crackers

Those of you who have recieved copies, I wouldn't mind a bit of feedback if you have the time.

well...since you ask...

I do have some questions about the rating system.

Here is what you wrote about the "panelists" (emphasis added) -

The 50 Most Recommended Restaurants were determined on the basis of data collected by our invitation-only survey panel between January and April 2007. The 175 diners who took part in the survey were drawn from a pool consisting of members of the Opinionated About Dining forums, friends and acquaintances who are passionate about dining out, Internet food bloggers who were sent blind solicitations, and food enthusiasts recommended by other participants.

....

After submitting their ratings, panelists were each assigned a weight based on their level of dining experience as gauged by the number of restaurants they rated and the geographical diversity of those restaurants. Each rating was converted to a score ranging from 70 to 120, and each score was adjusted for the weight of the panelist who submitted the rating. As a result, the opinions of more experienced diners had a greater impact on a restaurant's final score than the opinions of less experienced diners.

Unlike the rating systems employed by other guides, OA doesn't claim that there is a specific correlation between the highest score or ranking and the best cuisine. The list is merely a set of recommendations from a group of knowledgeable diners, and it reflects their likes, dislikes, preferences, and biases. But since the panel is made up of people with significant international dining experience, their collective recommendations imply levels of quality and enjoyment, and in my opinion, result in information that is more reliable and useful to diners than what currently exists

in the market.

This is the first in a series of exciting lists we intend to publish. In the coming weeks, we plan to start collecting new ratings for an updated and expanded list of the 100 most recommended restaurants, to be issued in the fall. Also in the works are surveys of moderate and casual restaurants in New York, London, and Paris, and we are going to be opening up the survey process to the public....

My questions - Will you be screening the participants for future lists to ensure that they have "significant international dining experience"? And what does that mean to you? Finally, for this list, did you participate, and if so, what "weight" did you give to yourself? In otherwords, of the 175 panelists, where did you rank yourself?

Thanks.

[eta: Never heard of Augustine's Fine Dining in these parts - just the one in Maine. ]

We are headed to Baltimore this weekend with some friends. We will have a lot of young ones with us. I was wondering if you could suggest a good place to eat. We would love to try a good Middle-Eastern place or a tapas place.

With a lot of children, I wouldn't recommend the Helmand (open dinner only) unless they are used to quiet, white tablecloth restaurant dining. I love the Afghan Kabab on the corner of Lombard and Charles (37 N. Charles), just two short blocks from the harbor. It closes at 8 pm and is closed on Sundays. It is very casual - formica tables, spare decor, countertop service. But the meals are ample - the inexpensive platters come with cucumber and tomato salad, spiced rice and fresh pita, great lamb kababs (better than at the Helmand), countertop service and a helpful staff. Their kaddo (pumpkin with yoghurt sauce) is worth getting, and the eggplant dish if they have it.

Last week in Pt. Reyes, I walked in to see what was going on at the Cowgirl Creamery. Turns out I'd just missed their weekly tour and tasting. Bummer. But, there was a brand new cows milk cheese they are trying out called Inverness. I got the last small timbale of the batch. It is a keeper - very good on crusty sourdough with a slice of summer tomato and a grind of coarse pepper. Would have been perfect with some of the Fatted Calf fegatelli I picked up at the SF Ferry Plaza farmer's market (but that didn't make it off the pier.) Anyway, it was 55 shivery degrees at Pt. Reyes. Perfect for an afternoon nap on the warm sands of Limantour Beach.

On August 19th, PBS (on HD and digital channels) is running its Chefs A' Field program with an episode that will feature Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong and their children Eve and Eamonn. The show has them touring Polyface Farms. and then the chef cooks with the kids - chicken with chanterelles, and braised pork belly with fresh beans. Word has it that if you give Restaurant Eve some advance notice, you can order the chicken dish.

Luckily I avoid Chuck e Cheese.

Your day will come.

I'm curious if the expectations contrary to mine are from a DC or suburban state of mind.

Let's just say I've done more than my share of time in establishments located in suburban shopping malls with animatron rodents and other furry critters as their theme. Chuck e Cheese does not give free milk or juice refills.

I really don't think they'd do much damage. When we're talking kids drinks, they come in maybe an 8 oz. cup. My kids rarely drink more than two of those. Are profit margins really that tight at restaurants that an extra 8 oz. of milk per child is going to close the doors?

