Bob Loblaw

Last night - Dinner at Bistrot Du Coin. Pâté de campagne Maison for the app and the Monkfish Medallions for the entree. I really like this place, but it seems they could do a better job with preserving the the wine bottles used for the "by the glass" orders. We tried a couple and they tasted like they had been a bit oxidized. Can you really call this a "highlight"?

I'd add EatBar to the "very good" list. I've only had it once. It was a little overcooked, but it was still juicy and had really great flavor (the rosemary is a nice touch). I've also had a very good burger at the Quarry House, but that was years ago, and I have no idea who was in the kitchen then. And if you want to add a "Sliders" category, I'd rate Jackie's Mini Elvis Burger as very good.

Saturday - Brunch at The Heights for a pretty good Crab Cakes Benedict and the requisite Bloody Mary. Last night - Dinner at Joe's Noodle House for the mouth numbingly delicious H20 (Fish Filet & Soft Bean Curd in Szechwan Sauce). Though the bean curd was a little too soft and so it was a bit difficult to eat with chopsticks. We also got the Steamed Buns with Pork Filling, which were okay, but disappointing as I was expecting more juice inside.

Thanks for the heads up on Terroir. Will definitely have to check it out next time. As for Joe's, I mainly just want to try the soup dumplings. Is there a place that makes them better?

I've been meaning to write about my trip to NYC this past weekend. Hearth was one of the places I went to on the recommendation of others on this board, and you can now add me to the list of fans. The food great, the atmosphere was very laid back, and the wine list was one of the most interesting I have ever seen. Our server was very knowledgeable and steered us toward the right wines. For the apps we got the grilled quail, grilled kona kampachi, and the summer salad. For the entrees I got the braised veal breast with sweetbreads, and my date got the ruby red shrimp tagliatelle. And for dessert, we walked over to Otto for gelato. The olive oil one was amazing. For our two lunches, we went to a couple Japanese places. The first was Katsu-Hama. Deep fried pork. Need I say more? The other was Soba-ya. We got the shrimp and vegetable tempura with cold soba and the salmon sashimi rice bowl. Both were very good, but I was a tad hungover, so I think I would've preferred one of the soups instead. We tried to go to Joe's Shanghai, but didn't have time. Will definitely go next time.

Thanks for all the replies! Unfortunately, Blue Hill was booked when I last looked, but I'll keep checking. In the meantime, I'll probably make a reservation at either Hearth or WD-50. I'm leaning toward WD-50, but I'm a bit skeptical about molecular gastonomy, which is why I hadn't considered it before. I looked at the menu and it does look really good. Plus, I figure I should try it sometime and I don't know where in DC I'd be able to do that other than Minibar. We already have a few Asian places lined up, so Momofuku Ssam Bar will have to wait til next time. One is Joe's Shanghai. Anyone know if there's a noticable difference in quality between the Chinatown and Midtown locations?

I'm going up to NYC in a couple weeks and could use some advice. I've been up there many times, but never had a chance to go to a fine dining establishment. So I'm planning on going somewhere this time, but the amount of choices is about to make my head explode. I'd like to keep it at $200 max for two people. I've narrowed it down to the following: Babbo (or is it too late to make a reservation?) Blue Hill Craft or Craftbar Dovetail Telepan Any suggestions on which to try if you could only do one? Are any of the above not worth trying? Other suggestions are also welcome...

I went here for the first time a couple nights ago. It was very good, but not exactly "authentic." For that I'd head to Passage to India in Bethesda. Though Rasika does have some nice cocktails. The Cucumber Basil Rickey is my new favorite drink...

Thanks for the responses. I think my sister and I are gonna take the family here for a pre-Mother's Day dinner on Saturday. Can't wait to have the Lion's Head meatballs again...

Thanks. I remember looking for their site a while back, but had trouble finding it. I still don't see anything about the family meal. And yeah, the menu scans are terrible...

Is this offered every night? And do they also do this at Bob's Noodle?

I just went to this one for lunch today. The fries were nice and crispy, and well seasoned (I got the cajun style). I got the little burger with everything and it was pretty good. I've been to a few different Five Guys, and every time I think that it's just "pretty good." Maybe I just don't get it or I haven't been to the right one yet. But as others have said, it ain't no In-N-Out...

Friday night: Chicken tenders and fries during the Wizards game. Verizon needs better food. Combined with the loss, this made for a very disappointing experience. Saturday afternoon: Hot dog and fries from the Boardwalk stand at Nats Stadium. I would've gotten a pulled pork sandwich from Red Hot & Blue, but didn't want to shell out $10.50 for one... Last night: Dinner at Bar Pilar. Ordered the following (though I can't remember all the ingredients for some): -Spanish white anchovies on grilled bread -Grilled ramps with quail egg yolk -Veal sweetbreads with meyer lemon and olive piccata -Veal kidneys with mushrooms -Peasoot risotto -Scallops with leeks and serrano ham Everything was great, as usual. And in the middle of our meal, the chef came out and gave us a complementary order of chicken confit (which was not on the menu), as gratitude for ordering his favorite dishes. It was a really nice (and damn tasty) surprise. I already loved the place, but that just made me love it even more. Today: Lunch at Five Guys for a burger fix. I should probably eat salads for the rest of the week...

