Tujague

Same here, which shouldn't happen to a Richard Dreyfuss look-alike. I got carded at Halo the other night; the bouncer said it wasn't to check age but to sure everyone had a valid ID on them. Haven't heard that one before.

Bob and I made our first visit to Annie's in nearly a year last night. Following their makeover, the menu got ridiculously overpriced for even more middling food than before. Now, it looks like they've tried to return to something a little closer to what they used to be, but with a much smaller menu and some trendier offerings at more reasonable prices. I went for what I think was called the "Working Man's Burger," with gorgonzola and bacon (I don't understand the name connection either), and I'm glad to report that Annie's burgers are still perhaps the best thing on the menu, even in this fancier guise. Perfectly cooked to medium, the cheese was flavorful but not overpowering, and they've changed the bun to something that can hold up better to the juiciness without being insipid. The fries were nothing special, and $11.95 is a bit steep, but it was a worthy effort. Bob opted for the chicken pear salad ($13.95)--the sort of thing that never would have appeared on Annie's menu a few years ago--and it was good-sized and attractively arranged. The chicken looked a bit dry and generic, but it had a generous amount of pear, plus candied walnuts and (I think) gorgonzola on mesclun, and he seemed satisfied. Annie's will likely never be an especially good restaurant, but after a nice makeover coupled with a misguided attempt to go upscale, I think they perhaps have hit a happy low-medium that will bring back some of the audience that they had seemed to abandon.

BTW, I believe the P & C Market on Lincoln Park (11th and E. Capitol SE) carries Trickling Springs milk.

I second the Cava recommendation--it's an all-mezze menu, and keeping it under $20 apiece should be easy, if you don't mind sharing food. Keep in mind also that Matchbox does not take reservations, and they have been really slammed most evenings, so if you do choose that, prepare for a long wait.

With four out-of-town guests in the past ten days, I wound up eating out almost TOO much. Here are the highlights: Friday, June 12--Dinner at La Plaza, Capitol Hill--standard issue Salvadorean (pork tacos, crab pupusas, margaritas), but tasty. Saturday, June 13--Lunch at Bumblefish, Old Town--blah fast-food sushi, but a reasonable price. Evening hors d'oeuvres at home. Sunday, June 14--Dinner at Granville Moore--Mussels Biere and frites--better than on my last visit, when I had too much grit, but the broth seemed a tad bland. Great beer. Monday, June 15--Dinner at Jaleo, downtown--Loved the warm green bean salad, but the potato/onion tortilla, stuffed piquillos, and garlic shrimp weren't particularly memorable. Tuesday, June 16--Drinks and appetizers at 14K--A surprisingly meaty crabcake, but the martini and calamari were just so-so. Wednesday, June 17--Homemade jambalaya; the best meal of the week, in my opinion--tasso, just-spicy-enough andouille, and plump blue shrimp. Thursday, June 18--Lunch at 2 Amys: the roasted olives are great; pizzas were good but not revelatory. Big pours of beer. Dinner at Dukem: good special tibs, bland ginger sauced chicken, a mix of veggie dishes, overpriced drinks. Friday, June 19--Sandwiches from Taylor's Gourmet; damn good. Saturday, June 20--Breakfast at IHop, Leesburg. Friendly service, customers as cautionary examples. Sunday, June 21--Dinner at Cava: Better than my last visit, with good spanakopita, lemon meatballs, and pasta bolognese. Chicken souvlaki was just okay. OK, I'm full.

Sunday evening was a beautiful evening to dine outside, and we were lucky enough to snag a patio table at Cava on Barracks Row last night for our first visit there. We aimed first at the cocktail menu--Bob went for a traditional mojito ($10) and I had an apricot mint julep ($9). Both were well made, and substantial--they lasted through the entire meal. (We didn't really look at the wine menu, but the pours looked to be good-sized.) We went for five mezze--probably one more than we should have tackled. Bob was a big fan of the taramosalato (whipped salmon roe), which comes out looking like a big scoop of strawberry ice cream, but tastes more like salmon fluff. The tyropita (feta and goat cheese in phyllo) was perhaps the least successful dish--sort of like big triangles of tangy whipped cream cheese with a very thin crust--too much cheese, not enough phyllo. The zucchini fritters are much better--golden brown but very light inside, with discernible shreds of squash. The waiter talked us into the lamb sliders--2 for $10.95--but they are much larger than your traditional sliders, and fairly spicy. Finally we had the disco fries--indistinguished french fries with a nice braised veal and pork ragu on top and a bit too much feta. It was an enjoyable meal, and there's more on the menu I want to try out. If few things we had were absolutely outstanding, this is nevertheless a wonderful addition to the Hill dining scene. And I get the feeling that it has yet to be discovered--crowds were gathered outside Matchbox a doors down waiting on tables, as they were at Las Placitas, and even Jordan's 8 and Fusion Cafe had surprisingly strong business, while Cava was comparatively light. I felt a little like we were dining at Straits of Malaya and looking with pity at the throngs across the street at Lauriol Plaza, knowing we were getting the better deal.

