baczkowski

Fine, more for us Sushi Ko had a great preparation Friday. The sushi chef strongly urged another diner to get the softshell crab appetizer over the soft shell crab roll b/c the appetizer was the only preparation made with fresh, not frozen softshell crabs. Pax, Brian

We stopped in at 6:30 and were able to get a table for 2 despite it being closed on Open Table. We had a positive experience, but we didn't have a three star experience. Service was efficient and accommodating and the food was good but not great. We started with the panko fried soft shell crab, which was quite good itself though the cole slaw salad it was served on was lacking flavor beyond the mayo; we both agreed, though, that the soft shell crab we had at Matyson in Philly two weeks ago was noticeably better. For an entree, my wife got the lobster burger, which I actually ate half of. It was very good, but one unexpected side effect was that we both noticed our hands reeked of fish while sitting at the Norah Jones concert later and both excused ourselves to wash our hands! I got the fried chicken, which I liked but I wasn't excited. To tell you the truth, I was slightly disappointed. Is it the same fried chicken served at Citronelle? Maybe I had unfair expectations created by Kliman's raves about Citronelle's chicken and its intensified flavor, despite the possibility that they are different creations. Like the post, above my dark meat was very pink, but that didn't bother me; I actually liked the dark meat portion better, even though I generally prefer white. My major complaint that applied to all the food we ordered was how excessively oily, greasy, and fatty everything was, from the mashed potatoes to the brioche. In fact, my greens with my chicken were heavily oiled in the vinaigrette! I know fat adds flavor, but we both thought it was too much across the board. More wasn't better in all cases. And it was really the tactile sensation and texture that were the turnoffs moreso than the flavor of these lipids. The only truly outstanding thing we had was the Kit Kat bar that we took on the go, but that's not a Central innovation. We're glad we went, we enjoyed our food, we enjoyed the atmosphere, and we think it's fairly priced for the location and quality, but I'm not itching to return as much as I had expected. Two star experience. Pax, Brian

We went well over a year ago, so our experiences are definitely outdated, but we loved the chic atmosphere, were shocked by the prices (most dishes in the $30's plus double digit tapas), and relatively enjoyed the food, but haven't been back mainly b/c there are other options with better food and lower prices. But, again, take my dated experience with skepticism. Pax, Brian

Just a side note to your post: At 11:15AM on the day we went to Amada, we went on open table to make lunch reservation for noon. Times available for this Friday were 11:45, Noon, and 12:15. We were idiots and got lost and showed up at 1:15. We waited 15 minutes and had a table. I think there's a big difference getting a dinner table and a lunch table, but then again, when we showed up, people were calling for dinner reservations that night (hostess was even giving dress code advice over the phone). It was Good Friday, which may have suppressed dinner plans for some, but just thought I'd throw in my two cents. Pax, Brian

We utilized a gift certificate to Mon Ami Gabi Friday night and I rather enjoyed my hanger steak and frites. Even if it hadn't been free, I still would have happily paid the $17 and enjoyed what I got for the price. Pax, Brian

Great job Matt! I appreciated not having to use "ear muffs" when I read a Rockwell post If you're looking for some extra cash, you could start editing some of my seniors' research papers. Keep up the good work! Pax, Brian

