tenunda

I need a keg (actually a quarter keg) of decent to good beer (that means no Bud/Miller/lite products, but something along the Old Dominion/Yuengling persuasion). Party is in the Woodley Park area, so closer to that area the better.

Suggestions?

We've got ours at Dixie Wine and Spirits (3249 M ST NW) at the end of Key Bridge in Georgetown. Their number is 337.4412. I think they have a pretty varied selection, and the prices weren't too bad either.

Pan-fried (too hot to grill) Bison ribeye (from Cibola Farms) with garlic and paprika.

Squash blossoms stuffed with basil and piave vecchio (and one with ants, but I ate them anyway).

Arugula and Mustard salad.

Ginger-lime sorbet and a white nectarine for dessert.

Had Widmer Hefewizen along with it.

Does anyone know if it's on this week? I've been trying to get on the list for about two weeks now, but haven't made it yet. Also, is the menu always the same as the one at the beginning of this topic? Thanks for the help. My office is just around the corner, and I hate having the tasty lunch just out of my reach...

The last time I went to Ellington's a friend and I sat back, had a few small apps, and listened to the soothing music. A couple hours later, after about 4 pitchers of their champagne drinky drinks, the two of us were completely and utterly shitfaced. Those things go down easy. I recommend partaking of them--as they are delicious--but let this be your warning. I was considerably less than "bubbly" the next day.

A friend and I had lunch there today, and were generally pleased. I had the soft shell crab remoulade and the plain caesar salad. She had the squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta and pine nuts and the crispy goat cheese. The crab was fried in a tempura, and was very delicious. The remoulade certainly added to the dish, and the crab was served on a celery root slaw that was also tasty. The squash blossoms, served fried over a balsamic reduction, were great, and appropriately summery.

Unfortunately, the ceasar salad, which was offered with no black pepper ( ), was made out of a loosely shredded romaine--almost like a chop salad. This ruined the dish for my texture-sensitive mouth, but the dressing was good, and the two anchovies on the side were good as well. Always a sucker for goat cheese, Mr. Cox' fried medallion of it was especially toothsome. It would be a required dish for me. For dessert we split the profitaroles with mint ice cream and chocolate syrup. The three little treasures were excellent as well.

My only complaint (other than the salad), is that they didn't have a vegetarian entree option. I think this is a glaring oversight for any restaurant, especially here in DC.

That won't stop me from going back, though. Circle Bistro is close to my office, and is a wonderful place for happy hour. They pour a good cocktail, and the atmosphere is great. I'll have to return for dinner soon!

Jill at Cheesetique puts together both cheesy and non-perishable buckets for something super delicious.

http://www.cheesetique.com/pdf/Gifts.pdf

The chef at Bangkok Joe's is doing hour-long demonstrations about rice at the "Food Culture USA" tent at the Smithsonian's Folk Life festival on the Mall. It's very interesting, and runs through Monday.

two stars?

Sietsema's expectations are surpassed.

The dishes mentioned in the review are the best ones on the menu. The chile relleno is good (but I echo an earlier comment that the beans are underdone. Beans are gross in the first place, they don't need to be crunchy to boot). The shrimp tempura is good, the salmon miso is good, and the hanger steak is good. The problem is, most other things aren't even close to good. I've been there three times (and will probably be returning, since it's in the gayborhood and my friends LOVE it), and haven't been all that impressed.

My latest trip (last night) was a going away party for a friend. Twixt the seven of us, we had six dishes: the calamari "linguine," the tofu "chigae," the seafood paella, the chicken quesadilla, the seared tuna, and the crab and shrimp cake. The crab cake and the seared tuna were good enough, but they were the only dishes that were finished; the rest were plain unappetizing.

The calamari looked good, but it didn't really taste of anything other than "hot." I like hot food, but this didn't really have any flavor. I chomped away a little bit just because I like the texture of calamari, but didn't even get halfway through. The paella (for one--the 'for two' went by to another table and looked pretty good) was the predicted melange of all kinds of yummy crustaceans, mollusks, and cephalopods, but was apparently for looks only--very bland. The tofu "chigae," at least presented us with the "find the tofu and mushrooms" game, since the "coconut milk" broth was not only runny and tasteless, but comically riddled with about 50 single grains of rice.

We decided to be sports and order 5 desserts. The banana fritter and its vanilla ice cream were fantastic, as was the (store-bought?) mango sorbet. Unfortunately, the chocolate cake was allright at best, the chocolate banuelos were rubbery, and the 'special dessert' of blackberries and vanilla wafer was uninspired--ok if you like half-stewed blackberries and a cookie.

What I do like about Merkado is the scene. It's loud and fun and the drinks are good. The bar is big enough that there's place to stand and chat with a big group of friends. It fits the neighborhood really well.

Also, our service last night was GREAT. Our waiter was spot-on, appropriately chatty and warm, and never missed an order or a refill. My only wish is that he steered us to the few delicious dishes on the menu. Hopefully Merkado refines some of their dishes as they go along, because I think they could be great. I wouldn't write this place off, but I'd definitely be careful about my ordering.

Edited to fix spelling mistakes.

The D5 bus (rush-hour only, runs from Farragut Square along K st/Penn Ave/M St./MacArthur Blvd) runs right by there, as well. And who doesn't love a rush-hour bus ride through Georgetown?

D5 Timetable

Are you talking about Gardeners' Gourmet?  They are also at Dupont on Sundays.

