goldenticket

Goldenticket, thanks for the Cashal blue recommendation--it is indeed lovely and delicious. Let me return the favor by recommending the Coolea: Also Irish, it was described by one of the clerks as one of the best cheeses she's ever tasted, and I would agree. (homina homina...)

Glad you enjoyed your trek! Come on back when the little farmers' market is in full swing - May or so (or sooner). And thanks for the counter-rec - I have had the Coolea on a cheese plate at Restaurant Eve and, yes, it is delish!

I recently tried the oshizushi. (Described here in the Feb. Washingtonian - scroll about halfway down the page). It was really good - even as a takeout order - and something I'd definitely order again, although probably not every time I go there.

The marination (is that a word?) sweetens the mackerel up a bit so it is not as strong as the straight mackerel sashimi. I think it's on the regular menu, as it's not listed on the sushi 'checklist'.

Definitely worth a splurge (well - splurge being a relative term when compared to the rest of the menu )

Where will the parking be, I wonder?  Rustico is on the corner of a tiny street with roughly a half dozen parking meters.  And there's no street parking permitted on Slaters Lane.  Is there a parking garage in the vicinity that I don't know of?

Can't wait to try it, though!  I've enjoyed Evening Star, Tallula and Vermillion.

I believe there is a parking lot in the rear of the shopping area. Last time I was by there it was blocked off, but I am quite certain the City of Alexandria would not allow that much retail to go in without adequate parking. Maybe MelGold can provide additional details.

After a (too) leisurely walk through Old Town in the balmy March evening, we strolled into Eve just moments too late to order from the bistro menu (Laniloa had me thinking about that oxtail ravioli). We managed to get by quite nicely with a selection of items from the bar menu.

The charcuterie selection was delicious - torchon du foie gras, the house-made garlic lamb sausage, a hearty goose terrine, and jamon de serrano - it was a spectrum of tastes and textures (and $9 - what a deal!). We also enjoyed the prawns and the grilled ham and cheese - first time I've tried this, but it won't be the last. The merguez sausage with cranberry beans rounded things out and was equally tasty. The beans were cooked to just the right place between soft and crunchy, and the sausage was spicy and robust.

After the discussion here, we (or at least, I) just had to try the chocolate fritters. They were a treat - maybe I've spent too much time in the South, but I was reminded of a hushpuppy - a really dense, gooey, chocolatey, rich hushpuppy!

I also tried the "pain perdu" on Saturday night and it was just as Mel/Camille have described it - delicious and different. There are some exciting things going on with the desserts - textures, flavors, and presentation are all a great complement to the dishes that precede them.

I'm coming to get supplies for my St. Paddy's party. Will I be able to get a range of Irish cheeses, non-platter-ized?

You certainly should - as much or as little of it as you like, cut to order. The Cashel Blue is a favorite at my house

You'll find lots of other fun/tasty goodies in the shop to go with your cheese too!

(don't forget to make a trip across the street to the Dairy Godmother for a sweet treat or two... )

Good question - and one I've been wondering about myself, since I've never tried it either!

I do know that Le Refuge (100 block of N. Washington St. in Old Town) usually has it listed on their specials board at this time of year. I've also seen it in the seafood case at the new Whole Foods - but I wouldn't have any idea how to prepare it....

Hope some 'experts' will chime in and inform the uninformed

that little shopping area.

...is also soon to be home to Rustico - hopefully the week of March 13 (right MelGold?)

-not to get off topic, but to provide a point of reference-

I stopped by last night and came home with an assortment of goodies. First impressions:

- They have a huge selection...

- I don't know what a lot of it is, because I don't read Russian

- The staff was very nice and helpful - and generous with samples from the deli case

- They have a HUGE selection of hams, about which one of the gentlemen working was very enthusiastic - I know which one to try next time

I got some black bread, a wonderful Georgian-style smoked cheese, 'white' bacon, rogaliky (sp?) with nuts and honey, a jar of 'mixed salad' - a vinegar slaw of sorts, and a can of smoked sprats in oil.

There were lots of jarred/canned goods - jams, pickles, vegetables, etc. Some very nice looking smoked fish, a variety of baked goods and sweets. Best of all, the prices were very reasonable, especially when compared with other local gourmet shops. A nice addition to the neighborhood!

Is this one of those situations where a call in advance of your visit would be a good idea, particularly if you are going to one of those "white tablecloth" places?

I haven't read the article yet, but it does seem that chefs at some of the restaurants mentioned would certainly have the ingredients and the skill to come up with some interesting and creative (non-portobello/risotto/all sides) vegetarian options. However, in the middle of a busy dinner service, working with an already carefully planned menu, it might be a bit much to ask for on-the-fly creativity.

To me, this seems in some way to fall into the category of special accommodation. Accommodation that is much better handled with a little bit of advance planning than on-the-spot, much like checking to see about access for a disabled guest, or calling about a severe food allergy. The response would certainly be an indication of how receptive the kitchen is to that kind of request, and therefore whether or not it's worth a visit.

