FunnyJohn

So, where we going tomorrow?

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.

I haven't figured it out yet. Maybe Ceiba?

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

I was in my local Safeway last night, 17th Street, and their beef ribs, which I have been requested to serve this weekend, were meatless!  Anyone know where I can purchase meaty Texas-style ribs?  I'm thinking of trying the DC Farmer's market?  Thanks,

Cathy

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.

I'm spoiled when it comes to steaks.  I foreswear ordering a steak at any place other than Ray's the Steaks or some other place that has been sanctioned by Michael Landrum (Corduroy).  Anything else is bound to be a disappoinment.

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.

Is there any good place to shop for spices in the DC area?  I know some people get their spices mail order from Penzys.  I just ordered some paprika from a place called Spice House International and will see how that goes.  I mean, $5 for a whole pound of Spanish smoked paprika: how can I go wrong, if it is not good, I'm only out $5 (plus shipping).

What other resources are out there?

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?

Last night's dinner was at JPW's Thai Home Eatery

Pork larb - absolutely exquisite. The chef has really perfected this dish

Cucumber salad with salty sweet lime dressing - not bad but nothing special

Chix stir fry with chinese broccoli and bamboo shoots - nicely done and just the right amount of heat. Could have used a little bit more sauce as the bamboo shoots are thirsty little bastards.

Have you taught Peanut how to use chopsticks yet?

Don't want to misinform or disappoint you, but JPW was referring to my experience about Gruet being served in Hank's Oyster Bar, not Corduroy.

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).

My pork shoulder sandwich was a little on the subpar side today.  I kept biting into little pieces of gristle and I had a little pile of them on my foil at the end.  I'm sure that if I had been one person sooner or later in the line that my sandwich would have been just fine.  I happened along just as Chef Donna was slicing into the part where the gristle was hiding.  cjsadler appeared to enjoy his meatball sandwich though.

Where in the heck was everyone else?

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.

Although not addressed by the court's action yesterday, I really wonder whether the "quantity shipped" issue should be looked at.  (Granted, there's no one whose going to make it a priority).  But I agree that the one bottle of wine per month in the District is a joke.  And who enforces that?  Who's liable for a violation?  The buyer?  The shipper?  What if the buyer gets one bottle from 12 different vineyards?  Not to mention the fact that if it's perfectly legal to go to a store and buy ten cases, why not have them shipped if shipping is permitted.

Who writes these laws??!!!  And were they bombed when they wrote them?

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?

Anyone planning to go to the Grill today -- early?

Yes Congress could wave its wand, but I doubt it will -- there is a pretty strong "free wine" caucus in the House led by a Republican member, George Radonovich, who is himself owner of the eponymous Radonovich Vinyards. It may be that the abstemious part of the GOP could trump the free trade part, but I doubt it.

Prompted by Rissa's mentioning that she had a "New Mexico sparkling wine", which I guessed correctly was Gruet, I ask the following --

Is Gruet the new mini-burger?

I first had it about 2 years ago at Grapeseed in Bethesda.

Since then I have seen it many places, although I haven't kept track of exactly where. I know that they carry it at Adega in SS.

Ubiqitous hipster food that gets sold because it is "unusual" or something worth while?

Oyamel has Gruet -- first time I came across it.

We had a discussion to a certain extent elsewhere of the larger topic you are suggesting. As I recall it centered on Salumi and also on things that are Wasabi crusted as cropping up in a hipsterish context.