Well, this thread helped more than pay for the subscription fee to this site b/c we batted 1.000 for our meals in Philly. Thursday evening we chose Matyson over Django and couldn't have been happier with our meals. We started with the highlight of the night (and maybe weekend), fried soft-shelled crab. Little did we know that they just came in season, but we got one of the last ones from the kitchen and it was perfect. The table seated after us had to settle for tempura shrimp, which seemed to use the same breading, but you can get that year-round. I also got a bowl of the matzoh bowl soup since it was a special from the tasting menu, but it's tough to measure up to Max's Kosher Cafe matzoh ball soup. Good but not "wow" (though I liked the dill added). Our entrees were seared scallops and a potato-crusted halibut, both of which were perfect. Scallops are potentially my wife's favorite food, and she thought they were the best scallops she's ever had. We ended with apple crepes and coconut cream pie, but the small amount of chocolate that we had in the pie showed me we made a mistake by not getting the chocolate creme brulee. Great start to the vacation. Lunch Friday was a last minute decision to go to Amada, and despite going ten blocks in the wrong direction of our hotel, thankfully we hopped a bus in the opposite direction for the restaurant. Their lunch special allows you to get a soup and salad or sandwich (which also comes with spicy potato fries) plus a soft drink for $12.50. Eavesdropping on the table next to us really paid off b/c the woman asked the waiter if she could repeat something she had done the last time she was in: Get half the sandwich, half the salad, full cup of soup, full order of spicy potatos, and the drink for just $12.50. No brainer for me. My wife got grilled wild mushrooms (wonderful but overpriced at $14), olives, and a tortilla. The tortilla was enough to answer the question of how this place compares to Jaleo: Amada wins in a bloodbath. For example, it was a full tortilla (Jaleo gives you a quarter), served warm (huge bump up in my book), with a saffron aioli ('nuff said?). We rationalized our massive food consumption by calling this breakfast and lunch. Walking around the city created some room for dinner at Marigold Kitchen. We both opted for "just" 3 courses: butterfish (tasty) and sweatbreads in crispy chicken skins (phenomenal; Landrum should ditch that batter and use this Palena-like skin for his apps) appetizers; lamb three-ways (a lamb stew was everything that Chef Gerard Panguad had hoped to execute at the Le Academie de Cuisine dinner) and salmon poached in olive oil (unbelievably delicate and sophisticated) for entrees; and molten chocolate cake (yes, very boring but good) and a pineapple semolina cake (devoured by my wife). Like Matyson, a totally wonderful experience that shows that it has recovered from any slippage after it sale. Before leaving town, we had lunch at Pietro's Coal Oven Pizzeria since Tacconnelli's didn't fit into our plans. I don't feel as though we missed out. I loved everything: the fresh buffalo mozzarella, the blistered crust, the sweet tomato sauce, the spicy sausage, and the thick pepperoni. Three pieces are literally the only food I've needed all day. Wonderful pie and walkable from our hotel. Maybe I was just a pushover this trip, but we made food the heart of our whim vacation and we left without a single disappointment. Travel tip: Sorry to extend this post further, but thought folks might appreciate this insight. We got our hotel on Priceline.com the night before. I put in four stars, center-city Philly, two nights, and $100 and it was immediately accepted by Loews at 1200 Market Street, a block from City Hall. What a steal. This place was stylish (Art Decco restored), clean, friendly, and unpretentious. It's even pet friendly. When we got home this evening, I turned on MTV and saw the exact hotel on "Bam's Unholy Union"!!! He got married in the hotel and his wedding party stayed in the hotel. Most people probably wouldn't take the reference of one of the founders of Jackass, but if you see the episode you'll see this is actually a really nice place. The rooms for my wedding's hotels in Rockville were over $100 but not as nice as this place. Plus, you could walk 10 blocks in either direction to cover pretty much all the great food, history, and shopping that Philly offers. My advice is to start off with a price lower than my $100 though

Pathetically replying to my own post....but with a follow up question. Actually, Django and Matyson both had reservations tomorrow, so I scooped both and wanted opinions on which you'd recommend first. Pax, Brian

We've got reservations at Matyson and Marigold Thursday and Friday and was wondering if there were any must-haves or standby's that stay on the menu b/c of popularity. Matyson has a Passover tasting menu that I doubt we'll try so at least there we'll probably be ordering off the regular menu. Pax, Brian --- Tom Sietsema's 10/7/07 Postcard from Philly which includes Matyson.

It was a wonderful evening to be in Old Town last night, and we had a very positive experience in the bar of Eve. As is supposedly customary at Eve (at least according to the waitress), we actually shared a table in the close quarters of the bar area with another couple, who were quite pleasant and very helpful since they had eaten there numerous times before. Of our two (expensive) drinks, the usually boring appletini was awesome as it was made with the juice of real granny smith apples. Our food started with an order of the daily special mussels, which were enormous. These were Barry Bonds-size mussels popping out of their large shells. Sharing the mussels and dipping the wonderful bread into the sauce was almost enough to fill us, but we found room to add an order of the appetizer kampachi (a sushi-grade white fish marinated in lemon vodka that had subtle flavors but was a little too boring), the pork belly entree (phenomenally juicy layors of protein and buttery smooth fat on a perfect bed of beans), and a side of the risotto (ridiculously rich, in fact TOO rich--the female eating with us only ordered this to eat). We took a good hunk of the pork belly and almost all of the risotto home. Not wanting to waste the beautiful spring night, we ended our night taking a walk around charming Old Town while sharing a small custard (made by a fellow PSU alum who took the same ice cream course that launched Ben & Jerry's). A more moneyed version of Frederick, Old Town Alexandria is where I'd love to call home. Too bad my Monkey County bred wife would rather grab a cot in Guantanomo than live in VA. Montgomery County, here we come [sigh]. Pax, Brian

