Marty L.

A very nice comeback story.  I haven't been to K&K because I try to avoid the Wharf.  I can attest, however, that the cheesesteak place in Union Market is really great. What worries me:  He dreams of running “a bajillion restaurants.”  Never a good idea.  

On 4/5/2019 at 12:16 AM, lekkerwijn said:

February-March 2019 Update

Cellar Door Provisions - Described by Bon Appetit recently as the most perfect little restaurant in Chicago. We agree because it is just our type - intimate and local, seasonal and produce driven food with just the right amount of sprouting and fermentation.  Its a welcome diversion from huge, hearty, meat and potatoes that seems to dominate Chicago in winter. Very small but well curated wine list or you can go next door to Chicago's best natural wine store, Diversey Wine, chose a bottle for $10 corkage. This is our new favorite place in Chicago. 

I was just at Cellar Door on Saturday morning--and I agree.  (Don't miss the great bread, even if "only" as part of a tartine.)

Mi Tocaya Antojeria was wonderful, too.

2 hours ago, FranklinDubya said:

I'm thinking of going to 2Amys for dinner tomorrow night (Saturday) for the first time and since a lot of y'all seem to have eaten here a lot I wanted to ask a few questions:

• It seems like almost everything is good but for a first time patron what would be the must orders?  *Seems like anchovies for sure from this thread, specials generally seem strong and I definitely want to try two pies.
• Does it make a difference sitting at the wine bar versus the main dining area?
• How long is the wait typically on a Saturday?  I'm thinking of going on the earlier side and maybe having a drink nearby while waiting. 

Will you be on your own?  If a party of one or two definitely sit at the bar.  

Anchovies.  A well-done Norcia is a good idea -- as is the sausage/artichoke special pizza, if it's still on tomorrow night.  The fava bean crostini, if it's still on menu tomorrow.  The pio tosini legato prosciutto.  There will be porchetta--get it if there are two or more of you.  These three items tonight all sound good--but might not be on the list tomorrow:  Sicilian style cara cara orange and anchovy salad/braised artichoke with minty green sauce and lightly aged pipe dreams goat cheese/gently pickled cucumbers with local honey comb and sheep ricotta.  A combination of vanilla and blackberry chocolate chip ice cream.

2 hours ago, Tweaked said:

Yes Sicilian.  They offer two types now, instead of three.  Sicilian and Cantabrian.  I've only ever had the Sicilian.

They were amazingly delicious last night.  (Was that you at the bar at 8:00, Tweaked?)  As were the "tortilla española with a few cute little chorizos," the artichoke braised with carrots, lemon, fennel, and pine nuts, and, as always, the pork cutlet panino.

12 minutes ago, mikew1 said:

I love the steak specials, I just wish 2Amy would cook it closer to medium rare.  

Closer than what?  Mine last week was on the rare side of M-R--which was just right.

Did anyone here realize that i Ricci even continued to exist?  (No reviews here in a dozen years.)  Apparently it's one of the very best places in D.C., just as it was in the 20th Century.

28 minutes ago, DIShGo said:

The cumin lamb is outstanding. Can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes.

The "shrimp toast" and the green bean dish are addictive.

4 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Yes, and the location is remarkably tiny.

And the food is remarkably yummy.  Please don't tell anyone--it'll be overrun soon enough.

6 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Since we have the Eating on I-95 between DC and Jacksonville, FL thread, why not have an Eating on I-95 between DC and Boston MA thread?

I'll start it with Ikaros in East Baltimore, less than a mile off of I-95. I know there are some Greek restaurants opening in DC, plus we have Nostos, Trapezaria, etc. I've been to all these places, and I'm telling you: Don't listen to anyone but me. Ikaros is in another league compared to anything we have in the DC area.

In fact, I had what was arguably the best $25-ish entree I've had in the past year there a couple of months ago - Ikaros Seafood and Phyllo ($25.95). I'll start a Dining in Greektown thread, and also an Ikaros thread if we don't have one, but this place was just unbelievable (come to think of it, it was the night of the Super Bowl, and it was virtually empty).

Just go and get this dish. To borrow a quote from "Deliverance" ... "Don't say anything, just do it." Buzz aside, I would take this meal over both Woodberry Kitchen and Rye Street Tavern - all you need is a glass of Ouzo for something like five bucks.

I also had the Bakalarios Tiganitos ($26.95), which is essentially Greek Fish and Chips, and better than any version in the DC area, but too monolithic for one person alone - bite-after-bite is the fish dipped in the Skordalia, and halfway through you're looking for something, anything, other than this taste (even though it's a wonderful dish) - this would be a good dish to split among 2-3 people.

About a block or two away, I saw this sign which I could not believe - this was in a completely different establishment, and has nothing to do with Greektown restaurants.

BTW, don't bother with Samos - trust me, I went twice (one time carryout for Avgolemono Soup and Moussaka). It's a cash-only, family-owned BYOB about a block into the neighborhood, and open since 1977, but local charm aside, it just wasn't that good, but they get full credit for being the only place open during a snowstorm.

