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Pappy

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Everything posted by Pappy

  1. Could you please finish the story and tell us how Audrey handled it? I have always found her to be exceptionally pleasant and welcoming.
  2. Who the hell can't finish a single, little bottle of wine? I've never kept a cork in my life.
  3. I'm not sure how helpful this will be, ...I was there about two months ago, but we were dining with my in-laws, so I had 3-4 Johnnie Walker Blacks (before they could open the two bottles of wine we ordered) and have been trying to block out the whole experience ever since it happened. Not because of the food or service, mind you. The place looks better than ever, with only one terrible table just inside the door, and an attractive bar area to wait at if your table is not ready. Service is more professional than ever. It took me a few minutes to grab the waiter initially, but as soon as he understood my predicament he clearly took pity on me and "kept them coming." The wine list is better than ever. It was easy to find a nice, affordable gruner veltliner and an expensive, but fair, Oregon Pinot. Putting together a meal is easy too. I don't recall exactly what I had (the scotch), but I recall it being difficult to make a decision and I tasted everyone's first and second courses and there were many more hits than misses. I do remember that more than one dish was served in a wide, shallow bowl surrounded in a broth, rather than a sauce, which I don't remember the menu describing very well and you might want to be aware of if you don't like that sort of thing. I was surprised, because I thought the whole "broth" thing, which was immensely popular at Seasons a decade ago, was pretty much out of style by now. Finally, it was a Sunday night and Damion Salvatore (sp?), chef and owner, was not in the house that evening (I asked because he was sort of a classmate of mine in high school), and it didn't seem the place missed a beat without him
  4. I was fortunate to attend with Joe last night. We agreed on almost every dish. Along with the highlights he mentioned, there were some lowlights that will go unmentioned until Roberto has time to work on them a little further. I will add that the pizza oven was not up and running yet, nor was he cranking out any of the risottos that the menu promised. The desserts were remarkable and would have been at home in any of the area's finest restaurants. While I'll admit to being pretty jaded on the matter, prices seemed low enough to attract casual diners. It was hilarious to watch the staff. We were told that the entire kitchen staff and virtually the entire front-house staff moved over from Galileo. They seem very reluctant to let go of the "prime dining" mannerisms that is their custom. Dishes were served beautifully adorned. The silver, china and crystal, were a full step above what the menu prices would suggest. Wines were opened on a rolling cart with a linen napkin and an extra glass for sampling. Dishes were set down four at a time in unison. One waiter, noticing an empty glass, retrieved a small silver tray onto which he placed the empty glass after removing it gently from the table. It's a cavernous place with awkward lighting in a less-than-popular location (the old Oyamel spot). I hope they can find at least a temporarily successful home there, as I believe he is one of the greatest cooking talents Washington has. Solid pizzas and an affordable wine list should go a long way in acheiving that goal.
  5. Chatted with Eddie and Dennis, two of the new partners/owners/chefs (?) today. One of which (Eddie) was involved in the opening of Tel Aviv Cafe in Bethesda, the other (Dannis) was born and raised in Potomac. Place is almost done. Beautiful interior of dark woods and amber upholstry. Pinpoint and indirect lighting. Small sitting area and 10 person bar upfront. High banquets along two back walls. Chef's table in the very back. Menu is to be french/asian fusion. Starters included a crab tart. Prices low teens. Salads similar. Mains included salmon and veal tenderloin. Prices in the mid 20s. Chefs table to be multi-course with wine pairings, etc. They are very excited to be in the area and expect to be well received. Our office has already booked lunchs and a Christmas party.
  6. I work next-dorr and I can tell you that they have spent months completely gutting and rebuilding the place, so they clearly are making a significant investment. On the other hand, I have heard, and perhaps mistakenly, that they plan to be all things to all people with cafe seating, a serious dining room, wine tastings, and a broad menu. While I recognize the rents are high in Potomac, given the local demographics and the poor dining alternatives at these cross-roads, I would think Bezu has more than a sporting chance of success.
  7. I eat at Cesco pretty often, maybe 4-6 times a year. It's a comfortable place with a very warm welcome from Francesco's wife Elaine, a tenured wait staff, and a familiar clientel. The cooking is fine, with a few standouts, fresh seafood, and a swath of tired, unispired Italian "usuals." The wine list is sufficient, with only slightly ridiculous Bethesda markups. I see Francesco in the kitchen almost everytime I'm there, wearing an apron, spoon in hand, sweat on his brow. I mention this beause I'm afraid Cesco's output could suffer in his absence.
  8. I'll wager an Andrew Jackson that Roberto never returns to that DC location. In fact, I'd wager this may be your last chance to enjoy Roberto's cooking at that level for a long time.
