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brr

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Posts posted by brr

    Phoenix, AZ

    in The Intrepid Traveler

    Posted

    First night, we went to FNB restaurant, a newcomer to the Scottsdale scene and a really impressive, fun meal. The restaurant is small, with some tables and a number of seats surrounding the kitchen counter. We sat at the counter, right in front of the wood-fired grill, and had a great evening watching the chefs cook. The food was great--our citrus-marinated olives were a nice start, along with a delicious beat dish. We followed up with braised leeks served underneath broiled mozzarella and a fried egg--really outstanding--and a spicy spigarello/chilies dish. For our mains we had the pasta with prosciutto, which was good but not sparkling, and the roasted jidori chicken, a succulent chicken dish served with a very nice spaetzel. Nice meal, great service, and all complemented reasonably well by an Arizona red.

    FNB is a damn fine restaurant. Stopped by on a business trip a few weeks ago. I really like the kitchen counter which makes it much more fun as a solo diner. Started off with a simple dish of local butter, local honey, radishes and country bread which paired wonderfully with a local IPA. Then moved onto an arugula, pumpkin, pomegranate seed, fried chicken liver salad which was outstanding and the above mentioned leeks/mozarella/egg dish. This place is definitely worth a trip.

    Ray's the Steaks and Retro Ray's (Next Door) - Michael Landrum's Steakhouses in Courthouse - Closed

    in Washington DC Restaurants and Dining

    Posted

    Curious - there is wine available at Ray's - do you just want a cocktail? If so, then head a bit further up to Clarendon to Eventide's lounge for a few cocktails/wine/drink.

    If you don't want to go that far, then Fire Works has beer in Courthouse, or go downhill a bit to Cafe Asia or Domaso/Cityhouse in Rosslyn for a few.

    Thanks

    Sorry for any confusion. Definitely going to Courthouse Rays, and have never been to the new setup so didn;t know if pre dinner drinks at the bar were an option. Someone else suggested Fireworks as well

    Epicurious' 16 Most Important Restaurants of Past 15 Years

    in News and Media

    Posted

    Technically, the restaurant opened in 1978, and even if you consider it a new restaurant when Keller bought it, that would still put it outside of the time frame (but that didn't stop Nobu's inclusion).

    I thought that too, but then I got to El Bulli, which as they note opened in 64 and fearured Adria from 84 onwards.....then I got confused as to what the rules for includion were :(

    Dining at the Delaware Beaches

    in Baltimore and Annapolis Restaurants and Dining

    Posted

    Rehoboth

    That was exactly our experience. Some decent cocktails and pleasant quirky staff. But the entrees were very mediocre with the 3 day pork and the paella in particular featuring borderline toxic levels of salt. We beat it before dessrt and it was still $150 per couple.....

    By contrast we had a very pleasant lunch at the Summer House one day - nothing fancy, just decent food prepared well

    Decent crabs from Jimmy Lynns (thanks TedE)

    lots and lots of great beer from Dogfish


    Wanted to like Espuma -- the people were so nice, we were so tired of chicken wings and pizza. But the food felt uninspired, and at beach prices I wish I'd saved my money for a decent night out back in town. Decent deckle, OK lamb and cous cous and a dry "Three Day Pork."

    Alas.

    Estadio, Tapas at 14th and Church Street in Logan Circle, with a Second Branch in Charleston, SC - No Longer Affiliated with Fat Baby, Inc.

    in Washington DC Restaurants and Dining

    Posted

    Being a fan of Proof I expected great things from Estadio and it generally did not disappoint. 6 of us had dinner there last night with way more hits than misses. I started with the Scotch slushito which as others have noted is very tasty indeed. At a later point in the evening I tried the Gin one and did not like it at all, finding it very bitter and astringent. Others had the little "shot-like" cocktails on the top left hand of the menu, which were undoubtedly tasty but seemed a little lacking in volume for the $9 price tag.

