Pool Boy

My wine buddies and I descended here once more last fall and had an enjoyable meal. I'd go back.

I was here about a year or so ago and I think the place changed hands or the team running it or both.  Everything was apretty sub-par experience. Really disappointing.

I love this place. We dined here right before everything shut down for the pandemic. One of the first places we went back to once more was here. So good. It ws like a secret, but see Tom S. from Washington Post has it listed high up on his current favorites list - I hope the masses don't ruin it. Maybe because it is a bit out of the way may keep it managable. 

This was one of our first dinners once we got vaccinated last year, and dined outside with friends. Last fall I went with a few of my wine buddies and had agreat meal there - so much good food and fun to chat with the sommelier. Been back a couple other times as well. Mmmm.

We were back here during the summer with friends and enjoyed our meal and dining experience. It can get a smidge loud, but it's worth it. Wish it was closer to my home.

I have to say I am very pleased with their improved wine selection. It's still a challenge to shop there since everything there is so narrow aisle-wise.  I often stop here on the way back from doing a run to German Gourmet Deli. Plus Stellina is nearby to pick up some pizza n the way home.

There's one near my office and I dined there in person twice later in the pandemic and even brought some pizzas home once during the 'I am only doing carry out' period of the pandemic. Still love their stuff.

During the pandemic, we made it there for carry out dim sum 2, wait no, maybe 3 times. Worth the trip.

The only thing wrong with this place is that it is not closer to where I live. I have really enjoyed every meal I have had here.

We did carryout here twice during the pandemic - each time was interesting because they packaged everything up so precisely and it traveled reasonably well back to our house. It was a bit of a logistical challenge each time, but it all worked out in the end.

We were there once more in person in spring and as always thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience there. We'll be back again soon.

On 2/12/2022 at 3:37 PM, Ericandblueboy said:

@Tom Sietsema fairly recently wrote about some new old school dishes at Convivial.  So Steve and I went to check them out. 

We started with Quenelles Nantua (light crayfish dumpling, Cognac-cream sauce, dill, trout caviar).  I've only had the pike quenelles at La Chaumiere before and was eager to try a different version.  I have to say the textures are similar, i.e., light and fluffy.  The dumpling (there's only 1) itself didn't have a ton of flavor, but the sauce is intense, like a lobster bisque.  The crawfish were overcooked and not really worth eating.  At the same time we had Pâté en Croûte (foie gras, duck breast, cured pork shoulder, veal sweetbread, Banyuls-pork reduction, pistachios, savory pie crust).  These went very well with the freisee salad.

For our entrees, we had to try the Pithiviers de Pigeon, with "layers of green cabbage, foie gras mousse and squab (young pigeon)...beneath a veneer of puff pastry."  That dish is amazing - super tender squab and luxurious foie gras.  Lastly we ate Cassoulet au Confit de Canard (confit duck leg, Toulouse Sausage, cured pork belly, garlic sausage, stewed Tarbais Beans).  It was tasty but we couldn't finish it - too much protein.

With wine, dinner was about $100/person before tax/tip.  Well worth the money.

 

Wow that looks incredible!!

We were there last I think in early spring and really enjoyed it like all the other times before. I am moving this up on our rotation as of now.

On 9/1/2022 at 12:57 PM, Bart said:

This surprised me twice.  The first was they were closing at all, but then I saw they had been there for 10 years.  I assumed that the lease was up and their landlord compassionately jacked up their rent to an unaffordable rate.  But in Tom's chat yesterday he posted a comment from the restaurant:

I, too, was sorry to see the Adams Morgan fixture close, after a decade. In an email, owner Saied Azali wrote, "We are committed to continue to occupy this beautiful space and to create something truly befitting the neighborhood. It will take us some time." 

So they are closing a successful (?) and popular (?) place to open up a new restaurant in the same space?  Seems weird.  Was this place not popular and successful?  (I never managed to make it there but I seemed to read about it a lot over the years)

Yeah it is kind of odd. My wife and I made it there maybe half a dozen or so times pre-pandemic and always enjoyed our meals there. We even got carry out there during year one of the pandemic. My only nit on the place was that that area has really horrible parking options, but we suffered through because we enjoyed things there so much.

Anyway, bummer.

My wife and I dined here during the pandemi, I think it was last fall (2021). We very much enjoyed it and will be back but it does get quite loud there when it's full of people.

On 9/2/2020 at 10:05 PM, Tweaked said:

I'd say the only problem with that live version is it's only about 5 minutes long, which is half the length of the studio version. 

On the other hand, people clearly took some good drugs that night! 

Yeah they cut out a lot on that clip but I was looking for something live.

8 hours ago, MsDiPesto said:

I wish I had seen the earlier, prog rock version of Genesis live. 

Same - the closest I came was the 1982 and 1983 shows - 1982 had the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway in to a Watcher of the Skies finish - it was fantastic - and full length Supper's Ready (they had rehearsed it a lot because of the one off concert to help Gabrial out of the WOMAD debt, so why not?). Incredible.  And 1983 was no slouch when they dusted off the extended medley they did there - finishing later with a full bore Los Endos.

2007 had some nice bits and the music was solid, but Collins's voice had faded a lot.

The closest I get these days is The Musical Box - great cover band putting on replica concerts - really good. I saw them in 2007 or 2008 and at the time they had incredible musicians filling the Phil Collins and Tony Banks roles. Ufortunately, they were really good and moved on soon after. The overall group doing it still is quite good. Those guys and then the legi Steve Hackett - he not only plays great pieces frm his solo catalog, but he's done large swaths of the Genesis catalog from 1971-1977 period he was in the band - he's got a lot of good folks i his band too.

THis is another gem of a find - lovingly put together - good bits in there.

 

Sorry here's a live version - even better
 

Te double guitar-work on this and especially the live versions - just wow
 

Another good one - 
 

On 9/22/2017 at 8:57 AM, TedE said:

If you haven't seen it I highly recommend checking out the doc about Lemmy's life (simply titled "Lemmy").  Even for people who don't like his music it's a fascinating and often hilarious look at a bona fide rock icon.

I will have to check it out. thanks

On 3/14/2015 at 1:54 PM, Tweaked said:

I'm Your Captain/Closer to Home is a good Grand Funk song. Their other hits...meh.

Exactly