FunnyJohn

How about purchasing a pair of inexpensive slacks or even jeans? Hecht's ain't that far away. That way all options become available and for a guy it shouldn't take much time out of their day. How 'bout Indebleu for dinner?

I hear some oysters calling me from Old Ebbitt

Not yet, but some of us may have been there tonight wondering where you were. edited: I mean tomorrow night

Don't know, but I'm open to suggestions. Anxious to renew acquaintances with my DR buds -- what's it been 2 or three weeks?

You are singing my song on this particular thread For Steak and chili cuts, lamb, veal -- oh hell, just about everything that is hoofed (not horse, though) Eastern Market Union Butchers. They have hard-to-find and awesome skirt and hanger steaks that are vacu sealed. For Pork also the meat counter down from Union at the Market (got a Latino name like Canales??) For Dry aged Beef: Whole Foods in Clarendon For lamb, veal (and good chicken): Lebanese Butchers, Falls Church Wegmans is also good -- they carry Sunnyside Farms beef.

Ah-HA!

Hey my wife is a smoker and when we took our daughter to Restaurant Eve a few months ago, my wife didn't just get up once to go out and smoke, but several times. I was embarrassed because not only were our fleet of servers completely acommodating, they replaced her napkin each time with fresh linen. After the fourth new napkin appeared I asked them to stop. I'm with Tom on this -- there's more than one side to this critical account: Washington, D.C.: I agree with the reader in your recent magazine column who is sick of all your readers sending in complaints about restaurants. I also rarely find things to critisize in my dining experiences. HOWEVER, I recently dined at Restaurant Eve in Alexandria for the third time. Food is really great there but each time I find the service somewhat snobby and definitely with an attitude that diners are so lucky to be eating there. A recent Wednesday night we took a friend visiting from Paris there. She is a smoker and is used to smoking during good meals. Between the first and main course we took her outside to have a quick cigarette. We told our waiter where we were going. A few minutes later the manager stuck his head out the door and said VERY RUDELY, "I can either throw the food away or leave it to get cold on your table...your choice" and stormed back in. We had actually had to wait 20 minutes after our reservation time to be seated and we didn't complain! Was I wrong to leave feeling offended and sickened by his attitude? Tom Sietsema: Am I hearing the full story here? I wonder. The command from the staff member sure doesn't sound like the Eve I know.

If you go to Ceiba make sure you try the "Nirvana Nachos"

UMMM! Booze, butts, bullets and barbecue -- I'm bettin' it's Eastern NC

Try any of the butchers' counters at Eastern Market

I wonder if they'll have an episode based on the incident where the new Bride visits the place Bourdain did his early training in.

Yes, dammit! Michael has spoiled the steak experience at practically every other place that serves beef.

I organized a modest post-graduation dinner for 14 last Saturday at Ceiba. We occupied two tables, and having misjudged the duration of G'Town's graduation, most of the party arrived at 8 for a 9:30 reservation . No problem. Our diverse group ranging from 12 years old to 60 got seated fairly soon after arrival. Service was courteous, efficient and attentive. I must say that having eaten at all of the Tunk organization's places, that seafood is generally their strong point, with pork dishes being next. I ordered a steak -- ribeye on the bone with a kind of chimichura like crust -- asked for it very rare and it came closer to medium rare. It was ok but nothing to write home about. (Note to self: make a reservation for Ray's soonest.) Started with the ceviche sampler which was quite good, while others had fois gras which I heard was also decent. Other entrees reported on were the Boulliabase with a Cuban twist -- excellent and several of the fish dishes. My dessert was liquid, a couple of anejo tequillas and a shot of expresso.

You've probably already tried it, but Dean & Deluca has some ok dried spices. I really like Penzeys though, and coincidentally just ordered their Smoked Spanish Paprika. We'll have to compare.

As a libertarian -- I oppose legislating behavior. Prefer to allow the market place to do it. There are several fine eating establishments in DC that have completely banned smoking and don't seem to have suffered. I vastly prefer living in a society where a choice is available -- smokers can do what they they wish and non-smokers likewise. I also still believe in the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus....

So when will they be able to serve alcohol? (I'm assuming they are in the liquor license application process)

How to follow this? Anyone know if the cigar bar part of Tallula has/ever opened?

Have you taught Peanut how to use chopsticks yet?

So When will Corduroy get hip and stock the Gruet?

I like the big marts mentioned in post #1, but another one that hasn't been mentioned is the Lebanese Butcher on Annandale Road and Hill Street. Friendly and accomodating service for high quality lamb, veal, chicken and, if the spirit moves you -- goat -- all priced to go. Also a good selection of the usual Middle Eastern groceries, e.g. fal, spices, pomegranite juice.

I was referring to wine and not ABC/liquor prices in VA. I think if you shop around for wine you can find good deals in all jurisdictions, but since the discussion was really about DC's inane restriction on how many bottles a consumer may receive per month in the mail, my point was about protecting the revenues the District receives from its alcohol tax on wines (although I guess it would apply to any form of alchohol).

Went yesterday. My meatball sandwich lacked enough sauce. Maybe when I asked the Chef to put the cheese on the bottom, he thought I was overly concerned with the bread becoming soggy by the time I ate it.

The DC government is committed to extracting it's alchohol tax which is double the rate of VA. I've heard reports of DC residents who purchased a case or two in VA getting stopped and searched by DC cops upon their return to the District. No wonder they have imposed this -- basically unenforceable -- restriction on shipments. It would seem that the discriminatory aspect of this is fairly clear, but may require additional litigation to overturn.

Any interest in a $20 dinner at Malaysia Koptium on Friday, May 27 (preceeding Memorial Day 3 day wkend.) If it's not convenient for a lot of folks who plan to be out of town, can we do it on another Friday?

Love to, but have an important engagement to dine with the President (along with a thousand of his other closest friends). Looking forward to a report if you go and maybe it will be worthwhile for you to make a return visit, and me to go for the first time, perhaps next week?