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Waitman

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Everything posted by Waitman

  1. Waitman
    One of the few advantages to a pre-dawn exercise habit is that you show up hungry to Bread Furst at 7:30, before the locusts descend and the loaves have cooled. Not sure I loved, loved, loved the baguettes -- densely moist inside and the crust not as crusty as it might be, but that's mostly whinging for the sake of whinging. The corn rye is excellent, sour and moist. Why make a sandwich when you can just eat it plain, or gilded with a little butter, and be immensely happy? I did not get to the Palladin before I had to leave for work, we'll be having it for dinner tonight. The low-starch summer diet has been put on hold. On a personal note, last time I took my daughter up to our "secret" swimming hole in the Shenandoahs, she said "that was great, but I wish we had those sandwiches you used to make, you know, (hard) sausage and butter on a ficelle." BF sells ficelles, and I am headed south to Richmond to see the girl and perhaps picnic with her on Saturday. I predict she will enjoy lunch.
  2. Waitman
    Potato salad with chives and...tarragon? Just reading about this meal makes me feel like it's a happy July afternoon.
  3. Waitman
    What time did you get there?
  4. Waitman
    It sounded quite odd at first, but when I stumbled across fresh morels and new asparagus at the Dupont market Sunday and googledjust to see if there was anything non-obvious to do with them in combination, a couple of recipes suggested throwing some tarragon atop the two. I blanched the asparagus, sauteed the morels in butter with diced shallots, threw the two together and topped with chopped tarragon, conveniently available at the Gardener's Gourmet stand. The herb lifted a pretty OK combination well into the stratosphere. It was kind of like something that Colicchio and Sons or, closer to home, Rose's Luxury might do: stupidly simple but unexpectedly transformative.
  5. Waitman
    Dropped by the terrace Friday night and again came away thinking that it's ore form than substance -- though the form itself is somewhat marred by metal lattice that, since the wisteria has not yet grown over it, makes the place feel vaguely industrial. The steak was OK, but hardly overwhelming for $58 -- smaller than expected and not distinctively wood-grilled tasting. (Also, i think I'm against grass-fed beef. I've tried to like it -- but I'm craving grain finished for my next carnivorous adventure). Sesame crusted feta, polenta and ramp pesto, asparagus and mustard vinaigrette were all fine, if not unforgettable. The proscuitto cotto had an unfortunate resemblance to second-tier deli sandwich ham. Also, our server disappeared at key moments (like when the first steak arrived overcooked) though the many besuited gents watching over the space like culinary secret service agents stepped in as needed (whisking away the steak and returning with a nosh to fill the down time as the new steak was cooked) and the server did appear with free wine in in the interregnum, so I'm thinking maybe it was a random glitch. Upthread, Synesthesia writes of the previous iteration of the Iron Gate "If I was a guy and wanted to impress a non-foodie hot girl, I would totally take her here." There seems to be a little of that still going on.
  6. Waitman
    I remember driving with my two brothers in the "pit" of the family station wagon -- no belts or seats. And, of course, who didn't ride in the back of a pickup every now and and again. But, despite your gauzy memories of empty interstates, driving was dramatically more dangerous back then, and we all probably should have been seized by child protective services. Grim relevant news item of the day.
  7. Waitman
    Kind of an OK experience last night -- everything was competent but seemed to be underflavored. Went through the braised octopus, rockfish tartar, fig rillettes, steak tartar and tete de pho.
  8. Waitman
    eGullet was the gateway drug into on-line eating,and Steven a bit of a genius in his ability to turn a website into a real community. He gave me the opportunity to be -- until some upstart website started stealing eGullet's thunder in DC -- a minor wheel in the DC food scene and, more important and lasting, an opportunity to write, eat, meet fascinating people in and out of the biz and make lifelong friends. As a moderator on eGullet, I had more than a few heated discussions but like a good New York lawyer, he seemed to consider them just part of the wallpaper and was not only gracious but friendly -- and flattering -- the few times we met. He was talented, gregarious, curious, and hungry, and he combined those attributes in a unique, influential and thoroughly enjoyable way.
