Tweaked

8 hours ago, dracisk said:

Tangential to the games, but any thoughts on the journalist fatally collapsing during Argentina v. Netherlands? I'm a VERY casual fan, but I just heard him on a podcast recapping the USA v. Netherlands game. I didn't previously know how significant he was in the soccer world.

Grant was one of the top soccer journalists in the US, writing for Sports Illustrated for much of his career.

When the England  France match cut back to the second half coverage, they had just finished an in stadium tribute to him, and the lead FOX commentator, John Strong, was choking up on air. 

Certainly a great and unexpected loss for the US soccer community. 

Drama drama drama until the last.  Quarter Finals Round 2 on Saturday.

The football/soccer world powers demonstrated why they are world powers in the Round of 16...and then came Morocco.  

Quarter Finals Friday and Saturday.  

Fabulous couple of afternoons of World Cup...has not disappointed.  Mighty have fallen, upstarts have claimed Groups E and F, and the US advance out of Group B.

USA v. Netherlands Saturday at 10am FOX

World Cup 2022 (so far)

After a well-earned 0-0 draw against England*, the US faces off against Iran today at 2pm in a win or go home show down.  * Yes Americans, there is such a thing as a well-earned 0-0 draw.

The second round of matches saw some notable upsets, including Morocco beating Belgium's aged Golden Generation 2-0 and a beleaguered Costa Rica beating high flying Japan 1-0.

As we enter the end of the Group stage, Groups C and E are in disarray with every team standing a chance to advance. 

France, Brazil, and Portugal have been the class of the Group stage and the only teams to official book their tickets to the knockout round after two matches.

1 Tippling Place is a handsome cocktail lounge with an eclectic parlor vibe in the Rittenhouse area with an extensive whiskey collection.  The front half of the room is a collection of couches and sitting areas perfect for small groups, the back half is dominated by a great looking bar area with a collection of tables.  Since there is no food served, this is a good place to start the night, meet friends for a drink, or a nightcap.  Classic cocktails range in price from $10-$18, but most are in the $14-$16 range.

World Cup 2022 (so far)

Qatar demonstrates that the only reason they are in the tournament is because they are the hosts.

USA squanders lead in a 1-1 draw with Wales.  Next faces England in Black Friday showdown, 2pm on FOX.

Historic victory as Saudi Arabia beats Argentina 2-1.  

England and France show their class with big wins against group minnows. 

1 hour ago, KeithA said:

Reviving this old thread as I'm menu planning for Turkey day this year. I would love to hear about people's go to side dishes as we have a larger crowd than usual and probably will make extra dishes. So far our menu is:

Whole turkey and extra turkey breast since we have white meat lovers. We usually make it per Ina Garten's recipe with fennel, onions, and other veggies cooked underneath the whole bird soaking up the schmaltzy goodness.

Homemade cranberry sauce - usually I drop the bag in with water, sugar and maybe some orange peel if it is available. Very simple, straightforward. Anyone else have a favorite?

Cornbread muffins,

plain green beans for the kids,

Stuffing (or actually dressing since I cook it in a separate pan) (I usually use one of those pre-made mixes of dried bread white/wheat from whole foods and add lots of margarine/butter, poultry seasoning/sage, and sauteed onions/peppers/mushrooms),

a homemade pickle bar of the 5-6 different pickles I have on hand,

roasted brussel sprouts,

Potato knishes - I make my own using the Smitten Kitchen recipe online. I like them big but will probably make mini small hand sized vs. big doorstop ones so people aren't overwhelmed. I usually make caramelized yukon gold potato filling, but I may add poultry/sage seasoning too and possibly some sweet potato ones too.  These knishes make a great leftover open-faced sandwich - split the knish in half horizontal and layer on turkey, roast veggies, and anything else you like.

I need a vegan protein dish. I'm thinking some type of bean salad but open to suggestions.

There will be lots of dessert too but my wife is handling that part.

Vegan dish:  cook a wild rice blend (Lundberg is pretty good and easy to find), add toasted pecans, sautéed onion + mushrooms, squeeze of lemon, herbs of choice.  Use as a bed for wedges of roasted pumpkin or butternut squash.  A tahini dressing is nice, but might not go with the other Thanksgiving food. 

