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darkstar965

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Posts posted by darkstar965

  1. And, this just in on the new culinary attractions for 2015, which kicks off Monday with Max Scherzer fronting a half-strength lineup.

    "New concessions include "Throwin' Cheese" in section 130, which will feature "decadent" macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches. Near Section 132 is Captain's Cove, a new spacious bar that will offer the signature drink, the "Squeeze Play." The Virginia Biscuit Company arrives in May in section 113, and offers homemade Virginia biscuit sandwiches, including ham, fried chicken and chicken fried steak biscuits. The South Capitol Sushi stand has been relocated to section 217.
    New menu items include Sam Adams Nats Anniversary IPA, Enzo's Pizza, Leilani Shave Ice, build-your-own meal at the Chef's Table in the Norfolk Southern Club and Korean barbecue steak tacos and chicken meatball banh mi at the Red Porch.

    Further, Chick-Fil-A has been added as a corporate sponsor. For every save recorded by the Nats this season, fans will receive a free Chick-Fil-A sandwich by showing their game ticket or season plan holder card."

    Lovely, eh? Aside from Max's, best bet remains the growing waterfront scene (anchored by Osteria Morini) nearby for pre or post game.

  2. Don't you all think it's safe to say that G Sandwich, or for that matter, just about any vendor at Nationals Park, is essentially a glorified version of a food truck? No, I take that back: "glorified" isn't the right adjective; "stationary" is.

    These are stationary versions of food trucks.

    I would guess - and it's only a hypothesis based on what you all are saying here - that G Sandwiches are pre-made at a private kitchen facility, and trucked into the park for bulk sale. Did you see anything at all that would indicate they're made - and in the case of the chicken parm, cooked - there?

    You're some of the savviest diners anywhere - why are you doing this to yourselves?

    Tend to agree with this. Except the quality of food offered by many food trucks exceeds that on offer in the Park. Really just one exception which...

    As the 2014 regular season rounds third, I'm down to Max's as the food offering that hasn't disappointed. G-Sandwiches has been so wildly variable that it isn't fun. This season saw an addition of more/better local draft stands (shout out to Dujuan in the stand across the concourse from the President's Club). Sadly, there's ongoing lack of training/support from Levy Restaurants management seen in stands across the Park (does Max's have its "own" staff?).

    ...

    Note to the Nats front office: I'll know you're serious about the "status I deserve" when there's an e-cash line at Shake Shack and dependable WiFi that reaches down to my seats.

    ...Lydia nails above. :-)

  3. In my experience (not as great as darkstar's; I've only been about 2 or 3 dozen times), the quality of an espresso beverage there depends largely on who's making it.  One of them always turns out a blisteringly hot cup.

    ...

    Totally agree, Porcupine.  With espresso drinks, as long as the espresso and grind are of decent quality and not too old, the lion's share of the result is in the hands of the barista.  This is, of course, different from brewed coffee altogether.  But, with espresso and espresso drinks (cappuccinos, lattes, cortados, etc.), quality will  (and does) vary dependent on the maker.

  4. This will never, ever happen, and Tom knows it won't - I have no idea why he wrote this suggestion.

    [Kibbee, I didn't mean to bust your chops with my previous post; if you have any *new* information, i.e., stuff you haven't said before, please feel free to present it.]

    Agree it's a pretty unlikely scenario. Imagine Boz wrote it because...well...he believes it. It'd be a pragmatic resolution however unlikely.

    • Like 1
  5. Yeah, I have to agree with this....it's not just using your bullpen to excess, or going with (or even pulling) your starting pitcher, thus disturbing his next start, or using borderline injured players and pushing them to the disabled list, or all the other options available to a manager for the purpose of winning a bet but actually hurting the team. It's all of that, PLUS the fact that Dowd was called off when he was about to prove that Rose bet against his team to lose.

    Put me firmy in the BAN column. Worse than PEDs, which attacked the integrity of the record books, gambling on games in which you have a responsibility to perform attacks the integrity of the game.

    Thanks for the linked article, KN. Interesting reading. Unless I missed it though, not sure Dowd was "about to prove that Rose bet against his team." The quoted language is about insufficient evidence to draw that conclusion, attributed to Dowd. Whatever decision Manfred makes probably won't turn on that anyway since, either way, Rose clearly violated the rule.

    The option to admit to Cooperstown but deny reinstatement to the game in all other ways makes the most sense to me. More or less Boswell's idea. None of this has anything to do with what he achieved as a player. His statistics stand. The all-time hits leader should have a plaque in Cooperstown imho. Simply because the hall is about recognizing the game's best players. As flawed and unethical a rule violator as he was, he was and remains one of the game's best players. Different from steroid users where the cheating impacted the playing results.

