Ericandblueboy

Pics of the omakase at the Sushi Bar. 1. A kirin draft, sake, and the house make plum wine (reminiscent of the sour plum juice I grew up drinking in Taiwan) 2. Their specialty appetizer of sea urchin on top of tofu-life substance (it's the 3rd time I've had it but I still can't tell what that is for sure) 3. Sweet shrimp tempura with sticky rice (the shrimp tastes similar to a shrimp chip - very nice) 4. I forget what that fish was. 5. Massive oyster cut into 2 pieces, there is a piece of scallop stuffed in as well 6. Pupu plate (from front to back) - tender conch, egg with mystery substance, fish roe, bamboo shoots, kumquat, lotus root, and innards of some fish (they called it milk of ?).

Since Susur Lee got 19.5 stars in the elmination challenge, getting the highest score by far in the history of TC Masters, I have to go eat at Zentan and then bitch about how much it sucks.

why's you gotta steal the Mexicans' thunder?

This has me scurrying over to Chi Cha's website. I only knew of Chi Cha as a club, not a food destination. After perusing its menu, I'm very disappointed. I should just get off my ass and go to Limena or Canela. Bitching about a 10% tip doesn't mean 20% is now expected in DC in all cases. I smell a rat....a giant rice field rat, all chopped up, tail, entrails and all, and stir-fried with lemongrass.

Last night's season opener has Andrew going to bumfuck Thailand, aka, Isan. In the entire episode, I don't think he ate a single thing that I would want to try - okay, maybe the grilled field rat looks edible. But dung beatlles, mole rats, bovine bile, etc.? Someone's else's recap with photos

I know I can't be objective so I avoid putting myself in a situation where I would know restaurant owners/chefs. From what I've read online, i.e., Chowhound and here, I don't believe most people can be objective. You really think after getting free apps and trading backslaps with the chef or owner, you're gonna blast his food? I sometimes don't post about a restaurant because I have nothing good to say but omitting a material fact is no different than making up a favorable review. I believe it's a small minority who have ethical obligations who can know their subject and attempt to remain unbiased. That's just my point of view.

Or Chicken and Dumplings. I seem to recall getting this at a smorgasboard.

The fish - after I chopped it up. Things to bring - break knife and cutting board (to divvy up sammiches), a knife to cut other things, and paper towels. Next time I'll probably ask people to bring their own bowl for noodle soup sampling. I thank the other participants for indulging me and Van for leading the way. For others who want to do this, a small group is best. The Crab House is a good place to meet up and quench your thirst. We picked up food along the way and then ate at Song Que, where they have tables in the back. If you find a place that serves adult beverages and have tables...please advise!

Started out at the Crab House with a conch salad (never been a fan of conch although this one was at least tender), soft shell crabs (a little dense on the breading I think - not pictured since we devoured them immediately) and grill clams (nice fat juicy clams grilled to perfection). Oh and a couple of pitchers of cold Heineken. We then went into an inner corridor where there are two take-out places across the hallway from one another - along with several bars populated by men. We got a fried whole fish (the picture is of it chopped up - it was cold by the time we got to it so not the best way to have fish) and Kmango got us a tub of little fishes (Chinese people eat these dried). We also picked up some fried tofu, I believe there were actually 3 kinds (plain, ginger & mushroom?) I personally prefer my fried tofu stinky. We hit two banh mi joints and ordered 6 fish sausage sandwiches at the first place (by accident) and then a combo, a shredded pork & skin, and a pate sandwich (the fish sandwiches at Banh Mi So #1, the others at Song Que - the bread at #1 is longer and fresher tasting). Finally we picked up some spring rolls (50 cents a piece), sausage pastry, rice crepe, and rice cakes. There is so much left to sample that we have to go again...and again.

What do you folks thing about Marcel as the best food in the metro area, with Ristorante Bonaroti in Vienna second? Is OT's rating system susceptible to ballot stuffing?

You're right that bloggers can be objective but that doesn't make Marc's statement false. In fact, I think he's right about 99% of the time. Most people do cozy up for special treatment, and once they received special treatment, they can hardly maintain objectivity. When you say completely false, you're saying it can never be the case. That's blatantly untrue. There are plenty of restaurant owners/chefs/managers that post on here and their restaurants probably don't get as much criticism because they're members of this "circle." I love the fact that I can post a request and some chef will actually reply but I hardly think I'm going to be capable of being completely objective when someone's doing me a favor.

I don't believe there's a false dichotomy. I think Marc assumes too much. Just because someone is a professional critic, it doesn't mean that critic is knowledgeable about every kind of food. But when it comes to a pro and a amateur on the same subject, I think the pro would generally be more knowledgeable. In this case, the subject can't just be food in general, it has to be broken down. Just like there are people who study European history vs Asian history.