Went to get some Happy Ice Cream scoops this weekend.  Anne Marler was helping out at the scoop cart so I asked her about Komi:

Happy doing Happy.  Done with fine dining.

Sadly, it appears the Komi days are indeed over...RIP Komi thread.    

I've been hearing good things about this one.

Sargent and Spain

"Celebrated as the leading society portraitist of his era, John Singer Sargent influenced a generation of American painters. His personal captivation with Spain resulted in a remarkable body of work that documents his extensive travels from the north to the south and to the island of Majorca. Over three decades Sargent responded to the country’s rich culture by producing landscapes and marine scenes, pictures of everyday life, and architectural studies, as well as sympathetic portrayals of the locals he encountered.

For the first time, Sargent and Spain presents approximately 120 dazzling oils, watercolors, and drawings, many of which are rarely exhibited. Also featured from the artist’s travels are some 28 never-before published photographs, several almost certainly taken by Sargent himself."

Now open...free for the residents of DC, otherwise $15.  

Wagshal's to take over Breadline space with Wagshal's Grand Bodega - catering, deli, prepared foods, sandwiches etc.

Looks like it will be carry out catering orders in early 2023, full operation in late 2023.    

6 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

Is it like ankimo or something completely different? And what are the chances it's still on the menu tomorrow?  I don't see it on their website but I don't think they update website right?

I've never had ankimo, so I have no idea.  This tasted very much like foie gras.  We got it with some bread and basically smeared it on the bread.  

They have been promoting it for the past couple of days.  So I'm guessing it will be on the menu until it's gone.  Best to give them a call.

Their website is not updated with the daily specials.

Monkfish Liver Torchon - best thing I've eaten this year.  

Announced via IG, Kajitsu closing chef Hiroki Abe is joining the Eleven Madison Park team.  They don't say what his specific role will be.   

Take-out service starts Oct. 8.  The separate menu dine-in service starts Oct. 20.  (Washingtonian)

"For the opening, Chang-Out will offer well-known classics like dumplings, mapo tofu, eggplant with spicy garlic sauce, bamboo fish, and sweet-and-sour spare ribs."

"Changians may gravitate to Chang In for something entirely new (few, if any, dishes from the family’s restaurant empire will cross over). The space is outfitted with a 12-seat baijiu bar, seats for 180 diners, a patio, and a few large-group dining tables outfitted with lazy Susans. The Changs and Lam have been working together to create a nuanced, seasonal menu. Snacks include bite-size riffs on Chinese dishes such as three cup chicken-stuffed mushrooms or scallop toasts. Diners can share small plates such as pig trotters with chilis and chrysanthemum greens, and large-format platters like whole branzino with scallion and ginger. Chang is ready to unveil a new style of duck centerpiece that combines the distinct flavor of his tea-smoked duck—a bird that’s marinated and smoked with tea leaves—with the tender texture, crispy skin, and elaborate presentation of his popular Peking duck from Q. Only available in limited quantities with 48 hours notice, the birds will be presented as part of a meal with accompaniments like duck spring rolls, duck wonton soup, and duck pie.

Rounding out the menu are noodles, rice dishes such as lobster with Chinese sausage and chimichurri, and seasonal vegetables like mala dry fry squashes with cilantro. For dessert: Ong’s whimsical creations, such as passionfruit-lime tarts with black pepper meringue, or chocolate pie with coffee, caramel, and sesame."

A day of hiking in the Shenandoahs led to an afternoon of eating and drinking at Early Mountain.  They have a very nice tasting room, vibe is sort of tasting room meets country club, but the atmosphere is relaxed with a mixed crowd and friendly staff.  They have a medium sized patio area for outdoor tasting.  Since this was the Friday that the rains of Hurricane Ian arrived, we were able to get as spot next to the fireplace.

Early Mountain has several different tasting offerings, 10-12 wines by the glass and 6-8 wines on offer from other area wineries.

I ordered a very nice petit manseng, the Intention was fine but nothing special, and we enjoyed the Hark Vineyards Cab Franc.

For eating we got a nice cheese and charcuterie board, succulent pork belly, and white anchovies served with crackers which was fine.

Early Mountain is about 2 hours from the District and convenient if you are in the Old Rag or Hawksbill Mountain hiking areas or the Swift Gap Entrance to Shenandoah National Park.      

