FunnyJohn

Anyone know why our omnipotent host is member #2 and not #1. Is this just a case of self-effacement? Edited to add: This is a matter of great ontological import.

Why yes they are. And apparently the White House has been notified because the First Lady was amongst those present this afternoon.

I will take a stab at answering Mr. Dente's fair questions about our strange horse consumption policies and practices: First I think that the role in our culture and national Id for horses drives a lot of our laws banning domestic consumption. Related to this is a the existence of a large, wealthy and well-connected group of people who have sporting, and similar hobby types of interests associated with horses. We have similar policies for dogs and other common domestic pets, don't we. And now to my own discovery of the edible side of the equine: When I was a young and pretty much all the time poor but hungry intern in Geneva, Suisse I found at the local food marts something identified as "tranche panee". Thinking that these are what they looked like -- a breaded veal cutlet, I regularly dined on these as the price was right. Although I noted a kind of strong and gamey taste, I dismissed this as being due to the difference between American veal and European veal. It wasn't 'til I'd been in Geneva for about six months that a girlfriend explained to me that I was eating Trigger

Well -- I'm not the one with the Monte Cristo craving. She could have joined me for lunch yesterday at Harry's, but instead I had to settle for Laura Bush.

Anyone know if the doors are regularly open now for lunch?

Well, actually Mark, you have assembled what I would call the Ur-wine list.

Hey everyone -- thanks for helping straighten out this issue. Looks like a concensus formed around Bennigans for the sure thing. I must say that I would never set foot in the one at 7 Corners after the steak I foolishly had there the only time I ventured in. I've e-mailed this entire thread to my boss and she is laughing her ass off. Thanks much!

I ordered a Kurobuta pork ham for Easter -- worth the price. Here's the pig Not really an heirloom animal, but a porker of a different type than what we usually find.

This morning during my daily chat with my boss, she happened to reminisce about a place that used to be near the White House which had great Monte Cristos. She's from Las Vegas where apparently that sandwich is as ubiquitous as the hot dog in Chicago. Anyway she lamented that no one in this town makes good Monte Cristos. I told her that the Childe Harold IMHO made a quite decent version, so we went there for lunch today. Boy did I find out that I am wrong, wrong and clueless as to what a real Monte Cristo is. At the Childe they batter the bread in a french toast kind of batter, then assemble the sandwich (ham, turkey and cheese) and then grill or bake the sandwich. I have since learned that a "real" Monte Cristo is assembled, then dipped in batter and then deep fried. It is also served with Rasberry jam (I have my CH MCs with mustard). So to redeem my kiss-up act, can anyone let me know if there is anyplace in the District that does the real MC? I will spend the rest of this afternoon kicking-down to compensate for my failure.

By an opaque process inside the RAMW org. But it's awfully decent of them to allow us mere customers to actually select the winner in a few of the categories.

Seem to be a little slow in updating their website -- no winners posted yet but click here later today. I heard Indebleu made "hottest bar scene." Cafe Milano "Power Spot". Those are the only ones I can recall. None of the establishments I voted for won

Had six split chicken breast halves to deal with (one of those buy one get one free deals at Safeway). They were Purdue's birds so I new I would have to spice them up in order for them to have some degree of tastiness. I cross halved each one and then sprinkled liberally with some Penzey's lemon pepper salt blend and smoked Spanish Paprika before throwing them on the barbecue over some mesquite. I whipped up my own barbecue sauce and the end result was quite delicious with plenty of left over chicken for this week. Enjoyed it with some ratatouille and a bot of Gruner Vertliner.

That's right -- TJs does carry this, but I advise on avoiding the ones that are pre-marinated. The last time I brought one of these and it tasted like it had been washed in chemicals of a fairly toxic quality. I brought a plain one before and it was quite good after tossing on the barbie. Edited to add "Oh goodie! Just made the exalted ventworm status."

The perverse will of the people has been worked and Mie an Yu has been selected as "best restaurant". I voted for Mendocino. Who did you vote for?

