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In general I think the Restaurant Week concept is getting tired and at many places is nothing more than a clever pricing scam. Tosca is one one of the few true RW deals worth taking advantage of because they offer their full menu with only two upcharges and their high quality food and service aren't downgraded to reflect the lower price point. I had my two Tosca favorites: baby octopus- this time as the app version with summer peas and corn per our waiter's wise suggestion (the entree version being sauceless and "boring") and the rabbit ragu with carrot papardelle. My husband had a pasta made with sea urchin and celery along with the scallops. For desert- I had the rice pudding and he had the cheese. We loved it all. We'll be back. One of the reasons I really love Tosca is their amazing service. An odd situation during Saturday night's meal was a prime example of their professionalism. It is about 10 pm and the restaurant is starting to empty out but is still pretty busy. A young couple, initially seated at a 4 top, is reseated next to us at a two top on the banquette along the front windows. Our waiter cheerfully greets them, explains the menu and special pricing, talks about the specials, makes some suggestions, and leaves them to make their choice. He looks at the wine list and she says maybe they should only get desert. The waiter returns a few moments later and the gentleman asks to see the manager. The manager comes straight to the table and the couple asks to be reseated again, now they want at a bigger table because they'll be "ordering a lot of food". Without any questions, the manager poltely seats them at a different four top. There is now an empty two-top between us and the next set of diners, who also can't believe what just happened. The manager and waitstaff never missed a beat and showed no reaction other than an eagerness to please their guests.

I tried Estadio for the first time last night. I was excited when I heard a pintxos restaurant would be opening in DC. Having traveled extensively around San Sebastian and the Basque country as well as the Barcelona/Costa Brava area, this style of food is a favorite of mine. The food was both true to its origins but also relevant to what is fresh, seasonal and local in DC. Particularly notable were the peach salad, pork belly bocadillo, and sauteed pea shoots. I would certainly go back because the ambiance is fun, drinks good and the food perfect for sharing or snacking. I just wasn't blown away by the food itself. Although, in large part I am sure that part of my disappointment was a function of having had the real thing.

It looks like it has been about a year since anyone has posted about Pesce. My mom is in town for a couple days and was in the mood for seafood. We walked into a mostly empty restaurant around 7:30 pm on Sunday. Four of us were seated at the table in the front window and had a very pleasant meal by ordering appetizers for the table to share and a bottle of sauvignon blanc. Nothing was a standout, but all was perfectly cooked and generally delicious. Pesce is one of those under-the-radar Dupont gems that consistently performs. Neither stuffy nor pretentious it was perfect for our Sunday dinner. Our meal included: 2 Caesar Salads- whole leaf romaine with a creamy anchovy rich dressing Heirloom Tomatoes with Burrata- in season, perfect tomatoes thinly sliced and sweet. Scoop of burrata on top with standard treatment of balsamic and basil. Gazpacho- tomato and watermelon with a jalapeno oil- really summery and a good palate cleanser Trio- tuna tartar with soy and sesame which was dewey and delightful- i wish we could have gotten a vat of that, babganoush that was intensely cuminy, and guacamole. Crudo- plate of translucent white fish (I can't remember what type) with a salad of frisee and capers on top with a vinaigrette. Grilled Calamari- nice char, perfectly cooked mostly cone with some tentacles (I would have preferred all tentacles, but I think that puts me in the minority). Whole Prawns- served head on, pleasantly garlicky with fresh cherry tomatoes. Popcorn shrimp- tiny fried shrimp in a paper cone with two types of aioli. A little salty. Ceviche- in a creamy base with scallops, shrimp and unidentified white flesh fish which was unremarkable Smoked Fish Platter- smoked trout, salmon and eel with a pear chutney. Smoked trout was the standout especially combined with the chutney, eel had a soy glaze, salmon was average. Only two complaints: 1- The pacing felt rushed. Food was coming out faster than we could eat it and made us feel rushed. Arguably, we ordered virtually all of the apps on the menu and the restaurant was mostly empty so they were cooking just for us which may have contributed. I think this was a function of the kitchen and not the waitstaff, who were courteous and efficient. 2- Mediocre French bread. It wasn't fresh, was chewy in a bad way, and tasteless. With tax and tip came to about $200. Which is pricey, but a good value.