  9. I eat out often. I don't think I have ever sent a dish back. I have to assume that what was sent out of the kitchen was the best they could produce at the time and is worthy of praise or criticism given the conditions that exst. I stopped mentioning a criticism to waiters/managers/owners long ago when I realized that not a single one of them ever took it constructively, and instead simply tried to comp my dessert (which I didn't want in the first place.) Standards have to vary depending on lots of things. What kind of restaurant? How busy is it? How long have they been open? Could it have been mis-interpretation? At the end of the day (meal), a slightly over-cooked steak isn't going to change my opinion about a restaurant. However, given the number of restaurants available to me, a bitchy hostess, a disappearing waiter, thoughtless food, warm wine, and a $300+ dinner tab are not going to add up to..."maybe it was an off night I guess we should try it again."
  10. The peak of the season is probably past, but softshells are generally available around these parts through the warm part of September. It is my understanding, however, that when it gets really, really hot, the crabs (softies esp) just kinda stop moving around, stop growing, stop molting, etc. They just want to dig into the mud and stay cool. Once the really hot streak passes, you should begin to see a few more in the market. What I can't answer is what percentage of the softshells in our markets come from the Chesapeake, and what percentage come from NC, or even LA, etc.
  11. I think JPW is right here. I don't think it's appropriate to ever mention dr.com, and I hope every contributor feels the same. Certainly none of us, Don especially I'm sure, would want Rockwell.com to gain the wrong reputation in the restaurant community due to the actions or presumptions of any single person. It would be very easy for a manager or an owner to mis-understand anything but the most carefully worded introduction. (And careful wording is not my specialty, at least, as I'm leaving the dinner table.) I don't even think mentioning after the meal serves any purpose. The idea Dan 42 presents that you are giving them marketing feedback falls short. It is not as if they paid for an ad on the site. Rather, it's more like "I heard about your restaurant from a stranger at a cocktail party. Several people who seemed to know what they were talking about liked it very much." Is that helpful?
  12. What a coincidence. I book marked their website (www.niwanohana.com) just this week. I've been thinking I would stop in one evening for a couple of their rolls (Dynamite?, Maryland?, Spicy Scallop?) and cold soba noodles to go. Can anyone recommend a particular roll? More importantly, has anyone had the cold soba? I assume it comes with a dashi based dipping sauce?
  13. Funny you say that. Instead of waiting for a table we went to our Club for dinner instead. And if you know anything about country club food, you know that we probably would have been better off waiting.
  14. As I've mentioned, I am not opposed to having lunch at the Clyde's at Tower Oaks. I think it's a wonderful space, the service is bad, but not awful, the beer is cold and fresh, and it's possible to find something to eat. Sitting at the large, beautiful bar for a lunch of oysters and beer on a Fall afternoon is actually a treat. The one time I tried to have dinner there, I made a reservation for 7PM on a Friday night. We arrived at 6:50 and checked in. The young lady said it would be a few minutes. At 7:02PM I asked if our table would be ready, and she dismissed me with "it'll be another 10-15 minutes." Well, let's just say I didn't appreciate the tone of her voice or her casual dismissiveness and was compelled to tell her so and we left. Last night, my wife asked if I would try again. Gladly, I replied. Did we need a reservation, she asked? Of course not, I said. Its's 7:30 on a Tuesday, August 1st in Washington DC. This city is deserted. You could walk right into any restaurant in town, I added. There would not be 20 people there I assured her. Wrong. The parking lot was grid-locked and the wait for a table, we were informed, would be 20-25 minutes, and possibly more for a particular dining room (as opposed to the bar). Am I missing something? There are lots of restaurant reasonably nearby, so it's not a supply issue. Are they giving away free drinks? What is going on?
