from Tom Sietsema of The Washington Post.

Darn -- now we'll never be able to get in on the day of, after seeing the menu . . . .

8 hours ago, dracisk said:

I studied in China for 6 months in 1993 and used to frequent what the foreigners called Uyghurville in Beijing for Uyghur food. 20+ (!) years later I don't remember too many details, but I do remember a lot of lamb. I'm surprised there's not a lamb section of the menu (but there are some lamb dishes). Nevertheless, I'm very excited to try this place!

Stopped by for carry-out yesterday.  All of the food looks delicious, both on the large menu and coming out of the kitchen.  Alas, in the 20 minutes or so that I waited for my food, several different seated parties walked out, having been waiting an hour or more for their food.  It's a very small kitchen, and they simply haven't yet figured out how to keep up with the demands of a full-service restaurant.  And that was with the place only half-full.  (Seeing that others were still waiting who had been there far longer than I, I cancelled my order, which they had not yet begun preparing, in order to ease their burden.)  

This is a shame.  They must have paid a fortune for the space; and the (extended) family running the place seems lovely and very hard-working.  I hope they do figure out how to operate--which would probably entail consulting with others who have done this sort of thing before.  (I don't know if more prepping is what's required, or if there are simply some things on the menu that are unrealistic given the logistics of the kitchen.  Or something else.)  As I said, if the food is as good as it looks, this could be a wonderful addition.  For now, however, you might want to tread gently--go, if at all, at non-peak hours, until they've figured it out.