Nick Freshman

Coming along...

Placeholder website up.

Opening March-ish...

Thanks, Dave O. It was fun to do, and I appreciated the opportunity to weigh in. 

On 11/4/2016 at 7:38 PM, DonRocks said:

Tazza Kitchen closed this week - it was one of the better restaurants South Arlington had going for it. 

This bums me out. I think it was a solid concept, and they invested a ton into the place. I think the location, while extremely convenient for my neighborhood, is just never going to be great--if you don't live down there, it is hard to even explain where that stretch of Glebe Road is.

I wanted to start the thread here for a new spot coming to downtown Takoma Park. Seth Cook and Chris Brown, two coffee veterans who have been at Northside Social for years, are branching out on their own. They have a great location on Laurel Avenue, and construction is about to begin. TKBC (@takomabevco) will offer coffee, beer(draft) and wine as well as a great cocktail program. The menu will be designed by a chef you will all recognize. I love this team and this concept, and that is why I decided to back them financially and advise on the project. Keep your eyes out as the project progresses.

Hello Community,

I wanted to spread the word that I have a new company. Mothersauce Partners provides capital and expertise to food and drink concepts. I am moving back from starting up my own concepts, and moving towards financing and advising other entrepreneurs. There is so much amazing talent around here, and many of them only need some early stage help to get going. We have already committed to our first project--Takoma Beverage Company in Takoma Park--and we are working on several more.

If you want some more information on how to invest with me, or if you are or know of that culinary badass that I must meet with, send me a message or visit the website. On it there is more information, sign up buttons, and...wait for it...my blog. Don's not the only one who writes...

By the way, if you are wondering about the name, that is on the site too, but if you are on this board, you really should already know...

I look forward to connecting with a lot of you!

Nick

The coffee at Murky was great, and it introduced me to the next level of coffee. I have never looked back.

But his business practices are inexcusable, and in my mind, there is no level of "valuing the artist" that forgives it. It is cheating. If you don't pay your taxes, you create a playing field that is not level, and your success is bogus. Spider Kelly's is two blocks away, and I have never missed a tax payment despite the fact that I think they are exorbitant. I was happy when karma, in the form of the government, caught up to him. Unfortunately in this business, there are many that never see that comeuppance.

I think it would be hard not to learn and be humbled by the experience, and I hope that it has made him a better businessman and person--instead of just an exceptional artist.

This place will be great. The team behind it is rock solid, but I am biased. The three main operators all spent time together at Eventide. Tim Irwin managed the bar, Jeremy Barber was our GM and Justus was the opening Executive Sous. They all left and went on to better things, but we were a better restaurant for having them when we did. Now, they've reunited, and I am confident they will kill it.

On 8/1/2016 at 1:44 PM, DaveO said:

But it is a freaking expensive market.

It is largely the rent, but that isn't the only factor. Saturation is the other. The rent is so high for new tenants and those renewing leases, that it limits the type of places that can open up. Startups, independents, small local chains--the kind of places that elevate the dining scene--are priced out at the start, and you are left with national and even giant international chains (Tagliatelle) that turn the strip soulless. It's hard to blame a landlord for getting as much as they can as opposed to looking for an interesting concept, and from the County's perspective the tax revenue is the same either way.

Then there is saturation. This is more among the bar-oriented businesses, I think (ATR was in that camp, recently shuttered Ri Ra and Hard Times as well, of course). I swear the conventional wisdom is open a bar in Clarendon, and you're guaranteed to make cash. The reality is far from true. While we are a mecca for twenty-somethings with good jobs, there are only so many people that can come out every night. With the amount of options in Clarendon, it is impossible for everyone to do well.

I'd also add to the conversation that Boulevard Woodgrill, much as I liked it, had a good run, but it is now dated. Menus and tastes have changed, and it has not evolved. I would guess it has been open 10 years? That's a long run for a restaurant, and now it is being replaced with a well regarded, innovative local success--Ambar. That could easily be seen as a both a natural evolution and a sign of good things for the neighborhood. Granted, it is one example, but it could be great example to offset Oz.

Java Shack in Arlington always has two nitro cold brews. Pretty refreshing in the warm weather

I second this recommendation.

Cash Only. So annoying. Every time I am there, I see someone shocked at that info. And having an ATM that charges a transaction fee that is more than the friggin' bagel is no compromise. 15 years now--time to get over the swipe fees.

