clchurch

We wanted to stop in at the Lemon Tree last week, but there was paper up over the windows and no lights on. The website still works, but the phone number has been disconnected. It appears to have closed...

According to the Prince of Petworth, a new Indian Restaurant has just opened in Petworth. I am somewhat skeptical about anything with the word "fusion" in it, but it appears to have a great pedigree - click.

My vote goes to Bar Pilar; great food and drink.

I noticed yesterday and today that they were not at 8th and H. I hope they come back.

According to an article about street vendors that appeared in the Post a couple of days ago, the shwarma cart (I'm assuming they were refering to this one) has gone out of business.

Does Tacklebox serve any tasty beverages... of the alcoholic variety?

Having just gone there last night, I can tell you the answer is no.

I don't think I've ever noticed that . Of course, I'm running so slow lately that it didn't occur to me until now that 521 would be right next to the new Jordan's 8, which is at 523...even though I've eaten there and posted the address.

I was told that it will be in the old Ellington's space on 8th St. I walked by the other day and the Ellington's sign is gone and there is work going on inside.

I know there's already a thread on dive bars, but not all neighborhood bars are dives. I often hear that DC doesn't have many neighborhood bars, but I disagree. Some neighborhoods will never have their own bar/pub based on zoning, but you don't have to go too far in the district to find one. Based upon years of arduous research, here's a list of DC neighborhood bars that pop to mind (in no particular order)

Palisades - DC Boat House (although I have high hopes for the Kendle Tavern when it opens)
Foxhall/Spring Valley - Chef Geoff's (it has a great long wooden bar)
Friendship Heights - Chadwick's
Chevy Chase - Chevy Chase Lounge
Tenleytown - Dancing Crab/Malt Shop (although I preferred the old location)
Cathedral Heights - Cafe Deluxe
Glover Park - Bourbon
Georgetown - Martin's Tavern
Cleveland Park - Cleveland Park Tavern
Woodley Park - Woodley Grill
Dupont - Childe Harold
Dupont East - Townhouse Tavern
Foggy Bottom/West End - Red Lion or 51st State Tavern
Golden Triangle - Bottom Line
Logan Circle - Stoney's
U Street - Saloon or Polly's
Mt. Pleasant - Raven
Adams Morgan - Toledo Lounge or the Reef (except on weekends)
Columbia Heights - Wonderland
Petworth - Temperance Hall (not technically in Petworth, I know, but right across the street)
Takoma - Takoma Tavern
Brightwood/Manor Park - Jackie Lees (a cool and historic place but with eratic days/hours)
Brookland - Colonel Brooks
Woodridge - Saints Bourbon Street
Union Station - Irish Times or Dubliner
Penn Quarter/Downton - Matchbox, Harry's or Irish Channel
Shaw - Dominion Brew House
Capitol Hill (Senate side) - Union Pub
Captiol Hill (House side) - Tune Inn
Eastern Market - Tunnicliff's
Potomac Ave/Hill East - Trusty's
Trinidad - Argonaut (again, not technically in Trinidad, but esentially across the street)
Congress Heights - Georgina's aka the Player's Lounge

Neighborhoods sorely lacking neighborhood bars:
Shepherd Park
Brentwood
Van Ness (I miss Passport; it was a dive, but a likeable dive)
Southwest (Cantina Marina doesn't really fit my idea of a neighborhood bar)
Eckington (hopefully EC-12, if it ever comes to fruition, will change that)
Navy Yard/Ball Park district (this should change with the opening of the stadium and all the new residences under construction)
Anacostia and most other neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River

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Hawk 'n' Dove (Pat)

An article in today's Washington Business Journal says that the Sheraton Four Points is going to make way for a luxury office tower. Since I couldn't read the entire article, I'm not sure of the timeline on this.

Thought it was worth checking out to see if this place was decent for lunch. It was not.

Yakisoba had a weird flavor and was overcooked. Salmon teriyaki wasn't terrible, but wasn't standout. My friend's sushi still had ice crystals in it. It's scary that you'd have better luck from the pre-prepared sushi section. Though the rolls that other diners ordered did look very pretty.

Well, I wouldn't trust a place named Izakaya that didn't serve alcohol. Izakaya is a generic Japanese term that means a place that serves alcohol, and maybe some things to nibble on while you're drinking. In fact, the middle character in this name (zaka) is in fact sake, which means alcohol.