Shouldn't this also be in the B'More Section of the site?

23 hours ago, Tweaked said:

The bad news:  Porchetta Wednesday is no more. If you need a porchetta fix go on Saturday nights.

The good news:  The rest of the stuff is as tasty as ever.  Plus Miguel and Tammy working the back bar. 

And just take a look at this, which I'm told was, not surprisingly, sold out by 6:00 or so. 

gets off to a remarkable start, wholly apart from her Chez Panisse review:  Five reviews covering seven restaurants, and three other ("meta")essays, as well!  Unfortunately, the Chronicle won't let you access more than a handful, so I haven't been able to read most of them, but those I have read make me very eager to follow her and check out some of the restaurants she loves.

2 hours ago, TrelayneNYC said:

It doesn't look like the SF Chronicle's new restaurant critic likes Chez Panisse.

Or maybe, she just doesn't get it.

The reason why I love the restaurant is precisely because of the simplicity of its food and the lack of ambition.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/The-fantasy-and-reality-of-dining-at-Chez-13650410.php

I think it's an very well-written review, thoughtful & honest (and respectful, not snarky).  From what little I've seen she's a refreshing new voice; kudos to the Chronicle for choosing her.

2 hours ago, JBag57 said:

Last-minute Hail Mary here, but does anyone have any recs for West Palm Beach, near Ball Park of the Palm Beaches?  Casual preferred.

Good luck with that wasteland!  You might give this a try, though I've never been. 

This confirms what an absolutely terrible breakfast town D.C. is--truly, the nadir of the otherwise creative and burgeoning dining scene here.

On 2/2/2019 at 10:16 PM, mnnchas said:

I'm heading to Montreal this spring with my family (wife and two kids under 9).  Does anyone have any recommendations for eating with the family?

I have Schwartz's for smoked mean and St. Viateur for bagels on my list already.  Thanks!

Just a head's up that, alas, Le Comptoir Charcuteries et Vins, about which I raved above, closed in 2017.

9 hours ago, Marty L. said:

Just a head's up that, alas, Le Comptoir Charcuteries et Vins, about which I raved above, closed in 2017.

A bit of research uncovers that the chef is now running this place, Comptoir Sainte-Cécile, which has only a few counter stools.  By the looks of it, I'd definitely check it out for a casual lunch or brunch.

5 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said:

My youngest has speech therapy on Little River Turnpike at 8:15 a.m.   Afterwards, I wanted some brunch.  We could've gone back to Yechon or Gom Ba Woo but I thought we give this 24 hr joint a try.  

We only got 3 banchons - kimchi and two kinds of marinated daikons.  The bulgogi was pretty good.  The mandoo were very black peppery, otherwise not much flavor.   The kimchi jeon (pancake) was too thick and flavorless.  

This thread was for the Elliott City location, which I believe has closed.  Is the Annandale one related?

Uh-oh:

"a distressingly expensive and mostly *lousy* sashimi Omakase at Takumi."

Any other recent experiences? Is one location better (foodwise) than the other now?  Any dishes that are must-orders or musts-to-avoid?

4 hours ago, lotus125 said:

How was it different from other Golden Mermaids?

Much was similar, but there were a handful of amazing small bites to start (incl. a scrumptious octopus dish), a huge plateful of enormous, sweet prawns to dip in the lobster roe, and one or two dishes more than usual.

"Enhanced" New Year's Eve Golden Mermaid was spectacularly good. That is all. 

Finally made it for "brunch" yesterday. The way to think about this is not as a very pricey brunch (albeit way cheaper than hotel brunches and the likes of Fiola Mare), but as an early, bargain Sunday supper.  A couple of the items are vaguely reminiscent of brunch food (e.g., the ricotta "pancake" pictured above), but in truth it's simply three excellent, delicious Jon Sybert dishes for less than you'd pay at dinner!  (I had the pork belly and tagliatelle, both fantastic, and a nice semolina custard.)

It's also really nice to be at TuG during the day, in the light--quiet, peaceful, and, as always, as welcoming as any place in DC this side of 2 Amys.

Disclosure:  My son works there occasionally.

4 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

I apparently didn’t get enough of Katz’s last month, we went back this morning.  At 9 a.m.  there are plenty of tables but no table service 🙁.

The kids complained that the pastrami wasn’t as good as last time - maybe they just weren’t hungry, or don’t appreciate fatty luscious beef first thing in the morning.

I washed the sandwich down with a beer and burped satisfactorily.

"but no table service"

To repeat: One should not use, unless you must, table service at Katz's.

I'm gonna go way out on a limb here and speculate that this is the only restaurant in the DMV whose website touts the chef having served both Barack Obama and Kim Jong-Un (with photos).

From the looks of those horrifying photos (esp. the "epic shrimp burrito"), I think you'd be much better off, in the Dupont area, stopping by the Surfside shack and/or MIKKO.

Soft opening there yesterday for Chef Seng Luangrath's new, casual outpost of Thip Khao/Padaek, called Sen Khao.