Marcus Aurelius

Probably not the same. Cool name.

Yes, I would love to have one right now.

It is on my calendar, and I have the card.

Enjoyed many dinners at Café Panache. Their hits are: Rack of Lamb, veal tenderloin (when available), duck risotto (when available), arctic char (when available), and duck breast.

Michel Richard Citronelle has a "crisp" on the Tuna Nií§oise. MMMMmmm delicious.

Three times at Central. I agree with you regarding the burger -- very rich -- actually, almost everything I have eaten at Central is very rich: burger, fries, tagliatelle, kit kat, and onion soup. I was not able to finish the burger. The one time I ate the burger (with cheese), I found the taste to be good, but felt very heavy. The duck rillettes appetizer is delicious. I would order this again, and again. I enjoyed the the gin and tonic, which the bar tenders pay extra attention when making them. It was very light, thirst quenching, and almost effervescent. Central also has Blusser on tap, and was a refreshing and welcome change to the regular assortment of beers.

I agree. I really felt content after two dinners at Tosca in the month of November. I, too, had a pre-theater dinner before enjoying the entertaining "Avenue Q" at the National Theater, and on a separate night dived into a 6-course dinner with wine pairings. The wines were superb. The wine list and recommendations by the staff deserve to be recognized. My faves are the oyster with sea urchin stew, crab risotto, tagliatelle with Swiss chard/potatoes/fresh sage/aged cheese, and trio Gorgonzola ice cream three ways with candied pears, braised fennel and sweet celery dessert. Buon appetito!

Please add me to the list. Gracie.

Had dinner at Citronelle bar/lounge over the weekend. The duck breast was exceptionally delicious. The breast was served medium-rare, cut and arranged in a half-moon on the plate with a scattering of small vegetables. I slid each breast piece -- both sides -- in the sauce/reduction before I put the splendid duck in my mouth. The breast meat was so tender, mild and fragrant that I wonder if it was a "hen!" Hugo was a fine host and recommended a very complimentary Pinot Noir. I also had the Tuna Niçoise à la Citronelle for an appetizer. I was not to be disappointed. The tuna niçoise was beautifully presented and so tasty! I'm so glad I ventured into their bar for dinner!

Did you try the scallop ceviche? I was there on my second visit the other night, and the scallop ceviche was an appetizer special. I loved it; very specially presented on open-faced scallop shells. The scallops were so tender, delicate and ethereal with a nice bouquet. I also tried the 12-year cheddar and apple confit [with red wine? reduction]. I agree with you about the view of the gas station. I'm told that the neighborhood is in a building boom and there will be new "faces" around the neighborhood in the coming year(s). I ordered the apple tart, and Chris kindly gave me the blueberry cobbler which was delicious; however, my favorite dessert is still the nougat glace. Cheers.

Autumn dinner at Palena [back dining room] on November 17, 2007. I ordered the beet salad, gnocchi, haddock, and apple tart for dessert. I believe the beet salad had "fried wasabi sticks" which added a bitter taste if you bit into them. Incidentally, there was lobster meat in the beet salad, and this was my deciding factor for ordering this salad. The gnocchi is the best I have had in recent memory. I dare say this dish featured the perfect blend of potato, cheese, mushrooms, and aged Balsamico. The haddock was served over butternut squash and delectable matsutake mushrooms. I selectively ate all the apples off the tart. The gnocchi and haddock with squash and matsutake mushrooms were very satisfying and put a smile on my face. Thank you Ashley for "squeezing me in" on short notice. Again, kudos on the gnocchi.

I had dinner at the Westend Bistro on November 11, 2007. I was surprised to witness the high number of people having dinner on a Sunday night! A neighboring table had the magnificently presented tuna carpaccio, so I promptly ordered my own carpaccio after I hungrily devoured the mussels which arrived in a stout and functional Staub mussel pot. I loved every bite of the house salad for its simplicity and the "just right" amount of salt. Whereas the veal cheeks were subtly seasoned, the halibut sat on a brown-colored, soupy broth that could have benefited from less salt. [Halibut was fine - liquid broth was salty.] I still prefer the light and creamy experience of the "nougat glace" over all aforementioned items, and I will make special trip in the near future for this special dessert. My male server appeared to juggle (at minimal) between seven tables without breaking a sweat; nevertheless, he benefited from the other staff members for table support. My compliments goes to Gonzaque for being a gracious host as the GM, and to Bridgette for her professionalism.