I just noticed the "Open" sign lit up in the window this evening as I drove by. The refrigerator case and the shelves look well-stocked. With what, I'm not sure as I didn't have time to stop in, but I will check it out and report back in the next day or two. Anyone else been in?

The market is located on Slater's Lane in the same little shopping center that is (or will be soon) home to Rustico.

Ah, different wavelength.  We've usually on a "big night out, lets get something good" program and so looking for something a little more elegant.  Though if Full Kee had beer...

Oya has a late night menu until 1:00 a.m. - this is listed under the lounge hours, so I'm not sure if you can order from this menu at a table in the dining room. Dinner hours only go 'til 10:30pm.

Or squeeze them, make some sorbet, and freeze that

(Last night I enjoyed a dish of some sorbet I made a few weeks back)

Chicken Roasted with Lemons and Garlic (from Nigella Lawson's "Forever Summer")

Minnesota Wild Rice* - made a pilaf of sorts with some sauteed onions and mushrooms - white, horse, and an unknown variety - WF didn't have a sign for them, so I wound up getting a free 'sample'.

Carrot Cake frozen custard from the Godmom...mmmm.

* when I was a kid I hated wild rice and my dad would try to get me to eat it by telling me it was "just like candy" . Who knew that all these years later I would LOVE the stuff and find it hard to stop eating it?

I think our own Starfish is being a bit modest!

Notti Bianche would be a very nice place to go for a special meal. NB meets several of your criteria - great pasta, Italian(ish), very good 'everything' else such as seafood and beef. It's also very close to Georgetown, though on GWU territory . The dining room is cozy and not too loud - perfect for a small group who may actually want to enjoy a conversation with each other, while enjoying wonderful food and excellent service.

Idaho Falls

Is there any chance you'll be in Idaho Falls, or be there over the weekend to make a road trip? (I realize it's on the other side of the state)

I ask because, if you do make it over there, you should definitely check out the:
Hawg Smoke Cafe
4330 N Yellowstone Hwy
Idaho Falls, ID
208.523.4804

It's very small (8 tables), reservations only, and very funky - handwritten menus taped on the wall, posted on beer in the white fridge, white wine in the green fridge, and red wine along the edges of the room.

It's been some years since I was there, but it was great and worth the trip! Incredible calamari ( I know, that seems unusual in Idaho) and the rest of the food was outstanding. It's right by the railroad tracks and when I was there the neighboring stores were a leather shop and a tattoo parlor

Sorry I can't help you with Boise!

The waitress told me that they never expected American people could deal with the spiciness like you. I am so glad everyone enjoyed the food and proud of you. 

She needn't have worried about the heat - down at my end of the table I think they could have cranked up the heat several notches . I heard more than a few comments along the lines of "this isn't all that hot/spicy" - we have some real heat-lovers (or gluttons for punishment ) in our group.

Thanks again to Grover and Escoffier for getting this pulled together - it was a great learning/taste experience for all of us. And thanks to Hillvalley for helping to create order from chaos so it could be enjoyed by so many people!

When/where is the next one!? (maybe we better wait a few days before starting that venture)

I work a few blocks from Eve, and I had no idea they had any lunch specials.  What is the $13.50 deal?  I can't believe that it includes two alcoholic beverages (which I would forgo), an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert.  That would be like giving the food away.

See here for more details. Offerings may be slightly different, but it'll give you a good idea of what to expect. Great for a quiet (usually) lunch and excellent food!

I just found another tenderloin recipe that sounds good and looks easy. It's called pork tenderloin with summer sauce and can be found here from Penzey's Spices.

A big ol' pot of chili was the solution to keeping the chill away last night. I made it with a combination of ground beef and ground venison (thanks to a very kind farmer for that!) and lots of beans (kidney and black) and corn. Nice and spicy and LOTS of leftovers.

Took the heat away with a small dessert of homemade Meyer lemon sorbet.

a-holes all around

Oh yeah that's me alright!! I should add that the server gave us regular updates about what was going on with the alarm (alarm in the adjacent building, not a concern for the restaurant) and apologized for any inconvenience, and the manager stopped by (every table) to apologize and ask how everything else had been (this was before the credit card fiasco). And we really weren't jerks about it, just didn't want the solo diner to wind up paying for 2 people. I learned most of my on-the-fly math skills from my days waiting tables and I think it's sad that so many people lack the basics. [this little episode came on the heels of watching a cashier at Target become totally unable to make change because someone handed her a quarter after she'd already rung in the even dollar amount.]

End of social commentary... back to food....

Acadiana was OK, but there are other places I'd prefer to spend my money.

(no beat down necessary - I have a sense of humor and I get your references !)

i have to say, though, that all the dishes semed way too heavy and rich for a three course meal. 

