oliveDC

It was about a year ago, but I had a delicious, hearty rabbit stew at Belga...red ale, quince, tender rabbit leg. Perfect for a cold, rainy day. (I had rabbits as a kid, Tansy and Penelope. I'm able to keep them separate, but maybe it's more because I have a scar to this day on my face from big-footed Tansy... )

From a Galileo e-mail:

In the main dining room our Five Course White Truffle menu is $145 per person and in the Laboratorio a 10-12 Course White Truffle Tasting Menu is $240 per person.

Congrats!

I love Little Fountain. A reliable spot for reasonably priced food separated like a fishbowl from the hubbub of 18th St. I haven't been in a while but it always amazed me that those same two waitresses seemed to run the entire show. Are they still there? Half-priced wine on Wednesdays and the chocolate chip bread pudding - my two favorite reasons to go. Hmm, maybe next Wednesday...

I really liked their apple cider and rum marinated pork loin with sweet potatoes and greens they served at Taste of Georgetown the other weekend. I've never actually eaten there but always wanted to. It does seem overlooked.

As for the Jimmie and Sharon Banks connection, I called for a story I was working on more than two years ago, and whoever answered the phone emphatically said they were never owners. They worked there for a short stint but that was all. That of course was one-sided information and the gentleman I spoke to could have had some personal beef, but he said he was furious with the press for all reporting that it was a Banks operation when it opened. Never got the real story on that...

Wow, nice breakdown.

Another thing I'm starting to like about this list is the "tell me something I don't know" factor. A lot of these places don't get regular mentions in his chats. Sometimes I feel cornered by the repetition of the same great old places. I love Zaytinya, Firefly, Komi, etc and find myself recommending them...all the time. This list makes me feel like stepping out of my little box...

"What are you in the mood for?" is what precedes an awful lot of dinners, at least among people I know, so I think the guide's theme is useful and I think the choices show that Tom may be trying to spread the love a little. We all know Palena/Firefly/Corduroy aren't the only places worth dining, and I'm glad he's shining a light on some lesser knowns.

I kind of like that a place called Gom Ba Woo, which I can honestly say I've never heard of, got a mention. Piques my curiosity...

I'm wondering what will happen with the star system. Sounds like things were going to change a bit, maybe with half stars...or a whole new system? I'm still voting for the scale of 100, as sanitation grade-ish as it may sound...

Call me the eternal optimist, but let's not overlook all the locals opening very successful businesses in the neighborhood. Yes, the Gap may make its way over evetually (Storehouse has), but of any neighborhood in the city, U St. has more new businesses from new local businessowners: Ron at Pulp, Sheila at Pop, Shelley at Pink November, Eric at Vastu, Chef T at Creme, Mike at Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar, Warren at Cake Love, Melih and Omer at Tabaq, Jackie at Nana...and don't forget the established players like Ben's, Meeps, the Saloon, Dukem, etc.

The neighborhood is extremely loyal to these businesses, and the way I see it, they always will be, Cosi or no Cosi, Gap or no Gap.

It was the Italian-style Anzu before, and the owners had plans for a lounge upstairs. I'm guessing (from afar with no actual knowledge of the recent situation ) that they decided to make the lounge/club upstairs Anzu, and rejigger the restaurant downstairs and Baci is what they came up with. The space is nice and airy but I can't speak for the food...

Ah, the dancers and the odd floating doughnuts over the stairwell...some said they looked like potatoes or paczkis, but I'm sticking with jelly-filled doughnuts (a decor accent, not the dancers).

In all seriousness, the space was much less Disneyfied than I was imagining, and I had a chance to meet Alan briefly. I'm eager to give the place a shot. And I must have eaten about 30 of those little cinnamon sugar churros that were going around at the end.

I noticed a sign over the dark La Casona tonight declaring: Los Lobos or Don Lobos or Lobos Grill (it was dark) coming soon, new management, new menu!

And before I ever got chance to eat there...

But I don't think there's a lot to work with either, quite frankly, as Tom's Weekly Dish proves-owner of Mimi's open another place. Let me guess, it sucks?

