goldenticket

Last night the +1 and I took advantage of a Curious Grape dinner deal I had purchased through Gilt for a 4-course meal (shared app and dessert, cheese plate, and 2 full or 4 half entrees). We were both very pleasantly surprised by our excellent meal. We started with: braised pork empanadas with cilantro, pumpkin seed salsa & creme fraiche - a generous portion of 6 mini empanadas, tender pork wrapped in a light, non-greasy pastry. The pumpkin seed salsa had a nice kick and was a pretty rust-colored (and green of whole pumpkin seeds) contrast against the creme fraiche We followed this with half orders of: pan-roasted sea scallops with black rice, bok choy & plum wine beurre blanc - scallops were just right, black rice added a slightly crunchy texture and the beurre blanc brought the dish together. and butter-poached lobster with housemade corn-stuffed agnolotti, roasted bell peppers & pine nuts - a last little hit of summer with the corn agnolotti and sauce accompanying the dish. Lobster was tender and fresh. and a full order of: moroccan-spiced lamb sirloin with israeli couscous, meyer lemon yogurt, harissa & glazed baby carrots - another excellent presentation and preparation. I wish I had asked (or been asked) for medium-rare, but even at medium the loin was juicy and flavorful. The spiced crust worked well with the couscous and carrot mixture. For dessert, we shared the fresh fig tart. Homemade crust and frangipane, topped with lovely fig halves. A blue cheese ice cream and balsamic caramel finished the plate. It all worked really well together. Finally, we had the 3-cheese plate, which included several accompaniments (walnuts, grapes, cornichons, dried sour cherries, sour cherry preserves) and our choice cheeses from a list of about 15. We also had the option of selecting their pairings designed for sparkling, red, white, or dessert wines. Everything was beautifully presented and, unlike foodobsessed6, I found all the flavors and ingredients worked well together. Service was friendly and attentive. We sat outside since it was such a pleasant evening, but would have been just as happy indoors. The dining room has a warm ambiance along with a very agreeable noise level - a low buzz, but very easy to carry on a conversation. We will definitely be back (+1 already stopped in for some soup at lunch, as they're right next to the office). There is a nice bar area which would be a good place to enjoy a glass or two of wine (they offer 3 oz and 6 oz pours), along with some appetizers or half-orders of entrees, before a play or a movie. KMango let's make your suggestion for a gathering in the new year become a reality! (and this probably belongs in a new Curious Grape thread in the Dining forum, but I'm too lazy to start it....)

Hikaru is now closed.

The Boot Bar is another great addition to the live music scene in the DC area. Granted, it's small, but that's the main reason it's so good. It was the perfect spot to see the Holmes Brothers for an early Sunday evening show. Unfortunately, food service and payment turned out to be a total cluster, both seemingly due to under-staffing, lack of preparedness for the 5:30 'doors open', and an inexperienced server. Food was ordered at the table, as were drinks. Both took quite a long time to come out. The food orders were hopelessly screwed up - missing items, cold food, replacement for unavailable item arriving long after everything else had been finished. If this is the norm, I think I would prefer to go up and order my own food and bring it back downstairs. At least that way I know it would be i) what I ordered and ii) hot. While we had asked for two checks when we sat down, only one card was taken and the checks that came out were not correctly broken up between our parties, with items that never arrived included. It took three tries to get it sorted out, which was another 20 minutes of frustration (added to the initial 20 it took to get our first round of drinks). On the plus side, happy hour is every day (3-7pm and 10pm-close) and the $5 margaritas are just about as good as the ones at Taqueria Poblano. The turkey breast was fantastic (once it arrived), tender, juicy, and full of flavor. The moist brisket was as good as always. I'd like to have some pepper vinegar to put on my greens, but they're still good without. My friends ordered off the bar menu and were very happy with their brisket tacos and barbecue beef sandwiches. I do like the food, the ambiance, and the music, so I'm willing to overlook the occasional service problems.