  15. And, of course, it would be appropriate to remind everyone that there are two sides to every story.
  16. I loved Melrose, and I'm a very big fan of McBride's cooking. So I looked forward to dinner at Blue Duck last Saturday. I came away really, really missing Melrose. I can see where they spent millions re-decorating. The quality and the craftsmanship is obvious. I just wish they hadn't. I, personally, don't find comfort dining in the neo-industrial dining room with it's bare floors, white column walls and angular spaces. The addition of shaker furniture seems out of place, and no more inviting. While some may enjoy a view of the busy, open kitchen and a gigantic stove, I find the whole scene distracting. It all adds up, to me anyway, to be a dark/shadowy and unbearably loud environment, and that was at 50-75% capacity. The staff is plentiful, extremely polite, and in most cases very professional. Communication among them was still lacking, perhaps because they have to scream to one another to be heard over the din. They are all dressed in black suits like the bad guys in The Matrix and few of them smiled. The waiter was not familiar with the wine list, and did not offer up anyone who was familiar with it. Needless to say, they didn't add to the Welcome mat. The food was mixed. I thought the Marrow was unique and delicious. I expected to be digging out of the hollow of a bone with a marrow spoon, so imagine my delight when I found the bone had been sliced along its axis with a band saw. The Roasted Clams were not so good. They were at least slighly overcooked, having become quite chewy. But worse, they came with an abundance of their red pepper topping, which had to be largely scrapped off to keep from overwhelming any other taste. My wife's Pork Chop was outstanding and served perfectly cooked. I don't recall the source, but this was clearly a gourmet varietal unlike anything in the pork section at Giant. Even better than several other "new" pork offerings I've enjoyed. My whole roasted Sea Bream was beautiful, if a little overcooked, a little dry, and a little bland. The sides were also a little disappointing. The fries were cut into large rectangles, and although well seasoned, seemed too dry. I expected, and looked forward to, a moistness, or even an oilyness(sp) from the duck fat. I'm sure others might find this to be a positive, as there is a fine line between moistness and greasiness when it comes to duck fat, but I missed the decadence. There are several "frites" in Washington that I like better. The Lima Beans with Mushrooms were just okay. These were very large lima beans, and I find the smaller ones to be sweeter. Dessert was delicious, home-made ice cream (ridiculously served in an enormous, deep glass bowl with a straight wooden spoon). Coffee and espresso were excellent. It may be worth noting that the prices are not as "reasonable" as they first seem. I don't have the menu in front of me, but entrees where maybe $21-25. But if you add an $8 side dish, it gets pricey. A Bombay gin martini, btw, was $14. Everytime I left Melrose I looked forward to returning. While I only had a sampling of the menu, I can't say the same for Blue Duck. A previous poster put it best, so to slightly misqoute him..."they seem to need more "tavern" at the Tavern."
  17. Thanks Joe. As thorough as I've come to expect from you. Can't wait to give it a try.
  18. Drop it. It just isn't worth it. It's an opinion, okay? Not every restaurant that you know the owner of is sacrosanct. Not Palena, not RTS, not Firefly, not Cordoroy, and not Komi. Things don't stand still. Ever. And if they do, the world passes them by. There is always room for improvement. My god...you'd have thought I claimed he served dog food. And people on the DR.com thread wonder why sometimes people withhold their criticism. Here is a perfect example.
  19. I have been to all of those (save Veridian), most on many occassions. In order of stuffiness, I would rank them Le Pavillion, Citronelle, Inn, 21 Fed, 1789, Tabard. Le Lion d'Or was Washington's height, I believe, of stuffiness. And I miss it frequently. The Willard Room in the Willard hotel does and excellent job of stuffiness, unfortunately the food stinks. But you are missing my point. I in no way suggested that I want Komi to compete for a stuffiness award. I in no way want Komi to be stuffy AT ALL! I just suggested there MIGHT be room for improvement on the "elegantly sparse" theme by hanging a piece of art on the bare wall and perhaps laying a rug on the bare floor! No place is perfect, and I, personally, found this to be a flaw.
  20. Mr. Waitman, I do not consider myself either "a fine gourmand" or as having "an exquisite palate." I am rather ambitious in my desire for fine food, and I do eat out, a lot. I am sure I share these same characteristics with you and most others on this board. I do disagree with your implication that "magic" and "commerce" are mutually exclusive. In fact, I would be willing to say that it is every restaurant owner's dream to acheive both, and that many do. Do you not think many do? Should we ask Tom Keller? Mario Butali? Ducasse (sp)? Boulad (sp)? I'm not suggesting Mr. Monis is any of those. But I am suggesting that he can grow to do both. I think locally we could name quite a few as well. Kinkead? Peter Pastin (sp)? The young man at 2941 whos name escapes me? And I'm sure there are dozens other that are not coming to mind.
  21. I did NOT suggest that Don does that. I DID suggest that others do.
  22. I could do without the chatiness, but I also understand it's an attraction to others. I could do without the coziness with restaurant owners, but I also understand that is an attraction to others. Unfortunately, both of these diminish some of the value of this board to those such as myself. Am I ever going to see a criticism of Palena, RTS, or Firefly? I've had three meals at Firefly, a lunch was so-so, and two dinners were awful. I could have avoided the last one, but I was convinced to give it one more try because of all the raves I had read here. You'd never know that because it's taboo to post it. Oh, and I don't announce that I read DR.com when I walk up to the hostess stand. It's Don's board. I think he correctly considers that the benefits of chating and coziness with restaurant owners and staff creates an appealing social environment, and that simply trumps the sterile effect that might result from strictly unbias commentary. Therefore others users, such as myself, have to read the threads with that knowedge in mind, recognizing some of the limitations. Pretty simple.
  23. I didn't find it "elegantly" sparse. I found it sparse, period. As in unfurnished and unfinished. But you are right that I am a stuffy person. Fun-stuffy, but stuffy none-the-less. I like stuffy places. I like good wine in stuffy places served by stuffy waiters to other stuffy people. I also like filthy, cheap, odor filled, ethnic joints, but that is a different subject. Four dinners and four wine pairings were $480. I left a $100 tip. That's $580. No big deal, that's about the going rate for a good dinner. I just didn't feel the surroundings lived up to the food, and more completely, the food at that price point. To each his own. At least you know better where I'm coming from.
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