Back online on OpenTable...

Yeah, I kind of figured that was the case. It was a bad decision on my part. I usually prefer my steaks plain anyway, so I'm not sure what compelled me to order it that way. But don't worry, I'll be back. The cut itself was great, and so was everything else I tried. And there was plenty more on the menu that I'd like to try soon...

Saturday night -- Cashion's for the late night menu. Pork burger and duck wings. I was pretty drunk, but I remember the burger being very good, but the duck wings were too tough and had a bit too much smoke to it. Sunday night - Ray's the Classics for the first time. I had the crab bisque to start. For the entree, I ordered the ribeye and asked for a peppercorn crust, which I then regretted. I love pepper, but this was a bit overpowering for me. Though it did pair nicely with my zin. I also had a couple pieces of the fried chicken, and it is as good as everyone has reported before. Key lime pie for dessert. And then the food coma set in...

Had dinner at Jackie's last night for the first time. I had been meaning to check it out for a while, and since it was Restaurant Week, it gave me a bit more motivation to go. The appetizers offered were different than the regular menu items. I got the grilled calamari with olive sauce and my plus one got a salad with warm camembert and pine nuts. Both were pretty good. The aforementioned Elvis Burgers were not on the RW menu, but we were able to order them separately. The pimento cheese can look slightly unappetizing, but it was damn good. For the entrees I got the halibut with beet relish and asparagus, and she got the duck confit. I thoroughly enjoyed the halibut. It was a small, but thick cut -- simply seasoned, crispy on the outside, nice and flaky on the inside. I had a couple of bites of the duck and that too was tasty. Dessert was pretty unexciting. The two choices were locally made sorbet (mango, raspberry, or lemon) and warm brownie a la mode. I love brownies and this one was pretty good. Though I think this slice was bigger than my halibut. I tried the sorbet my date got -- two scoops of lemon, one scoop of mango (they were out of raspberry). The lemon had a nice zing to it, and I thought the mango tasted good on the first try. Upon subsequent tastes, it started to remind of of some lotion one would find at Bath & Body Works or something. I immediately changed my opinion. All in all, it was a pretty good meal, and I'd definitely go back. But I don't know why I'm such a sucker for Restaurant Weeks. I almost never order dessert, so I probably would've spent less than $30 on my food on a regular night. Oh well, it gave me an extra incentive to try the place, and that what it's supposed to do, right?

Hi Mark, Thanks for the heads up. I'll definitely check this place out some time. Fried Oysters Benedict is a variation I've been meaning to try. Sounds like it would pair well with that Bloody Mary!

Why yes I do--Bob Loblaw's Law Blog. I know, I'm a mouthful Nice avatar, btw. I have to revise my previous statement. Georgia Brown's is my actual favorite brunch. But it's not a place I can frequent on account of the price. The food is great, and while the Bloody Mary is not the best, they somewhat make up for it with the steamed shrimp garnish.

I'm pretty partial to Logan Tavern, mainly because they make the best Bloody Marys (as I just mentioned in the other thread). I basically have two requirements for brunch: 1) a good Bloody Mary and 2) good food, preferably with something "Benedict" on the menu. I know Bourdain warns against Hollandaise, but I can't help it. I don't get it all the time, but it's nice to know that it's available. I've been to plenty of places that have good food, but the Bloody Mary is not up to par, and that just ruins it for me. It doesn't cure my hangover, it makes it worse... And so I found that Logan Tavern has a good balance of my two requirements and so it's my go to place. But since I discovered this place, I haven't tried much else. I plan on trying Tabard Inn and Poste some day...

In terms of Bloody Mary bars, I too would vouch for Logan Tavern. Probably my favorite Bloody Mary in DC. For Bloody Marys in general, I agree that Eggspectation makes a very good one. And I'll add Bourbon and The Reef to the list.

Hi, my name is Dan. After a long hiatus from eating out, I have recently started going out again, and am eager to try some of these restaurants I've been missing out on. I used to check this site once in a while, but now I find myself visiting more often, so I decided to become a member. Favorite restaurants include Corduroy, Grapeseed, PS7's, Montsouris, Bar Pilar, Iron Bridge, and Raku. To try list: Komi, Minibar, Restaurant Eve, Palena, and well, it doesn't really end... Drunk dining: Ben's Chili Bowl, Amsterdam, probably some other places that I don't even remember... Brunch is my favorite meal of the week. Beer. Brunch. Bloody Mary.