I'm still quite satisfied with the food (and music) offerings at The Hamilton. Wild Mushroom pizza and the Cheeseburger Sliders were more than enough shared by two of us. I had a nibble of the mushroom crostini and will probably be ordering that next time (at the Mavis Staples show). Prices seem pretty reasonable to me, given the quantity and relative quality compared to what's available at similar venues. When you just gotta dance, you're usually not the only one and the crowd will wind up on the floor in front of the stage once they've finished eating. At least that's been my experience at the shows I've seen there. They really have some great artists coming through and it's a wonderful place to see them.

I believe that will be a permanent spot for Buffalo and Bergen and RJ Cooper was just doing a pop-up that first week.

Boy, qwertyy, can I ever relate - I've been feeling (and acting) the same way myself. I love the looks of that lentil soup recipe and am going to give it a try in the next few days. What have you used your VitaMix for that you like? I got one several months back, but haven't been using it like I should. My favorite gadget, that will be going back into use with the return of cooler weather, is my pressure cooker. It's a great way to put together a flavorful meal in a pretty quick, low-effort way - perfect for after work when you're not real motivated. Lorna Sass' "Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure" has provided me with a lot of great information and recipes. The Mark Bittman "How to Cook Everything" app is another tool that's a big help for me when I might have an ingredient I need to use, but am lacking in ideas. A lot of his recipes are quick and easy and can be adapted to what you have on hand. Good luck, I'm right there with you in trying to get out my lazy rut and back in the kitchen!

If anyone has time available weekday mornings during October I just got the following request in an email from DCCK's volunteer coordinator:

I'll be there +1, not sure what I'm bringing, but I'm definitely looking forward to pumpkin cheesecake (I demand it ), and brisket, and other goodies. Hoping for a lovely fall day like the ones we've had recently! For those who haven't been to a picnic, this list (helpfully prepared by mktye and crackers) gives a good idea of what to expect, what to bring, etc. (in a nutshell: lots of great food, good company; yourself, something to eat and/or drink to share)

Support from whom? If they've been around for 24 years, there's been plenty of support; from local office workers, residents, etc. Kip catered several events for my office years ago (when we were located in Skyline) and friends' parties over the years. The food was great and service was always excellent for both catered events and meals at the restaurant. I haven't been in a long time, not for any good reason, but I will be sure to stop in again before they close. Precisely, and that is the sad thing. It would be nice if developers/building owners were able to work a little harder to keep small, successful businesses as tenants.

It also looks like Rocklands delivers and has set menus and a la carte options. They ask you to call for orders less than 72 hours away, so you may want to get on the phone tonight

I thought they were pretty good and plan to buy them again, or some form of them. Not a ton of flavor, but the texture was good and I used them straight out of the bag (after a quick rinse). I definitely like the low calorie count and think they'd be a good alternative to egg/flour pastas.

This is what I bought (fettucine size): The brand is House Foods and they also have angel hair and macaroni shapes, according to the info on the link. ETA: a little more research (thanks Google) finds that there are several kinds of shirataki, with tofu being one of them. Shirataki are made from konjac (or devil's tongue) yam, but variations include brown, with seaweed, and tofu, which is no/low-carb.

I'm late to the party, but just tried tofu noodles (shirataki) for the first time.* I'm curious as to how prices compare between the large Asian grocery stores and more typical grocery stories (Whole Foods, Mom's). I paid $1.99 for an 8 oz. package at Mom's. * I made Creamy Lemon Shrimp - really quick and easy. It was a great way to use some of the delicious North Carolina shrimp I picked up from EcoFriendly at Union Market on Sunday.

I was there last week and things were as enjoyable as the last time I visited (which was way too long ago). Simple and seasonal is still the standard on the menu and provided some very delicious bites. The tail end of summer's bounty included fresh peaches and a summer vegetable saute with wax and green beans, yellow and green squash, and herbs. An old favorite - heirloom tomatoes with goat cheese and pecorino on grilled bread - was just as good as I remember. Grilled calamari with a tomato basil sauce were well cooked, with a nice (not rubbery) chewiness. I may have forgotten a dish (maybe my dining companion will chime in). I also enjoyed the subtle hint of honey in the Bee's Knees cocktail (gin, lemon juice, honey syrup). I'm looking forward to heading back and checking out the upstairs space. On a Thursday evening there was plenty of space at the bar and downstairs tables.

