Mark Dedrick

Just want to say that, on a nice day, this may be the best roofdeck in the city. Views of the Capitol and the Washington Monument (not to mention huge swaths of NE DC); a great bar that opens up inside and outside, and televisions where you can watch your football game from outside. And on Saturday at lunchtime, no crowd at all.

I just had the Montmartre version on Friday, and I'd like to second Don's recommendation. It was fantastic.

I went last night as part of a group of five and absolutely loved it. We ordered the entire menu (well, with the exception of dessert, where we only ordered one of the two options), and while some things were certainly better than others, we enjoyed everything that came out. Pro tip, despite our waiter's belief in our eating prowess, the entire menu is probably slightly more food than a party of five should order. A few thoughts: The space looks great, and is much bigger than I was expecting from walking by. Because of this, and the way they have the tables laid out, I don't think anyone is going to feel overly crowded. The table that we had, at the far back of the restaurant, near one of the many bars that pop up throughout, was fantastic, and allowed us to carry on conversations at a very normal level. I love the bar space upstairs, where apparently you can order the entire menu. I was the last in my party to arrive, so I didn't have the opportunity to try any of the cocktails, but the menu read great. Service was very good throughout. Our waiter read our table well, and was a good blend of informal, yet professional. Water was refilled promptly, plates were cleared when they were completed, and the service never felt intrusive. And good descriptions on all of the dishes when they came out. Job well done in my opinion. We ordered everything on the menu, which was twelve "small plates" and two "family style." This worked well for order, because the kitchen sent things out as they felt they made sense, and made for a more cohesive meal than most tapas-style small plates experiences I've had recently. The lychee salad with pork sausage and habanero was fantastic. Other highlights, for me, were the burnt romaine salad (surprisingly, I don't typically like cooked romaine salads), the fennel gnocchi, the cacio e pepe, the fried eggplant and the caramelized cauliflower. The weakest dish was the shrimp and grits (namely the texture of the rice grits, the shrimp were delicious). Both family style dishes, Southern Style Chicken and Smoked Brisket, were absolutely fantastic. Really delicious fried chicken. The wine list is extremely small (or perhaps focused?). Anyhow, that's all I've got. We had a great experience, and we all left wanting to make it back as quickly as possible. On a Monday night we had no trouble getting seated, but I could see this turning into a bit of a wait for a table given their no reservations policy.

We finally made it here on Friday night, and I want to echo all of the positive comments above, this place is absolutely fantastic. I honestly can't say enough good things about the entire experience. The room is wonderful, warm and inviting. Our service was great throughout, our cocktails were good, and the food was absolutely incredible. I also turned our table over to Sebastian for wine, and was extremely pleased with the Orange Wine he selected, the first one I've tried. We're already trying to figure out when we can return.

So, I'll be here in a few weeks for a wedding. I've never been. Most of my time will likely be taken up with various wedding activities, but I believe I should be able to break free for at least one dinner. Any strong recommendations? Ideally would be downtown.

I want to agree with those above about the space. It's fantastic. I've now eaten here twice, both times at the bar, and I'm glad it's in the neighborhood. Good beer list, solid food (the pizza crust is a bit thicker and chewier than I prefer, but it was still tasty), and good service, at least at the bar. I love how those big front windows can be opened up to H Street.

Finemondo is always quiet, and as a result would probably work. Ceiba, while not as quiet, would probably work as well.

I was in Indiana for a wedding in Kokomo this weekend. Due to wedding activities, I didn't have a lot of time to explore around the area, but here are some quick thoughts: Bourbon Street Distillery - We were looking for a quick lunch in Indianapolis on our drive to the airport, and we ended up here after some rather haphazard internet searching. I had the pork tenderloin sandwich, which I didn't know was a thing until a couple of weeks ago. It was delicious. Perfectly fried, not at all dry, great pork flavor. I really enjoyed it. My wife's popcorn shirmp Po' Boy was also quite good. This is a divey, neighborhood-type bar, and we enjoyed it very much. Bub's Burgers and Ice Cream - In Carmel. We did essentially no research for this trip, and on this occasion we were looking for a place to eat in between the airport and Kokomo. This is what we found. My elk burger was delicious, and we also enjoyed the sweet potato waffle fries. I wasn't remotely expected the question "Would you like marshmallow dipping sauce for that?" I replied yes for novelty alone, but would not order it again. Nice spot. Half Moon Brewery - In Kokomo. Pretty much everything we saw in Kokomo is a chain. This place may be a regional chain, I don't know. But their beer is decent and service was great. I can't speak to their food. I was also again reminded, when picking up a round of drinks, how absurdly cheap things can be in other parts of the country (or how absurdly expensive they are here).

Yeah, I was quite pleased with Lily's. The menu was good, prices seemed reasonable to me (but they are on the high side for Dayton) and I enjoyed everything I ate. I'd definitely hit it up. Salar, across the street, is on my list for my next trip into town. Most of the business I do in Dayton is in the downtown, so I try not to get a car if possible. As a result, my dining tends to be whatever I can walk to from my hotel.

