Joe H

Argentina has a huge Italian population: there is great Italian AND great pizza there!

Well, there are many different kinds of parmigiana. Isn't there value in only using the Reggiano name for that which comes from that region? Or aceto balsamic tradizionale? Or any of many different foodstuffs whose taste and/or texture is unique to a particular area? Eppouises? I can't imagine, say, Wisconsin eppouises or New York aceto balsamic traditional. Of course I suppose H. J. Heinz and Coca Cola, among others, would have an opinion on this, too. Even "Maui" potato chips or Hawaiian Vintage chocolate or Tabasco or...

I actually think the Post is making impressive strides in their Food section. I enjoyed the exchange between Richman and Hagedorn and liked the lengthy feature about Bremer. Both of these seemed to be the kind of articles that the Post has lacked for several years in this section. Yes, there's more that I would like to see including elements from some of the local blogs. But these are positives. What is needed is for them to sell more advertising space which in turn funds their ability to grow this section. Incrimental steps, but steps nevertheless.

Joel Gott is known for his zinfandel but his 2003 Cab is absolutely delicious and about $16-17.

I have represented a Vancouver company for over 15 years and have done my best to eat my way through that city. I probably know its restaurants almost as well as D. C. I agree about C and Vij's although Tamarind is excellent, too. Tojo's also and well known. The owner of Lumiere has opened Feenie's which is a more casual version. (If you ever in Toronto North 44 is similar and one of my favorites anywhere.) Mistral is one of the most anticipated restaurants to open in Vancouver in a long time-it opened two weeks ago. One of our favorite restaurants is the Cannery which is not in league with several of those above yet it has a fantastic view, excellent wine list and is one of the best overall "experiences" in any Vancouver restaurant. If you go their salmon in puff pastry is excellent. I would describe this as the L'auberge Chez Francois of Vancouver. The is the link to a post of mine from over three years ago about Sun Sui Weh, Vancouver's premier "live seafood" restaurant: http://www.chowhound.com/midatlantic/board...sages/7171.html We also like one of the original White Spots (North Vancouver on the main highway and easy to find) where they still have curb service and really good, greasy hamburgers. White Spot is all over B. C. but this is one of only two or three that till serve the way they did in the '50's. This is an outstanding website for Vancouver dining: http://www.evevancouver.ca/food/index.htm As an example of what I consider to be a superb tool for researching a city before visiting look at this particular page on evevancouver: http://www.evevancouver.ca/food/robsonstreet.htm D. C. should have something like this. Scroll around-there a lot there. I personally think Vancouver has the most beautiful setting of any city on earth.

For me "changES" would not imply a job changE such as leaving the Post. I would guess that it may mean a new area of responsibility or input at the Post which would increase his imprint; this could also take the Post in something of a different direction in some areas, perhaps in response to Washingtonian's recent moves, perhaps in response to food boards such as these. Key, for me, is the Chat itself; he is the first major reviewer to do this. I believe this is one of several excellent means for "mining" the popularity of the internet which in turn reinforces his position in the community as well as allowing him the opportunity to appeal to a broader audience. Although this can be potentially risky I am surprised that more critics have not begun doing this. I give him real credit for being the first. Anyway, this is nothing but vague speculation on my part.

1.San Sebastian, Barcelona and Tarragona. 2.Rubano (Le Calandre), Venice (Alle Testiere, da Fiore), Senigallia (Uliassi, La Madonnina del Pescatore); alternatively Florence (Sostanza, Cibreo) and down along the coast (Gambero Rosso) into Rome (La Pergola). 3.Schwarzwald region of Germany (Schwarzwaldstube ((three Michelin stars and the best restaurant in Germany easily as good as Paris' best)), Bareiss); this is one of the most beautiful places on earth virtually undiscovered by Americans. You cannot believe how good Black Forest cake-really alcoholic Black Forest cake, made in house-tastes when eaten in a thousand year old mountain cafe, five thousand feet above sea level. With wood beamed ceilings and an open fire nearby. And no one that speaks English!!! For all of the discussion on this board about the difficulty of reservations at the French Laundry and El Bulli, the most difficult of all are at Schwarzwaldstube where they accept reservations one year to the minute to the day. They book up within several hours of beginning to accept them and rarely, if ever, have a cancellation. I would argue that this is the most beautiful dining room on earth with absolutely ethereal cuisine. This is their website: http://www.traube-tonbach.de/traube_1024/t...l/home/home.htm

