bettyjoan

The latest - thistle - pulled pork BBQ, table/serving stuff, and possibly additional TBD bettyjoan +1 - TBD on the food, but definitely beer (happy to coordinate a tasting) ktmoomau +1 - Banana Cake with Penuche frosting, side dish of some sort, probably a veggie salad, GF cornbread John William G +1 - rice salad, wine StarStraf +1 - TBD on food DanielK +3 - TBD on food Ilaine +1 - caprese, water, beer, plastic/serve-ware Kids are definitely welcome! Weather report - high 83, low 61, 0% chance of rain, mostly sunny. Come on, folks, that is PERFECT weather for a picnic! Who else is in???

Well, I realized I hadn't seen Masa 14 pop up with a new post in a while, so now I understand a bit of why. We had guests over yesterday, but we couldn't make a reservation because we were taking things pretty easy and weren't sure when we'd want to eat. When we finally ventured out, Red Hen had a 2-3 hour wait, so we went over to 14th Street - we first tried Lupo Verde, but they quoted us an hour and a half.* So, we wandered to Masa 14 and got a table right away (maybe that should have tipped me off?). First and foremost, our server was all over the place. I mean, she may have been a delightful person, but it was like watching someone on amphetamines - not only did she talk VERY quickly and check on us compulsively, but her attention span left something to be desired. For example, she was in the middle of describing a dessert (in response to our request for a dessert menu, she said it would be more fun if she described them verbally) when she stopped and said, "Oh my god, look at that dog!" Sure enough, there was a dog right outside. Okaaaaaay... She spent more time placing our cocktail napkins exactly how she wanted them than almost anything else. Very strange experience. The food all sounded much more interesting than it tasted. I got the scallop and watermelon salad and the pork belly steamed buns. The salad had so much promise, but the melon somehow turned the whole dish into a watery mess, and the scallops (which were the smallest sea scallops I have ever seen) were just kind of there - no real addition of flavor, and they didn't have a good sear at all. The pork buns were tasty, but nothing special. The chicken "chicharrones" was cooked nicely, but I have no idea why they call the dish anything having to do with chicharrones - it was pretty weighed down and there wasn't anything crispy going on. The one highlight of the meal for me was the soy-glazed okra - it was crisp and not greasy and very flavorful. The first item (the chicken, I think) was on our table not 5 minutes after we ordered, which should have given me some clues. The other food came out in a similarly rapid fashion. For the portion size and price, I was disappointed that the dishes didn't even seem to be cooked to order. One of our companions enjoyed her chocolate terrine dessert, but my dulce de leche cake was dry and flavorless (though the gingery mango on the plate was tasty). To be sure, I was not impressed. Next time, I'll insist on making reservations. * Right as we were walking to our table at Masa 14, which was about 15 minutes after we initially talked to the hostess at Lupo Verde, she called me and said our table was ready. We would have stayed (and had cocktails at the bar while waiting) if she had given us a more realistic estimate of the time! I was a hostess for a long time, so I understand the challenges of determining wait times, but I think they are losing out if they consistenly quote like this.

Updated again: thistle - pulled pork BBQ, table/serving stuff, and possibly additional TBD bettyjoan +1 - TBD on the food, but definitely beer (happy to coordinate a tasting) ktmoomau +1 - Banana Cake with Penuche frosting, side dish of some sort, probably a veggie salad, GF cornbread John William G +1 - TBD on food StarStraf +1 - TBD on food DanielK +3 - TBD on food Hoping to see lots more names added this week! For those who have never attended a picnic before, it is a very low key event and it is a lot of fun! So nice to be outdoors, eating delicious food and getting to know the DR.com family.

Any recent intel on when to get in line on a Monday for 3 seats at the bar? I'm thinking if we are in line by 5 we should be good, but thought I'd ask the experts here. :-)

Updated RSVP list - thistle - pulled pork BBQ, table/serving stuff, and possibly additional TBD bettyjoan +1 - TBD on the food, but definitely beer (happy to coordinate a tasting) weezy - Sicilian cauliflower, gluten-free lemon bars, TBD meat dish ktmoomau - Banana Cake with Penuche frosting, side dish of some sort, probably a veggie salad, GF cornbread John William G +1 - TBD on food StarStraf +1 - TBD on food Remember, you don't have to cook something to attend! We certainly encourage folks to show off their mad kitchen skillz, but we do not require it. Anyone interested in focusing on beverages? Getting hungry already! :-)

I am sorry to hear about your foot. Let me know if there's anything I need to do in terms of the reservation/permit. I hope you feel better soon!

Not sure - Ilaine, do we have access to a grill at the site? Does someone need to bring one? Any other equipment we should try to procure?

