Tweaked

There is an oasis of calm during this week's DR.com pissing matches, Chef Power's 5 course tasting menu...put it down as one of DC's bargains at $55. Amuse we started with a duo of soups in little espresso cups. Brother had the red snapper bisque, I had the parsnip soup...I think everyone on this board knows Chef's soups kick butt. First Course Soft shell crabs porcupine style, nestled in potato puree, mine with the verjus, brother's with sesame vinaigrette. I love me some soft shells! Second Course Torchon of Foie Gras with Figs and Sorrel...the foie is just rich rich rich and the fig jam on the side is delightful. Third Course Pacific Halibut with Warm Potato-Leek Salad, Meyer Lemon Sauce this rated as my favorite dish, the halibut was perfectly cooked, seared golden on the outside, the center flake was almost translucent and had the texture of butter. The potato leek salad was awesome and the lemon sauce plate licking good. Fourth Course Roast Lamb Sirloin with Mini Goat Cheese Ravioli ok this rated as my favorite dish! Seriously it was a toss up between the lamb and the halibut...everything we love about this dish, perfectly rare lamb, awesome ravioli, and yep another plate licking clean wine sauce. Fifth Course 3 cheeses, can't remember their names, all delicious...one was described as Chef's favorite, another was wrapped in a leaf, the other was just damn good. The chef then sent desserts compliments of the house, the new strawberry 3 ways and my favorite the chocolate tart with caramelized bananas. Two things I love about Chef Power's cooking: 1) the focus of his cooking, each dish is comprised of only a few elements but so much flavor and 2) his sauce work, outrageously good. My one suggestion is that instead of having a bread basket at the beginning of the meal, each dish should come with a side plate with a slice of bread slathered in butter for mopping up the sauce! Thanks to chef, Rissa, Ferhat, and our server Cat for a wonderful evening...my brother was suitably impressed.

First Rule of DonRockwell.com...you don't talk about Don Rockwell Second rule of DonRockwell.com...you don't talk about Don Rockwell!

Does anyone know how the Iron Chefs on the original show were chosen to be the Iron Chefs? where they already well know in Japan, or where they really the best that The Chairman could find Obviously the American show is a vehicle for already established Food TV stars (other than Cat Cora, who has underwhelmed me as an Iron Chef). I don't watch the American version a lot but I've been impressed by Batali, Fley sometimes, and I think Morimoto was better on the original. and Walken as Chairman would be brilliant...maybe they could get him as a judge for a show.

I was able to catch the tasting and judging half of the show, for some reason I don't find the first half of the show or the cooking stage as interesting in the American version v. the original Japanese show. It seems much more rushed and disjointed IMO. Perhaps because in the american version they mandate 5 dishes. I guess, for me, that just boils down to a production issue on the American version of Iron chef. However, I love the tasting part of the show (even without the giggly Japanese "actress" overdub)...and can now say that I've actually had a dish that has appeared on Iron Chef, the faux caviar made from cous cous. woo hoo!

Slowly emerging from my food coma. This dinner sets the record for feeling absolutely stuffed...literally could not eat another bite...cue the wafer thin mints. 20 dishes broken into 4 regional cuisines. My favorites included the kabob 3 way, the lamb dish that was served seperately (I think it was during the 3rd region) and everything on the 4th Kerala Region, I'm a sucker for south India food, unfortunately I was way too full to eat more than a bite or two of each dish. oh and the dessert was light and delicious too. I've eaten a bunch of India food and what struck me was how the spices were balanced to create a dish, the flavors where very smooth and well rounded. Also having 4 different regiona showcased the diversity of Indian cuisine to show that it is much more than a dollop of bland chicken curry over white rice and a piece of chewy naan that many India restaurants push.

yeah what mktye said...I'm showing up late and bringing a 6 pack of beer...anyone can be that dare I say creative

What are the hours again...too lazy to look them up. I have a footie match from 12:30 to 2:30...so probably earliest I can be there is 3pm. I'll BYOB since I'm sure everyone will be stuffed by then

Heaven and Hell... But seriously some other places...perhaps Cafe St. Ex, bar main floor, more clubby/lounge area downstairs. There was an interesting review of Cafe Nema in last week's Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?n...ars%20&%20Clubs But seems to me Chi Cha might fit the bill best...easy to branch out from there to U Street and Adams Morgan.