I realize now that I have never posted anything about Dayton, which is a city I typically visit a few times a year for work. That's probably for the best, as it seems like on each trip I find a place that I actually quite like, only to have it close by the time I return. Having just got back today, here are a few thoughts. Lily's - Had dinner here last night. In the Oregon District. It's good. I don't think it would particularly stand out in DC, but it's a good solid menu, that does proper cocktails, and has good, quality service. It's new, and assuming it survives, I'll return. Century Bar - For some reason my client wanted to have dinner at 5:30 last night, which left me out on my own much earlier than I would be normally. I'd passed this place while walking around earlier, and noticed that it billed itself as a "House of Bourbon." Given that a glass of whiskey was pretty much exactly what I wanted, I walked back downtown (this place is located in the downtown, which is walking distance to the Oregon District, but not particularly close to anything else, unless, like me, you're staying at the Crowne Plaza) to check it out. Great looking classic bar. More than 90 bourbons available (apparently every bourbon you are allowed to serve in Ohio). Very knowledgeable bartenders. Also some beers by the bottle and can. I saw them making a few cocktails, but I never asked for the cocktail list. Oregon Express - Didn't go here this week, but I've been a few times. Quality pizza, and a really good beer list. Blind Bob's - Many locals have recommended this place to me, and I have eaten here twice. It's fine bar food, but I would say it is essentially the same as eating at the Argonaut in DC. However, on my last visit (in November) we did inadvertently see a heavy metal band who performed a song titled "Cobra Wolf." Given that possibility, you may want to move it up on your list. Roost - Again, didn't visit it this trip, but last trip had a very nice Italian meal here. Also in the Oregon (I tend to go there as I typically stay at the Crowne Plaza downtown and this is an easy walk). More upscale than any of the other places listed. Smokin' BBQ - Located right in between downtown and the Oregon. I think this is a quite solid place, and I love the bare bones atmosphere and that I'm always the only person there in a suit. Lucky's Tap Room - In the Oregon. Food is fine, nothing particularly special, but they do have a very good draft beer selection. I haven't been since they moved, but I've had several nice meals at Coco's over the years. There's a new restaurant that friends of mine have recommended called Salar. It's in the exact same spot as at least three other restaurants that I've enjoyed in the past, but I can't speak to it other than that it looks nice, and others have said good things.

We actually had a good experience in a hotel in the Old Town part of San Sebastian, and it is substantially cheaper than hotels in Barcelona FWIW. With 8 days in either city I think you have time to do plenty of day, or side trips without ever feeling rushed. I'd take advantage of that.

I'm not certain when exactly it closed. I do know that for quite a while it *appeared* to be closed at what I thought were odd times, but I hadn't seen anything about it being closed, and I thought I noticed it opened on other occasions. It wasn't a terribly memorable place, so for the most part I would just walk by it on the strip. I'll try to find out what exactly is going in that space.

Wow, I find that kind of surprising. I ate here three times, and thought the food was quite good, although, you're right, not particularly memorable. And it wasn't full a single time I was there.

Probably not relevant, since everybody who wants to know probably does, but this place is closed. They're renovating, and hopefully something good opens here next. http://www.popville.com/2013/09/work-finally-starts-on-souk-at-1208-h-st-ne/

Yeah, I seldom seek out steakhouses, but I had no complaints about this spot at all. Service was wonderful, you're just off the casino floor in a space that felt hopping, but wasn't deafeningly loud. Actually, one complaint, there was a constant line for the bathroom in the restroom, which meant that you essentially had to head into the casino itself. But that's a small quibble.

A few thoughts on Atlantic City from this weekend (I was there with a group of seven guys): Revel - We took a chance, despite lots of news articles and no people that we knew who had stayed here. And customer service, on the phone, was not good. Long waits on the phone to actually speak to someone, and bad service when speaking to people a couple of times (such as when trying to make a reservation for dinner). Once we arrived, however, we had no complaints. The casino is huge, looks great, and service was fantastic at every level. Really enjoyed our experience there, Our rooms were much larger than I was expecting. Great experience. Amada - We ate here on our first night, in part because we wanted a place in our hotel, and in part because I really enjoyed the branch in Philadelphia. This one wasn't as good as Philly, but it was really good. We ordered a bunch of stuff from all over the menu, and everything was great. The restaurant space is huge (which is a theme with Revel), and as a result seems relatively empty even where there are a lot of people there. Bobby Flay Steak - We needed to have one steakhouse dinner, so we ended up going here, in part so that we could visit the Borgata. Borgata itself reminds me a lot of Bellagio in Vegas. Our dinner was great. I have a small quibble with our pre-dinner cocktails just because they shook my Manhattan. after that, however, everything was fantastic. We absolutely demolished the seafood tower to start, and our steaks were cooked perfectly and delicious. Service was great. If you're looking for a steakhouse dinner I would go here. Mussel Bar - They have a very good happy hour (can't remember the times, but it was definitely on at about 3 pm on Saturday). Cheap(er) Belgian drafts, half price mussels, dollar oysters and a few other things. My heirloom tomato flatbread was good, although nothing special. White House Subs - I ordered a half White House Special today for lunch. I ate it, and as a result I'm not eating dinner tonight. It was delicious, and I regret nothing.