It's now called Four Green Fields. Not sure what brought about the change. Like Heather, I never liked the place. I found it to be cheesy, and yeah, the singalongs drove me nuts.

The two 4P's split (the other is in Falls Church). Although the original was in Cleveland Park, the Falls Church branch retained the name.

It's not a problem of historic preservation or anything like that. It's owned by a group that plan on transforming it into the Armenian Holocaust Museum at some future date (I presume this means, once they have arranged enough funding ). At one time, they did have art displays in the windows, but I don't know what happened to that.

That's the one. Imagine a chef's table inside the vault. Cool!

Seriously though, it's crazy that they allow the place to sit empty and deteriorating for 15 years because of restrictions. It can't be that sacred, given the crummy former shoe store built at street level. Somehow, someone got approval for that.

Taliano's has been closed for several months now. It's supposed to be replaced with condos.

In downtown TP there isn't much. I like Mark's. Never tried the Middle Eastern place. Would avoid Taliano's.

There are tons of Mex-Salvadoran places close by. My favorite is el Golfo at Flower and Piney Branch (they love kids). Close by on University are Samantha's and Udupi/Tiffin.

Shopping -- only place you didn't catch is Trader Joe's on Colesville just north of Univ. There's also a place I love the concept of, but have yet to try, next to 7-11 on Fenton It's an Indian/Ethiopian market.

I believe it was asupposed to be a Brazilian Churascuria (non-chain), but the restaurateur got into a disagreement with the landlord and he pulled the lease. By the way, this post comes to you from Bahrain. I will be monitoring Rockwellian comments from exile for the next year.

The property that stood empty on Connecticut for so long, north of Dupont Circle, about a block south of Florida. It's now a Commerce Bank, but it would have been a fantastic restaurant. Floor-to-ceiling windows on a corner. Pfft. Banks.

I live five blocks from Great Wall and had never tried it until reading the article in the City Paper and the reports here. Last night, on my first visit, I ordered the ma pa tofu from the ma-la menu. The staff folk were as nice as could be, they were gracious even though I called 15 minutes before closing, and the woman from whom I ordered told me the twice cooked pork was her favorite. I was excited about this possible new discovery in Logan.

I am disappointed to report, however, that my ma pa tofu was inedible. It was the saltiest dish I have ever tasted, which is a feat given my upbringing in rural Georgia and my love for salty foods. After three chunks of bean curd, I threw the reamainder in the garbage. Even with the horrible overload of salt I was able to taste the nice, slow burn.

So, my questions are:

1. Is this what authentic Szechuan cooking tastes like? I'm not sure I've ever tried the real deal.

2. Was this an accident, like when Miguel on Top Chef accidentally put salt in the sorbet instead of sugar?

3. Have others had similar experiences?

I intend to go back soon to try another dish or maybe the same one. At $8.75--which includes a free can of soda--it's ridiculous to not do so. Just looking to confirm that my meal was an aberration.

I had the same experience yesterday. I ordered the ma po tofu and the double cooked pork. The double cooked pork arrived first and was fine, but when the ma po tofu came, it tasted overly salty to me too. I mentioned it to the GM who got me another batch, but with the same result (although I didn't say anything the second time). It made the water that I chased it with tastedparticularly strange, so I don't know if it's a chemical recation resulting from the spicing or what. The GM is particularly friendly/talkative. She told me they planned to try out different ma la items to see which were the most popular, so expect the white board offerings to change.

All this Tex-Mex reminds me...

I'm awaiting this.

Anyone else have updates, sightings, secrets to tell?

I walk by there quite frequently and haven't seen anything going on at that specific address, but another nice looking (haven't tried it yet) Mexican/Salvadorean place called Acuario just opened up next to Columbia Heights coffee.

I'm not sure what the old space was, but it's the little building directly to the left of the old location. I'm surprised those places have been spared from the wrecking ball for this long.

Yes, the Dancing Crab/Malt Shop has moved to the space previously occupied by A Caravela because their rent had been increased. The owner of A Caravela had moved back to Portugal, and since they owned the building, it seemed like the perfect thing to do. I went there earlier this year and it's just not the same. I guess it could work well as the Dancing Crab, but it doesn't have the old Malt Shop divey feel to it.

