stupidusername

On 6/10/2019 at 1:28 PM, MarkS said:

I'll predict that Chef Geoff's loose out to Patsy's.  Very close to each other, similar food ad GAR executes better.

I predict you are correct

"Chef Geoff's To Close Tysons Restaurant in 12 Days" by Catherine Douglas Moran on tysonsreporter.com

3 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Whoever runs it must own the building - this is the type of place that seems like it would have been bought out ten-years ago.

This building and Rhodeside Grill next door are both owned by the National Science Teachers Association which owns and occupies the office building next door.  Old stories suggest both restaurants would be demolished and the association building would be expanded at some point in the future. 

All seems fairly new but Pinea is closing:

Jul 2, 2018 - "Exclusive: W Hotel Plans $50 Million Renovation" by Rebecca Cooper on bizjournals.com

1 hour ago, dracisk said:

I think that's right at least for Burma and Kanlaya (I can't remember when Urfa opened). Burma was on the second floor and Kanlaya at ground level (not sure if they were in the same building or neighboring buildings).

Google Street between 2009 and 2014 shows all three of them together, with Urfa immediately to the North of the other two. Kind of a weird hodge podge building that is more united with the renovation where On Rye was.  

Very interesting article but one portion (copied below) struck me.  I can understand (but perhaps not agree) with the notion that a waiter/waitress job is more difficult than being a line cook, but how in the world is being a food runner paid better than a line cook?  If you dropped me into a restaurant and asked me to be a food runner, I am sure I would be bad at it, people might get the wrong food a couple times and it might be a little slow.  If you dropped me in as a line cook, it would be a race to see whether I would make someone sick or burn the building down first.  

Every line cook at Tail Up Goat works in the dining room once a week as a food runner or back server. They complete easy tasks like folding napkins and filling waters. It’s a much shorter shift, and the line cook gets a share of the pooled tips from the evening. Laura Pohanka, who has been a line cook at Tail Up Goat since July 2016, says the boost brings line cooks’ pay closer to a living wage. 

1 hour ago, DonRocks said:

Don't forget, Ten Penh is in Tysons Corner now, and we could use some reviews of it.  Remember that its original chef, Cliff Wharton, is at least 50% Filipino, and Pan-Asian cooking seemed to be in his blood; Miles Vaden is a fine chef, but it probably isn't second nature to him (FWIW).

This Arlington magazine review indicates that Cliff Wharton is back

"Chef Cliff Wharton, who helmed the original D.C. location, recently replaced Miles Vaden in the kitchen."

5 hours ago, Genevieve said:

Where do y'all recommend for arepas? Especially interested in Arlington, close-in NoVa, and DC (ideally near a Metro stop). I had tasty ones a few times at Gua-rapo (Arlington) in the past, but atmospherically that place is just not my scene (in terms of music and hookahs). 

Gua-rapo is closed 

Quote

Oh and if someone tries Sushi2Go, let me know!  I walk by this on the way to my nail place, and I don't ever think it can be good..

Sushi2Go is no gourmet experience, but is much better than you might think. I was expecting the sushi here to be in line with something you might get at a grocery store but it is better. This is not Sushi Taro by any means, but everything is prepared to order and tastes very fresh. In addition, the woman working the register (there are usually only two people working there) is super nice and friendly. It is a charming little business and worth giving a short if you are looking for some sushi and not eat it in a restaurant. 

On 1/12/2017 at 10:13 PM, DonRocks said:

By the way, that article mentions that one of the remaining trolleys is a Pedro & Vinny's in South Arlington on Columbia Pike. I drove by there last Thursday evening, and I'm nearly 100% certain that *all* signage was down (it was dark out, but I crept by it in the parking lot in my car). I'm not convinced this place is still a Pedro & Vinny's - it seemed like it might have been open; I just didn't see any signs at all.

Is now Burrito Bros.  No, not Burrito Brothers the once popular chain.

Well this is awful

"Rosslyn's Caffe Aficianado Shut Down after Police Raid" on arlnow.com

This is going to sound super negative but I would be excited about a bartender who greeted me within 10 minutes of arrival, served me food and drinks within a reasonable time and didn't forget an order or spill something.   The notion of having that plus a great personality and knowledge is so far from reality I cannot even dream of it.

17 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

To me Yona was trying to fuse Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Greek.  It was probably a disaster financially.  They need a concept that works and much better execution.

Obviously tastes differ.  I very much enjoyed my meals at Yona and hope that they will continue with high quality even with different kitchen leadership. I don't see how it could have been a "disaster" financially as it was always pretty full.  But I do think that trying to serve a super limited menu (small plates and bowl of ramen) is tough.  It certainly seems that people were coming in and didn't want a bowl of heavy and hot ramen when it is 100 degrees out.  So I could imagine a business-minded Isabella wanting to move in a culinary direction that is less pure to a vision but more profitable.  I think you lose some of the diversity of places when this happens but restaurants aren't going to stay open just to serve me and people like me.  