As much as I enjoyed the sushi at Sushi Ko I was also impressed by...for a lack of better term..."other" (non sushi) dishes off the menu. The dumplings were delightful, the seaweed salad delicious, eel dish, duck and I can't even remember what else we ordered...sorry too much sake! Do you also oversee the non sushi portion of the menu? Is there any coordination between the sushi and non sushi items? How do these two areas of the menu fit together.

Hi chef, can you give us some behind the scenes insight into how you source your fish. How many vendors do you have? How do you ensure you are getting the best quality? Thanks

I second waitman's chedder...Gruyère also works well. I like to throw in a little chopped up anduille sausage...mushrooms....red onion...a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves or tarragon.

I think the Pour House does a bloody mary bar...seems to be a common thread among Joe's bars

I would argue that beyond their public face, PETA's stance on vegetarianism goes far beyond whether or not an animal is raised and killed humanely, that their ultimate goal to end all consumption of meat and meat products...period. oohhh, Don we are just having some fun... guess I won't address the cannibalism charges and gnaw on my thumb instead, perhaps with a nice Chianti

I am arguing that at its root PETA's position on vegetarianism (and anyone's position on vegetarianism based on "ethical treatment" arguments) is philosophically inconsistent because it values one form of life over another. It's ok to grow, kill, and eat one form of life but not ok to grow, kill, and eat another.

So PETA should argue that it's ok to be unethical to unconscious numb life.

In my opinion PETA's arguments at a fundamental level are flawed. Cruelty to animals is wrong. well animals are a living organism. therefore they should argue that cruelty to living organisms is wrong. Is the mass slaughter of cows (or name your animal) any more cruel than taking large mechanized blades (say a combine harvestor) and mowing down a field of corn (another living organism). Really they are just making an arbitrary judgement that killing animals is wrong but killing plant life is ok...or they have made an arbitrary judgement that killing one form of life is wrong but killing another form of life is ok.

I still think Cracker's photo of the greenhouse is one of the best photos ever posted on DR.

Never eaten there but Cafe Berlin on the Hill (Senate side on Mass Ave.) always has an Asparagus menu in the spring. There was also some white asparagus on sale at Eastern market, think it was $5.99 pound.

I always seem to end up with lots of extra individual containers of Safeway yogurt, usually lemon flavored...it's like eating lemon pudding with live cultures.

RE: Indian Spices and Appliances (Ballston)...when they closed (because of said building being torn down) they were going to reopen at the same location, in about a year they said...who knows if that is still true...and I can't remember if that was a year or more ago! I hope they do reopen because I love that store, great selection of Indian stuff and the homemade samosa and breads kick butt. The Mediterranean Bakery and Cafe place on Pickett Street by Duke Street and 395 sells spices...not sure on the quality...but you can always find something yummy to buy there!

Roast Salmon, a bed of french green lentils, a pillow of sauted green beans, and a blanket of tomato relish I bought some King salmon from Eastern Market, perhaps some of the most succulent salmon I've ever had.

Funny that they list non-NYC based US restaurants as being in USA but NYC based restaurants as being in New York.

I had some satisfactory to good wings at Finn mac Cool's last night. Not huge, but meaty, cooked just about right with a nice crispy skin, smothered in a sauce that was a little funky not straight up Frank's and butter but still tasty with a little zing (I ordered medium). Plenty of celery and carrot sticks. The blue cheese on the side was a little weak. It was definitely a multi napkin plate of wings menu price is $8 for 10, but Thursday's they do 25 cent wing night. http://www.finnmaccoolsdc.com/index.htm

Haven't read his book, but a pretty interesting chat about food, where it comes from, what it costs, and the price of oil in the Middle East. He is the author of The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6040700562.html

Giada's new cookbook is front and center when you walk into the Borders on 18th Street downtown...currently 30% off.