I had dinner at The Source (upstairs dining room) on Saturday, October 20. As a single diner, the staff made me feel very welcome. Most everyone among the staff was smiling warmly. In-between appetizer courses, William, the GM, asked me if I would like reading material, and subsequently brought over a recent issue of the Washingtonian. Here is what I picked that night: Sauteed Crab Cake & Crab Salad, Warm Maine Lobster-Daikon Roll, Pan Roasted Red Snapper, and the Cherry Blossom for dessert. I had two glasses of wine with my dinner. Before my dinner at The Source, I had recently dined on crab and crab cakes at a Maryland establishment which left a very favorable indelible impression; therefore, eating the "Sauteed Crab Cake & Crab Salad" underwhelmed me. The lobster-daikon roll was good, but I do not have a benchmark reference to compare it to. The pan roasted red snapper was fresh and fabulously prepared with a thin, golden protein crust; however, the "Pineapple-Chili Thai sauce" (that the runner) poured over the snapper, at tableside, was of "high heat," and therefore, over-powered the neutral, mild, succulent flesh of the red snapper. I informed William that I was still hungry after eating my fish, and he graciously brought over the Roasted Suckling Pig gratis. The pig was the dish that I fondly remember from this evening. The neo-Chinese roasted pig flavor blended well with the thin, crispy skin in my mouth was euphoric. On a recommendation from one of the kitchen runners, I ordered the Cherry Blossom for dessert. There were "prepared" cherries [best part] on the bottom covered with cooked batter, with what appeared to be fried wonton sticks covered with powdered sugar. After one bite, I was disappointed with the taste of it. NOTE: Full disclosure -- I am a former employee of Wolfgang Puck and Barbara Lazaroff (1997). Understand that I did NOT inform the staff of The Source of my "past ties" before, during or after my dinner. I even hesitated to make this post on Don Rockwell, but wanted to express to readers of how warm and welcome the staff made me feel when I was only a single diner. (Sometimes -- due to circumstances, I feel awkward eating by myself at a restaurant.)

My guest and I substituted for the Japanese "Kobe" beef on a recent 6-course dinner. This was THE highlight of our dinner. Rich, nutty, essence -- something to savor and remember. My thanks to the staff (David, Mark and Carlton) for making it a pleasant night. Must not forget my guest for making it an interesting night

On a burst of spontaneity, I decided to join “porcupine” (+1) and “rkduggins” (+1) at Passage to India for DonRockwell.com’s “Twenty-Dollar Tuesday” last night (Tuesday, November 20, 2007). It was especially fun for me to meet and receive feedback from porcupine, rkduggins and their guests on the local dining scene. It is worth noting that I do not eat Indian food on a regular basis. With that being said, I have dined with Indian colleagues at establishments in Orange County, California, Redmond and Seattle, Washington. These aforementioned areas have a fairly sizable Indian population working in the technology sector. Upon opening the menu, I was struck by something intriguing: the menu had sections grouped into geographic breakdowns of dishes in the manner of "Northern Indian," "South" and "East Indian Cuisine." This was something I have not seen before on an Indian restaurant menu. For starters, the group ordered the Tandoori Scallops appetizer, and the Seekh Kabab appetizer (minced lamb rolls). The scallops were medium-sized morsels, and most-importantly – not overcooked. The lamb rolls were meaty with a delayed heat response, but not so much heat that it would disrupt the appetite. [NOTE: Forgive me if I have forgotten to list any additional dishes; I did not know I had to make this post.] We ordered the following dishes for our main dishes: Tandoori chicken Tamarind shrimp Saucy Cubed lamb dish [unknown name] Saucy Chicken dish [unknown name] Spinach [unknown name] Aloo Phoolkopir Dalna [cauliflower and potatoes] My Tandoori chicken was impressive in the fact that it was not overcooked (dry), tasty, moist, fragrant, and tender. The sauces from the other dishes were a nice treat to pour over the Basmati rice. For cauliflower eaters, the Aloo Phoolkopir Dalna was delicious. The lamb dish was fine with no traces of the negative aroma. I did not care for the spinach dish; it was mushy and too creamy for my taste. Overall, I found the execution of dishes at Passage To India to be very good. I did not find any fault with the meat dishes. On a very minor note, I was still eating from my plate when the server tried to clear my plate. The group did not have dessert. I would definitely recommend Passage to India to friends and colleagues. My sincere appreciation to “porcupine” (+1) and “rkduggins” (+1). Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I look forward to meeting you, too.

Merci

May I take Catharine's place? I'm being spontaneous, and a new member.