DC in DC
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Congratulations Kanishka! How exciting! Be safe over there. -
From Urinetown A little bunny in the meadow Is nibbling grass without a care He's so delightful as he hops for you You say, "Hi, bunny" And he stops for you You pull your trigger And he drops for you Goodbye, bunny-boo Hello, rabbit stew!
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See the posts on Tosca--they have white truffles now.
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Congratulations!! I've always thought it was a cute and romantic spot, perfect for an engagement dinner. ETA: My favorites have been the eggplant, tomato, and mozzerella stack, and the duck dishes (duck risotto, duck confit, etc). I've always found the service to be spot on, and a welcome respite from the stuffiness of some DC restaurants. OTOH, with the exception of a duck dish, my husband has never liked what he's ordered (a balsamic pasta that was almost inedible because it had way too much balsamic vinegar).
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Hey Gary-- I don't know about the "tasting menu" per se, but the "white truffles" are in. The bartender informed me of a white truffle risotto ($70/$40, for half portion, I think) or a white truffle fettucine ($60). They come out and shave the truffles right on top (the woman next to me got the fettucine version).
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Does anyone know how long a typical wait will be on a Fri night? We are thinking of asking friends to get there early to put our names in. (I am guessing something on the order of an hour.) thanks! ETA: I just called and spoke to a very nice person at Hanks. Sorry if this has already been posted, but they do "call ahead" where you call 30 min before you arrive. That doesn't guaruntee you a table within 30 min, but means that if the wait is 45 min, you only have to wait 15 min. Also she said that 8pm was the "magic time" when people start pouring in, so arriving before then would make a huge difference.
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I had a very pleasant meal at Tosca last night at the bar, a great place to have a solo meal and read a brief (so as to not feel guilty about leaving work early). As per Don's suggestion, I went with the half-portions of pasta. What a great deal, especially for someone like me who prefers small plates over entrees. I started with the "squash gnocchi dumplings with melted, truffled imported fontina cheese sauce," which actually reminded me a lot of the richotta canardeli I had last week at Palena (probably because both are Italian dumplings?). The truffled cheese sauce was a perfect compliment to the squash dumplings, and the chives (I think?) sprinkled on top were great. I then ordered the lobster risotto, which was an extremely generous portion (I can't imagine eating the full portion). The dish was rich and really tasty, and the risotto was perfectly cooked. Way too full for dessert, but maybe next time. It is a very elegant experience overall without being too stuffy (a feeling I have about the main dining room). The bartenders are friendly and the bread and olives are fantastic. My husband works in the building and I told him that if this place was in MY building, I would definitely come down here on a regular basis for a relaxing meal without breaking the bank. (Hell, I don't work too far away so I will definitely file this place away for when he is working late.)
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Off topic, I know, but wasn't the U2 show awesome last night! We were as far away from the stage as one could possibly be--the VERY LAST ROW in the arena (as my husband joked, "I always wondered who got these seats"), but the sound was still great.
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I'll be at Tosca tonight, solo, before the U2 show (!) Haven't decided yet whether to go with the pre-theatre menu or the half-portions of pasta (since it's the pastas that are calling to me now). Probably will sit at the bar.
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Restaurants That Never Come Up
DC in DC replied to Kanishka's topic in Washington DC Restaurants and Dining
Has anyone been to Dahlia in Spring Valley? I've been thinking about it since it's kind of near my 'hood, which doesn't have much in terms of good eats (Friendship Heights). Here's the link to Tom S.'s mention in the Weekly Dish: Dahila It sounds nice but at the $18-$27/entree price-point, I'm looking for more info before going. -
One of my favorite meals ever has been at Lark. It's very similar to Komi in the casual elegance of the place, though Lark has more of a rustic feel. I wish it were here in DC! We've also enjoyed Flying Fish, Wild Ginger and Brasa.
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Is the half-price pastas at the bar still in effect? I'm thinking about going tomorrow before the U2 show...
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I did notice there was soup---I don't recall if it was the same tomato bread soup, but it did have an egg. There was also a bouilloubaise (sorry for the butchered spelling!) soup with monkfish that looked perfect for a Fall night. So there were definitely 2 options as of last night.
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OK, so is Kotobuki going to be a mob-scene now? I'm thinking about going tonight, solo-- I've been before, but can't remember if there's a bar? Do they do take-out?
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ITA. Mood is everything.
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I've been a few times in the past several months for work and also for RW. It's not a place I would go on my own dime simply because it has a corporate/ expense account feel and I prefer neighborhood places. Recently, the fried oyster appetizer, which I rememberd very fondly from over a year ago, disappointed. They were covered in a hot sauce that, for me, didn't jive with the fried oysters at all. Next time, I'd probably stick with the ceasar salad + fried oysters for an appetizer. During RW, both my husband and I had the scallops entree (with a tomato sauce), which was nothing special. Recently, I had the shrimp and grits, a dish that I love, but was also disappointing. The grits were too watery for me, and I was not a fan of the onions and peppers thrown in; I guess I was looking for something richer and more savory. On a high note, last spring, I had the crab cake, which was excellent.