  9. Waitman
    In fact, "self-indulgent" is absolutely standard critical shorthand for music produced by acts perceived to be a little more awed by their own genius than their genius perhaps merits. (Others shorthand dismissals include "derivative," "overproduced," "pretentious," and "sellout"). BTW, Mick and Keith are Steak-frites sort of combo and hence less likely to be accused of such sins, despite Mick's notable ego. I like Richman. I think he writes with affection and humor and a certain zest for taking at sacred cows as though they were paper mache pinatas. His take on the Ferry Building Market in San Francisco is one of the most delightful bits of critical food writing I have ever read -- an agrodolce that finds the obvious humor in the Portlandia-style pretense and Beverly Hills pricing of the market, with a deep appreciation of the foods to be found there. Some will never forgive him for his New Orleans article, though he has done partial penance for that. I thought it was ill-timed, but it was, at least, honest. This article, too, despite the somewhat inflammatory title is certainly balanced -- there is as much praise as criticism -- and seemingly well-researched. More to the point, it's on point. Though, possibly, late. Long before any of the eateries mentioned in the article (or places like Rogue and Rose's Luxury opened in DC), the cult of chefdom has been building to the point where today it seems that failure to connect between diner and dish is inevitably thought of as the fault of the diner, whose palate has not evolved sufficiently the groundbreaking genius of the chef. (To be clear, I have not felt this in either Rogue or Rose's). I love putting myself in the chef's hands. But, as always, there is a fine line between clever and stupid, and mistakes are made. And there are, as Richman points out, are chefs out there who simply lack the skills or experience to to fly without maps and charts and who should be more mindful -- as all chefs should be -- that the ultimate goal is to please the diner, not themselves. Another fine line -- between challenging the diner and ignoring him or her. And just once, I'd like to hear of some chef saying to a customer about some unfortunate concoction: "You're right, it's not you, it's us. We like to push the envelope but sometimes -- in cooking as in life -- the experiment just melts down into an unfortunate mess."
  10. Waitman
    Not to pick on Gypsy Soul, since this is a widespread sin, but can't we all agree that calling a restaurant a "concept" is pretentious and dumb (and corporate-sounding)? Sorry RJ (or your PR team).
  11. Waitman
    Note that the last two times I have been there, Jeremiah Cohen -- a high-profile refugee from the Tabard's internecine reorganization -- has done an admirable and affable job while giving Scott Saturday nights off.
  12. Waitman
    Now that I've discovered how convenient Union Market is to my commute on days I drive to work and (more dangerous) after weekend trips to the Anacostia waterfront, I've been spending some quality time with the Apronistes (whose Ramones t-shirt ripoff has been ripped off by Rappahannock Oysters just across the way). Hit or miss, I have to say. The stocks I've bought there have been disappointing,as I noted upthread, and some merguez were pretty forgettable. The charcuterie is pretty good, though that stuff is so commonplace now that I'm not sure I'd drive out of the way for it if, say, 3 Little Pigs or Stachowski's were equally convenient. This, by the way, is a sign that the world is becoming a better place despite Putin, and should not be taken as a complaint. Having a good deal of fun with the meat, though. I saw spider steaks there, the first time I'd ever seen them, and snatched up their only two. I'm not saying that they'll replace the onglet as a cult yuppie beef cut, but they were, I don't know, interesting. Beefy with a slightly aggressive texture. And I have a dry aged "tomahawk" prime rib roast about four ribs (two removed) thick that I bought because it looked cool. It's a pretty tempting place to wander by, and you can drink beer while making up your mind what looks enticing that day.
  13. Waitman
    Mrs. B and I had Ben & Jerry's do an ice cream cake for our wedding and, in checking to see if there is still on in DC (the A-M location where we got ours) I see that there are several area outlets and they do offer cakes. (You might let it come up to temperature in the fridge for a good while before serving, as they are tough to slice).
  14. Waitman
    I have never been to DiFara's and have no dog in this fight, but I will suggest that pizza is one of those potentially alchemical creations that does indeed sometimes turn base metals into gold. There are a number of memorable pizza places that use ingredients that would likely be sniffed at by Ms. Perla to craft extraordinary pies, just as there are places that trumpet their ingredients (and technique) to produce pies that one barely remembers at all. On a related subject -- is there point at which highbrow criticism of lowbrow food becomes so intellectual that it's frankly stupid: pizza, hamburgers, pork sandwiches, etc.? Sure, there are good versions and bad versions, and we all love a good barroom brawl (metaphorically speaking) about who has the best cheesesteak, but really, are we overthinking? Related to the related subject -- are we overthinking in order to rationalize our affection for the sort of proletariate and often unhealthy fare that our lizard brains love but our more evolved selves feel guilty about putting into our bodies? If macaroni and cheese can inspire a 1500 word critique, surely it's sufficiently elevated for sophistos like ourselves to eat, despite being a rudimentary pile of refined starch, fat and salt.
  15. Waitman
    Since I have no critical credibility when it comes to CityZen*, in honor of a terrific dinner at the bar Friday night I'll throw out an observation by a good friend, uttered over another dinner with the CZ crew: "People often talk about the flavor 'notes' they taste in their food. When I eat here, I taste whole chords." * But trust me, the bollito is pretty extraordinary. Think in terms of a pork consumee, one that I would put ahead of the excellent consumee at Palena if only for being properly clarified, paired by Andy with the perfect Riesling.
