darkstar965

You're not kidding! It's going to be tough to find a good excuse (in addition to the memorably great fried chicken) to go to Mobile anytime soon. :-(

Wonder how fresh they are? I had kona coffee on the Big Island years ago that I still remember but Konas I've had in the states haven't been the same. One prominent local roaster convinced me of the answer to this puzzle. Freshness matters. :-)

If you shell out the dough for a BGE, someone is probably delivering it for you. :-) I've been passively researching a BGE for a couple of years. Some here on the site have them and have posted their experiences. Have read a bunch online and visited a couple of shops. Have had opportunity to dine with experienced and noobie BGE-owning friends. Even attended one BGE event. My conclusions? Still undecided personally but absolutely only makes sense if a buyer plans to smoke or wants to develop that skill. Buying it just as a charcoal/wood grill seems silly.

Shocking. (sarcasm font on)

As a lifelong Reds fan, I agree...with the above excerpt. :-)

Farfalle tossed in a sauce made with evoo, butter, some stock, wild mushroom, sliced garlic, fresh thyme and oven-roasted cherry tomatoes. Leftover sliced steak. Tossed salad with a lemon parm vinaigrette.

It's a great question. I'd guess the answer to why all depends on whether contentment/indifference or interest in growth is the bigger goal. Profit or non-profit? Can sometimes be difficult to land on one and stay there for a host of reasons, Of course, also true that GAR has been a business since founding, not so much here.

I posted a recc for an article elsewhere on this site which more properly should be here now that threads like this one exist. On the dining out and food parts of this website, discussions start occasionally about all the unsung heroes who make fabulous restaurant or food store experiences possible. These discussions often get quite heated. Invariably, someone goes to bat (pun not intended) for the busboys, the severs, the dishwashers or the small, unknown places that lack new-millennium PR or celebrity chefs. We argue for and against tipping. And we click the "like button" more for heartwarming stories that shine lights on deserving targets normally off the radar (I.e., KibeeNayee's "Brandon" at GAR). I think that all great stuff. I get more excited about what people actually DO (often without promotion or taking credit) to help others than just talk; but even the talk is positive and helpful. So, the link from that to the Washington Nationals. I'm a baseball fan and have adopted the local team since they moved here from Montreal a decade ago. Like any fan, I can hold my own over beers about Bryce Harper, Steven Strasburg, Denard Span, Ryan Zimmerman or even less well known players/coaches who deserve credit and attention like Craig Stammen, Wilson Ramos, Randy Knorr or Aaron Barrett. Many websites, broadcast media and broadsheet types like Boswell, Wagner, Zuckerman, Carpenter and Janes help. But, as much as I love all that stuff, my favorite article ever penned about this team was this one by Barry Svrluga. If you missed it last fall, I thought you'd enjoy it too.

For future planning, good to consider also what a more tailored experience (I.e., Roberto's8) or even advance phone call, can accomplish. They did some menu adaptation for us as described a bit a few posts up. I post here just to give a broader view when considering this chef's flexibility. This has nothing to do with this Chef's history. I just think him an immense talent in the kitchen and maybe not as rigid as some might think.

Gosh, I'm not even sure what brand it is. Lodge maybe? Have had it about ten years. It covers two burners on a standard 4-burner stove. We have a gas stove hence my question for goodeats; not sure if it would perform any differently on an electric stove but wouldn't think so. Wanting to be more helpful, just took a look and measured it. It's about 20" by 10.5", and an inch thick. Heavy. It is a Lodge and I can make out a patent number if you let me know you'd like that. One side is a flat griddle (great for pancakes!) and the other side a raised, ribbed grill surface perfect to get crosshatch lines on steaks and all the rest. We love it for indoor grilling because it easily chars meats and veggies like outside. You have to take care of it as with any cast iron (mostly easy cleaning and seasoning) to prevent rust or excessive smoke but it pays you back for that very minimal effort by retaining and distributing higher heat beautifully.

Is your stove electric also? Not a very elegant solution but I once had an apartment with similar restrictions so I just didn't have an outdoor grill. Wasn't worth getting fined sneaking a small charcoal kettle onto a terrace and didn't like the electric options, though, like Barbara, this was years ago.Anyway, that experience led me to a discovery we still use today when the weather outside is really a bear. A two-burner, heavy, cast-iron grill for indoor grilling. We get great results with it.

