LoganCircle

Despite my being a relative newcomer (but a shrimp), I've enjoyed Nadya's posts and felt a wee bit protective at that point in the chat. I have no doubt that (i) the TS chat poster would probably never say those things face to face, and (ii) that Nadya could more than fend for herself in person or electronically.

I'd venture it's the link from yesterday's DCist: http://www.dcist.com/archives/2005/08/09/r..._and_losers.php

Last night we ordered several pieces of cake--one each of "The New German Chocolate," Vanilla on Vanilla, and Strawberry Shortcake--as well as a single vanilla cupcake. The german chocolate was voted the best, and all had been built according to the same cakelove formula: super dense cake (I don't know why, but I think of it as dense, not dry) and that chilled, pastelike buttercream frosting. We were so full from dinner that we each had a few forkfulls and took the rest home. This morning I woke expecting to have half a giant slice of room-temperture german chocolate cake for breakfast, only to find that overnight the buttercream frosting had become a runny pool of goo and the 3 layers of cake had separated. Yummy as ever, but not nearly as pretty. There's a real rub here with the icing needing to be chilled to keep its form and needing to be room temperature to maximize its taste. It's as if you have to wait for and not exceed the 20-minute window of good cake-i-ness. Talk about marketing success, though. Everyone I know shells out major cash to buy Cakelove cakes on special occasions. I WANT MAGNOLIA BAKERY CUPCAKES IN DC!

I took my roommate to Belga Cafe last night to celebrate his 31st birthday. It was a first visit for both of us, but it certainly won't be the last. We arrived fifteen minutes early for our 7:15 reservation and were provided the option of sitting in the front window or in the rear of the restaurant, across from the kitchen. The host suggested we might prefer the table in the back because it was somewhat more spacious. We took her suggestion and I sat, back to the wall, in full view of the goings on in the kitchen. It was fun to see the chef at work, and I was surprised that there was only one other person on the line. By 7:30 the place was full. As much as I hate doing so, since neither of us had dined there before, we shared all of our food. As in 50-50 split. Everything; right down the middle. We ordered the Poached Asparagus, Kip and Krab Sigaars, the Coquilles Saint-Jacques (pan seared scallops with carrot-mousseline and young carrots in cumin), and the Le Vrai Steak Belge (The real Belgian Steak; as mentioned in the first post in the thread, a WONDERFUL center cut steak topped with a hit-your-grandma-it's-so-good herbed butter), which was served with Frites and a small salad. With the exception of the poached asparagus, which lacked any significant flavor, everything we ate was delicious. I would choose that steak 8 visits out of 10. And the Kip and Krab Sigaars were like fried goodies you'd find in the best of Thai restaurants--piping hot, no residual grease to speak of (on the plate, the food, on our fingers), plump and filled with only shrimp and chicken, and served with sweet and savory sauces that were nice complements. We were happy with our beer choices: Chimay Cinq Cents, Rodenbach, Stella, and Hoegaarden. We forwent dessert at the restaurant to meet up with some other folks at Love Cafe on U Street. Our service was fine: young and busy--but not hurried--and always available when attention was needed. I had to solicit recommendations whilst ordering and, later, request a steak knife. Overall, our waiter read our table just right. It went by quickly. We were in and out of the restaurant in 80 minutes.

I worked at the 16th and K location for ten months while I was finishing my dissertation. My departing impression was that some of the food is outstanding (the seasonally available Nantucket Bay scallops, most of the halibut preparations, the ahi tuna with seaweed salad, and, above all, the seared cajun scallops with pineapple buerre blanc) while the majority of items are in the solid-to-good range. To this day, when I want simply prepared, fresh seafood and a healthy portion of potatoes and vegetables, I head to McCormick's. Menu items that deserve attention: Starters Pan Fried Oysters Calamari - served with a trio of sauces, one of which--a combination of Dickinson's Orange Marmalade, Horseradish, and Cilantro--is divine Ajillo Shrimp - which tend to be spicier than they are garlicy House Salad - the perfect combinatino of mesclun, blue cheese, candied pecans, and raspberry vinaigrette. Spinach Salad - baby spinach, sliced red onion, cayenne roasted pecans, served with a Spicy Szechuan dressing and surrounded by sliced strawberries Entrees Cajun Seared Scallops with Pineapple Buerre Blanc, served with sauteed spinach and yellow rice Seared Rare Ahi Tuna - in house called the Black and Blue -- seven slices of rare tuna served with a nori roll, soy sauce, and spicy seaweed salad Halibut, however it is being prepared Wild King Salmon, however it is being prepared Nantucket Bay Scallops with lemon butter Atlantic Salmon - stuffed with crab, bay scallops, and brie, served with mashed potatoes, carrots, and asparagus Desserts Strawberry Shortcake - served with a southern style drop biscuit, sliced, macerated strawberries, and whipped cream Chocolate Brioche pudding - a warm brioche pudding, built over medallions of dark chocolate, topped with creme anglaise Oh, and if you like cocktails that are made with citrus fruit juice, they are squeezed fresh to order. The golden margaritas are to die for. And as the previous poster mentioned, the $1.95 happy hour cheeseburger and fries is indeed the normal dinner portion. I know that service can be variable, and that the wine selection, while vast, trends toward young and popular. But if it's simple, mostly uncomplicated seafood you're looking for, the K Street location can more than meet your needs. **Stay AWAY from the crabcakes and the tuna melt.