I think you should make La Perla an offer that they can't refuse, know what I mean? Convert that into Ray's G-town so yuppies in G'town can get something decent to eat without having to schlep across town or across the river.

Maybe we can do a DR.com Food Wars. Blindfold five people and have them taste two different steaks, with each restaurant picking one of the judges. I'd be interested to see whether the superfans can tell one steak from another.

I've had this dish at several Thai restaurants (Thai Square and Sakulthai) and Nava's version actually has more pork. Other restaurants use pretty much all pork rind. The use of deep fried pork (with rinds) distinguishes this dish from a Chinese dish of stir-fried Chinese broccoli and sliced pork in black bean sauce (tasty dish if you can find it at an authentic Chinese restaurant). My wife was grossed out by the pork but she happily ate the broccoli. I did eat the pork and should go have my cholesterol checked. As for whether this is how it should be - I'll let someone more knowledgeable answer.

I have no idea why my wife picked a photographer way out in the boonies but it gives me an opportunity to eat in Wheaton on the way home. Today we went to Nava Thai for a late lunch. The dining room here is spectacular compared to Ruan Thai. Service was so-so. Our waitress forgot my Singha. On the other hand, the only waitress at Ruan Thai did not forget anything. Anyway, we ordered: Hot Bean Thread Salad - Shrimp, chicken, veggies, and bean thread, tossed in chili lime sauce. Twice Cooked Duck Salad - Deep fried duck, then tossed w/ veggies in a chili lime sauce. Both dishes were rather spicy and sour. That flavor profile isn't my cup o' tea but at least the ingredients were cooked properly. Floating Market Noodle Soup - after sniffling through the last rendition, I asked for it medium spicy - which translates to not spicy at all. The good news is that I can actually taste the food! Love the pork rind in the soup. The beef was tender but the meatballs are the same old store bought tasting bo vien. Pla Pad Kaprow - Stir fried lightly battered fillet Tilapia w/ chili garlic & holy basil. Best dish of the day. The pungent basil flavor goes really well with the slightly spicy fried fish. Crispy Pork w/ Chinese Broccoli - gotta eat some greens, and this was the most tempting since there's mo' pork rinds!

The Jalepeno Cheetos are themselves that color. If you're asking how Frito Lay get that color into Cheetos, I dunno.

I know. I guess the "masters" play by different rules. I'm not entirely sure some of these masters are better than last season's Top Chef contestants - yeah the midget Puerto Rican lady who can't finish her dish wins the episode...

That's pretty serious skill. I wish I can be that steady with my hands. Maybe you can apply for an exemption. Good luck.

I'd like to hear why you think it's ridiculous to have a no photo policy. And if you don't use flash, how's your photo going to turn out at Komi? Did you bring a tripod? ETA: I'm no photo expert but I kind of understand the concept between lighting and shutter speed. I do take photos when I'm at a chef's table - away from other diners.

Why is it ridiculous? There's no doubt that flash photography is annoying to others. I've never taken a pic at Komi and as long as that's their policy, I won't.

Saw the DC jumbo slice war. Oy is it lame. One of the judges is someone who just moved to DC and never had either pizza. Another judge is D-list "celebrity chef" Carla Hall - way to milk it Carla. And the there's the product. Has anyone had a craving for either pizza? I've never had either and this is the only time that I've never wanted to try the food of either contestant.

The latest episode had grilled cheese as the quickfire, and Kelly Choi as the sole judge. Is this show this pathetic? The host as the judge? The elimination challenge is soul food. The contestants are 1 African raised in Sweden, 1 Frenchie, 1 Puerto Rican, 1 whitie with not much formal training from Houston, and David Burke. Are all good chefs supposed to be able to do soul food? And of course the 3 judges are all white. I didn't like the first season. I think I'm done watching.

This past weekend I ordered (i) H18 Szechuan Fish Filet $17, (ii) sauteed bok choy $10 (ask for fresh veggies and they'll tell you what they have), (iii) H10 Orange Beef $16, (iv) Scallion Braised Beef Tendon $16 (not an option on the English menu but the tendon is available on the Chinese menu), and (v) chicken fried rice $10. My mother in law was in town (she's not Chinese) so I had to cater to her a bit. The flavors trend towards the authentic but there are signs of Americanization - soupy dishes with too much sauce, too much sweetness in the fish, the absence of heat where there is supposed to be. It's the best Chinese in McLean but that's not saying much, and the prices are on the high side. Given its close proximity and our lifestyle changes (to more take-out), I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunity to explore the menu.

Heard good things about Sammy's Roumanian on the Lower East Side. I've never been. Link to Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/sammys-roumanian-steakhouse-new-york Apparently they can handle large groups and it's a fun place.