JoeHoya
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Everything posted by JoeHoya
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Congrats on the tickets, F.E.! Which night will you be attending? My wife and I were watching the OEG site with bated breath this morning so we could be sure to get our Saturday tix. After last year, this was a "can't miss" for us.
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That $5 only gets you into the fest. The oysters themselves (and a really impressive range of other fair-type foods) are an additional cost. Watching the shucking competition sounds like a lot of fun, but I think the Oyster Riot wins for sheer oyster indulgence - especially since Old Ebbitt pairs the oysters with something like a dozen good wines while the St. Mary's event is pretty much limited to the finest wines Maryland has to offer.
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Of course you need to be willing to go out for oysters between 11 PM and 1 AM on a weeknight to get them at that price. Otherwise they're usually $21.95 a dozen. The jumbo shrimp are $2.50 each, and you get four or five of those with your "shrimp stub" as well as a Jonah crab claw. Add in a few glasses of the winning wines that they pour all night, and you really need to eat three dozen oysters over the course of the evening to really get your money's worth. If you're just looking at the price of the food you're eating, you can definitely do better elsewhere. But as someone who attended last year's riot, I can definitely attest to the atmosphere of the event itself adding something to the experience. The live music, the festive feeling, chatting with the guys who are expertly shucking dozens of oysters in front of you, the bottles of all the non-winning wines in the back, the fruit and cheese display, and the passed hot hors d'oeuvres make this more than just a chance to stand around and suck down oysters. It's not the cheapest ticket on the block (and it's not worth it if you're just there for the oysters), but I really enjoyed it.
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CommonWealth, 14th & Irving Streets NW
JoeHoya replied to Walrus's topic in Washington DC Restaurants and Dining
My wife and I went last night to check out the "Sunday Roast" with two of our friends. This was only the second weekend, and they're already firing on all cylinders as far as the Roast offerings go. Three options: Pork Shoulder Lamb leg stuffed with merguez Roast Beef We opted for the lamb and it came out juicy and tender with nice chunks of sausage and a slightly thickened glace that was rich and salty. The succotash had plenty of fresh seasonal veggies, but it and the roasted potatoes were definitely overshadowed by the entree. The Scotch Eggs, as others have attested, are terrific - though I'd suggest they're better on their own than dipped in any of the accompanying sauces. Definitely worth making plans with friends for a fun, family-style Sunday dinner. Chef Leeds also pointed out their new brunch menu (additional egg dishes and pancakes to go with their full regular menu) - may have to check it out soon. Biggest complaint: Not a lot of creativity in the British brews available on tap. Plenty of bottles available, but it's not quite the same, is it? Good times all around. -
Having been there for the taping, I can safely say that Teddy's frites were spot-on, for the most part. Considering the fact that he and Flay were sharing the fryer at the Argonaut and rushing them out as soon as they were able, it was impressive that most of them came out as well as they did. Even though I didn't like Flay's fries (too much like fast food fries, not enough frite-ness to them), I can attest to their being cooked properly. Best. Sick day. Ever. So worth not going to work.
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I wrote about Epoisses for DC Foodies a few months ago - http://www.dcfoodies.com/2007/12/poisses-de-bour.html - some other Epoisses tidbits there. I doubt Landrum would want to serve the Epoisses on the side, since that defeats the purpose of ordering it as a burger topping, but I'm still a bit hesitant to order such a powerful cheese on my burger. Headed to Ray's Hell tonight - we'll see if my curiosity gets the better of me!
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Johnny Fulchino's love of all things New Orleans and his recent addition of the absinthe bar at Johnny's Half Shell make for a great sazerac. You should give it a shot.
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My (formerly) secret weapon is McIlhenny's chipotle pepper tabasco sauce. It gives a great smoky kick to the soup without overpowering the fresh veggie flavors.
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Great idea, Daniel! What I may do is update the tags on this map - use a new color to reflect those restaurants that are extending, and then indicate how long they're running it in the notes for each restaurant. That way you can just check the list to find all the tags with that new color (purple?) and then click on the ones you're interested in.
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For those who might be interested in mapping out Restaurant Week conquests by neighborhood, Capital Spice has put up a Google Map that has all of the participating restaurants, which meal(s) they're participating for, contact info and OpenTable links. http://capitalspice.wordpress.com/2008/07/...rant-week-2008/ Hope it's helpful!
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They had a sign up when I was there on Friday at lunchtime. Said something to the effect of "we will be closed on Sunday to regroup" after being slammed every day this week. Wonder where it went?
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I'm not sure why, but I'm surprised that there are so few posts for Quarterdeck. This place has been a favorite of my wife's and mine for years now. But it always amazes me how under-the-radar they fly. Even their web address - www.qdrest.com - seems designed to avoid notice. We just did the All-You-Can-Eat deal with my parents tonight for my birthday. The price has gone up to $34.50 per person, but it's still a great deal. The fries and the crabs come out nice and hot, and the seasoning catches up to you after the third or fourth crab. As a previous poster mentioned, there's really no reason to visit Quarterdeck if you aren't planning to enjoy crabs in some form. The rest of the menu (expansive as it is) tends toward basic bar food. They do offer a full bar, allowing my parents to enjoy margaritas with their crab feasts. A great summer tradition - it'll never win a RAMMY, but it's a hell of a neighborhood joint.
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My first experience with both the black cod and the palak chaat were during Restaurant Week two years ago, and it made me a fan on the spot.
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One of the On The Fly SmartKarts is located at the corner of 7th and F, NW weekdays. They used to offer Rockland's Barbecue, but they're currently doing Julia's Empanadas and tacos. Another is at 8th and H, NW on weekdays. They've got Teaism entrees and their mint iced tea. They also have brick-and-mortar locations inside the Farragut North Metro station (north side) and inside Results on Capitol Hill. Their website is www.dconthefly.com. One of the first carts that opened did halal shawarma - Delle & Campbell's Halal Luncheonette. They were a bit pricey, and they tried a few different locations (including one on the strip of land between Massachusetts & F Streets across from the Dubliner. Haven't seen them in quite a while, so I'm not sure whether they've moved on or packed it in.
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FWIW, Good Stuff already has the candy combo on site - Spike's fellow chef is Mike Colletti, so the Spike & Mike team-up is set. Somewhere the animation festival organizers are wondering what all the fuss is about.
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Score one for ground beef done right! Landrum was right there trimming the chuck when we placed our order, and he even took the time to walk us through what makes the meat they use superior to what most other places are working with. Loved the taste, the service, even the cheesy decor. Only downside was the lack of the Epoisses that had been mentioned as a cheese option - I was really looking forward to giving that one a try!
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FWIW, Sam Adams does make a "Dark Wheat" beer. Not sure if that's what they're referring to, but it definitely exists. My wife and I went to the soft opening tonight, and I'd say the burgers were worth another visit. I want to give them time to get their feet under them (seems to put me squarely in the minority judging by previous comments), but the Blazin' Barn's was tasty and the patties were juicy and medium-rare.
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Needless to say, the opening has been pushed back again. But I'm happy to say they've got a lot more of their hardware in place now (peeking through the windows from time to time), so they may be serious about their April-May opening plan. I'll believe it when I see it, but I'm eagerly awaiting it.