Per Frozen Tropics, they've opened today: http://frozentropics.blogspot.com/2013/09/far-east-taco-grille-opens-today.html Edit: And some additional details from Young and Hungry: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2013/09/17/far-east-taco-grille-opens-storefront-south-of-h-street-ne/

Thank you for confirming this for me, I've long felt that Todd Kliman is not just a good writer for a restaurant critic or food writer, but just a fantastic writer period.

I'd like to piggyback on this post as well. I'll be there in a couple of weeks with a group. Right now we have reservations at Amada (loved it in Philly) and Bobby Flay Steak. A steakhouse is a requirement, but I'm wondering if we're missing somewhere else we should be going.

There's a lot going on in this story. Agree with the folks above, would love to see an actual legitimate spot open up here. http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2013/09/11/let-the-bad-times-roll-h-street-nes-most-hated-restaurant-closes-after-tax-troubles-lawsuits-and-a-food-fight/

What I had last week was comparable to Pok Pok, based on a single visit. I'd have to visit more to state that definitively. I'd say that much of the food was street food-like, particularly the dim sum options. The market pieces are definitely not around at Hanoi House, as they're just working on the menu at this point. I'm very excited to see what the final product looks like.

Gordonsville BBQ Exchange - There's been a ton of love expressed for this place on this board, and I agree with all of it. We ate here twice while in Orange for a wedding last weekend. The pulled pork is better than the brisket. My friend ordered ribs which I did not get to try because they disappeared too quickly. I like all of the sides, although my typical order is the spicy slaw, collards, and an extra side of spicy pickles.

Not sure if there is, or if there should be, a separate thread for 2 Birds 1 Stone. So I'll post here. You enter on S Street, down a discretely marked staircase. Great looking space, short but interesting cocktail list. Between the two of us we had four drinks, and loved all of them. This is a great addition to the 14th Street corridor. No food now, not sure about the future.

Was in Miami two weeks ago for a long weekend. A couple of quick notes: Barceloneta - We quite liked it. Reminded me of a bit more casual/more hip Estadio. Food was uniformly fantastic. They have booze, not just wine and beer like the neighboring Pubbelly. Versailles - Really enjoyed this, great Cuban food and a cool atmosphere. We went here after a quick trip to Miami Jai Alai, which was also fantastic. Regent Cocktail Club - Continue to love this spot. Great drinks, cool atmosphere. Bazaar - This was a huge hit with our group. We ordered a ton of food, and there were no misses in the bunch. And while expensive, it isn't as expensive as we were expecting (nor as expensive as you would think looking at the Ferraris parked out front). Pubbelly - I don't think I'll do a trip to Miami without stopping at Pubbelly. Yardbird - We hit Yardbird for brunch with the three remaining folks from our contingent. We ordered shrimp and grits, fried chicken, chocolate chip pancakes with bananas and "peanut butter", a cheddar cheese waffle, and a bacon maple bar. It was way too much food, but it was absolutely glorious.

Some quick notes from my short trip to Portland last week: Little Bird - Fantastic. Was able to walk right in and grab a seat at the bar, but as a caveat this was on a Monday night. My entree, the Sherry Glazed Pork Shoulder with Roasted Corn, Fingerlings, Manchego and Padron Peppers was fantastic. Ridiculously good. Pok Pok - Went for lunch. Love this place. There were about six of us, so we ordered all over the menu and I can't remember exactly what we had, although most of it was without meat due to a pescatarian dining with us. The papaya salad was fantastic, as always. I love spicy food, but a couple of my lunch companions had some trouble with how spicy this dish was. The Het Paa Naam Tok, which is a forest mushroom dish, was also fantastic, and probably the next most spicy dish we ordered. Raven and Rose - This is a new-ish place near Portland State. Beautiful space, in an old carriage house saved from the wrecking ball a couple of years ago and completely restored. There's a gorgeous and spacious bar upstairs as well that we saw, but didn't sit in. I had the seared scallop with black pudding and minted peas and the skillet-fried sand dab with artichokes and caper butter. Both were really good. I'd recommend it, and even though I didn't partake, I'd recommend cocktails at the bar upstairs as well, particularly if you're looking for a fun spot near downtown for a drink. Kask - Adjacent to Gruner, and owned by the same folks, this is a great spot to grab a drink, which is what I did after work on Tuesday. Great cocktail list and cocktails, knowledgeable and friendly bartenders, and a cool space. The snacks we had (pickles and charcuterie) were also good. Tasty n Alder - We went here for dinner Tuesday because we figured we should mix in some eating with our drinking. I enjoyed it, and I would return. The radicchio with lardons, manchego and egg was really good, and the Brick Chicken was the best thing we ate all night. Clyde Common - I always enjoy grabbing a drink here. Great bar.