Ideally a restaurant should have flexibility to override refill policies on a case-by-case basis. With the retail price of a regular (not organic) gallon of milk now over $4 a gallon in Washington DC, imagine the effect of the local kids soccer teams descending on American Flatbreads after tournaments. I realize that's very different than topping off the sippy cup of a two year old. Like Mark, I'd like to know how other restaurants set their policies on free refills of milk and juice.

dgreen,

Thanks for your feedback. I will alert the owner in Ashburn to your experience and your expectations regarding children drink refills.

In a suburban pizza place, I would expect to see free refills of fountain sodas and ice tea, but I don't recall ever getting free kiddie refills on milk or juices. My kids each could easily down a quart of milk or more at one sitting, so if restaurants are moving toward free refills of milk, I'm all for it! (Disney World just started doing this at their table service restaurants, so maybe it's a bandwagon worth jumping on.)

Actually I came here for the sole purpose of promoting my survey which people can get free

Pardon the interruption, but people should know that receiving your promotional materials is not free: the cost is giving you a full name and a personal email address, to do with whatever you want. Caveat Lector.

I bought eggplant that looked like tomatillos. I believe it was this variety, yet mine were green. Is this, in fact, Turkish eggplant? I was told that they are denser than purple eggplant and the best way to prepare them is to flour and fry them in hot oil. Any other suggestions?

clickity for Petits Aubergine Farcis / Feta-stuffed Mini-Eggplants

by the way, you linked to Tana Butler's wonderful I Heart Farms blog. Tana is a member of this board and her blog, and its photography are gorgeous!!!

He's just moving from one chain restaurant to another.

Jean Georges - Just another Chain Restaurant in a Trump Hotel! Le Louis XV - Part of the SBM Hotel Conglomerate!!!

Maestro is owned by a hotel, but that hardly makes it a chain restaurant.

Best of luck Fabio - enjoy NYC and everything it has to offer your family, and a world-class chef such as yourself! We here will look forward to your return to Washington DC in a couple of years.

Question - I see that the online menus have the fried oysters on the bar and patio menu, but not on the regular dinner menu. Can you order them if not at the bar/out on the patio?

The crispy oysters were on the restaurant menu last night. With an ever-changing creative menu, perhaps it's best to consider what is on the web a "respresentatative menu" rather than the literal menu.

After been shut out of Citronelle lounge last night due to circumstances beyond their control, we decided to pay a visit to New Heights, and I'm very glad we did! Yes, the sauteed soft shell crabs are still on the menu. They come with a cucumber and fingerling potato salad, sharpened with cilantro and a vindaloo oil, and can be ordered as a half entree for $15, or full for $29 on the menu (the lower price listed in the Express might be for the bar menu?)

However, I chose to try the new $38 "Melding Pot Menu" - three courses and three glasses of wine - an outstanding bargain and truly delicious. I started with the lamb carpaccio that has been so nicely described above. This is my third time having this dish, so it is approaching "addiction" at this point. I shouldn't even say that or it will surely disappear from the menu! It was accompanied by an Albarino, Laxas, Rias Biaxas, SP 2005.

I also sampled the smoked trout with white miso and soba noodle salad. The Idaho rainbow trout was smoked in-house by John Wabeck and was artfully presented and quite tasty. For my main, I chose a roasted red snapper with a corn and fava bean succotash. Perfectly executed and a generous enough portion that I will be reheating it for dinner tonight. I believe it came with a Macon, Alain Normand, "La Roche Vineuse" 2005.

Dessert was something wonderful and off menu. As I was sitting down at the bar, I noticed that a dessert was being brought out to others that looked intriguing and "different." I was told it was not yet on the menu. Of course, I had to try it! It was a delightful summer dessert, reminiscent of the tomato marmalade tart with ricotta basil gelato and basil syrup that I love so much at Tosca. This was a deep dish of soft wide ribbons of sweet syrup-steeped ripe red and yellow tomatoes accompanied by a scoop of creamy basil-thyme ice cream. It was the creation of New Heights' pastry chef Melissa Horst and I hope it makes it to the menu, or at least to a special!

Bummer. Citronelle temporarily closes due to liquor license paperwork (second item)

Wouldn't you know, last night was the night my friend and I decided to have dinner in the Lounge after a cocktail party at Poste. We'd even found street parking. The signs on the doors of the restaurant indicated that at least some guests were being redirected to Vidalia.

