JPW

So according to the Wash Post today, the sandwich with 1.5 pounds of meat is $12. A pound of sliced pastrami is $12. I know which one I'm getting.

I picked mine up from Sammi at Fenwick Beer and Wine in downtown SS. Enough sweetness to balance out the hop level. Agree with Don 100% on the main note in taste and aroma being grapefruit rind. Feels a little lighter in body than most of the IPAs that I drink. Nothing earthshaking, but a thoroughly enjoyable beverage.

Best of luck to Johnny W! Let me know if you need any help understanding the language and culture of my home town!

From their December e-mail:

We've signed the lease and submitted our building plans for county approval. We're hoping to open in the Spring. For those who are map-curious, the address is 962 Wayne Avenue, at Georgia Avenue. We can't wait.

Let me translate for MoCo-speak - they will be open in the Fall.

Excellent news, but I tend to agree with Dan's thought on the schedule. Need only to add that the liquor license will likely take another few months.

Gumbo for New Year's. Assigned to cook the Sunday before Xmas, but haven't decided on a menu yet.

I've done every job in a restaurant but own one. I enjoy going out for the thing that I was by far the worst at and still am the worst at in my house-- serving tables. But that's besides the point...

When going out, I almost always look for the dish that I can't (for equipment or ingredient reasons) or won't bother (time and effort) to make at home because too often I have that "not as good as what I make' reaction. At other times, I'm looking for inspiration.

Damnit, to Dave Brubeck.

Punkt Gnau for hors d'oeuvres. Kabinett riesling, a Brouilly, and an Oregon Pinot Noir for dinner.

Coffee and scotch for dessert.

What I fail to see is why the NYT thought that it was a restaurant worthy of review. What's coming next, the trashing of the new Cheesecake Factory in Islip? That revamped Cracker Barrel just off of Exit 13 of the Jersey turnpike?

Restaurant reviews are about the art of food. Guy's is about the business. Guaranteed that this makes money (at least for a while, anyone remember the Supermodel Cafe?). It doesn't make him a good person or a bad person, just a person making a buck.

Congrats to Ankur and Jon. CS has been a very welcome addition to my Rockville Pike lunch rotation.

Keep churning them out!

Russell Means.

Congrats, you crazy kids!

Chevy Chase was long the place you went to find esoteric stuff after one of Bob Tupper's tastings at the old Brickskeller, before the domestic microbrew category really exploded.

North of the Potomac, don't forget Gilly's Craft Beer in Rockville (2009 Chapman Ave, just off Twinbrook Pkwy next to Urban BBQ).

http://www.gillyscbfw.com/beer.html

If you're stuck shopping in Monkey Cty, I would agree with Dave on Gilly's. Some really nice stuff in there.

My other MoCo choice would be Fenwick Beer and Wine right in downtown SS. http://fenwickbeerandwine.com/

This is really, really, really what sets 8407 apart from the rest of Silver Spring. The service is light years ahead of any other place in the downtown area.

I love Pedro and Nancy, but I have to say that you're not setting the bar very high here.

On the road and in downtown DC a fair amount in October. Availability spotty.

Thanks, Chef!

Looks great and a great deal, but I'm already engaged this weekend. Have a hot date at the Kielbasa Factory.

It's been too long since I've been in, so hopefully we can make it soon.

Next time.

Life intervened, I believe.

I'll have to let him know that there is now a restaurant named after him.

Closer to home, I've been impressed with the Old House Vineyards 2010 Chambourcin and 2009 Seyval Blanc from Virginia, two very stylish wines made from hybrid grape varieties.

To go off on a tangent...

Dave, you've hit upon one of my favorite grapes with the Seyval Blanc. Used to go through it by the case when I lived in upstate NY and had easy access to several good producers in the Finger Lakes. Do you happen to know off-hand if anyone around DC is carrying a decent selection of Seyval Blanc?

Having a history of colleagues whose tastes run more to Olive Garden than Per Se, I've done fine dining and tasting menus solo more times than I can remember. I've found without exception that restaurant staff tend to have a high regard for anyone who likes good food enough to venture out for a tasting menu by themselves. In fact one of my favorite meals of all time was a solo dinner at the kitchen pass at Hearth in NYC. Got a couple of extra freebies from "mistakes" made in the kitchen and extra pours of off list wines from Chef. You'll be well taken care of.

There was a great article in the Aug 26 NY Times on a guy who had a business selling online reviews.

The picnic is our standard lunch (and has been for a couple of years) - salami, crackers, cheese, whatever fruit/veg we have around, etc. We use an insulated lunch box with one of those plastic ice cube thingies.

The Saison they were pouring on the DC Beer Week cruise was excellent. The porter, not so much.

Nothing beats the beer cruise. A lot of stand out saisons were served, including a lovely one from Three Stars. Ommegang had a couple of wickedly good one off brews including a great porter.

Also realized that we've been ignoring some of dr's own members starting with Artisan Confections (http://artisanconfections.com/) 1025 N. Fillmore Street, Arlington, VA 22201

It's a darn good thing for my ample enough waistline that I live on the other side of the river.

Hm. How about Yekta (Persian)? http://yekta.com/abo...upermarket/ Is it too big?

Also in the same shopping center, a Russian place called either "European Delight" or "European Bazaar." Nice little place.

European Delight has a great collection of Eastern European charcuterie.Both are at 1488 Rockville Pike.

Add in the presence of Joe's and Yekta Kabobi this is one of the great mini-collections of food providers that we have. (Unfortunately, an outpost of Mi Rancho lowers the overall score)

Porcupine already added my next selection - Kielbasa Factory. Easily the best kielbasa that I've found in DC.

I would add Thai Market (902 Thayer Ave, SS) to the list. It's the source of just about all of my Thai kitchen needs. The takeout in the same spot serves some of the best Thai food in Monkey County.

FInally, Goldberg's is my favorite place for a Sunday bagel run (3 locations --4824-26 Boiling Brook Parkway,Rockville, MD 20852;

9328 Georgia Ave.,Silver Spring, MD 20910;7731 Tuckerman Lane,Potomac, MD 20854)