  6. Four of us enjoyed a great evening this past Saturday. ...

    I'm don't typically focus on desserts, but their offerings were incredible. In particular, the madeleine offering was superb. Buttery, crunchy, not too rich, and smooth. Their pastry/dessert chef is amazing.

    ...

    Aggie Chin: The "Amazing" Pastry/Dessert Chef.

    Just wanted to highlight the dessert part of your post, reedm. Aggie is great and, though lesser known than Chef Ruta and Keith since earlier in her career, is a fast-rising star.

    • Like 1
  7. I'm eating there in a couple of days with some not-to-be-named folks from that government housing unit over on 16th street. Any suggestions as to what I should think about ordering? This isn't on my dime. Thanks.

    Definitely read this thread above. We've detailed most every dish on the menu with good and well-supported opinions, pro and con, related to many of them.  If you read those posts, you'll be the table expert for sure. Enjoy dinner and good to hear those bureaucrats are getting out a little.  :D

  8. Padang Curry with Cod (Gulai <whatever the Sumatra word for cod might be>...do they even eat cod in Sumatra?  It was cheap at Giant so I went with it)

    Stir fried bean sprouts, garlic, kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), regular soy sauce

    Malay cabbage with ginger and coconut

    Maybe this kind of cod? :)  There's a very famous dive spot off the NW coast of Australia where these guys congregate.  Not endangered and very gregarious.

  9. I was in yesterday but was thwarted as they're not currently selling pancetta or guanciale, which I needed for a dish we were making. Sounds like they won't be selling either for awhile but the salesperson who helped me wasn't entirely sure why or when. Still, all the sausages are now in frozen packages at left when you enter so made do with some of those and a thick slice of prosciutto di parma.

  10. Cool thanks....so googling shows the shop is in.....north of Georgetown?

    .

    P and 28th. Just a couple of blocks from the main commercial strip on M. I was just in yesterday and bought some sausages from the case on the left when you enter. I think I saw boudin noir but not sure.

    http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?/topic/10593-stachowski-market-and-deli-28th-and-p-street-in-georgetown-featuring-jamie-stachowskis-charcuterie/

  11. Readers are jumping the gun a bit - Mark is in the midst of trying several coffees and has not reached a final decision. La Colombe is one of the candidates - when I heard from Mark today about this, no decision had been made.

    Makes sense and, of course, he's the "decider in chief" so that has to be right.  When I was in earlier this past week, seemed pretty clear MadCap is being phased out and La Colombe was in the house but guess on trial.  Not sure what other roasters may be candidates but, really, won't matter as much so long as the roasts are decent if they don't fresh brew which they've never really done.  Coffee isn't the strong point. The program there simply isn't to the level of the breads and pastry...and most other foods for that matter.  Also not to the level of the city's better independent coffee houses but it's a bakery so probably can't and shouldn't expect that.

  12. Well 3 #1's.  Good job by the seeding committee.  Meanwhile, Izzo, the Michigan State coach has a remarkable record in the NCAA tournament.   I must admit to being of the "anyone but Kentucky crowd".  The fact that Notre Dame gave them such a tough game speaks to opportunities for the other teams.

    Its not that I think Kentucky is so great.  I spoke my piece on that upthread.  Its simply that U K has stockpiled high school all Americans at a never before seen level, and as I stated above I think overall levels of competition are lower than say a decade and longer ago.  So if another team beats them I think it will be sweet justice.

    I'll be rooting for ABK also. My views on Kentucky's place in history are more pragmatic and not reflective of personal preferences. I'll be more rooting for great games since fairly indifferent between MST, Wisconsin and Duke for different reasons. Any one of the three would be great in my book.

    On Izzo's record, he is now evidently the only coach ever to make the Final Four three times with a team seeded fifth or lower.

  13. My main issue with FreshBaguette is that they are somewhat inconsistent. They are never, ever bad. It is just....sometimes the baguette is a little too thin, a little too thick, a little too light, a little too dark. Consistency has got to be one of the hardest things to nail in the food industry in general, and I would think in bread in particular.

    This is interesting. I agree about inconsistency with restaurants but think that's because they're multivariate with different employees, many turning over rapidly, who all factor into a dining out experience. With restaurant food, if Chef X isn't there or a new sous is on the line, or ingredients are changed or cheapened, etc., etc.

    But a higher end bakery run by an exceptionally skilled baker stipulates consistent ingredients, equipment and technique. I've bought bread at BF and Leonora more than FB but have some experience with all three with the most at BF by a good margin. I think BF's baguettes and other breads very consistent. Same as they were at Marvelous Market and at BreadLine when Mark Furstenberg owned those years ago. He's obsessive about quality; has always been that way.

