Lydia R

My direct flight on Christmas Eve was canceled and I was sent through Chicago  (O'Hare) on route to LA. Thankfully, I had just enough time in the lay-over to get a sandwich from Rick Bayless' place- Torta Frontera. I bought a very satisfying pork sandwich with beans and pickled onions and a side of guac and chips. The sandwich was on nice chewy baguette style torta bread and the meat was seasoned well and could be tasted along with the onions.

A 12/29 NY TImes article about the farm-to-table movement improving airport dining describes the security and logistics issues that farmers need to overcome and specifically references Torta Frontera:

Greg Gunthorp, a pig farmer in LaGrange, Ind., experienced that challenge himself.

 

Mr. Gunthorp's family has supplied the celebrity chef Rick Bayless with pork and poultry for at least 14 years. But when Mr. Bayless opened his Tortas Frontera at O'Hare four years ago, Mr. Gunthorp could not find a way to get his pork the 170 miles to the airport in time for the brief nightly window when food deliveries are allowed.

 

With the help of FarmLogix, an intermediary that connects farmers with large businesses and institutions, Mr. Gunthorp and other small-scale farmers have found a lucrative new market in airports. Mr. Gunthorp, who now provides bacon and chorizo to Tortas Frontera, has had to add employees and farmland to keep up with the O'Hare demand.

 

"They're our biggest bacon customer by far," he said. "At times it's been hard to keep up, to be honest. It's been rough, but it's been fun."

 

With the farm-to-table movement breaching previously untouched frontiers like airports, chefs and farmers say that it can only benefit small producers, who have not had much in the way of good news in recent decades. The Department of Agriculture has predicted a 25 percent decline in farm income this year.

 

"We're just starting to see how this farm-to-table movement can revitalize rural America," Mr. Gunthorp said.

 

Early evidence shows that the farm-to-table concept has at least revitalized airport dining. In Chicago, Mr. Bayless's airport outpost has proved so successful that he has developed an app that allows travelers to order food from Tortas Frontera before they arrive at O'Hare.

 

One lesson Mr. Bayless said he had learned from Tortas Frontera was that the old restaurant-management theories do not work in an airport. Restaurants can provide fresh, local ingredients in airports, he said, but their survival will be difficult unless the agricultural system changes.

 

"There's the boutique farm-to-table idea, and it's very romantic," Mr. Bayless said. "But the only way it really makes sense is to grow farms that are a bit bigger, and then we have to develop these middlemen like FarmLogix."

Okay, now that I'm at home I'm drinking to the memory of Joe Cocker. God, mortality sucks.

Yes, times two (with Belushi): http://youtu.be/aZsOyO_lXD8

Friendship Heights?

Actually in the Cathedral's Old Baptistry. Menu: here

After spending 8 hours at NatsFest, inside the Convention Center, the only logical choice was to walk across the street to Baby Wale.

We were rewarded with the comfort foods that play an important supporting role in any daydream starring Tom Power. Most of you would also choose: Rissa's Filipino rolls, Charred Tomato Soup, Moz porcupine, and Faux Ribeye.

Because our ears were still buzzing from the DJ-driven tracks at the Nats event, Baby Wale's music and lighting choices were greatly appreciated. Not too dark with effectively placed task lights, not too loud with the sound of the city -- both pretty much just right for conversation and illuminated dining.

It's hard to believe that Black Salt has now been open for ten years. Time flies.

Rebecca Cooper, in WBJ, posted a video and article featuring Jeff Black reflecting on this anniversary. His comment that some new restaurants fail before they serve their first plate is so sadly true. He was, thankfully, given realistic advise by his mentor Bob Kinkead.

After reading through the thread, it's good to remember that Black Salt has a generous happy hour all week.

It would also help if the web site showed the menu.  It did not on the Boss site nor on Open Table.

Not sure when Boss Shepherd updated their website, but their menu's now online.

Hmm, lamb bacon...

This rates as "very Mexican" on my scale. Excellent tacos with unique for the neighborhood rustic corn tortillas. Their weekend-only Menudo has a handful of chickpeas (instead of my grandmother's hominy). This large, steaming bowl is still what a cold, wet afternoon needs ($9).