If this news wasn't reason enough to try Palena, then maybe this promised menu from my 3-8-07 Cafe experience will. I tried inserting this into a Word doc to make downloading easier but Invision told me that I couldn't upload that file type (viruses?). The pics are of the bar and backroom menus. Use these as guides while remembering that the menu does change. Pax, Brian

Stopped by TCP tonight for "research" (and a quick dinner) and confirmed that they use both Bustello and Pilon for their coffee. They even have bags of Bustello for sale, which they get from Miami. Not sure if they sell Pilon. They use an espresso maker instead of the pot linked above, but they grind the beans fresh. I also learned why that Cuban bread gets so crunchy after they use the sandwich press: butter. Ignorance is bliss.....guilt made me save that large second half of the sandwich for tomorrow. Pax, Brian

Stopped by Urban Burger yesterday and had a positive experience though I wasn't blown away. Best part was certainly the bun, which, unlike those had by earlier posters, was wonderfully firm and perfectly grilled in butter/grease. We did experience the uneven cooking of others: My wife ordered medium and I asked for medium-rare but our meat came as the same medium color. The meat also was juicy but not super flavorful. I got the mushroom swiss but actually liked my wife's avocado, provolone and lime better, though hers used up her fat allotment for the week; I'm allowed to eat again on Friday. Mac and cheese was small IMO for $2 but very cheesy, though I prefer mine less wet and more baked (just my preference). The burgers are big enough, though, that the sides are pure gluttony. As for atmosphere, we couldn't see a single "adult" working yesterday, which added a nice feeling of energy to the place but also allowed the youthful cashier to be distracted from taking our order by his strung-out teenage buddy who staggered off the street and in front of us. With the Navy memorabilia and LCD tv's showing the NCAA tournament from most viewing angles, the environment overall was cool, and the food is good enough for the masses that they should stay open for a long time. Pax, Brian

First, I would say, Ceiba's TCP is not, nor does it pretend to be. It's a very casual quick eats shop run by a Cuban guy who cooks food that he grew up on. Nothing cutting edge but also much more accessible. I'm sure you had gathered that already but I didn't want to set anyone up for false hopes. I definitely think it's kid-friendly but be prepared to deal with teatering tables and plastic-covered tables. I would say that most of their orders are takeout but they probably have about 8 tables and booths seating four each. If you're looking for a good Cuban sandwich in Frederick, you can also get a pretty darn good one at Proof on East Patrick Street. Their dijon mustard burns your nostrils, but they give you a good amount of meat. Nothing Cuban about Proof, but Cuban sandwiches might have been a trite food addition for 2006. Pax, Brian

I am no expert either, but you could call and ask where they get it from and the equipment they use to prepare it. 301-760-7776. For what it's worth, their takeout menu describes the coffees as following: Cafecito (Espresso) $1 Colado (To go espresso) $2 Cortadito (More Coffee than Milk) $2.50 Cafe con Leche (More Milk than Coffee) $3 Pax, Brian

The comfort food thread inspired me to post this as well as utilize my two hour early dismissal to go to That Cuban Place in Frederick for my own local comfort food. First of all, there is nothing fancy about this place, though they've improved the property immensely after years of neglect by a notorious slumlord (who still owns the place unfortunately). The cooking is also very simple, offering sandwiches and mostly slow cooked entrees that they seem to start early in the morning and serve throughout the day. But nothing speaks to their simplicity as much as the small white board behind the counter where they write the day's specials followed by their motto, "It's all good!" I can say that everything I've had has been at least decent (a mojo marinated bistec being my least favorite b/c it remained tough after slow cooking) but oftentimes things are just wonderful. Today things were wonderful. I was craving comfort food to warm up this sleet-filled day while watching my brackets collapse and surprisingly noticed they had their ropa vieja, which they only guarantee on Thursdays. Slow-cooked in the aforementioned lime-based mojo, the ropa vieja combined with the hefty portions of fried plantains, rice, and beans to hit the spot and provide lots of leftovers for just $8.50. I especially appreciate the friendliness of of the young Latino couple who own and operate the place. While I was waiting for them to prepare my order today, the owner gave me a free shot of great Cuban coffee ("Hey, I'm having some, so you have to, too") and let me satisfy my curiousity by tasting today's other special--oxtail. I hope that oxtail comes back so I can have a full order because it was extremely rich with lots of flavor-enhancing fat, the main ingredient of comfort food. The owner says that he slow boils the oxtail with lots of bay leaves and then re-uses the leftover liquid for what he considers to be the world's best fatty beef stock. Next week's special is cow tongue. We'll see if I get the guts to try that one. I think their most popular item is their Cuban sandwich made with authentic Cuban bread, though freshness can make it slide between phenomenal and ok: Before dinner they prepare them ahead of time so they can just throw them on the grill press. Panera does the same thing, but I'm coming here to avoid Panera. As first time restaurant owners and with three people at most running this small place, I'm sure they're still figuring out ways to balance quality and efficiency. They still have things to figure out but deserve to survive as they currently operate on the exact border of Frederick that transitions from the gentility of Third Street to the tatoo magnet of North Market's 300 block. Luckily the winter will soon pass and they won't have to battle the landlord over heating issues for several more months. The food and atmosphere here are quite satisfying and welcomely free of pretention. I hope they stick around. If in Frederick antiquing and looking for a quick meal, I'd resist the ease of the endless chains and fast-food joints lining Rtes. 40, 85, and 355 and head downtown to enjoy a new part of historic Frederick. 300 North Market St., Frederick, MD 21701. 301-760-7776. Pax, Brian P.S. TCP was mentioned in the Washington Post's shout out that JLK posted, but I've never had the courage to try their empanadas that sit on that rotating warming rack. Not sure even if they're homemade.