2003 Shotfire Ridge Shiraz received 93 points from the Wine Spectator in an issue received today. Magruder's on Connecticut ave near Chevy Chase circle has 11 cases left @ $13.99 a bottle (@2:30 Saturday afternoon). The Wine Spectator notes its list price at $20. (Thanks, Zora for introducing me to this.)

I was in Arthur Bryant's on Brooklyn Avenue last year. It was extraordinary! The french fries were fried in lard, just like Benny's on Maine Avenue in the '50's here. All of the Q was very good to excellent; but the real attraction is this location, the original, the one that Calvin Trilling wrote and rhapsodized about. How can someone, anyone go to Kansas City and not eat at Arthur Bryant's on Brooklyn avenue? But there are other Arthur Bryant's. Which are not on Brooklyn avenue. And nowhere near as good as the original. With all due respect to LC's and Gates and a whole bunch of others including Guy and Mae's in Williamsburg, KS (which may have the best ribs of all!) I cannot go to Kansas City and NOT go to Arthur Bryant's. It is mecca. Mecca is not to be missed. Nor is Stroud's for fried chicken....but that is another thread.

I really like the Taste of Saigon. I've only been to the one at Tyson's but have been 20 or 30 times over the years and every one has been well worth the trip. With all due respect to the Eden Center for what the Taste of Saigon serves, I believe it is excellent and would not hesitate to promote it along with several of the restaurants in the Eden Center. In fact for several dishes I believe that it may be the best of all. In particular their mussels which compete with Mannequin Pis and Bistro Bis for D. C.'s best. The "black pepper sauce" which Dinwoodie mentioned is outstanding; worth ordering on any of a number of dishes they have. This is one of many restaurants which have received relatively little mention on any of the food boards but have consistently delivered outstanding meals.

I gave the Muga about 30 minutes in a decanter. Now, I'm going to have to buy another bottle or two and decant it for a couple of hours.

With my last post on this there was a very real sense of anticipation and, perhaps, excitement. Now, a week later, my only memory is of one very disappointing wine whether $18 or $29. The Primus which Sthitch mentioned earlier was much better; given the price it was a steal. C/W often has specials or sales that blow away what can be found most anywhere else. I was introduced to the Primus by Pepe whose opinion seems to mirror my own. On my next trip back (I live in Reston) I will look for the Primus, not the Muga Reserve. Still, wines like this are exciting (for lack of a better word) to try. I had an Argentinian last night at Rock Creek that was excellent, a collaboration between Rothschild and Catena. Sometimes there is disappointment. Othertimes, such as last night, the "risk" (for lack of a better word) is well rewarded.

I was at Phillips in 1964 the night after I graduated from high school. Then, it WAS a crab house with waittresses our age who we tried to pick up (today, my God, they like myself are thinking about retirement!!!) and truly outstanding Chesapeake Bay crabs. Probably 100 to 150 seats total. A very limited menu but food that was simply as good as even Pennsylvania Avenue's O'Donnell's which was D. C.'s best or the Chesapeake, Bawlmer's best. Of course McDonald's was legitimately good then, too. Today, neither McDonald's nor Phillips have anything in common with 40 years ago. But Phillips was THE definitive Ocean City seafood experience then; at Blair one student ran for class president on the platform that his wealthy father would open a McDonald's in Ertter's, the adjacent DGS. Of course McDonald's never opened in Ertter's and Phillips added another room or two or three and now, as McDonald's, has nothing in common with the quality and taste that helped build it. But Ocean City DOES have several good restaurants. Two of them are in West Ocean City frequented mostly by locals: the Sunset restaurant and Crab Alley. I've written about both of them elsewhere; I mention them here since they are both worth seeking out and crossing the bridge for.