In pro baseball, there are clubhouse managers. They make sure players have the food they like. They ensure all the unis are hung and clean. They often arrange the buses, flights and hotels. The famous, star players typically love that guy, claiming they could never do what they do if not for him. But, do we know their names? No. Academy Award winning films have large crews. Some of the more obscure roles, like costume design or choreography, are relegated to a different day to get their Oscars while others aren't even eligible for such awards. Can we name the makeup person for uber-popular films like Birdman or Million Dollar Baby from ten years ago? No. The most admired military generals and admirals led huge armies and changed the course of history. We all know the names MacArthur and Nimitz. But their adjutant officers? Mess hall chiefs? No. You seem to be struggling with something definitional here, Jay. I don't imagine GAR does anything to keep their head of operations or customer experience "quiet." You can probably look up the name on their corporate website. You can start a thread here about that person. They would surely deserve it.* But that's all the nature of fame. Only the few are so noted. The rest of them (and all of us) are important too, critical even. And, hopefully, those not famous are still valued in the ways that most matter--internally, by bosses, with compensation, family, etc--but they're not famous. And, maybe most are perfectly okay with that? Fame and public attention are not the only ways to covey love, value, recognition and appreciation. I guarantee you the clubhouse manager for the Washington Nationals feels appreciated. Yet no one knows his name. For reference, there are two. Rob MacDonald and Mike Wallace, the latter no relation to the famous one from 60 Minutes.** Sonetimes, the media does its job exceedingly well, shining a little light in corners usually kept dark. Same as this website. :-) * Tom Rush is likely your man and no doubt great at his job.

That's it! And, agreed, it's pretty awesome. I think I saw that wok too. Walking through a place like that almost makes you feel a bit foolish for ever crossing a threshold of a Willams Sonoma or Sur la Table. They're more conveniently located, nicer venues and sell some things you wouldn't find here or of better quality but...still...wow!

I like to have my needs met also but don't think right to bash or push a chef that gives the answer he did. To some extent, this illustrates the impossibility of pleasing everyone in the restaurant biz. Some chefs have a very strong and well developed point of view. Surely, Donna is one. For those that love his POV and style, it works. When we last did the Roberto's (4 versus the 8 it is now) we had one person in our party who was both gluten and lactose free; pretty tough for Italian cuisine. Because that is a much more personalized experience than the main restaurant, they may have made some accommodation in dish selection but not so much in composition. We all loved it. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE how places like Rose's will basically do whatever you want and still virtually guarantee you'll love your meal. But, Aaron Silverman isn't Roberto Donna, or vice versa. Chefs and staff lay themselves out and hope enough of us like what they do to succeed. In this particular case, I think you did the right thing to just order something different and not give them too hard a time.

I'm a big fan of jayandstacey's but have to comment, and disagree some, on the above. To some extent, you may as well have written that you "support the troops" or are in favor of cute puppies. The kinds of lines which automatically induce head nods, smiles and even competition to see whose agreement is strongest. It struck me as a bit sanctimonious in a way I'm sure you didn't intend. I'll explain. On celebrity chefs, of course true that many people (not sure exactly to whom "food world" refers) get excited about and talk or write about their new ventures. But, I think celebrity chefs also take a ton of abuse in print and on air, in virtually all media and very much on this website. I mentioned Todd English and Spike upthread. Just two great examples of several. Can check the debate that ensued around the chef/owner of Chef Geoffs. Or, how about Pete Wells' skewering of Michel Richard's venture into Manhattan last year? You get the point. I think it a paper tiger to say this community, or any serious restaurant journalist, media or other group, just mindlessly applaud whatever so-called celebrity chefs do. So the starting assumption seems wrong. The "FOH servers and staff" line seems just misplaced at best, or unfair at worse. The DC, Baltimore, NY and PHL parts of this website are about restaurants. It's probably safe to say that a healthy percentage of readers and posters here form an affinity group with interest in food, dining out, and value for money. Some weight service more heavily than others. Some only note service when it isn't good. Check the last three serious reports, all done by regular joes, on the Grill Room. DanielK, PoolBoy and I all praised, and criticized, aspects of service. Posters here don't write about taxi drivers that much either simply because it's not the main focus of the interest that brings them here. Bottom line, I think you really underestimate how often "FOH staff" are discussed here and, to put that community up as victimized relative to universally heralded "celebrity chefs"...here? Well, that just seems detached from the reality I perceive. If anything, the best community you might have referenced with some kind of higher-road mission might have been back-of-house since bussers, dishwashers and prep cooks all work extremely hard, receive much less attention anywhere and are foundational to any restaurant experience that diners have than servers and hosts/hostesses who deal directly with the public. Finally, I already mentioned this in my own reply to pizzaandbrew but the whole notion of a "profiteer" strikes me as a bit bogus in competititive markets. Different for highly regulated or near-monopoly markets but restaurants are as competitive an industry as any in America. Very simply, any restaurant or restaurant operator has the full right to pursue growth and profit, as long as legally pursued. For potential customers like us, who want to spend carefully and love whatever food, we properly vote with our business. I think valid and very useful to constructively criticize food quality, overall experience, and value for money but just silly to get angry at any entrepreneur who is successful. It's so, so hard to achieve that kind of success. We should respect and admire such accomplishments, separate and apart from how we might feel personally about their menus, kitchen execution, or service efficiency. This post won't get as much applause as yours but it's maybe a bit fairer and more reflective of the reality?

