Marcus Aurelius

Interestingly enough, the restaurant set to open in the Wachovia Building on Pinnacle Drive near Tysons will be named Panache.

Probably not the same. Cool name.

I had occasion to be a guest at the Cosmos Club today for lunch, and I happened to notice this holiday cocktail:

Peppermint Cosmo-tini

Smirnoff vodka

Peppermint schnapps

splash of Crème de Menthe (presumably the green, not the clear)

served chilled "up" in a martini glass rimmed with sugar and garnished with a candy cane.

No, I didn't have one, but it certainly sounds pretty.

Yes, I would love to have one right now.

At Citronelle Dec. 8th 1-3p. Anyone else going?

Click

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

Eve Zibart's review.

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.

It's no big secret that Michel Richard loves and needs a "crunch" in his dishes. This also explains the potato crisps on the lobster burgers. While you may deem them unnecessary, Chef Richard certainly does not. Textural contrast is an often overlooked component of a successful dish by some people.

In the minority here...I stopped in today and ordered the (in)famous Central burger for lunch and disliked it. I got it with the cheese and bacon, not realizing it was on a buttered brioche, slathered with mayo, and included sauteed onions (more fat). I managed a quarter of it. Add the heavy frites, and it's a sure recipe for indigestion.The frites are peppered. That's what the black specks are.

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 have been to Tosca a few times in the past, but it has been so long, that I can't accurately compare my experiences from before with my experience last night other than to say that it is damn good every single time that I have been there!

I agree with Don, sitting at the bar is a great alternative to dropping an arm and a leg in the dining room, but if you get there early, before 7:00 PM, like we did last night on our way to see Avenue Q, the pre-theater menu is a huge treat. $35 for three courses is always great, but it becomes even better when you realize that there are a good number of choices to choose from and the portion sizes are all rather large. We had a bunch of things at our table for 5 people...

- Chestnut soup with a timbale of Porcini mushroom and ricotta cheese with crispy pancetta

- Salad of radicchio and Bartlett pears with imported Gorgonzola cheese terrine and toasted walnuts

- Traditional buckwheat tagliatelle, with Swiss chard, potatoes, fresh sage and aged cow cheese melted with roasted garlic

- Carrot flavored pappardelle with a rabbit ragu in a white wine sauce and fresh thyme

- Ravioli filled with roasted veal and prosciutto with a red wine reduction, butter, fresh sage and Parmesan cheese

- Spoon shaped Kabocha squash dumplings on top of a truffled Parmesan cheese sauce, brown butter and fried sage

- Risotto with imported black truffle, fresh thyme, shaved Parmesan cheese and Luganega sausage

- Grilled pork tenderloin in a rosemary and Porcini mushroom crust with olive oil poached artichokes, sautéed black kale and Black truffle sauce

- Chef’s modernized tiramisu with cold mascarpone cream, espresso soaked cake and warm cappuccino zabaglione

- Vanilla gelato

- Choclate and hazlenut custard (very flan like)

In general, the food was excellent. The pappardelle was the winner for the appetizer course and the ravioli was the best of the entrees. While I am bored with tiramisu and never order it these days, it was wonderful and the dessert that everyone was fighting over. The only miss, and it was a pretty big miss, was the squash dumplings. We loved the concept, which is why we ordered it, but it amounted to nothing more than balls of mashed squash with little flavor, it would have been much better if more body was given to it, but it fell flat. But, honestly, it was easy to get over, the other 10 dishes were wonderful.

The service was solid, very efficient, which we needed because we were headed to the theater, but not pushy at all. The only thing that was missing was explanations of the amuse bouche, bread basket and little bites after dessert. They were just plopped on the table, it would have been nice to know that the amuse bouche was a tuna tartar or what the three breads were (we never got an answer to that one) or what type of bark (white chocolate with peppermint) and biscotti we got. We didn't order this stuff, so we had to do a bit of guessing. But, the be fair, we got all this free stuff, including some great salami and olives that I ate at the bar while waiting for everyone else, so it is just being picky.

Overall, Tosca is a place that people should visit again, it never disappoints. Find a show at the National or Warner Theater, make a 6:00 reservation at the restaurant, drop your car of at their valet for only $5 (much cheaper than any garage around there), enjoy the $35 pre-theater menu, walk two blocks to to see the show and come back and pick up your car. It is easily a recipe for success.

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!

I'm in

Please add me to the list. Gracie.

Citronelle hardly needs additional extended discussion, especially from someone like me, whose bludgeon-like palate cannot do it justice. I'll just make a few observations from the dinner my wife and I enjoyed there last Friday. (Our first time there.)

1. This thing you call "Kobe beef" ... Please allow me to collect the shattered pieces of my jaw before discussing it. Since I haven't had "real" Kobe beef anywhere else, I can't compare it to anything. But holy shinola, this "meat" was unlike any other "meat" I have ever had. Savory to the point of ridiculousness, like it came from the belly of the unholy offspring of cow and pig. Cotton-candy tender, too.