Yes, please expand the dining guide to include the locally-owned chains by each of their locations.

I even miss mktye's Excel file (Wallet Restaurant Guide) from the early years, but that was before I had a smartphone.

Their White Marsh Mall location closed and has been replaced by a standalone, dine-in place a few minutes north. It's now located in the Honeygo Shopping Center - 5005 Honeygo Center Drive in Perry Hall.

Today there was futbol on the TV, a good pace of customers, and a relaxed, plated lunch at a real table by a large window. I was able to savor their three chicken enchiladas in mole sauce with rice/beans and wash it down with agua frescas (cantaloupe juice). Sometimes it seems trite when the restaurant review dwells on the decor/ambiance -- however, this location is a real upgrade from the gas station (which retains its own charm) and has the added benefit of encouraging ordering more variety than just the tacos on their menu.

Too bad they're so far to be on a regular rotation -- maybe they'll open another location.

R&R Menu_Oct2014.pdf

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?).

Last weekend, Capriotti's sponsored a "Beat the Bobbie" eating contest at Nationals Park. I've only seen it played once, so it may have been a one-off or (better yet) a foreshadowing of Capriotti's joining the food line-up next season.

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.

This past weekend, Capriotti's was the sponsor of a "Beat the Bobbie" eating contest at Nationals Park. I can only hope that this is a prelude to Capriotti's joining the food lineup at the Park next season.

Native Foods Cafe isn't only opening in the former Falls Church Pie-Tanza space, they're also opening at 701 Pennsylvania Avenue on October 14th, and 1150 Connecticut Avenue on September 30th.

Yesterday I happened by their Connecticut Ave space (facing 18th Street, NW) and an employee was distributing their menu (a 10-panel foldup measuring 64 cm by 14 cm). At first I thought, based on the name, that it was modeled on the Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe at the Smithsonian. Thankfully, I read their soy-based vegan menu after I'd gotten to Capriotti's and didn't have to stress about their "Native" chicken, bacon, and cheese.

NativeDCMenu_Sep2014.pdf

Folks have already mentioned Tortas Frontera in Chicago's O'Hare upthread.

I actually picked a flight that had a layover in Chicago just so I could stop at Frontera and get a torta.  I've been to Xoco and wanted another torta!  They make the tortas to order so it takes 10 minutes (they warned me when I ordered).  Luckily I had enough time between flights to wait.  The short rib torta was delicious.  I also love their guacamole and tortilla chips (you can really taste the corn).

NYTimes' current Frugal Traveler, Seth Kugel, mentioned the tortas in his 4-hour, $25 layover in O'Hare. Good to know about the options he found:

Tortas Frontera, from the Chicago chef and serial Mexican restaurateur Rick Bayless, has been called the "best airport restaurant" by Bon Appetit. But it's more than that "” it's potentially the only airport restaurant in history to charge about the same price as its sister locations elsewhere. (In this case, it's the hot Mexican sandwiches called tortas, from Mr. Bayless's Xoco restaurants, around $10 or $11.) One torta, the cochinita pibil, is actually $1 cheaper at the airport "” wow, my computer didn't explode when I wrote that.

Tortas are best hot, though "” not the ideal takeout for a flight. So instead, I paid $2 for a personal-sized cup of guacamole and $3 for freshly fried tortilla chips and two salsas, a tangy green and a smoky red.

ORD

Another sure sign that summer's almost over - Pizza CS announces their vacation closure:

So it's that time of year: Vacation. We will be closed starting Sunday 8/31 through 9/8. Thanks for your support and we"ll see you back on September 9th!

I'd noticed their storefront several times on my drive down North Cap and wondered what was inside, Friday dinner at Nationals Park consisted of their Big Beef sandwich. OMG - rich and flavorful. This is much better than anything in the Park. I asked for the coleslaw on the slide to keep the sandwich as neat as possible, but next time I'll be sure to have papertowels on hand. Maybe it'll be the sliced brisket sandwich next time...

Weekday lunch quality has not diminished, and I went just a couple of weeks ago.There WAS no weekday lunch buffet then. Must be Sunday brunch.