Jason and I celebrated 5 years of wedded bliss at Fiola Mare last night. It is a HUGE space - I mean, Fiola in Penn Quarter is not a small restaurant, but it feels so much more intimate by comparison. We got there early to have a cocktail at the (front) bar before our reservation; the drinks were lovely and service was great. I felt bad for the folks behind the bar when I heard a patron a few seats down complaining about the menu not having anything besides seafood. We ended up at a table near the kitchen, and we had nice views of the activity there and the rest of the main dining room - the only downside was that it was quite warm. When I made the reservation, I mentioned that we were celebrating an anniversary, and our server greeted us with a round of prosecco on the house. Such a nice touch. We started with a tempura-fried blowfish appetizer, and it was a really nice, light start to the meal. We asked for a recommendation for a bottle of wine, and we really enjoyed what we got (an Italian white that I now cannot recall). Next, we ordered half-portions of the smoked gnocchi and the bucatini - both were fantastic, and the delicious, crusty bread came in handy to sop up every last bit of the sauces. We then split the Adriatic Grand mixed grill - so much variety (calamari, branzino, dorade, langoustines, prawns, tuna, the list goes on...) and so much food! All of the items were cooked perfectly, and the simple preparation really allowed all of the individual flavors to come through. Yummy. For dessert, we decided to split the Tarta San Marcos, and Jason ordered the suggested Muscat pairing (I order a cappucino - I'm not normally a fan of dessert wines). When dessert arrived, they added on a chocolate/hazelnut dessert (once again, to congratulate us on our anniversary) and a Moscato d'Asti - the server said it would be fun to compare the Muscat that Jason ordered with the d'Asti. I'm so glad he brought it for us to try - I really enjoyed it! It was much crisper and cleaner than most dessert wines, and I can see myself ordering it in the future. Oh, and the Tarta? So. Freaking. GOOD. It was the perfect amount of sweetness, and it had wonderful textures. It was the best dessert I have had in a loooooong time. Clearly, Fiola Mare is spendy, but it is a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion. And for someone who loves seafood as much as I do, it's a chance to get really high-quality products prepared with respect. We hope to return!

Will you be doing knife-sharpening this year? If so, please feel free to post any relevant details - I know I would be interested, and I'm sure others would be as well!

Wow, so many new members - welcome! I have had a travel-heavy year and have been catching up on posts recently - I just wanted to invite all of our new members to the Fall Picnic (thread here) on September 28 at Fort Hunt Park. It is a very casual but VERY delicious affair, where we all get together to enjoy the outdoors and each other's company. Oh, and we eat a little, too.

Woo hoo, it is September, which means the picnic is THIS MONTH! Who's coming? Whatcha bringing? Let's get excited about food and fellowship on what will hopefully be a beautiful fall day. So far - thistle - pulled pork BBQ, table/serving stuff, and possibly additional TBD bettyjoan +1 - TBD on the food, but definitely beer (happy to coordinate a tasting) Let me know if you're coming and what you'd like to bring, so we can make sure we have all food groups covered. As discussed in previous years, there is no such thing as too many deviled eggs.

Over the past few evenings, made arancini from leftover risotto, and then green curry chicken fritters with some of the dribs and drabs of various Asian spices and sauces in the pantry. Both yum.

Baked chicken breast (marinated in garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and honey) Sesame lo mein noodles

The Madonna Inn was a highlight of the trip, for what it's worth. The rooms are great, but the pool was a welcome respite (with beautiful views) and the restaurant/steakhouse was actually pretty freaking good. What a spectacular drive. It was definitely challenging with a 2-month-old, but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. Highly recommended.

We just did this trip...with a 2-month-old. It was...an experience. We stopped in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Monterrey. The views were the only sight we saw - what a fantastic drive, even when we couldn't get out of the car due to baby sleeping (or not sleeping). We spent 2 nights in Monterrey, and I found it to be a bit of a wasteland food-wise (lots of chains, very touristy). If you can, take a bike ride along the 17 Mile Drive - so worth the sunburn I got. The Apple Farm was a good breakfast in San Luis Obispo, and we were told that Cafe Moulin was good in Monterrey (we did not go, due to having screamer in tow). I think the better restaurants are near Carmel.

Well, hello, kitchen! How nice to see you! Beef tenderloin with cherry/balsamic/black pepper/shallot reduction Green pea risotto Macedonian red wine (very fruity - went nicely with the cherry sauce)

Jason and I went to Ripple for dinner last night - 9 years ago, when it was Aroma, we met for the first time at the bar (and the rest was history, as they say). The meal and the service were very good - I think the only minor quibble of the night was that the prices seemed a bit high for the portion sizes, but that was more true for some dishes than others. The cocktails (Cytrus Hystrix and Southern Zing) were delicious, and we were both able to find beer and wine that we liked after that. I would love to go back and explore more of the wine list - so many choices! The bacon roasted pecans were generously portioned, but I didn't care for them as much as Jason did - I felt they needed a bit of sweet, maybe from honey or brown sugar, to counteract the fatty salty bacon. We put together a cheese plate, which came with a delicious blueberry jam. For entrees, we got the rockfish (with octopus and tabbouleh) and the pork (with warm potato salad and purple beans), both of which were really really flavorful and cooked PERFECTLY. Yum. Jason loved his baked butterscotch pudding for dessert, and he's not usually a sweets person. I enjoyed the bread pudding with peaches and sweet corn ice cream - the bread itself was surprisingly fluffy, and the corn ice cream was super. We ranked Ripple just a hare above our meal at Beuchert's (which was priced similarly), so it's right up there with our recent favorites.

