Simon

Bistro Provence?

Yes!

I was just there last week. This is a very good guess, and may indeed be correct.

I had Roast Pepper, and Roast Chicken, and Yannick was there - I saw him - first course was okay, second course was mediocre (because of the free-range chicken - huge chicken breasts, with nothing to support them, spoke of "Farm," and not much else (refer to Beuchert's Saloon)); nothing was of this quality.

The lamb chops I once had at Le Paradou came from an Amish farm in Pennsylvania, and tasted remarkably of LAMB (not lamb; LAMB).

I should write some thoughts on Bistro Provence in the thread here. The specials are generally what to get there -- any of the fish, esp. turbot or halibut, and the veal chop, beef tenderloin, or rack of lamb, or any of the duck preparations. Or, when he has it, the lobster with Sauternes sauce from Le Pavillon.

Guessing even the board leaders may need a hint on this. Rare but nice looking lamb with fingerling or some other kind of potato (maybe), brussel sprouts and maybe a polenta there in back middle? Even if mostly right, that dish could be a lot of places.

Yes, mostly right. Lamb with potato, sweet potato, and brussel sprouts.

As for hints: a restaurant that doesn't get a lot of attention here. Chef made his name in the '80s at a fabled DC restaurant, now closed; is still in the kitchen every service at his new place.

I can score the DC-area restaurants as fast as I can type, but modifying each title and tags takes about 30 seconds. Multiply that by over 2,000 restaurants, and you can see why I can only promise doing this for threads going forward, i.e., only threads that are updated on-or-after today will get scored. I have too much else on my plate right now, and not enough people to help me with it all.

Why are you using "barrel scores" for some restaurants, but not others?

Since my last submission was identified with such dispatch by Don, how about another one?

it is closer to my house than any other place on the map, I rarely buy cheese there. What do you think of their selection/quality?

Likewise, and not great (b/c of the pre-cutting/wrapping). That's why I asked -- if you knew of a secret code to get the good stuff there.

Beatiful and opulent dish along with an interesting pairing of great ingredients. How was it as a composed dish?

It was pretty wonderful. The earthiness of the truffles brought everything together. Stuffing the Kobe with uni was perhaps gilding the lily, but oh so gloriously. On a previous visit, I had a Kobe presentation -- just by itself, raw and then lightly seared -- that was also great.

If you don't mind me asking, how much did this dish cost?

It was part of the Omakase menu, which was $150/pp that night. Don't think this is on the regular menu.

Real Japanese Kobe. And, yes! Omakase bar at Sushi Taro. You have to go, some day, Don.

(the "white fish" is poached lobster)

Hmmm. Continuing the one-step-at-a-time approach to just get the components right, maybe squid instead of a white fish and tongue rather than corned beef or pork? Also, I'm thinking unlikely given the other components but that stuffing looks like it could be uni?

The stuffing is indeed uni. And what you see is a kind of beef, but not corned beef.

Components seem mostly identifiable. The shaved truffle, a white fish (cod maybe?), cipollini and what looks like a corned beef or pork type slice rolled and stuffed with.....??

Alas, the only ingredient you correctly identified was the shaved truffle.

Here's the link to my latest google map: where to buy good cheese. Suggestions for additional shops welcomed. But only shops that know how to properly store cheese, please (note that Whole Foods is not on the map).

Elizabeth,

Just discovering your map now. What cheese do you like to buy from Balducci's?

Where did I dine?

Some quick impressions from two recent visits.

Fine service from a veteran server on my first visit (a slow Wednesday night), and disorganized but well-meaning service from a brand-new waiter on a busy Saturday night. Definitely some kinks to work through (unfamiliarity with which wines were available by the glass, confusion as to who ordered which dish, even on a two-top). But we did make it to our curtain at the Kennedy Center in plenty of time.

I've found the cooking here quite old school. Best dish I've tried: the garganelli con porri e salsicca (with sausage, mushrooms, Parmesan, and cream) -- the pasta perfectly al dente, with a delicious cream sauce. The bucatini alla vongole (pictured in the where did I dine? thread) was straightforwardly satisfying.

The grilled octopus appetizer had too little octopus, and too many accompaniments. The cacciucco (Ligurian seafood stew; ordered twice and prepared consistently) has a thick, spicy tomato-based broth and a melange of seafood (shrimp, squid, mussels, clams, fish) -- nice, not superlative.

Most disappointing: the braised rabbit entree, which was dry and stodgy in presentation.

I'll be interested, too, to see how this place evolves, and I'll definitely return (though how often? not sure), in large part b/c of its proximity to the Kennedy Center.

Is this place still owned by the Moonies?

Simon -- Is it Ancora? I have to confess that I haven't ordered the dish there, but I did see it on the menu...

Yes!

Darn it, I knew it was bucatini, but couldn't figure out the restaurant before you said so. It must be a fairly traditional Italian restaurant with homemade pasta and white tablecloths, but I've just gone through everyone I can think of. Fiola has more seafood in their preps, Al Dente doesn't have white tablecloths, Tosca isn't serving bucatini, etc.

You, sir, are quite correct on all counts.

Bucatini with clams, yes, and fairly non-descript, except it's a place that has been getting a modicum of attention here, so I thought I'd post it.

Where did I dine? Apologies for the absence of flash.

I used to come here often with my family during the restaurant's glory days in the 1980's and early '90s. Particular favorites were the crispy beef, moo shi pork, and Peking duck. I used to request that the owner's son, John, personally carve my duck every time because the one time someone else did, I wasn't happy with the carving. I was like seven years old at the time, but I had standards. Good times.

There is "all you can eat" nigiri sushi at the end and this is the one part of the meal I wish I knew more about. About halfway through, we were presented with 6 or so laquered boxes loaded with seafood. Masa went through each box, explained what it was and where it came from. Thenhe made several more courses (including the infamous Shiroka and a live sea scallop with fleur de sel that was just so damn good). When it was all done, that is when Masa said "choose" for the sushi part. I thought the meal was over at that point and the sushi would be priced per piece. My wife had about 5-7 pieces. I kept going and maybe had 12-15 pieces. I could have had more, but remember thinking that if this is priced ala carte I am going to be broke. There was no surcharge.

I ate so much food but left feeling light and happily sated.

This has been my experience, as well, the three or four times I've been to the omakase bar. It's not rigorously priced by what you eat but only, I think, if you cross a certain threshold of quantity. I've never crossed that threshold.

They told us they are now booked up through April. Make a reservation now.

Based on my interaction with the restaurant today, I think it's more accurate to say they are booking through April.

My guess for the meat would be rabbit. I *guess* it could be veal, but it's so difficult to get large pieces of meat off a rabbit that it's often presented in mosaics, or roulades, etc., whereas veal is often done in bigger chunks.

Right on all counts, sir. Rabbit roulade. It was delicious.

Simon's ballotinerabbit roulade: Range (cheezepowder (Damn, girl!))

And now our plates, so to speak, have been cleared.

Just to be clear, my dish wasn't technically a ballotine. I'm happy to reveal, or let people keep guessing.

Simon: my guess is Range

You are correct!

One question of clarification. Was the 2/3 not shown more of the same? More of the patties? Or was it a dish composed of different elements with the patties just being one?

Yes, more of the same. What's in the picture is entirely representative of the full dish.

I thought they looked like really lovely sausages. The glistening fat is what took me there. Tapas of sort?

Of sort.

Where did I dine? Note that the dish was about 2/3 consumed by the time the photo was taken. Oops.