I had lunch at 8407 today and didn't see a buffet either. They were busy with Restaurant Week diners and apologetic about the time lags between courses.

My choices included the sweet corn soup (summer!), sirloin (with a bordelaise sauce that smacked more of soy sauce than wine reduction), and what my server assured me was Dolci Gelati sorbet. Their RW lunch menu was diverse enough to be crowd pleasing.

Too bad 8407's website hasn't been updated in some time. It would probably help drive business if prospective diners were able to preview their RW dinner menu.

Zio's, by the way, makes the list of Oldest Restaurants in the Area, having opened in 1978.

If you have nostalgia for Zio's, there are only a few more days to pay your last respects. Their last day of service is Wednesday, 30 July.

I randomly dropped in for some of the same reasons mentioned up thread and got the news. They had > 50% of the tables filled and, although service was slow, are staying an 80's time capsule to the end. Seems the space will be filled by "some chicken place" fairly quickly.

I wonder where in the RTS it's going to go. Both Oro Pomodoro and Pho'n'Rolls have recently closed (sigh).

It was sad to see that the Oro Pomodoro space has already been filled by Buffalo Wild-wings

During this first conversation, a co-owner noted that this oven had the ability to use "coal for show" and have lower-skilled "teenage kids" on the line (because there's less skill involved in keeping the primarily gas/electric convection driven ovens going). He was all product and price-points - it was the other co-owner who loved the pie. The weblink to the oven manufactuer is broken -- Woodstone now has five hybrid ovens - here's the fanciest.

I've been to the Coal Fire in Gaithersburg (Kentlands) several times.  It was better when it first opened, both the service and the quality have gone a bit downhill since then.  The pizza is okay, sometimes a bit too charred for my taste.  My favorite thing when the first opened was the Coal Fire salad.  Unfortunately, the quality of ingredients, especially the "house made" mozzarella (which they use to add for free and now charge for) has really gone down hill.  I haven't had their calamari in a while, but I recall it was very good the last time I tried it.  

Yikes, sorry to hear the quality didn't survive the expansion. CoalFire's original thread is in the Baltimore folder.

They opened in 2013, but WUSA 9 reports they were evicted by US Marshals today.

There's no by-line on this story - hopefully this assignment went to one of their interns.

Not to be morbid, but gosh it seems like he passed away longer than just fourteen months ago.

You have an interesting relationship with death, but this observation isn't morbid.

The documentary "Life Itself" was the closing film of the recent AFIDocs and is now showing at Landmark E Street Cinema. There's a feature from Mark Jenkins about the film in today's WaPo.

I sided with Roger regarding food, but more often with Gene Siskel about the films.

Don, can you give us a hint about the facility imprisoning our colleague?

A generic answer would be to get the hospital's dietitian to suggest alternates to the hospital's standard food choices.

This reminds me of the 2012 thread generated when RJ Cooper was recovering "in-house" somewhere and a  contemporary article in the NYTimes about NYC VIP hospital wings. Closer to DC,  Hopkins' Sheikh Zayed Tower for cardiovascular and critical care sounds like it has a higher-end food service.

Oh my, another great pizza at CS last night.

So, why is this post-worthy?

Neither Jonathan nor Ankur were involved. Sure, Ankur was in the back -- but, for me, this means they've surmounted the hurdle that trips-up others. They've trained a great staff to follow their passion and deliver -> sustainability.

... The beer garden is officially open on the weekends. Our smoker/grill menu seems to be working out pretty good, at least more successful than last year. After four attempts I think that we have the pulled pork figured out. It was a challenge smoking it over night and took some trial and error. Our kitchen expansion should be completed in the next couple of weeks. I am really looking forward to this project, it should allow us to broaden the menu and also offer up some lower price point items. ...

Yes Nick, I believe y'all have cinched it -- I appreciate that you've gotten Ron Johnson (Smokin' Jarhead) on his pit in your back patio and have a more casual venue going. I can honestly see coming off the trail and tucking-in there.

Next time, maybe, we'll be able to try more of your new menu. Your April post noted that you'd have some lower price point items -- I didn't really see any on the attached menu -- is there a "secret" bar menu like the one at Corduroy?

oldanglersinn.pdf