tenunda

Though I was an early participant on this site, I have not been living in DC for nearly ten years now, and have not been back to this Board for a bit longer than that (holy growth, batman!).  I stop by now for a hint of nostalgia and to say hello to all the folks here.

I had an all-out full sensory dream last night about the $5 pork shoulder sandwich with green sauce ($8 if you added provolone and broccoli rabe) that Roberto Donna would make himself in Galileo's grill/laboratorio space a couple times of week in the mid-2000s.  To this day, it is the best sandwich I've ever had.  Better than any hamburger, any lobster roll, and French Dip, any of the legendary options at Darwin's in Cambridge, MA, or any at Furstenburg's Breadline.  Even better than DiNic's in Philly's venerated version.  Donna's bread was so flavorful and perfect-crumbed, and the green sauce so complimentary that I've never even thought about trying to re-create it despite such simple ingredients. 

I hope this blast from the past finds a few kindred folks here eager to reminisce about the explosion of DC's food scene around that time, even while we have so many great resources in Don's own Dining Guide to do just that. 

Cheers all, from the West Coast.

Congrats on the new look.  Haven't been back to this board in 9 years, but it brings back memories!  Living out in California now, hope you all are well.

Congrats, Chef Andrés, on the landslide win. I thought the rules were that you had to use the ingredient in every dish, though. Did you grind up the eyeballs in the yogurt?

I'd also say Corduroy, and Restaurant Kolumbia is at 18th and K, if that's not too far.

Mar de Plata is just up the street on 14th, three blocks I think. It's pretty good seafood, but I don't know about quickness. Right around there is Merkado, Logan Tavern, and Stoney's right across from Whole Foods.

I'm not talking about the seating in this comment- I'm talking about the dinner service. There is NEVER an excuse when people sit at a table when all are complete and it is clear that the dinner service is complete and waiters/busboys stand NEXT to the table and don't clear it. That is inexcusable and certainly unfortunate.

I don't understand why this place is being heralded as an untouchable entity. Even my favorite places have bad nights, and I'll chalk this one up to a bad night, but that doesn't mean they are free from criticism. $90 is a lot to pay for a meal with crap service.

I don't think anyone's holding it up as untouchable (which, I grant you, is a marked weakness of these boards), we're just trying to find a reasonable explanation for the service. I've always had good service there; I've even had great service on a few occasions. They definitely could have had an off night, and it sounds like they may have.

While I'll continue to go there, I agree with you that the prices are a little inflated. But that's a city-wide problem, not one confined to Hank's .

yes, they told us this is all they had unless we wanted to wait 10 minutes. for tables that were already open. including tables in the same section we were already seated in. the food was decent, the service was just well...stupid.

Maybe they were short a server?

a pan roast made with oysters and shrimp. so comforting...

Anyone have any idea where one can pick up some Amer Picon? It's a bitter that's used in Picon Punch, something from my hometown Basque restaurant that I'm trying to recreate.

I grew up in a rural area, and I never knew anyone who had food allergies. Some of us with some with non-European backgrounds got a little gassy with milk, but it was never "lactose intolerance," people just dealt with themselves. It wasn't until I came East that I met people with multiple allergies. I think that's a little weird, and it makes me think that a lot of allergies are blown out of proportion.

We now return you to today's episode of DonRocks High, already in progress...

I agree that Johnny's hasn't been open long enough to be this week's negative review.

(Stretch, the first one is classic.)

But does Johnny's count as new, since it's just a change in location? It seems like a restaurant who has staff already trained and ready to go would need less time.

<bump>

Time to get on the train or in the car, folks. See you there!

Cancelling a 12:45 lunch reservation tomorrow at vidalia for 2 in t-minus 15 minutes...

I agree, I had the new roll with the Pork Sausage, kraut, mustard, broclirobi....as tastey, if not better than ever. I actually finished the whole sandwich today.

I liked the old bread because you could bite through it without cutting the crap out of the inside of your mouth. The new bread is basically a large dinner roll, the kind with the charred and tough crust with the slightly gummy crumb. Maybe the one I had was sitting too close to the falmes, but it was a little on the rough side of rustic.

I did like that there was less of the onion/pepper mix on it, which made it a little less greasy.

Quick and dirty: No hot dog, no pizza. Today's pork was overdone, the roll is hard, not as tasty, smaller, and the sandwich is harder to eat. Today was a miss

Has anyone been here recently? I see they have a deli and carryout sign up, and was wondering if anyone's tried it.

Heirlooms are in, at least for us at Gardener's Gourmet (the greens lady). they went pretty fast at Eastern Market today, and will be at Dupont tomorrow. I have a 'mater salad of 10 big ones stewing in the refrigerator, which will be delicious even if it is made of the ones you customers insist on squeezing and poking until we can no longer sell them...

poke salad was a staple in my childhood trips to Oklahoma. i distinctly remember a very large salad of the stuff and don't remember any ill effects from eating it. i say chomp away (but i'm so not liable if you are weak-stomached).

Hand-butchered, small farm-raised meat tastes the best (and is the most ethical, for those so concerned). Does anyone know a ranch or farm where you can buy on the hoof?

I spoke with Chef Geoff and they passed their CofO inspection so they are close.

ok, so this is my first post EVER....i know, unbelieveable. i must be inspired by the memory of Derek's chrysanthemum tea/rum/honey cocktail. anyway, i'll be back for drinks and definitely some grub when ricky arrives. Thanks for the tour D.

welcome to the board! now we can all look forward to you bringing dessert to the next DR.com picnic...

These are starting to show up. Anyone know the best place to get them that's not on the Bay?

Here's an article that sheds a little light on why it might seem preferable to open a restaurant in DC vs. the Dakotas.

They're not going to limit themselves strictly to NoDak products. I talked to their folks way back when and they said they'd try to use local producers as much as they could.

Next trip to Firefly or Corduroy, ask for a glass of Redbreast.

Redbreast is transcendent. It was a gift to myself upon getting a raise and a good review at work. So delicious.

Michael Collins is swill. They were handing it out in Boston all this last weekend, yet NO ONE was buying it. Sometimes the free market is a great thermometer...

And I'm still waiting for someone to chime in that they were thrown out on their keister [tush] for violating the 90-minute time limit.  Anyone, anyone?

No, keep beating me. Really, it's not a problem.

Love,

Dead Horse