I don't at all knock the right and ability of any business to pursue growth. At the end of the day, any business selling anything will succeed if it resonates with a big-enough market that values its products/services. Restaurants are no exception. My "shot" if any, and was tongue-in-cheek, was on Don's statement about $10MM and 3 locations "being enough." I realize by calling it "greed" it can be interpreted as a slam on GAR. The truth is I don't know GAR; don't think I've ever dined at one. And, whether I or any one person likes or doesn't like a restaurant is irrelevant to its success unless such like or dislike is emblematic of the bigger trend. There is no "easy cash grab" in this country. It's hard to make (legal) money. It's hard to build and maintain a profitable business. That GAR has done that with actually 14 restaurants over 40 years is of great credit to their owners, whether or not I or anyone else is a fan of the food. They get even more credit (if not my business) from me given the positive reports here about how they actually operate with respect to ingredients and staff. Come to think of it, maybe I will try one. Wouid ask you the same question Don poses though. Celebrity chefs have been harshly criticized here quite a bit over the years with Spike Mendelsohn (sp?) and Todd English both being prime examples. I'd agree with many that I have no interest in their food or even admiration for them as chefs, but surely have much respect for their business acumen and success.

Last night's steak was much more than we could eat for one dinner by design. Tonight, again the same strategy with what I'l call a "named" dinner. All to enable dinners rest of week. - Patrick O'Connell's 24-hour brined roast chicken with chopped celery, onion and carrot - RJ Cooper's orange honey carrots - Saffron rice - Mark Furstenberg's wonderful levain - JK Carriere (2012) "Shea" Pinot Noir

Big agree on the beyond-Union Market wholesale places. I've noticed, been intrigued by and have wondered into several of those too. In addition to the many seafood and meat wholesalers and merchants of other sundries, there is a great kitchen supply store just on the next block. High shelves, narrow aisles and the best prices I've found anywhere to buy things ranging from sheet pans and rolling pins to large buckets for pickling and many kinds of generic accessories and equipment. Sort of the anti-Williams Sonoma or anti-Sur la Table store. Forgetting the name but know exactly where it is.

Bud Hillerich, who is turning over in his grave today.

Any baseball fan knows the Louisville Slugger is part of the sport's historical foundation. Hillerich & Bradsby, the independent company that used to equip all major leaguers, has seen their market share shrink in recent years (to about 60% now) as domestic and overseas brands like Marucci and Mizuno have signed star players to use competing bats. Other challenges have included lawsuits and supply chain issues. They've tried to respond. The Louisville Slugger Museum in Louisville, Kentucky is a must-see for any avid baseball fan, right up there with Cooperstown. I've been a few times and spent a couple of hours there as recently as two years ago. Today, a CEO with the same last name as the founder has thrown in the towel...or bat. Very sad news as the company is being sold to Wilson Sporting Goods, part of a $2.5 Billion Finnish Company. Per the norm, all parties proclaim it good for all with few changes for now. Sigh.