This sums up my feelings about dinner at Acadiana last night. It was a random selection after meeting friends who were staying in the area for dinner and making a few stops at places that had lengthy waits (poor planning on my part). We were initially told they were full booked, then the host said 'let me see what we can do', and we were quickly seated. It was early - around 7:00 pm - and this would not have been possible when we left - the place was packed by around 8:45!

I really liked the space; we were seated at a table in the level above the bar, so had a great view of all the goings on in the restaurant.

Starters included the trio of deviled eggs, turtle soup, and the beet and goat cheese salad. The eggs were good, but a filling start. Turtle soup was tasty but also very rich. The salad looked decent and the plate was cleaned.

Mains were crabcakes, barbecued shrimp, and redfish with a crawfish risotto and red pepper sauce. I got the shrimp and thought they were quite good - a generous portion of 6 large shrimp and a crusty loaf of french bread. Some sort of side of vegetables would have been nice, but I guess if I wanted that I had to order it a la carte - which seems a bit much for a $26 entree. The redfish was nicely cooked and enjoyed by the one who ordered it, as were the crabcakes, mostly meat and very little filler.

Dessert was a shared order of beignets and the chicory pot de creme (yum) and the pecan tart. Both were good - tart was very sweet.

Service was good on the whole, but there were a few glitches. We ordered drinks just after being seated - a request for a Sidecar wa met with a puzzled look and required a consultation with the bartender before our server determined it was something they could make . That drink and the 2 glasses of wine didn't arrive until well after our starters had showed up. Everything else went well, until the fire alarm started going off after our entrees had been cleared. It was determined to be an alarm in the adjoining office building and the audible alarm was eventually silenced, but we had to put up with strobes flashing throughout the rest of our meal. Most frustrating, we had to have our check rung 3 times as the server acted like he heard me say to put 1/3 of the bill on one card and the remainder on another one. First, he came back with the check split in half, next, he returned with the wrong card being billed the larger amount, and finally he got that fixed, but it was only much later that I figured out he'd done a 25% / 75 % split....what has happened to basic math skills!?! Lesson learned, specify an exact amount...

Overall, it was a nice meal, but I did find it to be slightly pricey for what it was. There are other places I choose to go to first. The food was just too heavy and rich for it to be really enjoyable for me. I think drinks and a few shared apps might work better.

While the dim sum may not have been all that good, we were in good company. I believe I spied a table of restaurant folks from the likes of Tallula, 1789, and Restaurant Eve

I enjoyed the combination dumpling the most - it had a lot of fresh cilantro in it, which gave it some good flavor. Of course the one thing I didn't get to try was the custard tart! I did try the chicken feet (my first time ever!) and they weren't bad. I'm not sure how other 'connaisseurs' of chicken feet would rate them, but to me it seemed to be all about the sauce, which was tasty if a bit thick. Not sure if I'll be ordering them on my own, but at least I tried 'em.

<moved from the DimSum Sunday thread>

Sorry you got turned around Scottee! I was watching the door for you

Fortune is in the parking lot beside the Home Depot on Route 50 (not to be crass, but it's the 'sniper' Home Depot, in case that helps anyone pinpoint the location). If you're coming east on 50, the easiest way to get there would be to make a left on Patrick Henry and then an immediate right on to the service road. From 7/Leesburg Pike, you can turn into the shopping center entrance that is closest to 50 and follow the drive down the hill and around the front of the mall (Barnes & Noble/Ross). Fortune is in a free standing building toward the road (Rte 50). It's been years since I was there, but I do remember that they had a pretty good selection.

Dairy Godmother is closed for the month (noted above) but you could try Caboose Cafe for lunch as a somewhat lighter alternative to Taquieria Poblano with a side trip to Sundae Times for ice cream.

Dairy Godmother was closed in January but they are open for business again (believe me, I know ), every day except Tuesdays. And Cheesetique is definitely open on Sundays.

DanielK - I (+1) am going to chocolate and cheese tasting on Thursday - let us know how it is. Sounds like it's going to be decadent and fun!

(today's foie gras burger at lunch reminded me that I'd had another burger recently - of course, while it wasn't bad, it was nowhere near the same league as JohnyRooks' burger and frites!)

There was no foie gras on the board at Five Guys (Old Town location) the other night ...although the burger seemed a bit more, um, - organized, for lack of a better word. The meat held together better than I remember it doing before and seemed to be more 'preformed' than the sloppy, hand shaped burgers of previous visits. I got a little cheeseburger, but the patty seemed much bigger than they used to be - the whole thing just seemed different. The bun was larger, so there wasn't the usual mess of stuff sliding out and off the burger. I'm not sure if that was an improvement or not...I kind of like picking the scraps of sauteed onions and mushrooms and melted cheese from the foil wrapper. Tasted pretty good, as did the fries which were crispy and hot.