There's some diagonal parking in front of the building, though not as much as I expected from the online graphic. Definitely not enough for a day like yesterday, but maybe for a daytime stop during the week it will be fine. Say hi next time The DC Scoops event was a lot of fun. There were posters on the wall in the market listing several other events coming up in the next few months. Of course, I'm drawing a blank on most of them, but do remember there was an oyster shucking competition listed. It is a lovely space; I hope the coming weeks just continue to get busier and better for the vendors. Speaking of oysters, the Rappahannock Oyster bar was bustling and serving up some delicious oysters (on the half shell, roasted, or in chowder), clams (raw or steamed), crab cakes, and tuna loin. They also had a nice selection of local beers on tap and some interesting cocktails on the menu. I will definitely be back just to go there, but there are lots of other good reasons to return: bread from Lyon Bakery, Neopol's beautiful smoked fish, gorgeous flowers, olive oils, etc. As June Bacon mentioned, some of the vendors aren't open yet, but should be soon. Looking forward to checking out Righteous Cheese (sampling yesterday and opening on Sept 15), Amanda McClements' store, and Buffalo and Bergen, when they open. I do hope Border Springs, EcoFriendly, and some of the other pop-up vendors become permanent fixtures. ETA: Crafty Bastards is one of the events that will be held at Union Market.

I must admit that I haven't been in Grateful Red yet, but it seems like it will fall into the same category as Grape + Bean. Wine, beer, cheese, charcuterie, and gift items. It's the retail counterpart to Screwtop Wine Bar. They are still in their soft open phase, but I'll try to pop my head in sometime soon.

Well, this is a good news/bad news post. Apparently Caboose Cafe is expanding into the Parker Gray neighborhood. Yay, very exciting to have Ethopian, along with their other offerings, right around the corner! The bad news is that they are taking over the former Cafe Nicole space I'm sorry things didn't work out for Nicole and her dad. They're great people and I wish them the very best in whatever they decide to do next.

I'm in (+1), as per an earlier PM to KMango. Possibility of an additional +1, but I'll have to confirm that a little later today (if that's OK).

Very helpful compilation -thanks, Porcupine! A few additions: Grape + Bean Old Town, (118 S Royal St, Alexandria VA 22314) Grateful Red, (1025 N. Fillmore St. Arlington, VA 22201) - Screwtop's new retail space Let's Meat on the Avenue, (2403 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria VA 22301) Not sure if you want to get into the olive oil realm, but here are a few: Olio Tasting Room, (1223 King St, Alexandria VA 22314) Ah Love Oil and Vinegar, (4017B Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206)

Just got word from one of the vendors that effective August 14 (week after next), the Crystal City Market will be located just off 18th Street, near the Metro entrance. (see attached map for details) Lots of good vendors every week - wonderful fruit, produce, meat, eggs, cheese, bread, salsa, etc. A new(ish) addition in Shells Yes!, who have crab cakes, crab soup, crab dip, and a very tasty crab and corn hummus.

This little rant at the top of the chat, and Tom's reply: brought to mind a recent experience at another "Hot Restaurant". I ordered a Caffè Americano and was told they didn't have it - they only had espresso. I explained that an Americano *is* espresso - with hot water added to it. This resulted in my being brought a large mug of hot water, along with a shot of espresso in a dainty little demitasse . I had to (very awkwardly) pour hot water into the demitasse (since the volume of water in the mug would have resulted in a less than desirable result). It seems that if you serve espresso drinks, the person making those drinks probably knows what an Americano was. It didn't appear that my order got communicated to that person, which resulted in me not really getting what I ordered. Not a huge problem and certainly not worth making a fuss about, but I have noticed a recent downward trend in knowledge and quality of service at places where I have to come to expect otherwise.

Obsessing about food a little too much? Food & Wine has a helpful list of warning signs

Not a lot of great options, but Neramitra Thai might be the best of the closest establishments. I haven't been there, but have heard good things about them in the past. More casual and closer choices would be in the underground - Hamburger Hamlet, San Antonio Grill, King Street Blues.

Today is National Chili Dog Day. Hard Times is offering a free Coney Chili Dog with any purchase

Looks like our local winner, Chef Rock Harper, may be the only winner who actually got the promised prize. He is now the Director of Kitchen Operations at DC Central Kitchen