    We rampaged through the menu, trying cured meats, several pintxos, the country bread, the squid, the octopus, the smoked salmon, the croquetas, the steak, the mushrooms, the fried squash blossoms, the torta, the duck and perhaps one or two others that I am forgetting.

    Everything was very good, a few thing were excellent - the torta does not seem to be a traditional one, its wetter than others I've had, but its incredible and infused with some kid of eggy cream that makes every bite a pleasure. Its also got a nice little kick to it. The jamon croquetas are equally creamy and equally great. Desserts seemed like the only weak spot but our sample was small - a decent panna cotta and the one clunker of the night, a stodgy, lukewarm, generally unappealing chocolate cherry bread pudding - not good.

    Service was pleasant and the corkage fee is only $15 (Thanks Mark!!).

    Dinner for 6 was a shade over $300 bucks which we all thought was very very reasonable given prevailing DC prices and the face that we left feeling nicely satiated. Bringing our own wine helped a little but I still thing this place is reasonably priced.

    Oh, and its a beautiful spot. We intend making this a regular on our rotation.

    Beerspotting

    in Beer, Wine, and Cocktails

    Posted

    The Big Hunt has an interesting looking beer dinner happening tomorrow night.

    Kentucky Derby Warm-Up Party on Wednesday April 28th, 8-midnight!

    The event starts with your choice of two bourbon cocktails, including a Perfect Woodford Reserve Manhattan, a Bulliet Mint Julep, and an Elijah Craig Kentucky Punch, followed by a dinner of pulled pork sandwiches, collard greens, cheese grits, and bacon & bourbon cornbread.

    There will be five featured 6 to 8 oz draughts, including Great Lakes Brewing Co.’s Lake Erie Monster (Double IPA), their Holy Moses Witbier, and Allagash Confluence. For dessert, traditional Derby Pie will be paired with Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout.

    Tickets are $50, on sale Monday-Thursday from 4-8 p.m. at the bar. Seating is limited to 50

    Tuppers' Hop Pocket Beers

    in Beer, Wine, and Cocktails

    Posted

    I saw it at Ch Ch Liquors last weekend. Wouldn't surprise me if Magruders picks it up soon.

    They usually have it on tap at Galaxy Hut. They also have the bottles at Wholefoods in Arlington . I agree it is a tad pricy at $ 9-11 for a 4 pack (more than it was as a 6 pack!). Hopefully they will be able ot bring the price down if they are able to reach a wider market (but the initial sticker shock probably doesn't help that long term goal).

    Draft prices seem to be more in line with other beers in that quality/style range .

    Bell's Beers

    in Beer, Wine, and Cocktails

    Posted

    Big Hunt pouring a few interesting Bells Beers on draft this week. Expedition needs no introduction - whoah what a monster of a beer. Oarsman, a Berliner Weiss style beer....interesting, tart, refreshing, and Consecrator, a doppelbock - I'm generally not a fan of doppelbocks - too much sweetness and maltiness going on.

    Favorite beer this week is probably Yeti's Hibernation Ale - truly outstanding

    Bell's Beers

    in Beer, Wine, and Cocktails

    Posted

    I'm with MtPleasanteater. Hopslam is absolutely worth it to me at $20 a 6 pack. I had heard the wholesale price for a case was $60, meaning that $18-20 a sixer is reasonable (anything more than 20 is just gouging) and that the place in Atlanta is selling it at a loss unless they have relatives at Bells Brewery :angry:

    And if it had been sold in a bomber at $8 I would have bought one; I've bought gallons and gallons of beer as 22s that I never would have purchased as 6 packs for $20+. As I said before I think it's more of a marketing thing. They set the barrier for entry to this beer in any quantity at $20+ retail, that is bound to lose you some sales. HopSlam (to me) just isn't that special.

    Now seeing that it is available elsewhere as low as $14 makes me wonder if this is all Whole Food's doing. Where else in the DC area is it available for cheaper? At $16 I probably wouldn't blink.

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