I just returned from lunch at Bistro Bis. Bistro Bis is one of my favorite restaurants in DC and I was eager to see what was being offered on their special Restaurant Week menu. I dined with a colleague and, overall, we had a delightful time. The food, as usual, was superior, and I have always found the restaurant's environment to be warm and inviting. The only weak spot was our service, which saw 10-minute-ish periods of inattentiveness between being seated by the host and greeted by the server and again between the check drop and pickup. When we were attended to, our server was minimally communicative and conveyed indifference. He was, however, spot-on in recommending one of the two Restaurant Week entrees as being sufficiently good to order in place of the tried and true fare from the regular lunch menu. So, on to the food; my dining companion and I had the following: First Courses Chilled Tomato Gazpacho Andalouse with crouton and cilantro cream (Restaurant Week Starter) - a solid if not remarkable preparation, light with a clarity of flavor and spice. B+ Onion Soup Les Halles with sweet onions, sourdough croutons, and gruyere - my favorite onion soup in all of Washington continues to set a very high bar. It is rich and earthy without being overly salty or sweet. Be forewarned that t is still served hot enough to scald. A+ Second Courses Swordfish Steak Provencale (Restaurant Week Entree)- pan roasted with ratatouille of summer vegetables (yellow squash, zuchinni, onions), olives, fresh tomato, shellfish broth and basil. This was a perfect seasonal preparation that highlighted the light and delicate flavor of the swordfish. The ratatouille, which was served underneath the fish, tasted like a summer garden. A Tuna Salad Nicoise, seared yellow fin tuna with haricots verts, fingerling potatoes, olives, eggs, tomatoes and arugula. My colleague declared this the best tuna nicoise she had ever eaten. The tuna, which was beautiful and seared for only a few seconds on each side, was the centerpiece of an appropriately sized, picturesque salad. A Pomme Frites - Umm, heaven. All of you dissatisfied with the frites at Poste need look no further. A Third Course Classic Chocolate Tart (Restaurant Week Dessert) with dark chocolate raspberry ganache and raspberry coulis. Nothing to write home about...actually, maybe it's the bastard cousin of their (former?) mouthwatering milk chocolate creme brulee. B- The meal was most affordable. The above food, 3 non-alcoholic beverages, and tax came to $65. Despite the poor service--which I think warrants a brief comment to the daytime GM--we left a $15 tip for a total bill of $80. As someone who often gets excited about Restaurant Week and then finds himself ordering from the regular menu, I was happily surprised today's lunchtime offering.

On Monday night I made my fourth trip in six weeks to Hank's Oyster Bar. I live nearby and am delighted that a casual, comfortable, and capable restaurant is just a few blocks away. If the crowds and nightly waits are any indication, Hank's is off to a smashing start. With regard to the food, my experiences have ranged from pretty good to very good. Summarizing across occasions, most dishes get high marks. My markup: First Courses: (1) Lightly fried calamari and popcorn shrimp (ordered on 3 of 4 trips) - a carryover from her days at 15 ria, this appetizer is as good as these items get. Never overcooked or greasy, I consider this a benchmark. A+ (2) Fried Oysters - the fried appetizer ordered last time in lieu of the above, at the behest of my dining partner. Turns out they were every bit as good: light, fluffy, and prepared delicately enough to not drown out their natural flavor. A (3) Shrimp cocktail - Again, nothing but praise. These were large but not gargantuan, and were served with a redolent and flavorful cocktail sauce. A Second courses: (1) Citrus roasted chicken (Sunday night choice from the Meat + 2 Menu) - a superb, simple dish that was sufficiently good looking that--on my first visit--I ordered it instead of seafood after seeing it served to a nearby patron. A zesty and savory crusted skin covering tender and moist meat. A (2) Halibut served with tomato concasse - very simply prepared with the acidity of the tomato overshadowing the natural sweetness of the fish. Halibut is my preferred fish and I was disappointed with this preparation. This speaks more to my appreciation for adventurous and bold preparations than to a lack of skillfulness; my friend, whose tastes run directly counter to my own, declared this dish his favorite. B (3) Molasses Braised Shortribs (Monday night choice from the Meat + 2 Menu) - Falling off the bone tender, rich, with just the right hint of sweetness. A- (4) Lobster roll - my first lobster roll ever, so I'm not sure how this would stack up against others. I very much enjoyed the first two-thirds of the roll. The large pieces of lobster were sweet and succulent, and were dressed with just the right amount of mayonaise. The lobster salad is served in what I would call a Pepperidge Farm-style bun that is narrowly sliced at its top. During the last third of the roll I encountered a piece of lobster that was inedible--one that I chewed and chewed and finally had to expel. B **I have tasted the scallops that were ordered by another at my table. Another exercise in perfection. I shall get these on my next visit. Side Dishes: (1) Macaroni and Cheese - varies by visit, sometimes great and sometimes simultaneously dry and too oily. A/B (2) Buttermilk Onion Rings - lightly fried allowing the sweetness of the onion to remain prominent. A (3) Sauteed Spinach with Garlic - just what it says, and I would order it again. A (4) Steamed Asparagus - as you'd expect, tossed lightly in butter/oil. A- (5) Tomato Basil Salad - perfect for summer. Ripened cubed tomatoes with a wonderful earthiness. A- Dessert: I quite like the absence of desserts. It makes my decision--to have or not to have--easier, and I find the after-dinner chocolates (sometimes claimed to be Belgian, sometimes German) to be a nice touch. Overall, I would say if you like the aforementioned fried foods and seafood that is simply prepared, you'll like Hank's. If each item on the Meat + 2 menu is as good as the ones I've tried, then I'll probably eat from that about half the time. I am very happy to see Hank's among the choices on 17th Street and, at this point, consider it a notch above Johnny's on the Half Shell.