Then again, I still go there regularly, so what do I know?

That's a shame, as noted above it would be nice for the residents of Clarendon to have a nice, independently owned restaurant in that space again.  The stretch of Clarendon Blvd has really become a chain wasteland.

It is exactly an independently owned restaurant. You can reserve judgement on the 'nice' part, but it meets all definitions of an independent, locally owned place--one of the owners is an actual DC native, right? You can pre-emptively judge it on its glitz and glam factor, and on the fact that they are not "chef-owners," a class so beloved here, but they are certainly different than the multi-national monsters that were previously in the space.

To be clear, it's the probably the last place I will go to as it doesn't suit my tastes, but at least it isn't another big ass chain.

I've heard mid-October. If you look inside, they are all but done.

I was very sad to discover that the Shirlington location served cardboard cheese pizza now. Maybe it was because it was delivery, but I was rather disappointed with their cheese pizza ordered two weeks ago...lacked flavor, pizza very flat, cheese had no flavor, crust was hard, and even the boys (playdate) didn't really want seconds....

Maybe they will be better at coffee than pizza. I have a lot of respect for Nora and St. Elmo's as an institution, but the coffee leaves a lot to be desired, so they will benefit from a low bar.

If I didn't care about coffee so much, I would be at a diner every morning. However, coffee standards at true diners are one step above gas stations, so I'm stuck. That said, the Bob & Edith's on 23rd is such a titanic improvement over the last two diners in that spot for food, that it's in our rotation now. Living right up the street, we are mired in the wasteland that is 23rd and Crystal Drive, so Bob & Edith's benefits from the lowest bar in Arlington. Clean, great service, good food, fair prices. Silver Diner's committment to ingredients is impressive, as is the menu variety (their coffee still sucks), and I like the omelettes at Pain Quotidien (good coffee) even though I can't afford to eat there, but B&E does a good job of staying right in their lane. And going there with my daughter instead of as a blacked out teenager is, I must say, a lot more fun.

Tazza Kitchen is good. I didn't understand why they scrapped Cafe Caturra, but they did a good job with Tazza. I have been for brunch a couple times and drinks a few times. Atmosphere is good, service as well, and I like the food. Simple menu, most done pretty well. The pizza ovens put out good pizza but better bread. They have invested heavily in the drink program and have some good cocktails. But for the bartenders just going quite a bit overboard on the mixologist/hipster angle (suspenders, really?), hanging out at the bar is a good time. So good you forget that you are in a strip mall on South Glebe Road across from a Giant and an ABC store...Besides, what else are those of us in that neighborhood supposed to do, go eat on 23rd Street? What a disaster that strip is. A fact my neighbors remind me of daily. Hey, I tell them, I'm working on it...

I do not know the brand - is this a good thing?

We get them every summer in the OBX, and they are pretty damn good. I wondered, however, when I first heard they were moving up here (which I thought was brilliant) if they actually were good, or if they were yet another product super dependant on context. They are essentially made to order which I think helps a lot--what's worse than a stale donut?

RIP. My first job in the restaurant business which turned out to be the first job of my career, though at the time you never would have convinced me of that. 1993. It was a great job, and Jay and Kathy were great bosses.

On tap at SK right now. 10 cases at Eventide to be released next week. I can't remember how it tasted last year, but this year it is great. I don't know if I've ever had a smoother 10% ABV beer, especially an IPA.

Funny, I just looked back up the thread. A couple of years ago, it was a better beer. The other beer that I look forward to, but that changes from year to year, is Sierra Celebration. Sometimes awesome, sometimes a dud. Maybe it is the fresh hops they add and the variation in the quality of the harvest.

Beer for beer and dollar for dollar, I still think the the regular lagunitas IPA and the Sumpin Sumpin are my definition of great beer. With Sumpin Sumpin even edging ahead; particularly with warm weather coming.

At least I am consistent.

I had a chance to taste this year's Hopslam on draft last night. In my opinion, the trend of this getting more one-dimensional over time continues. I barely got any of the honey that used to make this so interesting.

I agree. Our annual keg just came in at SK. I tasted it and thought this is another monster IPA meant to scorch my taste buds and make it impossible to drink anything else. It is good for what it is, but 100/100? I don't understand the beer geek websites. Plus, 10% ABV? Anything over 7-7.5%, and I have mostly lost interest.