My wife and I had dinner at Rock Creek tonight. It was not what I expected. The demographics of Seasons 52 are probably family through 50+ in the dining room and 25-40 at their bar. Rock Creek, which has an entirely different type of presentation, is heavy with baby boomers like myself (58). There is no bar action but it is not set up to have this. The overall ambience is different also, not a "supper club" type of presentation such as Seasons 52, rather more of a "downtown" 60 seat restaurant and adjacent bar area with six or eight seats. Rock Creek is much more personal, much more the type of upscale neighborhood restaurant that an accomplished professional would become a regular at. With his wife and colleagues in tow. A "mindful dining experience" promoted by its co-owners, conceived and executed by its young and extremely creative chef. Overall, I thought the food at Rock Creek was slightly BETTER (Yes, better!) than the California Grill inspired Seasons 52. My wife and I both liked the fresh corn and lobster chowder with red bell pepper, lima beans and scallions. There was depth to its flavor in place of richness. For 500 calories and $7.95 this was worth it-I would order it again. For the advertised 170 calories I would have several bowls. Nori crusted tuna carpaccio was delicious, an outstanding presentation of this. With seaweed salad and roasted garlic caper sauce it was a remarkably good 164 calorie investment. AT 500 calories it was still delicious and worth seeking out on a future visit. A rockfish entree with crispy shallots and tarragon lime viniagrette, marinated portobello and grilled asparagus was excellent at $18.50. Worth every one of the advertised 400 calories. The nightly special of one and one half inch thick grilled diver scallops was as fine of a scallop dish as there is in the D. C. area. Succulent, flavorful, delicious presented on a bed of the "trinity"-this must have pushed a thousand or more calories. Three fifty. Rock Creek chocolate cake is a variation on molten lava chocolate cake that by now half of the restaurants in America seem to feature as a special house creation. But here, at 220 calories and three or four seemingly orgasmic bites, it was an excellent presentation. At $1.50 a bite it should have been and was. Key lime cheesecake with strawberries drenched in a alcohol infused sauce was similar: three or four serious bites. This is a wonderful restaurant that more than justifies every table being full tonight and every other evening they are open-regardless of calories or the relative nutrional value which is printed on the back of their menu. It is known in Bethesda and has become quite "in" with an older, accomplished, professional clientel. A very strong two stars pushing three. We'll be back within a week. If it were in Reston we would be regulars. It is THAT good

Seasons 52, which pioneered this concept on Sand Lake road in Orlando, was the highest grossing restaurant in its first year in the Darden chain. This includes Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze and a few others yet the food at Seasons 52 is very similar to Disney's California Grill. As it should be. The founding chef is the same at both. This is the list of awards it has won in its first two years: http://www.seasons52.com/media/awards.asp Seasons 52 also has a dark, supper club type of ambience sort of like an upscale Bonefish Grill. Additionally it features a 60 seat bar and about 75 or so wines by the glass. After 8 there is a pianist who sits in the middle of the oval bar which transitions into what has now become Orlando's hottest meeting spot for the over 30 crowd. I've had five dinners so far at this restaurant plus one this coming Sunday. Rock Creek is one of numerous restaurants around the country that are now helping grow what is arguably the hottest trend in the industry. My wife and I will probably try Rock Creek within the next week. It will be interesting to see how it compares to the restaurant which started all this. If it is even close the drive from Reston to Bethesda is shorter than one might think. Seasons 52 is going national having opened three locations with two more about to open, all in Florida. I wouldn't be surprised if a number of local groups aren't taking a serious look at this before Darden opens here. I know nothing about Rock Creek's ownership but if it is indeed successful, it would seem that more locations would be forthcoming. For Seasons 52 there may now be the issue of maintaining the level of quality which they opened with. All five of my dinners there were with the Disney chef in residence. He's gone now. It will be interesting to see if it has suffered.