Busboys and Poets is actually quite a significant addition to the city. It's not aspiring to be a foodie destination, just an eclectic neighborhood hangout and public meeting place that happens to offer good beer on tap, good pizzas, interesting sandwiches, etc. Think Tryst on a larger scale with greater potential to bring neighbors together. It's far from sucking.

another place worthy of consideration, in my mind, would be the bar at cashion's.  it gets a nice mix of the more sophisticated adams morgan crowd - pre-party, and a crowd i would describe as "hip enough to be called hip but smart enough to never use that term in reference to themselves". 

and i could eat ann cashion's food all the time.

I saw Peter Horton at Cashion's once. Ya know...Peter Horton? Come on! The "thirtysomething" guy with the scruffy blond beard who married Michelle Pfeiffer?! There's star power for you.

On another note, Nicole Kidman is apparently hanging around town for a while. Wonder what kind of place could attract Nicole?

If dinner doesn't turn up any celebs, head to the Degrees bar at the Georgetown Ritz for an after dinner drink. It's apparently a favorite hangout for George Clooney and a few others.

It was a little embarassing, but Roberto Donna was on Iron Chef America over the summer and didn't have a great showing.  I think he finished maybe 2 of his 6 dishes! 

Now Morou will have the chance to avenge his loss. Can't wait to see it.

Jeff Tunks stars in an episode of Chefs A'Field, which I don't think has aired locally yet (on PBS). And David Guas is always popping up on the Today Show to show off his desserts. He's really good on TV, maybe because he's used to their harried, cook-in-60-seconds style.

I must be really special for some unknown reason as I have never had truly awful service at BdC.  Yes it has been curt and a little slow on occasion, but certainly not awful.

Same here. I'm always looking around, trying to see someone being treated terribly, but alas, everyone usually seems to be enjoying themselves. I don't doubt that others have had bad experiences, but I have yet to see it. "Curt and a little slow" is about the extent of my complaints, and even then, I'd rather have a curt, all-business server than a chatty, TGIFriday's type.

I wonder if a lot of people misinterpret curtness as a personal affront?

1789 does (I think they still do it) a good job.

From a press release: "Chef Ris Lacoste's exceptional Thanksgiving dinner will be served from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with complimentary valet parking. Both an a la carte menu as well as a $45 fixed price three-course menu will be available (excluding tax and gratuity), with choices such as Minnesota Wild Rice and Duck Soup or Field Greens salad, Roast Turkey with all the trimmings, as well as a pie sampler with coffee or tea are available."

The Oval Room is also doing a $35 three-course menu with a "Mediterranean flair." A few of the offerings: "seven-hour roasted turkey marinated with Jerez vinegar, lemon confit with roasted sweet potato and broccoli rapini; salmon with ginger crust, cucumber and citrus sauce, as well as grilled pork tenderloin medallion with pepper escalivada in 15-year- old balsamic vinegar."

Rumors ... so many rumors that I hear ....

Indeed. I heard a big one but didn't want to spread, well, rumors...

"The end of the star system" might simply mean differentiation

That's what I took from his comments. I like the idea of a simple 100-scale, a la Rotten Tomatoes or grade school. All those two stars could then be differentiated in the 70-85 range. I guess the problem is that it looks too much like a sanitation grade.

I'm going with Like Water For Chocolate (maybe the book over the movie), Mostly Martha and Delicatessen (for a dark, disgusting, yet delightfully bizarre watch).

Digessing from our fair city, does anyone have memories from using the toilette at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans? It's basically in the kitchen and you have to stand flat against the wall as servers rush past with trays shedding clouds of powdered sugar. Then you get to the actual 4x4 foot WC in all its grimy graffiti-ed glory.

BdC.  I don't know whether going up or down is more treacherous.  Scary even when not hammered.

Agreed. And oh the horror and scene if you happened to fall...

Why does it seem that all the good buble tea places are in the burbs?

Anyone reccomend a good bubble tea house in the District? 

Though I never ordered it, Cafe Philipps, with various locations scattered through downtown including Chinatown and 50 F St, advertises bubble tea and I've seen people slurping on some...thank me later for the detailed review.

(Also, whoever said they could post the menu, I'd love to see it!)

I posted the dinner menu on the Acadiana thread.

There's no more shrimp. The chefs were done, and Simone sounded like the sandwiches had gone so quickly, they may not last til 3! She said they'd already gone through 1,200. Sounds like a great success with lots of money raised.