Interestingly, last night I walked past the future Tiki bar and wondered how the place would do in the Fall/Winter. I also thought the menu posted was pretty skimpy. Now it makes sense.

I also wonder how the Tiki Bar will affect Clare & Don's.

I thought I read recently that Clare & Don's was being forced out.

Yes, regretably Mickey's Patio closed a couple of years ago and is now a Thai restaurant.

I can't believe no one's mentioned the Post Pub, on L St, across from the Washington Post. It's gotta be one of the darkest places I've ever been in. I hear that now that Stoney's is closed, they've decided to open on Saturday's to try and pick up some of their business.

Also, the Lil' Pub on Penssylvania Ave, SE, next to Remmington's. Not sure how long it's been there, but it is truely a dive in what appears to have been a Little Tavern in a previous life. It's got a pool table in the back and the only beer on tap is Bud. I once saw a patron being taken out of their by two of his friends (one under each arm). It was still daylight outside and and he didn't have any shoes on. They do have a kitchen and advertise lunch specials, but I've never been brave enough to try any.

not only my favorite dive, but my favorite bar - hands down - is the townhouse tavern.  i also enjoy chief ikes or the raven (early in the week). 

pollys is great when it's not super hot outside.  i've noticed that in the summer, the space takes on a wierd (not in a good way) odor and there are often gnats flying around.  i do have to say that their bloody marys are some of the best i've ever had though.

my opinion about the saloon on U St is that there is nothing divey about $9 belgian beers.  i think that it's a great spot - but more along the lines of a local/neighborhood watering hole than a place for cheap drinks and chainsmoking. 

i also used to really like mickeys patio on 8th street SE but i heard that they were recently shut down??  they served gallo out of a jug - which may reach beyond the "dive" category and border on trashy - but their burgers were delicious!

I've been twice and concur that it is a great little hole in the wall (albeit a bright, clean hole in the wall). The tongue (lengua) is very good and does not appear on the English side of the menu. The owner seemed quite somewhat surprised that a gringo would order it. No liquor license, but they have horchata (which they gave me a free refill on) and other refreshing Mexican drinks in big vats.

Word has it that Balducci's pulled out of the deal to open in Penn Quarter across from the Shakespeare Theater; anyone have any details?

Where exactly would this be? The only restaurant spaces around there are in hotels (not counting Helix, there are 5).

Chris

According to The List, the owners of Nage in Rehoboth Beach will open a DC outpost (or is that inpost?  ) at 16th and Rhode Island, NW.

Any other details known among this group?

How does it compare to Kaz for the basic high quality sushi?

It's very fresh; no self-respecting Japanese sushi chef would ever serve you anything less (which is why I'm sceptical about going to any sushi restaurant that doesn't have a JAPANESE sushi chef). And, as I said, it's very authentically Japanese, including the service, it's just a little more expensive than I think it warrents.

That's the vibe I got, but it didn't quite reach condescending levels.  Disinterested?  Anyway, if the food we received was far inferior to their absolute best I can't imagine how amazing it would have been were we not gaijin off the street.

I went there once two years ago. It was a slow Saturday night and I sat at the sushi bar with a friend. I'd heard about it's reputation (catering to Japanese expense account types), but I'd also heard it was very authentic, and having spent 6 years in Japan, I had to give it a try. I think speaking Japanese did help smooth things along, and in my opinion, sitting at the counter just helps in general. All in all the food was very good (and he threw us a few freebies, probably because it was slow and I could speak Japanese) with a few things such as shiokara (I think it was described on the menu IN ENGLISH as fermented squid guts) that you won't find too many places around here. HOWEVER, I think it was overpriced.

looks good but I'm a long way from the area...unless they're open on the weekend in which case it's a done deal.

I'm pretty sure they're open on Saturdays, but not sure about Sundays.

For those interested in something a little closer and Metro accesible, Young's Deli in the Capitol City Market (between New York and Florida Aves, next to Galudet University). It serves primarily a Korean customer base from the market and I think it's only open for breakfast and lunch, but combined with a trip to the market, it would be a fun day out. Here are some pictures from a local blogger (scroll half way down the page): http://frozentropics.blogspot.com/2005_11_...cs_archive.html