DC Soccer Louts Can Get Hammered 22 Hours a Day During World Cup

DC passes new reg for World Cup:  Bars can stay open 24 hours a day and serve alcohol from 6am to 4am, with a 2 hour alcohol break from 4am to 6am.  Which is actually a little odd, given that the first game of the day starts at 5am...why not make the 2 hour break from 3am-5am?  whatever, drink up!  

Han Palace Barracks Row opening Oct. 1

I ordered take-out from the Han Palace Woodley Park location.  I ordered via their website, which worked well, and everything was ready for pickup in 30 minutes.  On a Sunday night at 6:30pm, the place was mostly full with a couple of people waiting for a table.   

The spring rolls were nicely fried and tasted fine, but nothing special.  The shrimp dumplings were good, with a nice fat large marble sized mix of shrimp filling.  I enjoyed the salt and pepper tofu, which when mixed with the oily sauce at the bottom of the container had a very nice kick.  The crispy eggplant was a container of well fried battered eggplant slices and a side container of sweet/slightly sour dressing/sauce.  The Singapore noodles were good, but I've had better.

My guess is that the food, especially from the dim sum section, is better for eat-in.  We might need to learn which dishes travel better as take-out.

In terms of a Chinese restaurant, at this point, based on one take-out experience, it's not worth the drive into DC if you can go to the places out in Maryland or Virginia (it's not as good as A&J for example).  However, Han Palace is much better than the sorry ass Chinese restaurants in the greater Woodley Park/Cleveland Park area (sorry Mr. Chen's you suck).  Overall a nice addition to the neighborhood.       

I stopped in and ordered to-go pupusas and fried plantains from the La Cosecha (Union Market area) branch of La Casita Pupuseria.  They have a small stand at the back La Cosecha. 

For $11 you can get a mix and match trio of pupusas, they survived the car ride home nicely.  The fried plantains were good, although the bottom of the take out container was very oily.  The curtido, creme, and salsa were all fine.  The pupusas are made to order, so there was about a 10 minute wait for the food. 

La Casita is a good option if you are walking around the Union Market area.  

Pretty much anything by John Akomfrah is worth checking out.

“John Akomfrah: Purple” introduces the artist’s largest ever video installation, an immersive six-channel work, to Washington D.C. for the first time.  

An enveloping, hour-long symphony of image and sound, “Purple” (2017) weaves together original film with archival footage against a hypnotic score to address themes related to climate change. Surveying a variety of disappearing landscapes, including parts of Alaska, Greenland, the Tahitian Peninsula and the South Pacific’s volcanic Marquesas Islands, Akomfrah conveys the interconnected relationship between the built and natural worlds in the Anthropocene. His striking images of these vulnerable environments mingle with historical recordings of coal mines, polluted lakes and factory labor, set against a resonant soundtrack of original music, archival recordings and spoken word. These elements come together to form a moving meditation on the impact of human progress on the Earth.  
 
Akomfrah is a London-based artist and filmmaker whose works are characterized by their investigations into memory, post-colonialism, temporality, and aesthetics. His works often explore the experiences of migrant diasporas globally.  

“Purple” plays across six large screens arranged in an arc, perfectly mirroring the Hirshhorn’s curved architecture. Carpet in a deep shade of purple—the color of mourning in Ghana, Akomfrah’s country of origin—blankets the floors and walls of the exhibition space, lending an inviting if somber mood and reminding viewers of the losses brought about by environmental devastation."  

Not sure if Nooshi is still related to Spices in Cleveland Park, the menus are still almost identical.  

Based on that and having ordered much Spices over the past several pandemic years, you can eat well if you order the Vietnamese sping rolls, ginger salad, and curry laksa.  

The Union Market product is smoked at the Riverdale location.  You need to go to the mothership for the good stuff.    

Texas ex-pat bemoans the lack of mom and pop Texas-style breakfast tacos joints, starts a pop-up out of her home, opens a store front. 

I'm no judge of Texas style breakfast tacos, so I will leave that up to others.  I do know they had lines down the street on opening weekend so plan accordingly. 

Finally, a Texas-Style Breakfast Taco Place Is Opening in DC

La Tejana website