A wine tasting would be awesome. I'm going to work on some beer for tasting, too - heading to California for 2 weeks, so I hope to bring back some unusual/rare finds that we can't easily get here in the DC area. What are our limitations in terms of on-site cooking? Do we have access to electricity?

Now that it is August, that means the picnic is next month. Hope everyone is thinking delicious thoughts about what to bring. Even though it is still early, I'm always happy to talk picnic! Really looking forward to it.

We went to Beuchert's for dinner on Saturday night and were very pleased. Cocktails were awesome - not only were they tasty, but they were also beautiful to look at (and fun to watch being made). They also have things set up so you can order their better/reserve wines by the glass instead of having to buy a whole bottle - I opted to do that for my final glass of the evening, and the sommelier came over to help me make a selection (which was delicious). Jason ordered bone marrow to start, which he liked but was the low point of the evening (and I had to resist saying "I told you so" - there were so many more interesting things on the menu than the marrow). I had the wedge salad with goat cheese, roasted tomatoes, and ham "chips," and it was really good. For mains, I had herb-crusted swordfish with gnocchi and roasted mushrooms - the fish was really flavorful and moist, and the accompaniments were delicious. Jason ordered the duck breast, which was cooked and seasoned perfectly. Service was very friendly and casual, but still knowledgeable. It is too pricey to be an every weekend kind of place for us, but we will definitely be back for more.

I always get excited at the possibility of good Cajun/Creole food. For years, I worked at a place in the Atlanta suburbs called Comeaux's - the owner was from Lafayette and the food was amazing, and it set my expectations pretty high. I have yet to find crawfish etouffee (outside of Louisiana) that matched the version I would routinely eat after my shift. So, Jason and I visited Po Boy Jim last Friday night, and I worked pretty hard to temper myself. The two-story space is nice - we ate at the bar upstairs. Service was good - the staff seem pretty enthusiastic about the restaurant and its potential. The beer list was pretty lackluster (only 5 taps, 3 of which were not very good for summer), but the bartender actually took time to listen to our suggestions and jot down some notes - again, they really seem like they want to hear feedback and implement positive changes. The food was quite good. We started with a "flight" of wings - 3-4 each of three different flavors. The wings themselves were somewhat small, but they were pretty meaty and the sauces/rubs were tasty. I liked the dry Jerk version the best, and hubby liked the Carolina BBQ. We each had an oyster po'boy - I got the original/classic, and Jason got the Buffalo version. They were both delicious. The bread was really nicely grilled, which gave the whole sandwich an almost smoky note. The oysters were plump and well seasoned/fried. The onion rings were awesome - big and thick, which is my preference, but also crispy and well-salted. Fries were less impressive, but still hot and tasty. Jason raved about the buffalo sauce - he was sopping up every last drop with the fries. Some people have complained about the prices, but considering the large portion sizes, I thought they were fine. The chef (and owner, I think?) came out to apologize for our wings taking longer than usual, and to ask what we thought about the food, which was nice. It's definitely not a diet-friendly place to eat, but I can see us going back to try more of the menu choices.

Steve R., we are staying at the Madonna Inn. We will be in the "Old Mexico" room.

In two weeks, I will be heading to California to meet my nephew for the first time and to take a road trip with the baby and my sister. We'll be in LA for a wedding, but then we'll be (slowly) taking the Pacific Coast Highway back to San Francisco. We have hotel stays booked for one night in Santa Barbara, one night in San Luis Obispo, and two nights in Monterey. Any places we should eat/drink? Any wineries/breweries worth stopping at? We will have a 2-month-old with us, so that is our only real limitation. Don, if you want to break this into a separate thread, feel free - thanks, all!

As a follow-up: Someone from the restaurant (a manager, I would assume, but I can't be sure) followed up with both me and my husband about our experience. Though I was initially a bit weirded out at how they tracked us down (they found me on Twitter and also called my husband), I definitely appreciate that they wanted to get some feedback. I told them about the issues we encountered, and they certainly seemed like they took things seriously and wanted to improve and train their folks for next time.

It was my first time making the pound cake in this oven, yes. But, we've actually been in our place for a year and a half, and the oven seems to run pretty consistently. I'm going to attempt it again and add some time - and I also re-purchased a nonstick loaf pan, just in case!