dcfoodie

So go ahead and call me a rube who wouldn't know a slice of good pizza if someone slapped me in the face with one, I just thought I'd share.....

Thanks for pointing them out -- I'll have to give these guys a try. I'm seriously hurting for some decent pizza delivery in that area. It it's bad though, I'll be sure to call you a rube.

The mispelling of proprietary was strange. Perhaps he dictated it and his assistant executed the deed without using spell check?

Anyway, the C&D letter, posting and replies has been taking off of Jason's site.

Just double checked and called the lawyer. It's for real.

First, it can be obnoxious.  Here, a quick snap with a camera phone certainly is better than a composed shot with a digital SLR - the attention the latter attracts is discouraging to a proprietor and confusing to other patrons (what's so interesting to merit a picture? a roach?)

Secondly, it adds overhead to a dining experience that I believe would impact the overall impression and objectivity.  Clearly, in this case, it distorted what otherwise would have been a good review.  It also kind of compromises your anonymousness as a reviewer.  Restaurants may take more care plating the entree for the couple at table 12 bizarrely photographing each dish they consume.  On a personal note - I can see my wife getting annoyed at all the snapshotting - and having her put off certainly would color my experience. 

These points are something that I have struggled with actually. It IS awkward to be taking pictures at a meal, and it DOES draw attention to yourself and has the potential to comprimise my anonymity. However, people like to see pictures on a blog and I find that the posts I do with pictures are better. Maybe that's just because I need to work on my writing style.

I can use my SLR to fix the quality, but then it's even more awkward.

My camera phone also doesn't have a flash. It has a light, but it's not very bright so it shouldn't bother anyone nearby.

All of the restaurants listed, besides Buck's and Ray's are strip clubs

I'm not sure how I missed that. I guess I'm just not too familiar with the DC strip club scene.

if Greenwood had stayed in the back of the house it sounds like Buck's would have recieved a nice bit of free, positive publicity on dcfoodie's blog.

You've got that right! I had already written the post when I received the email. Too bad.

Here's the thing guys. I don't really care if a restaurant doesn't want me taking pictures of their food. I'll admit that the pictures I take aren't always the most flattering.

It's the way that this was handled that's the problem here. I mean, if someone had asked me nicely not to post the pictures online and given an explanation then I wouldn't have given it a second thought. Michael Landrum's post earlier would have been enough of an explanation for me.

But no one said I couldn't take pictures. All that happened was that Carole said I needed to have her permission to use them at the end of the meal and it was done rudely. After that, James came over to smooth things over and told us we didn't have to pay attention to Carole. Then the next day I got the cease and desist letter.

I don't need my ego stroked -- I just expect to be treated with respect when I'm paying $140 for dinner at a place.

My general feeling is that people take pictures of food only when they are impressed with the presentation, not when they think it  looks like a plate of shit.

Right. I generally only post pictures when I thought the food was good. And if I write something positive about the place and the pictures look like crap, I'll delete them because...well, who's gonna believe me that the food is good if the photos don't back it up.

Thanks for the legal summary too.

I posted something today on my web site that I think you'll all be interested in. I received a cease and desist letter in an email for pictures I took with my camera phone while eating at Buck's.

Read more here.

The fact is, no one told me I couldn't take pictures there. I was only told that I needed permission to use them by Carole, AFTER I'd already taken them.

Thoughts? Can a restaurant tell you that you can't take pictures of food that you've paid for? It's an interesting discussion I think.

Thinking ahead a little here, but I figured I'd throw it out there anyway.

Is anyone thinking they're going to Galileo next week for their half-price dinner special??

Is there a better value or more interesting cooking anywhere in town?

Nope.

I had a nice wine pairing with the tasting menu last weekend.  What did Twain say about exaggerated demises?

That's good to hear. I'm taking Amy there for her birthday next week. I was more referring to the fact that Sebastian has moved on.

Thinking back over the year, these are the dishes that stick out in my head...

Heirloom Tomato Salad - 2 Amys

Suckling Pig or Speck-Wrapped Tuna (it's always a hard choice) - Komi

Duck Confit - Corduroy

Mint Chip Ice Cream - 2 Amys

Pav Bhaji - Heritage India

Minestrone Soup - Circle Bistro

Not a dish, but just as important...

Wine Pairing - Komi (RIP)

Most restaurant web sites are just god-awful. The best that I can think of if Sonomas, but even then they use flash. Flash is the most overused plugin on the internet today. I don't understand the need to have some fancy flash intro that takes a minute to load over a broadband connection.

Even worse though are the places that use those inner scroll bars like Citronelle. I HATE them. I'm constantly trying to use my scroll bar and then I realize that I have the use their stupid scroll bar and it's slow as....

Another pet peeve...Music in the background -- especially slow jazz.

I was very happy that davidgreggory.com got a makeover recently. Until then, I'd say it was the worst restaurant web site on the internet. But at least I haven't been able to find anyone using the "blinking text" tag recently.

Please excuse the shameless self promo but I just can't help myself...

If I wasn't going to be in PA with family, I'd be trying IndeBlue with their tandoori turducken. Corduroy is always a favorite choice of mine though.

http://www.dcfoodies.com/2005/11/restaurants_ope.html

Since I frequent 2 Amys, I've gotten a little bored of the pizzas on the menu, so I've been experimenting with toppings lately and non of the combinations I come up with are ever as good as those that you can get right off the menu. The best that I've been able to do is improve upon the ones on the menu slightly. Has anyone come up with any good combinations that I haven't been able to think of?

Going to the grill for lunch.  Anyone else?

I wish I could. I need to work in DC!

Anyone have any IT management openings in Downtown DC.

We got there at 5pm and we were able to get a two top on the deck, when we left at 6:15 there was a line down the block (at least ten tables or so), who would have thought on Sunday of a holiday weekend.

I went tonight as well and I wasn't surprised that the bar was full at 9:30 PM. They ran out of dough tonight it was so crowded.

I encourage everyone to get the bean salad from the bar menu. I had it tonight and I was really happy with it. I also had ricotta cheese on a pizza for the first time...suddenly, I had a whole new world of pizza possibilites opened up to me.

As usual, I will be going to 2Amys tonight if anyone is interested.

Don - I assume you aren't talking about Kiefer Sutherland, Michael Douglas and Katherine Zeta Jones at Cafe Milano.  I know how you love that place.

I sense some sarcasm in this thread.

Starting August 4th Circle Bistro will be hosting wine tastings on Thursday Nights.  The fee of 25 smackeroos covers five wines (3oz pour), varied Amuse Bouche to pair and discussions led by my purveyors about their wines.  Anyone interested please call 202.293.5390 to make a reservation.  I look forward to seeing anyone who decides to come from the site...

Your web site says they started today....

Is the Glover park location participating in Restaurant Week? I didn't think they were. The restaurant week web site only lists their Connecticut Ave location.

Since Circle Bistro is close to my office, I might be able to stop by there quick for a drink. See you there!

Sadly, I won't be able to make it today. Maybe next time.

I might be up for Corduroy tonight...

When I was there a couple weeks ago, my wife and I had the Madelines. Such a simple dessert cookie shouldn't taste sooooo good.