From the July issue of Food and Wine: "Restaurant Eve Alexandria, Virginia Best Buy 2002 Vinya L'Hereu Petit Grealo ($39) Sommelier Todd Thrasher says this Grenache from Catalonia is elegant and full of sweet blackberry flavor. Restaurant Eve is proof that you don't need to stockpile mountains of bottles to produce a great wine list—you just have to choose well. This 180-selection list stays away from big names in favor of good values, says general manager and sommelier Todd Thrasher. And that includes 20 wines priced at $35 or under. At Restaurant Eve, chef Cathal Armstrong and partner Meshelle Armstrong operate both the high-end Tasting Room and the less formal Bistro. While Tasting Room diners might enjoy Lobster Crème Brûlée, in the Bistro they can opt for a confit of pork belly with glazed onions, baby carrots and Swiss chard. For the pork, Thrasher suggests the 2001 Paul Garaudet Monthelie Le Meix Bataille ($68). "It has a hearty, rustic quality." Congratulations Todd!

I fed my whim last night at Firefly with a few other Rockwellians. Sampling the delicious white wine (what the hell do you call that grape -- petite Carbou??) that was on offer from Wabeck and also the South African reds that jparrott brought around to try + fried oysters . Tonight I may stop by Harry's in Clarendon or maybe I'll just go home and give my liver a rest Next week....

I think I'll swing by as well this evening -- so long as it doesn't rain. See y'all there.

One just opened at Ballston Commons -- right across from the Starbucks

It's only during school hours and when school is in session -- i.e. you can be served outside at all hours during the summer

Spent yesterday smokin' -- a slab 'o pork ribs. Then it rained -- well, ok, spritzed is the better description, and I thought I'd have to finish them in the oven. But the Gods were kind and it stopped spritzing and I was able to fire up the grill to finish the ribs. Um-Um delicious. The secret (aside from apple wood) -- my hoisin based marinade and finishing sauce. Losen my tongue with a few glasses of wine and I may divulge it one of these days.

No spankin' that monkey

Not sure how it could be anything like Nectar, inasmuch as the reason for Nectar being closed (I thought) was that it was too upscale for the Hotel and its clientel -- perhaps I am laboring under a false impression...

Good WRITING! I agree. The point about the transformation of that neighborhood is well taken. When my wife and I moved back to the District in '86 we lived on the stretch of Vermont Ave. between Thomas and Logan circles. I refered to it then as downtown Sodom and Gomarahh, between the hookers and the drug dealers. Glad to see things changing. I'm still wondering about Merkado, however...

There was a long discussion on another Society's site about use of the term foodie and its alternatives. I agree with Mark Slater that "gastronaut" is pretty cool, and while bon vivant I think is descriptive of many of us , it has a wider connotation that goes beyond simply food. I think that like anything else that as long as it's linked to enjoyment you can be as serious about food as you like. If it becomes obsessive, or interfering with one's pleasure well that would be a problem, wouldn't it?

I dropped in to view the progress yesterday afternoon on my way down to Eastern Market. Troy and Jared invited me in to try dinner. I was kind of skeptical because even the downstairs area looked like it was far from ready for Prime Time, but my curiosity got the better of me and I popped in around 8. I must say the downstairs was transformed into a real attractive space. Plopped down at the bar and started sampling the Italian reds. I mentioned to Drew that I'd already been to Harry's and had not yet had anything solid in my stomach. Presto out comes the calamari risotto in the squid's ink. I felt like I was flashing back to the Dalmatian coast where I had what I thought at the time was the best risotto I'd ever had. In short it was superb. My wife arrived and ordered the Bronzino -- the whole fish roasted (looks like trout) but comes from the Med. Nothing left on her plate by the time it occurred to me to ask for a bite. Also had the fontina cheese plate with the cured meat. I told Jared that I was pretty sure the place will be a huge hit when it actually opens to the general public -- particullarly given the state of restaurant possibilities in that part of town. The upstairs areas are still under construction and will probably not be ready for about a month or maybe three weeks.