I recommend contacting the Neighborhood Restaurant Group. We threw an engagement party for my husband's sister in October in the backroom of Eatbar after exploring a couple of their other restaurants as options including Columbia Firehouse. People loved the food and the room and I could see it being a fun venue for people with young kids.

Agreed! As a Cleveland Parker this has to be the most exciting restaurant to open on the Wisconsin side of the neighborhood in awhile. There is something so appealing about a spot within walking distance that has ambience and charm in addition to serving very respectable food. Unlike its neighbors, Two Amy's or Cafe Deluxe, it is less kid friendly which is a plus or a minus depending on your perspective. The restaurant is really noisy when crowded and if you are seated on the banquette you might feel a little claustrophobic- two other factors which may add to or detract from the charm depending on your perspective.

Bistro D'Oc in Penn Quarter should be an addition to the list. They certainly have not altered their classically French menu to pander to the hordes of tourists wandering by en route to the Hard Rock Cafe. I just watched a family wearing matching FBI t-shirts attempt to interpret the menu offerings and price fixe lunch. The restaurant is so classically French that their 1's look lik 7's ($15.95 appearing to be $75.95) which was more horrifying to the family of super sleuths than the escargot, boudin noir, or cervelle d'agneau.

A co-worker just brought cupcakes from the Sweetbites food truck to a meeting. They looked pretty and the group happily ate them. I haven't had a piece of cake that overmixed since a food science lab in undergrad where they purposefully worked batter to death to demonstrate what happens. When you held the cupcake you could actually feel how heavy and hard the cake was- almost like Nerf foam. The cake was chewy, gummy, tough, tunneled, and peaked. It was so tough that I wonder if they were using bread flour. The cake combined with unremarkable frosting made the product overall unpleasant and a waste of calories.

The $30 bar menu is clearly one of the best kept secrets in DC dining- my fear is that some well-meaning critic will write about it. Got there last night at 9 pm and it was half empty. Me: cold pea soup, soft shell crab, and pistachio bread pudding. +1: red snapper bisque, big eye tuna, chocolate cake. All we could think as we ate dinner, we need to do this more often. My only complaint- cold butter served with their warm bread.

I was there. You can continue to give him shit this was an event of the editorial board and other than a Q&A with Dan Barber and Sam Kass, Yonan wasn't really involved. Most people came to hear HRH speak and then left. So most of the day it was pretty empty. In fairness, his speech was the best part of the day. With the exceptionof a pretty heated debate between Jerry Garcia's widow and the Secretary of Agriculture it was overall a benign event. But, lunch from the Seedling Project was very tastey.

"Heads-Up" Bulletin Food Safety & Defense Alerts 16-Mar-11 (A) Wednesday [bitter (Chinese) Pine Nuts - UD # 3] Snapshot FDA: "Pine Mouth" and Consumption of Pine Nuts In the past year FDA has received a number of consumer complaints regarding a bitter metallic taste associated with pine nuts. This taste, known as "pine mouth," typically begins 12 to 48 hours after consuming pine nuts, and lasts on average between a few days and two weeks. It is exacerbated by consumption of any other food during this period and significantly decreases appetite and enjoyment of food. The symptoms decrease over time with no apparent adverse clinical side effects. In response to increased consumer complaints, FDA developed a detailed questionnaire, and collected and analyzed samples from some consumers submitting complaints. The Agency found that the majority of pine nuts associated with "pine mouth" were eaten in the raw state (either as snacks or as a component of salad or pesto sauce). It also found that consumers did not detect a rancid or off-taste when eating the pine nuts. Finally, FDA was able to confirm that "pine mouth" is an adverse food reaction to pine nuts that is clearly distinct from a typical food allergy. FDA continues to analyze consumer complaints to identify the potential causes of "pine mouth" and to determine whether the severity of symptoms and likelihood of developing them is related to the amount of pine nuts consumed. FDA will continue to monitor this problem and keep the public posted regarding any new findings. Consumers experiencing "pine mouth" may contact the FDA District Office in their area. For a list, go to the Consumer Complaint Coordinators page at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/ReportaProblem/ConsumerComplaintCoordinators/default.htm