We enjoyed ourselves, too, and I was especially surprised that nothing was too spicy for me. I wonder what that spicy sauteed dry beef tasted like today b/c I took the leftovers of the rather benign pork in "spicy" garlic sauce for lunch today and it had real kick unlike last night. This was my first "authentic" Chinese food experience and showed me that I like it much better than the Americanized stuff. I guess I summon more courage in groups. Pax, Brian

We are "wine idiots" and we wanted to upgrade to "wine morons", so we looked into wine classes around DC and settled on Taste DC's Wine Basics 101. For $55 per person, the class was to teach 170 people how to recognize the different types of wine so you could start figuring out what you like and how to pair wines with meals. The class was led by Taste DC's president Charlie Adler, and it started promisingly. We sat in tables of 8 and each person had in front of them a notes sheet listing the night's wines plus four glasses of white wine. Charlie started walking us through the process of approaching a wine (checking color, swirling to release aroma, sniffing for fruits and herbs, snorgling if you're "fancy", and drinking) using a Sauvignon Blanc. Everything seemed very organized and focused by helping notice the aroma of grapefruit and fresh cut grass and the taste of sour Jolly Ranchers. We were so optimistic. But all logic broke loose after that. For the remaining three white wines, we starting jumping between the three wines without much direction or clear purpose (though I'm sure HE knew where he was going). But I still managed to get clear descriptions of the four white wines and their varietals (ha! learned that term--though I'm sure I misspelled it). After the four white wines, there was a 10 minute break to clean glasses and prepare the 4 red wines. Though my worksheet has notes furiously written all over the margins with important concepts about wine (e.g. reason for price differences, different wine raters, difference between France and CA wines), these concepts overwhelmed our discussion of the different red wines. As a result, I really have no clear notes about the differences between a Chianti, a Chiraz, or a Tempranillo. Especially after the break, Adler was totally manic, sometimes pushed off topic by audience questions but mostly taking personal tangents with wandering asides and goofy jokes. Someone in an Advanced Wine for Patients on Lithium course might have followed, but the crowd clearly struggled. At one point a clearly frustrated person at my table burst out to us, "If he would stop talking about such stupid shit..." As a teacher, too, it showed how important visuals are to organize both the speaker and the class, especially one so large and so in need of direction. Adler was actually giving us lots of important info, but it was so burried and convoluted in other crap that it was hard to get basic concepts let alone higher order connections. We difinitely got something out of it, but it could be much better. You winos out there might be interested in what they selected for us to taste, so I'll do my best to not butcher these names: 1) Drylands Marlboroough Sauvignon Blanc 2006 2) J&HA Strub Niersteiner Bruckchen Riesling Kabinett 2005 3) Pierrette et Marc Guillemot-Michel Quintaine Macon-Villages 2004 4) Edna Valley Vinyard 2005 Chardonnay Paragon 5) Venta Mazzaron Tempranillo 6) Fontodi Chianti Classico 2003 7) Chateau La Croix de Roche e2005 Bordeaux Superieur 8) Step Road Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2004 Pax, Brian

It was very creatively called "Sherry Chicken with Almonds." Pretty esoteric, huh? Pax, Brian