Went here for post-happy hour meal Friday. Decided to see how they did with pad thai ($12), and it was just so so--not overly sweet like most DC Thai places, but not much brightness to the flavor either. Bob had Udon noodle soup, which I think was in the soy broth--my taste didn't impress me, but it was okay. Compared to my first visit, I think I like the idea of this place more than I like what's actually being put out from the kitchen. It's okay, I would be willing to go back, but I think it's not much better than average, based on this latest visit.

No, Sietsema's name was on the byline at the bottom. The GOG blog is where he's been posting breaking news of late.

I don't get out for brunch all that often, but Montmartre's buckwheat crepe with egg, spinach, tomato, swiss cheese and smoked salmon or prosciutto strikes me as the ideal dish for a lazy weekend midday meal. Yesterday the crepe was both lightly sour and modestly crisp, wrapped around the wilted greens, tomato, and salmon, and a perfect over-easy egg, whose yolk suffused the whole when I cut into it. At $13.95, it's not cheap, but quite filling, and goes perfectly with their peppery bloody mary. In the past year Montmartre has expanded its brunch menu nicely, including more varieties of omelets and mussels, fewer lunch-type dishes, and, from the bite I had yesterday, a good croque monsieur. But this buckwheat crepe (which is also offered in a veggie version) is a real star, and worth returning for.

Grabbed a mid-afternoon lunch here yesterday (Tenleytown). It's hard for me to comment on the burger itself because it was so buried in condiments that I couldn't really taste the beef. Still, that has its own kind of weird satisfaction of just sticking a big pile of foodlike stuff in your mouth. Fries are okay, certainly better than Good Stuff's, and the regular portion is pretty hefty for $2.39. I didn't need to eat the rest of the day, but nothing here makes me want to rush back for a return visit.

To my knowledge, they've never done a lunch or brunch operation. A quick look at the Web site would have told you they're open evenings only.

There are lots of reasons to like Eventide. Perhaps the best overarching reason is that this team has put a lot of good ideas into this business without coming off the least bit "conceptual." That is, the three dining areas and kitchens, the friendly staff, the spacious and well-designed areas, don't feel like gimmicks, but just commonsense responses to the sorts of things that are aggravations in otherwise worthy establishments. That is not to say that last night's dinner was perfect--I think Sietsema's 2.5-star rating gets it about right--but Eventide seems to do so many things well and with an unforced ease that make it a remarkable pleasure. The space has a relaxed elegance to it--it's not overdesigned, and there's something about the large, far-from-fancy windows help remind diners to look outside and enjoy themselves. The food, to my mind, is stronger in terms of expert preparation than originality or flavors. Yes, there are a number of surprises to be found, but some dishes are also perhaps more subtle than they need be (or are my 52-year-old taste buds beginning to fade?). I don't mean that so much as a criticism, but that I expect that as Eventide settles in for the long haul (and this does seem like a long-haul establishment) that they will become even bolder and brighter in their dishes. So, I didn't swoon over the bison carpaccio in the way that Tim Carman did, but appreciated the well-thought-out variation on this dish. Bob's foie gras was much more lush and assertive from the get-go; the bison was more muted. My tagliatelle was delicious, with some large hunks of lobster tail meat mixed in with the lobster meatballs. Again, more subtle than astonishing, it comes close to the efforts of some of the better pasta purveyors in town. Bob's salmon with peas and gnocchi offered a substantial slab of perfectly cooked fish, and the pink and green dish was lovely to observe. My dessert of olive oil cake with huckleberry compote was perhaps my favorite dish of the night, both in its simplicity but also the incredible moistness of the cake. Bob enjoyed his carmelized banana crepe, but my quick taste didn't leave much impression. Our pre-dinner drinks (Blood and Sand, Aviation cocktails) were well-made, though my Aviation seemed a bit short for a $10 drink. But another general strength is that Eventide's portions seem generous for the price. I'm surprised that Glen's wine program hasn't gotten more notice on this board, but it deserves laurels and attention. I can't remember the last time I saw a list with so many moderately priced bottles that aren't the usual suspects. He may not be pricing as aggressively as Mark Slater is over at Ray's, but he's working in much the same spirit. He took a good deal of time to talk with us about what he's pursuing and even wrote down addresses for some Oregon winemakers to visit when we go to Portland this summer. He directed us to a nice off-menu Oregon Pinot Noir (Resonance Pulse, 2007); I left with the impression that he's one of Eventide's greatest strengths. Service was as friendly and expert as has been reported, with one caveat: the timing of our meal was a bit off, particularly on the beverage side. Granted, the bar was slammed, but we had to wait quite a while for our cocktails, and Glen's zealous pursuit of addresses delayed his delivering our wine until we were well into our entrees. Follow-up pours were mostly left to us. I was surprised that on a Friday evening the dining room was often not particularly slammed with diners, with tables not always being refilled promptly (the bars were more crowded, but the upstairs patio had a number of empty tables also). So, a lovely evening at a most worthy establishment. If it doesn't yet rise to be among my favorites, it's not for the effort that the whole staff is putting into it, but that it's occasionally too modest. But my overall impression is overwhelmingly positive. Thanks for a wonderful birthday!