  14. This is exciting news. I couldn't tell if the coffee there was lackluster because of the beans or the brewing method. Hopefully the former and this change will drastically improve the offering.

    Without getting too detailed, it's the brewing method. BreadFurst doesn't brew to order so no pourover, French press and the like. MadCap is a good roaster. So is La Colombe.

  15. I really want to compare, head to head, BreadFurst's baguette with the ones I have been getting at FreshBaguette in Bethesda. That alone is reason enough for me to trek there, say, mid-day to have a looksee.

    BreadFurst (BF) produces a much wider range of breads than FreshBaguette. Aside from the baguettes, the levain and brioche are real standouts at BF. The investment in equipment and people at BF is also much greater. And, beyond bread, BF also offers a much greater range of artisan/specialty foods ranging from preserved fruits, pickled vegetables and fabulous honey to housemade ketchup, cheeses, charcuterie, prepared foods and an extensive pastry program helmed by the former pastry chef at the White House. Mark F, the owner (and current Beard Award nominee, for the second time), is also on site at BF most days, very different from Fresh Baguette, which is a more absentee owner.

    All that aside, I think the Fresh Baguette baguette is very good. But, for me it's a clear bronze medal with BF and Arlington's Leonora in the gold and silver positions, respectively. Will be interested to see which you like better. Clearly very fun "research"!

  16. He wasn't an alcoholic in college. He could dunk it backwards (he was only about 5'11"), and was as fast as a sprinter (he was the sixth-fastest player on his high school team at 295 pounds). Also, I *think* some of his ACC weightlifting (leg press?) records still stand today. I'm assuming, of course, that he maintained his health when I say he'd be an above-average NFL lineman. Don't forget his little brother ("little" in every sense of the word) was an All-Pro.

    True he wasn't diagnosed as an alcoholic until later but the thing is the seeds were planted much earlier than diagnosis. Without getting into a tangential and extensive convo about alcoholism, Perry clearly struggled a ton to control his weight immediately on entry to the NFL, and likely prior. Simply can't assume he'd have "maintained his health" since that was the whole point. He could have been Canton-bound given the strength, speed and receptivity to coaching. He fell way short of that due to the off field struggles. Instead he was a tremendously loved "cultural phenomenon" who had some really memorable moments. He only stayed with the Bears as long as he did because Ditka protected him. Once Wannestedt took over, Perry was shipped to the Eagles and his career soon ended. We all loved him as fans. He was such a memorable player with seemingly huge heart and great smile. But, real lessons to be learned from what happened to him for younger, aspiring players.

  17. Indeed. I'd be a regular if it was easier for me to get to on a weekday. EDIT - Hmm, had a look and I now realize it is only a 3 metro stop ride away from my office, so this is theoretically doable when I feel I have time to indulge.

    Pace and traffic-light dependent, it's a 5-10 minute walk from the Van Ness Metro stop (at Van Ness St) to BreadFurst, just south of Albemarle. Maybe, conservatively, an hour round trip time from Bethesda factoring in time waiting for and taking the train and time inside the shop, which has plenty of great distractions. :-)

  18. My wife and I are planning to go again soon - to try the fabled pizza finally.  That said, it'd be hard not to explore more of the menu while we're there.

    I remember we went to Dar Poeta in Roma maybe 7 years ago. We each had a pizza. They must be laced with crack they are so good. We ended up ordering a third pizza for dessert. OOF. Wondering if we start with a pizza here at Ghibellina if we'll have the conviction to meander to the rest of the menu or order more pizza. Haha!

    Everyone marches to the best of their own drummers but I've been able to meander back-and-forth between the pizza and other parts of the menu without too much trouble. Of course, the easy way is to share a pizza and another main or three depending on your group, like we did a few nights ago. I do think menu design is one of the secrets to Gibellina's success. People are the most important factor but, the menu isn't huge, fits on a single page but also offers real and interesting choice with the pizzas taking up only maybe 30% of the real estate on that page.

    • Like 1
  19. If people can agree on a wine, it's much more affordable - at least for some of the bottles - to get a whole bottle rather than order by the glass.  At the low end of bottle pricing, a whole bottle is only three times the price of a glass.

    Due to the hour and nature of the group, a full bottle wouldn't have worked for us last night but good to know that. I do wonder some if they'd actually see better wine profits by coming a bit more into line with the market on the glass pricing though. I'm not expert on wine pricing but I don't think I'd have noticed it as much (or at all) if glasses were 10-15% less.

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