It sounds like it. I work at Eastern Market on Saturday mornings (6 to 1) for Gardener's Gourmet, which is run by owner/farmer/grower Cinda Sebastian. Say hi when you stop by. My name is Adam, and I won't bite, not even at 7 AM. BTW, I recommend that you all come as early as possible this weekend because it's going to be hot, and the greens/veggies just don't stand up as well in the heat.

Did this woman assume the manager was clairvoyant? How else would she have known that she wanted some to go with her wine? High maintenance w(h)iner...

The bane of anyone's existence is the folks who cannot be satisfied and are thoughtless to boot.  Their name is legion.  It is astonishing how much criticism is levelled on people who are clearly doing their best, for money or not, by folk who have no clue.  I'm going through this now, and it isn't about a restaurant but, rather, a volunteer project.  Fortunately, the goodwill outweighs the negativity by a LOT.  And yet, and yet, the clueless are the ones who make you grind your teeth.

 
I agree with Barbara, here. It seems there are tons of people out there who are just waiting for a small mis-step--a table in the back, a burger medium instead of medium-well, tomatoes on one's salad when they were requested to be held, asking about peanuts in a dish because of an "allergy" (sarcasm on that last one, folks)--to launch into a diatribe about horrible service and to gripe about how they're "there to be served." Granted, you pay for both food and service when you dine out, but you're not entitled to a vassal for lashing.

There are things that can go wrong at a restaurant, but look around. There are dozens of people having their meals, too. It really is nothing personal if the chef or your waiter makes a mistake. Restauranteurs and their staffs aren't robots, which is good because robots have a hard time distinguishing from chicken fried steak and seared foie gras. Who knows what has gone on in a chef or server's day. They are there trying to make a living and--hopefully--serve us food they have dedicated their time and labor toward in order to make us happy.

All I know is that the only person you can control is yourself, and it's really easy to let something slide, and move on with your day; no one likes a high-maintenance whiner. If you have a genuinely horrible experience, chock it up to bad planet alignment, or the humidity, or--my favorite--Congress. Then come back sometime later because the waiter could have just had an off day or the chef may have come into her own and discovered her flair for something truly inspired and delicious.

Thanks to DonRocks for the board and to everyone for the great contributions, here's to a lot more.

Adam Bailey

PS: Just split the check evenly, it's SO much easier.
PPS: Apologies to any robots I may have offended.

The McDonalds in Mystic, CT has had the lobster roll for as far back as I can remember.  Furthermore, I have been a little sketched out about it as far back as I can remember.  We tended to stop there on family trips to the aquarium and seaport.  Somebody must be buying them, though.

It's probably the same damn pile of lobster-roll they had the last time you were there.

But don't worry - even though the theme will change next month, I'll save each and every one of you a big chunk of Fossa! 

In all honesty, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the tasting. You were a fun group - will great questions and great feedback. I very much look forward to the next event.

-Jill

Thanks for staying late to give us some taste-on learning! I did a mini tasting for my roommates when I got back, and the next day I caught one of them trying to sneak-eat the Roccheta with a spoon! Cheese theives.

If you're politically inclined, the DC chapter of Drinking Liberally will be meeting at M&O's tomorrow night (Thursday) from 6:30 to 8:30. Just wanted to let you all know.

Tomatoes (stewed, sauced, whatever) for the winter! Mine ran out about January this year

There's apparently a Philadelphia-Gallic restaurant near the Kennedy Center that's popular with the percussion section of the National Symphony.

It's called the Phallic Cymbal.

[groan]

I read this article about the place when it first opened last year but still have not gotten there.  I love Philadelphia- style water ice, or did when I was a child.  I haven't had it in years.

(Edit to say that the article starts on page 11 of that pdf file.)

oh god, it's been there a year?! i need to get out more....

There's a place on H and 12th (or thereabouts) NE called "Philadelphia Water Ice." Has anyone popped in there? I LOVE water ice, but haven't made it there yet...

Costco only sells tri-tip sliced, not whole. An aggravation for a transplanted Californian. Finally, Trader Joe's started selling them. They're good. I buy them. To echo the post above: do NOT get the pre-marinated one. Dry rubs work better for a steak on the grill or in the oven--you can make a simple one with salt, pepper, garlic and Spanish paprika.

I'll have to try the paprika. I've only ever made them with salt, pepper, and garlic. Too bad I can't get any good mahogany back here, we'd all have a big time grill! We always used to cut our own from some delicious self-slaughtered grass-fed beef. We also got the bonus of the tongue and heart out of the deal!

I don't think I've ever had any pre-marinated meat from the store that doesn't taste like toxins.

If we send a light diversionary force in the door and to the left, over by the meat fridge, we may be able to distract them long enough for an overpowering frontal assault on the main cheese display.

Have you all stopped by the armory to stock up on cracker APCs and toothpick f-16s? I will be AWOL, unfortunately, for a haircut at 6:15. Best not to anger the stylist...

How about molten chocolate cake? That crap is omnipresent. I love chocolate, but the MCC is the Milwaukee's Best of chocolate desserts. Barf. http://www.donrockwell.com/style_images/1/...icons/icon8.gif

Does anyone know where to get a tri-tip? I think they're alternatively called the triangle roast or culotte roast back here. It's huge in CA and OR (home for me), and may be the tastiest cut of meat out there. I asked both butchers in Eastern Market if they had it, but they didn't. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Adam

Do they still sing to you????

I'm not going back until someone can gurantee me there will be no singing.

Jennifer

Good Lord, the singing is the WORST.

Also, is it even possible to eat more than the smallest size? soooooo dennnnnnnnnse.

They haven't done away with their truffle fries, have they?