Have you been to Trattoria Alberto in the shopping center in Glen Burnie? I have not but I have the impression that it is similar to the restaurants mentioned above. Also, although I haven't been for about two years I really liked the Black Olive.

Actually, I don't think so.

These are the most memorable Indian dishes that I have had over the years; It is possible that some of these may not be available in the D. C. area: Coriander infused lamb stewed on the bone Tandoori shrimp or Tandoori King Prawn or Kesari Jhinga Kashmiri rice with raisons, cashews, etc. Dhungar Machli Tikka (Tandoori smoked salmon, flavored with mustard, dill and spices) Gilafi Dum Biryani (Pastry crusted lamb Biryani-a GREAT dish!) Pershawari nan (stuffed with almonds, coconuts and raisons) A personal addiction is the "national dish of England," chicken tikka masala Real homemade lime pickle. Tandoori King Prawn Massalla (marinated prawns, bbq'd then served in curry sauce)

Over the years I've been to most of the restaurants in Little Italy but I not been to Aldo's. However, using Zagat (don't laugh) as a reference point gives Bocaccio 27 points for food and notes a relative cost of $51. Aldo's has the city's second highest Italian food rating at 26 and the same cost. For comparison, Amicci's, a personal favorite for value (no ambience, not a celebratory type of place) is listed at 22 points and $24 and Chiaparelli's has 19 points. Having said all this I thought Bocaccio to be sadly overpriced with prices approaching higher end D. C. Italian. It was not as good as Obelisk, Tosca or a number of others. I would have compared it to Bonaroti in Vienna but noted it was about 25% more expensive. Charleston is a far superior restaurant-I wouldn't even mention it in the same sentence. I believe Charleston to be one of America's best restaurants. Using my Bocaccio (and other) experiences as a guide I would suggest Charleston or elsewhere if you are going to Baltimore. If D. C. is a possibility I believe both Tosca and Obelisk to be far superior. Once upon a time, in the '60's and '70's Baltimore had far superior Italian restaurants (mostly Southern) than D. C. did. Over the years Washington has caught up and leaped far ahead. And I have not even mentioned Laboratorio or Maestro.

McDonald's has "local" food in many of its restaurants such as lobster rolls in New Hampshire and Maine, crab cakes on Maryland's Eastern shore, even pizza used to show up in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. Overseas, the menus can be very different with ketchup mandating an upcharge, a kind of tartar sauce offered with them in Belgium and part of France and Germany. Even a totally different kind of french fries that here would be similar to the cottage potatoes served at Chick Fil-A. Germany had a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, thinly sliced raw onion and a garlicky low calorie mayonnaise that was delicious and less than 500 calories. I virtually lived on these for lunch on a number of trips last year and the year before. This year they disappeared! It is embarassing to note how much I miss them-but I do. I should also mention the fear that I have unintentionally inspired in McDonald's counter clerks in Italy and elsewhere when they, not speaking English, realize that an American is trying to order a "quarter pounder with cheese, french fries and a diet coke." Most speak some English but occasionally, especially in Italy, I've found terror in the eyes of the person on the other side of the counter. WHAT is a "quarter pounder?" "Extra pickles?" WHAT are pickles? I've learned that "McRoyal" is pronounced the same regardless of the country it is in and to live with one "pickle" on any hamburger that I might get. And, yes, "Coke Light" is sweeter than Diet Coke and "catsup" tastes the same when it is made in the Netherlands as it does when it's made in Pittsburgh and spelled with a "K." I must admit that it SEEMS to taste better when I am not charged for it, though. And for those who laugh at me for eating at McDonald's overseas, well, I can just imagine how well an In 'n Out Burger would do in Heidelberg! Or on the Champs d'Alysee! Or even in Reston.... The history of McDonald's....in German! http://www.mcdonalds.de/html/index_frame.h..._uns/start.html

McDonald's has a "museum" in their Downey, CA store (original structure from the early'50's) that has numerous photographs and equipment from that era. Included in this are the detailed instructions for making french fries the way they were made back then. I am surprised that no one else has done this. Those were great french fries. I also remember in the '60's that the McDonald's on University Blvd. (near Ledo's) would liteally have lines that started at the windows where you placed your order and stretched all the way to the far side of the golden arches. This was about 50 or 60 people in each of two lines.