Side by side, I don't see why anyone would want a Hopslam over a Bell's Two Hearted Ale. In my opinion, the Two Hearted, Bell's standard IPA, is nearly perfect.

On the other end of the spectrum, we also got Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA in. Another 99/100 beer with a highly anticipated release. We were supposed to have it a month ago, but demand is outpacing supply. I had such high hopes from such a highly regarded brewery. And I thought it was...flat. Beautiful nose, but washed out in the glass and aftertaste.

So, one burns my mouth and makes me hand my keys to my wife, the other makes me long for a Lagunitas or something with more strength and body. Am I the IPA Goldilocks? Maybe. It's the same for me with wine. Big, Cali cabs and zins bore me, but I need more earth and spice and body than a lot of 'lighter reds' can offer.

Fuck it, I'm picky, and I know what I like. And what I like are the beers that have the balance. Two Hearted, Lagunitas IPA, New Holland Mad Hatter, Brooklyn East India Pale Ale, and of course Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I don't care what anybody says, that beer is near perfect. I tend to want a little more hops these days, but that was the beer that got me to love beer and hops, and it is still awesome. They have done a great job with Torpedo IPA, and I love the Ruthless Rye IPA, but when the original (30+ years!) Pale Ale came out in that beautiful green can, I was in love again. Balance, pure and simple.

I was there as well. I had a chance to meet Robert, who is taking over. He has a roasting company that is doing pretty well and looking to expand. This will be a chance to gain some more exposure in a good market. Their coffee is in Water & Wall and some other spots in VA. Nice guy, and the shop seems like it will be in good hands.

Best of luck to Dale.

It's not like these shops are storing their wine in Glen Burnie or Waldorf or wherever - Schneider's storage is within a mile or two of their shop.

I don't think that is entirely accurate as far as the costs of storage and the purchasing power of having space to store wine. Schneider's maintains at least 30,000sf of storage in far NE DC where the rent for it is probably nothing. I know, because I have seen it. It's way up off Rhode Island Avenue. They bought the entire lot from Eventide. 130 cases, our entire inventory, disappeared instantly in that warehouse. It was amazing. They have the ability to not only buy at a volume from distributors that most restaurants could not, but they also actively buy large inventories from collectors and restaurants. They run a truck constantly from the NE warehouse to the store to keep the inventory rotating. It is a very impressive operation.

Some of major stores do have off site storage.  Macarthurs and Schneiger both do.  

There is more to come from me, but right now, we are still in the thick of it. To that end, I have a substantial wine inventory to get rid of. I know there are lots of oenophiles on this site, and this is a chance to have an instantly impressive cellar. Likewise, any restaurants looking to fill out their collection at a great price, here is your chance.

We have about 1400 bottles with a wholesale value of $25,000. I want to sell the whole thing at once, so if you are willing to do that, I will drop 20% off the wholesale price that we paid. This is a steal. If you want to split it up among different people, that's fine, and I will help coordinate, but I would like one transaction. I might even be willing to deliver it.

It is all cataloged on a spreadsheet with the prices we paid, and it is all being stored at temp. Interested parties, please send me a private message or e-mail me: nickfreshman@gmail.com.

Some highlights:

2009 Quintessa, 6EA, $79.99/btl
2012 The Prisoner, 14EA, $23/btl
2010 Beaux Freres, Upper Terrace, 2EA, $60/btl
2012 Ken Wright, Freedom Hill, 2EA, $30.93/btl
2011 Plumpjack Estate, 4EA, $56/btl

There is, of course, a lot more.

And if you are concerned, this is cleared by the ABC.

Sholtzky's deli-Bistro Bistro- Fish Place owned by the guys who King Street Blues-Willow

Fish Place=Gaffney's

I don't anything about Fairfax, but Arlington has a supplemental meals tax above the state sales tax that makes it 10% instead of 6%. My guess is that the Starbucks is in a jurisdiction with the same--Fairfax city maybe? Or is that part of Falls Church?

Some places create two line items--one for state and one for local--to clarify.

They're having supply issues. We have had it at SK for two weeks, but we haven't been able to get anymore. Our distributor has no idea if there will be any more. This happens from time to time with the seasonals; especially the smaller breweries. Frustrating.