Java Shack in Arlington always has two nitro cold brews. Pretty refreshing in the warm weather

And it is gone:

"Secret Chopsticks Appears To Have Closed After Just Three Months" by Rebecca Cooper on bizjournals.com

This is a definite worry. If InBev is specifically in control of the Red Porch, I think the variety on the taps (and the Friday firkins) is under threat.

I hear the Red Porch is gone and it is being changed to the Budweiser Brew House.  Whether it will exclusively have Budweiser-branded beer is another question.

Again from Red Brick town

"Don Taco Restaurant and Tequila Bar Coming to Old Town"

RE: "changeover from Flat Iron Steak & Saloon to Don Taco Restaurant & Tequila Bar.

One of the owners, Scott Parker, reached out via email.

"While we had a good 2.5 years at Flat Iron, we never felt that the concept was successful enough. We know we can do better and provide something that the people of Old Town can enjoy more and on a more regular basis.

We hope to open by February 15th as construction is moving along quickly. The new concept will have a bar on the first floor, as well as one on the second floor with tables for seated dining on both.

Diners can expect a concept that is based around tacos, beer, and tequila. There will be a few other Mexican-American items but tacos will be the bulk and the highlight of the menu."

Scott Parker is the owner/co-owner of Don Tito and A-Town.  I'm not sure "diners" will be the right term here.  

While I wouldn't be shocked if many of the Indian trucks were just batching together Trader Joe's Indian meals, I've had consistently good food from Chatpat truck.  Usually get curries but they also do dosas as well, which are tasty but very hard to package and then eat in an office type environment.  

But, on the issue of absentee chefs licensing their names as with Todd Gray and Watershed, I have zero problem with that believing that a more free-market issue. As a customer, I don't like it and just avoid spots with poor quality or that aren't a good value in my own subjective opinion. But clearly in this country, millions of others have different priorities and will pay richly because a famous chef's name is on the door. Such is their right. I'm just not among them.

 Is Todd Gray a celebrity chef?  I feel like could ask 100 people who are interested in food in the DC area and maybe 5 would place the name and maybe 2 would identify what he is associated with.  Never been to anything he has been associated with so can't speak to food quality.

I am somewhat tempered in speaking my mind normally, which might be taken as being shy.  I felt that I was being polite in not interrupting the bartender's work at the register.  So I did not say "excuse me" when he was at the register directly in front of me.  I guess I was somewhat dumbfounded in his leaving the register to look over what seemed to be checks for tables on the floor, and his movement up onto the dining floor, without even so much as saying "I will be back with you shortly" or some equivalent eye contact connoting something to that effect. At those points, my "excuse me" would have likely been heard by a considerable number of patrons, and would have made me feel uncomfortable.

I am equivocal about whether I should have just mentioned to the manager why I was leaving, as opposed to posting the reason here.  I tend to not fare well when making irritations known on site.  I did not anticipate the minor s-storm that ensued.

I completely feel this.  The times I have spoken up in the face of disappearing service, either with an "excuse me", or going to the manager, the interactions the rest of the time are either passive aggressive or so overly fawning that I am very uncomfortable.  And depending on when this happens, I prefer to slink out quietly or just grin and bear the bad service and move on with my life and perhaps not come back.  And to be clear, I'm not referring to any experience at Gypsy Soul here.  To get on topic, the chicken skins at Gypsy Soul are delicious and the lunch deals make me wish I worked anywhere near there.

Ugh

Pretty much what you might have expected based on the ownership.  I think they'll be selling lots more Fireball than mezcal.  Hope to be proven wrong.

Shit.

A-Town is the most notorious bar in the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor and has had more police incidents and complaints than anyone.  I hope the owners have a slightly different direction in mind for this.  If not, this block containing Spider Kelly's (which I actually quite like when it is not crowded), Clarendon Ballroom, and this new place will be a horror show on a Friday night.

Disappointed to hear that.  Was pretty busy in both the bar and the main dining room but would imagine this is a very expensive place to run.  

Had a delicious meal at Eventide tonight.  This has to be among the nicest places in the area to be able to talk (due to booths and lots of room) but still have pretty modern food.  Certainly nothing groundbreaking but everything was well-prepared.  Service was excellent and the room is beautiful.  The scallop appetizer was a highlight.  I had stayed away for a while as the chefs seemed to be changing for a while but I am interested in returning again before too long.  

Arrowine is far from the biggest shop but they have plenty of selection in there.  Very close to Dupont at 22nd and K.  

Investigated my memory banks and remembered the two roasters that were featured.  Drop Coffee and Tim Wendelboe.  I've never seen or heard of either anywhere else but the one I had from Drop here was really great.