Sorry, Michelle, I love you, but 1 Five Guys + 1 Good Stuff ≠ 1 Hell Burger. Not even close.

I hear they opened last Friday. Any early reports? Open for dinner only? Do they take reservations?

I have a dream of a day when we judge a president by the content of his character, not by the color of his hamburger.

Is it possible they are looking at the old Circuit City location? It's technically part of the Westfield Mall, but not IN the main mall per se. That might get them the best of both worlds--the mall crowds and parking, but in a more-or-less stand-alone location.

Or, if you are handling all the bar service, it could be "Ray's the Spirits."

I stand by my earlier post ...

OK, I looked closer now, and there is stuff here Rockwellians will likely love: Derek Brown on cocktails; pieces by Grant Achatz, Sally Schneiders, the Nimans, an amusing interview with Larry David on dining in DC. This one's getting my bookmark.

The long-promised food blog page by Corby Kummer is finally available on The Atlantic Web site. Haven't had a chance to look too closely, but it should prove interesting.

How about taking credit for Marty's demise, too? And why not target Thai Roma and Taverna?

Checked out DC Noodles last Friday night. I am no expert whatsoever on noodle joints, or Asian soups, but I suspect that those who are would find much to pick apart here. But for novices like myself, it was an enjoyable dinner. Started with small pumpkin empanadas, which I think were a holdover from Simply Home's menu--tasty but a bit out of place here. I had the clear broth with thin rice noodles, chicken, and chicken meatballs--perhaps a tad salty, but on a colder evening it would be nice comfort food. Bob had the soy broth with pork, which was sweeter, and more savory, with some large slices of pork. My glass of Barbera was nice and fruity. At $12 per bowl, the soups were hearty and well priced (wok and seafood dishes are a few bucks more), the staff was friendly, the vibe casual trendy--I imagine we'll return.

Walking past Two Quail today, I noticed that the menu board outside had a sign saying "Out of Business." No great loss, really, but I think a lot of Capitol Hill-ites had a sort of nostalgic fondness for the place. I remember when Tom Sietsema introduced his star system several years ago, many were shocked that he gave it zero stars, thinking that it was some sort of gourmet destination--and maybe, when it first opened, it was for some. As Tom wrote then, "If Auntie Mame and Morticia Addams got together to decorate a townhouse, Two Quail is what their effort might look like. . . . Softly lit and carved into cozy nooks, . . . the restaurant has long spelled romance for some diners. Unfortunately, they also have to order food to sit there."

Bob and I had our first lunch at Nava Thai on Sunday afternoon, so I can't comment on declining quality; we both liked it alot. We both had pork dishes, and my only complaint was that in mine the meat in mind was rather fatty, and the sauce a bit greasy. On the other hand, the flavors were very good, and portions generous for the price. As others have said, service was a bit slow, and the space is sort of loud. Of course, judged against the standards of Capitol Hill Thai restaurants (like the gawdawful Old Siam), it wouldn't take much to make a good impression on me. But it was the first time I've been to a Thai restaurant in the area that left me wanting to explore way beyond my usual comfort zone--even though I hear those "standards" are some of the better dishes on the menu. I'll be glad to go back.

Three of us had dinner at Posto last night. Well-made drinks (two Manhattans, one Negroni), just okay bread. Two of us had Primi--mine was black-eyed pea soup, a special, a good cold-weather dish but nothing extraordinary, the other was polenta with sausage, which I didn't taste, but my dining partner liked. For Secondi, the tagliatelle with duck ragout was a good, rich dish--fresh al dente pasta and a bit of cream in the sauce. The roasted scallops with lentils looked good--three medium-size bivalves on a bed of saucy legumes; the spaghetti with seafood looked like a bit of a hodge-podge--again, didn't taste either of these. A nice Sangiovese was a good accompaniment, and we ended with a couple of desserts--my cranberry/mixed berry cobbler with vanilla sorbet was quite juicy, and a bit hard to eat in its coffee cup, but good. With tip, it came out to just over $200. So, while I liked the food overall, and I guess the price was okay, what might hold me back from returning, at least on a Friday night, is that this space is LOUD--much more so than when Viridian was there. The tables don't seem to have the foam baffling underneath them anymore, and it was really hard to carry on a conversation. Surely they can keep the good sense of energy that the place carries and still make it a more pleasant dining experience--this may be the loudest place I've been to in D.C.