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What's the perfect place to go for a savory meal on a gloomy night after a day of fasting? Palena Cafe was the answer, and my husband and I had a fabulous meal that was enjoyable not only for the excellent food but the mood and ambiance (I just love the casual elegance of the place). We started with the Jessie's Grove Zinfandel and shared a ricotta cheese "dumpling" (that's how our server described it; I can't remember its italian name now) that was served with chantrelle mushrooms, truffle oil and chives. They split the dish into two plates for us, and both of us really liked the blend of flavors. Then, we stuck with the tried and true-- chicken, cheeseburger, and fries. Perfect comfort food. The cheeseburger came out well-done instead of medium-rare, but our server graciously took it back and came out promptly with a new one. For dessert, we shared the sorbets (lime, blood orange, and grapefruit) that were amazing-- they tasted like the essence of each of those fruits. I just love this place!
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I have never done this, but I understand that there is a late-night "happy hour" (with 1/2 price raw oysters) at Old Ebbitt Grill. A bit of a hike from E street, but not too bad.
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Great Cakes was a big hit! We had the marble cake with chocolate mouse, which was moist and delicious. The bottom of the cake was thin crunchy chocolate layer, which was a nice touch. The decoration was beautiful-- delicate tiny pastel flowers around the border, well-suited for a 60th birthday cake for my mom.
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Also, FWIW, he gave a much-deserved 3-stars to Notti Bianche.
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I work fairly close to there. Within walking distance of 14th and New York is Ceiba, Butterfield 9, Red Sage, and Old Ebbitt. Of those, I'd probably go with Ceiba at 14th and G (only one block south, I believe).
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We finally got to check out Hank's last night after a full day at the National Book Festival and popping in to the anti-war protest. Though we were tempted by Komi's menu as we walked up 17th street, we refrained and went on to Hanks. Definintely NOT disappointed. We got there 10 minutes before it opened, and the patio was already almost full. We snagged a nice corner table, great for people-watching. The little bowl of goldfish is a really cute touch to start with (my husband ate them all). We wrestled with what to start with as everything looked so good. We settled on the ceviche because of the variation-- scallops, shrimp, squid, and fish mixed with lime juice and jalapeno peppers. Excellent, fresh and light; perfect for sharing. We opted not to get the fried oysters, even though I remembered them fondly from 15 ria, because I got the oyster po' boy. I LOVED this sandwich! It was stocked FULL of the fried oysters, which were gigantic, and a few greens; this sandwich was the essence of rich, creamy goodness. My husband had the chile-crusted spadefish, which came with some kind of salsa. I don't know if it was Tom S. who complained of the small portions, but this was a very generous hunk of fish. It was very flavorful and he loved it. We shared onion rings, which were also tasty. Not overly greasy, etc. Next time, I might get something else because coupled with the po' boy, it was a little too much fried stuff. The service was excellent: friendly and casual, which is exactly what you'd expect from a neighborhood place like this. I thought the prices were extremely reasonable. Total for the above (including wine/beer, tax + tip) was $60. I would definitely come back, and second those who lament that it's not open for lunch.
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Unfortunately, we're not going to be in town next weekend. Is there a need for people the following weekend or is that too close to the move-date.
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Trumbull Thanks Shogun! In my unreliable internet research ("fairfield" "westport" and bakery" on google), I also came across Great Cakes. I'm glad to have confirmation that it is the place to go to. I will report back. My mother consistently buys cakes for Thanksgiving at Frances Bakery, which appears to be the main one in Trumbull. It gets raves there, but every cake I've had has just been overly-sweet fruit-filled cakes.
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I had another enjoyable solo meal at the bar, reminding me that it's been far too long since my last trip there. As others have commented, it was a bit quieter than I remember it being back in the spring, but it's nice that way--doesn't feel like a mob scene, but more like the serene and elegant place that it is. I started with the charchuterie plate, and loved sampling the 3-4 different items, namely fabulous squab rilletes (which had a perfect consistency and saltiness-- you could really taste each little morsel of squab), a pate spread on crostini, pickled cabbage and potatoes of some kind. (Forgive me if this isn't precise...). Also two excellent leaves of arugula--peppery and wonderful. Everything was light, yet full of flavor. Perfect. Next, of course, I had the gnoochi, which is now prepared with pesto, beans and potatoes. (In that regard, very similar to the preparation at Notti Bianche, although I don't think their gnoochi had the beans.) Excellent as usual. I could not resist the cheesecake (sour cream and goat cheese) with a raspberry sauce, complete with lime curd and a cookie on top. Now, my favorite dessert was the lime tart, so I ate the cookie and curd separately (almost making it two desserts), in an attempt to relive that experience. The cheesecake was great--nothing heavy or unnecessary richness, but had the distinct sour cream/goat cheese flavor. A few blackberries finished it off. Struck up a very nice conversation with JLK, and had excellent service from Arrity (sp?--sorry!). All in all, just a very nice solo evening--what I've come to expect from Palena!