FYI: From this morning's FDA Food Safety Alert: Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:37:00 -0600 Teavana Corporation Voluntarily Recalls Peppermint Organic Herbal Tea Because of Possible Health Risk Teavana Corporation today announced a voluntary recall of 2,659 lbs of Peppermint Organic Herbal Tea produced by Aromatics Inc., Basin City, WA, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Aromatics Inc. exclusively produces and distributes Teavana’s Peppermint Organic Herbal Tea.

Bakeshop in Clarendon has mini-cupcakes 2 dozen for $20. Full size are 2 dozen for $50. They'll make you any flavor you want and they are really really good.

All I can say is what a difference a day makes?? Last night my husband and I had virtually the same menu and it made a totally different impression on us. It was our second trip to the "new" Sushi Taro and it was as good as the first. We didn't have the same temperature or quality issues. For example, the oysters in the pickeled salad was lovely. The oysters were sweet and tasted like a fresh sea breeze. The fatty tuna and salmon in the sashimi course were similar to what you might get at other high end sushi places, but the snapper, horse mackeral and sweet shrimp were fresh and full of flavor. I do agree with the comments about the service, that was the low point of our meal. For a meal like this, you really need a server with a strong command of English who can clearly explain what you are getting and how to eat it. Our server's command of English made it hard to understand what she was saying and I am sure much was lost in her translation. But overall, we enjoyed the meal and plan to go back again.

I love that Palena does lunch service now. Yesterday I had the Minnestrone and a Cheeseburger. The minnestrone was more like a greens and beans soup (with black eyed peas- great touch). Cheeseburger as delish as ever. It makes me wish I didn't work downtown. But while I am staycationing for the next two weeks I am going back for lunch again- the Chestnut Soup is calling my name.

Galileo III is doing a traditional feast of the seven fishes

I will be on a 10 day business trip in Santiago, Chile at the end of the month. The thought of meals in a Crowne Plaza hotel is totally unappealing. Any suggestions for places to eat around the city? All price points appreciated, safe neighborhoods a must.

Firehook and Whole Foods both make a respectable Challah.

I find that PB makes a big mess because they'll just lick it until they gets all the PB out. As an alternative to PB , we have found that the Merrick brand "sausages" are the perfect size and consistency to fill a Kong. Our 7 month old lab mix LOVES them- especially the Venison Holiday Stew and French Country Pate varieties (the Merrick products have hilariously foodie names). The "sausages" are sort of smooshy so they are easily packed inside, but also break up nicely making them an excellent option for brain-stimulating-play/reward-delivery device function of the Kong. The dog really has to work at the Kong and play with it to get the goodies out. They don't deliver any treat from licking alone and so they make virtually no mess. The real disadvantage of the "sausages" over PB is that they are pricey at $1.25 each.

ETOHASAP

Mystery appears to have been solved

FY for those purchasing coupons or gift certificates. New Federal Reserve rules that provide important protections when you purchase or use gift cards for gift cards purchased on or after August 22, 2010 went into effect last week found here. The measures limit certain fees, require balances to be honored for at least five years and require new disclosure statements on cards and certificates.

Have you considered working with a Registered Dietitian? It seems like you have a lot of questions that someone who is familiar with working on gluten-free diets could help you with. There is a lot of misinformation out there and it often helps to have a visit or two with an expert who can help make sure all your tough questions are answered. PM me if you would like a referral.

I've seen that product at the Brookfield Market in Cleveland Park.

Pete Wells wrote a great article about making your own baby food for Food and Wine magazine in June of 2005. I used to share it with my patients when they asked me about making their own baby food. It is a great back-to-reality reading for "foodie" parents. Pete Wells now has a monthly column in the New York Times called "Cooking with Dexter" so his explorations into baby food have not been totally unsuccessful.