For those with passion for business, coffee, or both, this may really spark some interest. We've had a few topics on this website devoted to Starbucks and the threat it may or may not pose to smaller, high-quality, "new wave" independent shops. Locally, examples of such great independent shops include Arlington's Caffe Aficionado and Northside Social along with The Wydown, The Coffee Bar, Peregrine, Qualla, and Filter in the District. I've long believed (and most indie pros agree) that better independent shops have carved out the higher end of the market where Starbucks doesn't seriously compete. Such shops roast smaller batches of more interesting coffees than a multi-billion corporation can. Such shops know their customers better. Such small independent shops pay more attention to bean freshness and roast quality. And, so the thinking goes, such shops also are assumed to be more dedicated to careful drink crafting, whether pulling espresso shots that aren't bitter or fresh-brewing coffees that are balanced and nuanced (though I personally think too many independents are more talk than walk in this respect). One of our area's better shops (and, arguably The Best combining roasting and retailing), Qualla Coffee, is owned by a very focused and talented roaster, Joel Finklestein, who posted this about Starbucks last year: "From my own experience, we invested and struggled in Petworth for years until the neighborhood reached the point that it could actually sustain a coffee shop, while Starbucks smartly waited for the right moment to move in. Our business picked up significantly about nine months before they opened and you can bet they have all the market data they need to anticipate the right moment. In that sense, [it] is correct that indies are always years ahead of Starbucks, which just means Starbucks can wait until we figure things out then steal all our best ideas." Starbucks has dabbled in "better" coffee over the years, putting quality Clever brewing equipment into some shops along with some single-origin coffees priced higher than their main money-making commodity coffees. Now, Starbucks is taking premium coffee one big step further with a plan for 100 new "Reserve" stores in select US cities, including DC, over the next couple of years. These stores will look and feel different from regular Starbucks shops. And, they will exclusively brew, pull and sell smaller batch, "rare" coffees, at higher prices, roasted in a brand new, $20 Million Reserve Roastery just opened in Seattle. I won't express my own opinions on this yet since not sure how much interest here there may be. For now, if interested, the recent NY Times piece is here. And, the local coverage of the new, 15,000 square foot Starbucks Reserve Roastery is here. Finally, for great and detailed coverage of the local DC-area coffee scene and all the shops, please check out the relatively new donrockwell dot com coffee forum here.

Pretty much exactly how we think about it though rely on propane tanks versus the gas line. I'm not sure I'd even waste time trying to get the gas grill to produce food like a charcoal grill. Maybe the wrong way for me to think about it but it's like veggie burgers or meatloaf....vegetables are awesome and so versatile so why try to fake meat products with them? Because the gas grill is so convenient, might be best for us to go lower cost on the charcoal grill (kettle) versus the BGE but have been noodling that decision for way too long.

The more posts that pop up here, the more this concerns me. We've had (and loved!) his food in C'Ville and in Richmond, when he was there, maybe a half-dozen times. Now, with him even closer to DC, the lure is strong though we haven't yet been. In the near term, for dinner, it's probably a safe bet and totally worth the trip. But, after a month or so, it's a real crap shoot. Drive all the way out there, maybe wait on line and, if he happens to have that night off or be in a different location, it's a wholly different restaurant with real chance to be as disappointing as his cooking is so exceptional. And, I really wonder if you call on a given day and ask if he will be in the kitchen that night whether they'd even tell you.

1. Restaurant, food store or retail business opens doing something very special and well2. Legions of customers, raves and recognition follow 3. Revenues climb, delighting owners 4. Realizing the limits to single-location revenue growth, expansion begins 5. Once locations span multiple states and longer distances, business needs change 6. Quality declines and charges of sellout behavior ensues 7. Eventually, founders realize they lack the skills to handle the more complex operation 8. The business is sold, with buyer selection becoming the key criterium determine future success (eg, TJs) or failure (eg Marvelous Market) Ah, Wegmans. You were something really special long before the Mid Atlantic appeared on your radar. Time to bring in the right kind of professional managers.

It's anecdotal and purely my hunch but PC seems like one of the most indispensable chefs I've ever encountered. Of course also not sure whether that explains wristband's mixed report above but hard to imagine PC would be so off on salting. He may just be doing dinners for however long that even lasts. The difference in the food when he is or isn't there is usually significant and obvious. All kind of concerning. A phenomenally talented chef who may just utterly lack the very different skills to be a multi-unit operator. We've seen that movie too many times before.