This is the link to WWL television which is a LIVE stream of the actual television broadcast: http://www.wwltv.com/perl/common/video/wmP...&props=livenoad I love this city: there is passion and conviction in the hearts of all those who live there for their city's culinary heritage. After tonight I fear that it may never be the same. The above link would not have been possible only a few years ago. Today, as long as there is power, you can watch first hand as if you are living there while this unprecedented tragedy sadly unfolds. I wish the best for all of those in the path of this storm. Note: As of midnight they have closed their television studio in the French Quarter and are broadcasting from a remote location at LSU in Baton Rouge which is about 80 miles west of NOLA. Unfortunately, the reception on the web is intermittently spotty unlike earlier which had been uninterrupted. WWL also has a 50,000 watt clear channel radio station at 870 AM which can be picked up from the D. C. suburbs after dark. Reception typically is spotty but this evening it came in clear around 10:00PM. It's website is: http://www.wwl.com/

Once upon a time (forty years ago! Ouch!!) McDonald's had legitimately good food: hamburgers (fresh hamburger), french fries (fresh potatos sliced in house and cooked in 70% animal fat with the skin on) and real milk shakes made with frozen custard, milk and syrup. That was the complete menu and the slogan was "Forty five cents for a three course meal...at McDonald's." In 1967 the french fries were replaced with frozen and McDonald's had a lengthy marketing campaign to try to convince people that their new FROZEN potatoes were better. They weren't. Today, there is literally one place on the face of the earth that still has McDonald's original french fries, Dick's in Spokane, Washington. This is not to be confused with the Seattle Dick's which is a different owner. But in the late '50's the owner of Spokane Dick's (today) tried to buy a McD franchise and was turned down by Ray Kroc. Not to be outdone he travelled to So Cal and worked in a McD for a month or so and then returned to Spokane to open "Panda's," a McDonald's clone. Somewhere over the years he changed the name to "Dick's" and today, according to USA Today this is the second highest grossing fast food restaurant in the U. S. (behind the Varsity in Atlanta and ahead of Spartanburg's Beacon). The french fries at Dick's/McDonald's/Panda's are unbelievable! They actually are superior to the original Thresher's on the boardwalk in Atlantic City! There was a very real reason that McDonald's grew to the size that it has. That reason can be tasted in Spokane, Washington at Dick's Drive In. The 1990's era McDonald's down the street does a literal small fraction of the business serving food that McDonald's in the '50's and '60's would have been embarassed to serve.

I found a bottle of Muga Reserve yesterday. This is the kind of wine that I look forward to trying: not one that I would typically look for, highly regarded and fairly difficult to find. About $29 with mixed case discount at the Wine Cabinet in Reston.

Of all the many kinds of "beef" sandwiches I have ever had (i.e. cheesesteak, beef on weck, roast beef po'boy) the Italian beef at Johnny's in Elmwood Park would be my first choice. Many, many years ago in the early '80's there was a place a couple of doors down on North Avenue called Al Gelato that had fantastic gelato. This is the "early" Al Gelato before it was sold in the late '80's or so and their recipes were changed. That was the best ice cream/gelato that I ever had in a store anywhere. I heard of it because of a cover story about them in Chicago magazine. Both Johnny's and Al Gelato became something of a biannual tradition for me in my business travel for a number of years. Sooner or later somebody here will realize that Italian beef, when done properly, is a great sandwich that people will buy. And hot gardiniera is still my favorite of all hot peppers, especially from Tenuta's from Kenosha, WI. I literally order bottles of this by the case from them. http://www.tenutasdeli.com/Peppers___Musta...__mustards.html Last, Uno's pizza tastes much better in Chicago at either Uno's or Due's than it does anywhere else. I really think a fair analogy is like the original Ledo's vs. all of their other locations. And then, of course, there is caramel popcorn from Garrett's near Marshall Field's.