  16. Waitman
    I rarely read food bloggers because, for all the enthusiasm they bring to their efforts, they largely serve as PR vehicles and seem to avoid any useful insight regarding the quality of the establishment they're discussing. Maybe that's their role -- maybe the happy, happy, happy talk isn't the result of an urge to lick, rather than bite, the hand that literally feeds them. Maybe the need for freebies isn't what drives their posts. Either way, I just don't find that they provide the kind of information I value. Why are all the cranks in the blogosphere doing politics rather than food?
  17. Waitman
    Picked up some beef and pork stock and the Union Market location and came away a little disappointed. Nice unctuous gelatin but not a ton of flavor. A time-saver though, if used as a base. Yesterday, I tarted up the pork stock with some bodega-bought pork shreds, a leftover leek and some decrepit carrots (also some sage from the garden) and soon had a pretty stellar pork broth for a bowl of cheeks and casarecce. So, something to keep in mind without assuming that, on their own, they'll have a transformative effect on your sauces. Note that the Ris stand in the market offers beef stock as well -- a report when I get a chance to try it.
  18. Waitman
    I wasn't being sarcastic at all regarding the Platinum Card. That's a true tale and wonderful memory, all thanks to American Express (I am available for an endorsement, if Mr. Frost is reading this). My only regret was that I was apparently within walking distance of Villa Nellcôe, in whose basement much of Exile on Main Street was recorded, and never knew. Perhaps if I'd had a black card, the "concierge" would have alerted me based on previous spending patterns. Since I don't travel as much as I'd like and never fly business class, however, I don't see the point in paying extra for a personal Platinum (which I have been offered sporadically over the years, perhaps a reflection of their poor judgment).
  19. Waitman
    That's the same way I view my Black Card. I think the most important feature is that when I need to buy a trinket for some countess or supermodel, even at midnight or on a Sunday afternoon in Paris, the kind people at the Centurion office will have Cartier or Tiffany open up just for me. One highlight of my un-highlight-dotted career was being called to go to Monaco/Nice for a meeting with a Greek shipping billionaire and the publisher of a respected yachting magazine, and being able to take Mrs. B along for a long and romantic weekend on the Cote d'Azure, because my firm had issued us all platinum cards. It's a pretty excellent perk.
  20. Waitman
    Neither your nor Lori's call to make, nor is a value judgment to get knicker-twisted about. Some flack makes a call on how to get the most buzz for the buck. If some sleazy blogger is getting free drinks and you ain't, it's not the content of your character but the quality of your marketing that is being questioned. Pitch yourself better. (hmmmm...how many posts do I have?)
  21. Waitman
    The fact that Union Market is far more an upscale food court than market was driven home once again Sunday afternoon, when I stopped in to panic shop. Though the lot was full, there was nary a yuppie in line when I dropped by the butcher for some excellent short ribs and -- joy! -- unanticipated pig cheeks, Fishwife for oysters and Red Apron for a couple of quarts of (mediocre) beef stock and some (hopefully, excellent) merguez. Not that I mind the somewhat misleading name of the establishment (any more than I mind the imprecision of places calling themselves "bistro" or "trattoria" and serving hundred dollar wines and $35 entrees, which means, yeah, it does vex me) but I do worry that sellers of unprepared foods will be forced out as the management seeks to maximize revenue per square foot.
  22. Waitman
    This discussion reminds me that 1) the next time I'm in New York I want to go to Le Bernadin (I was coincidentally just discussing it with a potential co-conspirator last weekend, in fact) and that 2) by far the best chapter in Bourdain's otherwise mediocre "Medium Raw" was the chapter about Justo Thomas, the the guy in Le Bernadin's basement who knifes through a thousand pounds of fish a day for Mr. Ripert. I was unable to discover a link to this chapter through the normal method of Googling through the internets searching for brazen copyright violations, but I did discover that that a number of other reviewers singled out this chapter -- "My Aim is True" -- for praise, as well. I was unable to turn up any internet pirates, alas, but anyone who loves food and respects craft would do well to at least read the chapter for free in some bookstore aisle, if there are any bookstores left near where you live. And I did discover this video.
  23. Waitman
    It's always gratifying to see one's prejudices confirmed -- that cranking the music to 11 is annoying; that a cafe full of keyboard drones is disconcertingly Stepford-like -- in a respected on-line journal. The author may be on to something -- I seem to recall rebellion against a certain authoritarian food website being fomented at Mt. Pleasant's Tonic.
  24. Waitman
    Is that the (corrupt Nice mayor and Cuisine Nissarde expert) Jacques Medecin recipe? If not, I'll look it up when I get home tonight. That should settle all arguments. Maybe we should have a feast, with some stockfish (a la La Merenda) and socca preceding the torte.
  25. Waitman
    I hit up the Columbia Heights place a couple times a month -- sometimes delivery, sometimes carryout -- and can't say that I've noticed any significant changes.
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