So, we're driving into the city for our wine class when I notice to the left of us is Dino and it dawns on me, "We just passed Palena!" Since it's 5:45 and they just opened for dinner, we decide against venturing further into the city to take a crap shoot on sushi and instead enroll in Palena Cafe 101. We took the advice of ordering the 45 minute chicken plus a burger and gnocci plate to eat while we waited. We ate the burger first, and it was extremely juicy and flavorful but surprisingly very salty. I personally put a ton of salt in the burgers I make, so I didn't mind, but I guess I expected a little more finesse from a great restaurant. Then we had the gnocci. So that's what gnocci's supposed to taste like! Most recently I tried gnocci at Maggiano's in Tyson's and it was ok but had the similar dryish center described by another poster at Bebo (I think). Palena's, though, not to be trite, truly melts in the mouth. Makes me want to through away the packaged gnocci I bought at an Italian store this week. And then the chicken came. Jesus fucking Christ! That chicken is enough to make a Catholic-schooled boy blasphemous during Lent! And make my mind wander to lasciviously carnal things.... By far the best chicken I've ever had. No wonder there's an extended thread on trying to figure out the recipe. The chicken must be swimming in that brine as soon as they hatch from the shell. Even my dark-meat-phobic wife was picking out a shred of thigh meat and imploring me, "You've gotta try this piece!" Is there a better way to spend $12 in this city? Three dishes plus two soft drinks came to $43 including tax but tip was additional [edited to say "including tax but tip was additional" since I originally mis-typed]. Definitely a better experience than the planned sushi crap shoot. We will definitely be back to both the cafe and for the back dining room. Before I left, I asked for a menu. When I get a chance, I'll scan it and post it under the caveat that the menu will likely change. At least it will be more instructive than the 2003 menu on the web site. Pax, Brian

Tomorrow evening my wife and I are going to a Winetasting 101 class at the Wyndham in DC. It starts at 7:30 and would want dinner first. Any recs? Not being familiar with the area, I'm not sure if the restaurants listed are walkable to the Wyndham or if you have to drive. This is the address: 1400 M Street, NW Washington, District of Columbia 20005 These are the dining options listed on the Wyndham web site: Sushi Taro, Olives, DC Coast, McCormick & Schmick's, The Federal Bar, Verandah Restaurant (on site) Of those, Sushi Taro seems like the best (only?) fit for food, price and time restrictions. But are there better options? I know Komi is generally in that area, but that's out of budget and probably time. Just thought I'd check. We'll probably be down to that part of the city by 6PM. Thanks for suggestions. Pax, Brian

Tonight I tried making another recipe from our Isabella's cooking classes last month. This one was quite successful and very simple. Give it a shot: 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast deboned and skinned 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil flour for dusting 1/2 cup dry sherry 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 TBSP minced garlic 1 sprig of thyme leaves removed 1/2 cup toasted almonds Fresh ground pepper Kosher Salt Wash chicken and pat dry. Cut into 1 inch cubes and season with lemon juice, fresh pepper, and a little salt. Dust with flower. heat oil in a large saute pan. Brown the chicken for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove and keep warm. Deglaze the sherry. Add chicken stock, minced garlic, and thyme. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by one-third. Add chicken breast to sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove and add the almonds. Serves 4. *I was just cooking for 2 tonight so fiddled with ingredients a bit to reflect half the chicken called for and it still came out well. Definitely didn't need to simmer for full 10 minutes, but my pieces might have been smaller. Also added more like 4-5 sprigs of thyme. Probably would have a little less lemon so it's not the most dominant taste and potentially marinate it an hour or so in the sherry to bring that flavor out some more, though I know the deglazing is what's trying to concentrate the sugars from the sherry. Pax, Brian

Approximately how many people fit in the cafe/bar area? Is it just as easy/difficult to get a seat there for 2 as it is for four? Pax, Brian

This is great news!!! This is the one place I Jones for. The drive from Frederick keeps me trimmer but it's worth the extra gas. I have to say, we've lucked out the two times we've gone in terms of wait (Friday night at 7:30 several months ago and 1:30 PM Saturday afternoon). Both times our wait was less than 20 minutes and this past Saturday's being only 10. As I've heard, dumb luck. I got the stuffed pizza this time and was not disappointed b/c I actually like the doughier edges, which tastes remarkably similar to their bread. My only wish was that they could cook the sausage first and then throw it inside to finish it off. We even ordered a pizza to go so that I could bring it by my unitiated in-laws. Though the arugala was quite wilted by the time we got home, my father-in-law said it was the best post-knee-operation present he had received. Somehow they get that scrumptious pie and I leave with a damn fruit basket.... Pax, Brian

Exactly the type of info I was looking for. I now know what to expect. Thank you all. Pax, Brian