I have never had a bad pasta dish at the hands of Chittum, two fish courses were interestingly similar to the style you might find at Hook, meaning that they were deceptively simple presentations, but sitting atop fairly complex and well-thought-out ingredients, a Roasted Sablefish ($28) with summer-squash ratatouille, brandade, and crispy squash blossom, and also a BBQ'd Rockfish ($26) with sweet corn succotash, marjoram, and Virginia ham both had the potential to be very fine, the recipes themselves being interesting and the accompaniments well-executed, but unfortunately both pieces of fish were noticeably overcooked, and that rendered the entire entrée portion of the meal good "on paper only,"

This certainly was not my experience last night at Vermilion. My fish entree, the bbq'd rockfish, was fantastic; moist and perfectly grilled under a light brushing of smoky bbq sauce. Started with an exemplary fresh corn chowder with mussels, and a perfect heirloom cherry tomato salad with burrata and basil: summer summer summer!!! The pork-three ways was equally well prepared, and I was particularly enamoured of the carefully conceived boudin. No complaints about the service at all. Everyone was efficient and helpful, and our server informed us immediately that they had run out of soft shells. We were seated upstairs at a two-top overlooking the parade of life along King Street, which was great for people watching between courses. The only choice I regretted was the nutella pana cotta with hazelnut crepe and mascerated strawberries (sounds awesome, right?!) The crepe had spent too much time in the refrigerator, lacking that warm buttery, soft velvet mouthfeel, and the berries were not flavorful. I am sorry that Heather and Tony are no longer the team they were at Notti Bianche.

There are a few appetizer and entree selections offered in half portions at half price (including the rockfish at $14) - making a three-course dinner with a glass of wine for under $40 easily accomplished for those without gargantuan appetites.

Who are you, and what do you do?

Veranda is being promoted as a "Mediterranean" neighborhood place with Greek and Italian food opening soon on the east side of Logan Circle. Their minimal website shows the on-going renovation process and there is a cute computer-generated image of what they hope the small patio will look like when it is open.

Closed a couple of weeks ago. David Scribner told me he is hoping to reopen in September with new partners and a new concept in the same high-rent location.

This Saturday, July 21 is the Asian Festival. There is free admission to the event which includes music, cultural performances, food from a long list of local restaurants with authentic dishes not on the regular menues, crafts, and even an Asian Idol contest. There will also be a Singha Beer Garden, Thai kickboxing demonstartions, a breakdancing tournament, and a lot of tennis activities.

10:00 am - 9:00 pm. Lake Newport Tennis Facility, 11452 Baron Cameron Avenue, Reston, VA. 703.589.4144.

Last month some DC friends of mine asked for recommendations for a casual dinner for visiting cousins from Long Island who were staying at the Inner Harbor during some high school lacrosse tournament. I tried to warn them away from Little Italy. Instead, I suggested a water taxi over to Fells Point or Canton and eating at Peter's Inn, Duda's, One-Eyed Mike's, Mama's on the Half Shell or Birches. Did they listen??? Noooooo.

This is the sad email I received back from my friend:

My cousin gets sick on boats; so we decided to just go to Sabatino's since they love Italian, but that was a mistake. Well they said they liked it, but I thought it was disappointing: the sauces were too heavy and the salad dressing too salty and the veal parmesian didn't have fresh parmesian. And you can now say "I told you so."

Here are a couple of websites that can help you locate wifi:
JiWire.com - Allows you to search via country, city etc. and by categories such as libraries.
Anchorfree.com/ Allows you to search via country, city etc. and by categories such as libraries for wireless hotspots.

In the Annapolis area:

49 West Cafe
49 West Street
Annapolis , MD 21401
410-626-9796

City Dock Cafe
71 Maryland Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401

Alchemy Tea & Trading Co.
92 Maryland Avenue
Annapolis MD 21401
410-216-7001

Hard Bean Coffee and Book Sellers
36 Market Space
City Dock
Annapolis MD 21401
410-263-8770

Muddy Paw Coffee Bar
130 Hillsmere Drive
Annapolis MD 21403

Armadillo's
132 Dock Street
Annapolis MD 21401
410-280-0028

Corky's Hard Bean Café
562B Ritchie Highway
Severna Park , MD 21146
410-518-6077

Garry's Grill
553 Baltimore Annapolis # A
Severna Park , MD 21146
(410) 544-0499

The Big Bean
558 B & A Blvd.
Severna Park , MD 21146
410-384-7744

Noooo! That would be no fair! First Ferhat, now Rissa. Phooey.

click

Heard through the grapevine:

There will be mock service going on tonight and tomorrow (half price off the check for lunch and dinner) call 966-ROCK for reservations. And report back.

Two of us had the main dish of scallops .... and although it was only two scallops, it was a filling entree and went together really well.

Seriously - only two scallops?!