2. My wife and I hate snooty places. Jacket requirements are a massive turn-off for me and, under usual circumstances, a deal breaker. But man am I glad I made an exception for Citronelle. I'd still ditch the jacket requirement if I were President Of The World, but the place is plenty friendly and non-snooty even with the rule. The volume level and table spacing allow comfortable conversation without fear of annoying others or being annoyed by them.

3. The whole Michael Richard sleight-of-hand thing just guarantees fun. I wanted to try all the illusions I could, so I had the Egg Symphony for the first course and the Breakfast at Citronelle for dessert. How can you not laugh a little when eating things like that? My wife's mushroom "cappuccino" was another crowd-pleaser. She wouldn't drink it through the straw, preferring to use one of the tiny spoons that came with my Egg Symphony. But when she gave the remainder of the "cappuccino" to me, I slurped it up like a root beer float.

4. Let me add my small contribution to the heapings of praise already stacked atop Mark Slater. How he found the time to chat so much (including explanations of virtually the entire menu) with little old us is a mystery. But it made an already special dinner even more memorable.

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!

Having had three dinners at Westend in four days, I am now referring to it as my new favorite restaurant. The tuna carpaccio is fabulous -- beautifully presented and delicate in flavor and texture. The mussels with chorizo are what Beck's used to be -- plump and satisfying, plentiful enough for two people to share as an appetizer or to be a main course for one. The broth is both redolent of the sea and piquant and earthy from the chorizo. We also tried to salmon rillettes, which we liked, although there was a bit too much mayonnaise. It's a good dish to share among 3 or 4 people because it's pretty rich. The pate en croute was a different spin on a traditional pate en croute -- the pate is served in the form of little empanadas or meat pies -- very tasty, but filling. The warm goat cheese salad and the house salad are both fine. The main dishes we had were for the most part outstanding. The burger and fries are exceptional -- the meat is loosely packed and very flavorful -- and cooked perfectly as requested -- worth every penny -- and the fries were just crisp enough on the outside without being too crisp and soft in the middle, and they tasted like they were cooked in duck fat. The veal cheeks were delicious on the two occasions we had them -- very tender and rich, and not at all bland. My only complaint was there were only three pieces -- one or two more would have been nice. The skate received mixed reviews -- on one occasion the brown butter sauce was too brown and was overpowering and somewhat bitter. The mac and cheese with ham for two is also wonderful -- it could be a meal in itself. The wine list has a lot of good values, and Gonzague is very knowledgeable -- he said he chose all of the wines himself -- and he's very charming, enthusiastic and warm. (The women at the hostess station, on the other hand, seemed quite indifferent.)

The restaurant has big plate glass windows at street level, which is a bit odd because the scenery isn't very attractive -- there is a large, bright gas station on one side, a fire station close by so fire trucks with their lights flashing went by pretty often, and Asia Nora is on the other side, and apparently that building will be under construction early next year.

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.

Go to the back room. Now.

I just got back and am basking in the bliss that can only be PUFF -- Palena Ultimate Food Fulfillment.

Smoked and grilled octopus, in the top three octopus course I have ever, ever had and arguably the best

Beet & lobster salad

salt cod (if you can call it that!) of the gods

lobster bisque with housemade chorizo that had me drooling like a happy and fat cat getting a belly rub in the sun

short ribs 'schnitzel' (or something like that) that was so bloody good

Bhuddist style duck leg (aren't they vegetarians?) with foie gras and dates and pomegranate and root veggie dice -- i have no idea how, but he got grill marks on the foie that was perfectly finished.

Italian plum napoleon - so good

concord grape ice cream with pitachio lemon tarts and other fine stuff

Pair that all with a 2003 Match Butterdragon Hill cab and a glass of fine Grüner veltliner and we were in food bliss.

Service was fine as always -- maybe we're lucky? Maybe we're regulars? I noticed that the service across the room was fine, too. Kelly was in the house and made sure we got our favorit seat as well. I had a look at the wine list and it's especially heavy on the Italians, but some US and French too. Well priced overall with a few outliers in each direction.

And I still want to steal the statue in the corner.

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.

The duckling was fairly big when I had it as well, but somehow the recent description makes it sound bigger than what I had. It's hard to tell if they're still tinkering and changing things, or if my experiences with some things were just different. I didn't have any trouble with the lighting being dim (and my vision is bad, so I wouldn't have been able to read the menu if it were at all dark), and the music wasn't too loud. I also thought the space was inviting, rather than cold. Whether they've changed the lighting and sound levels or my subjective opinion is at odds with some more recent visitors, I don't know. I thought both were just about right: not too bright/dim; not too loud or intrusive.

When we ate there, the hostess tried to engage me in conversation by asking where I was from. I got the feeling they were gearing themselves at least in part to tourists. I tried to explain that I liked the location because of its proximity to Capitol Hill. I don't consider PA Ave. my neighborhood, but the eastern end of Penn Quarter or whatever it's called there is much more convenient for me than places farther up in Northwest. I could walk there for an evening meal or snack in the long days of summer.

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!

Looking forward to meeting you.

I look forward to meeting you, too.

I'm sure that is not a problem. Welcome to the group! You get big points in my book for spelling my name correctly.

Merci

I am not going to be able to make it tonight. See you all next time.

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