DaRiv18

I've tried about half the menu at Kinship, and am impressed by the service, ambiance, and most dishes.  I am not a fan of the roast chicken, even though I enjoy the taste.  The texture of the breast (which appeared ginormous to me when initially presented uncarved) was too sticky for me, and the finish is like chewing on taffy.  I probably would not order it again, but I am very sensitive to texture.  I will be back to Kinship soon, however, to try more of the menu.

Shake Shack serves Stumptown during breakfast.  That's all I can think of.

Ha, the stick of butter just stood out in my head, and that's how I made it!   I did skim a lot of the "gravy" off, there is quite a bit of that (now I know why!).  Most recipes do call for the stick of butter though, my main purpose of this was to see what all the fuss was about.  This would be a good meal if the chuck roast was for like 12 servings, but it is supposed to provide 6, and I'd think I'd rather have a burger instead because I can trust myself to order just one burger.

To me, the outrageous elements were adding a stick of butter and ranch dressing to an already fatty cut of beef.  Whether you use pre-packaged or not, that can be adjusted to your taste.  I don't think you can sub-in kale juice effectively for the butter/ranch and it still be the same thing!

21 hours ago, JoshNE said:

I await your review on pins and needles. I have been so curious, but couldn't take the plunge.  You are a brave, brave man. 

It was sort of like observing a couple presidential candidates in this upcoming election, in its outrageousness.  And yes, certain elements please me and speak to me.  But, this is not a dish that can be a staple of any responsible diet, and I felt a bit saddened about the state of America afterwards.  Pretty darn easy to prepare, though.

Hey, just wanted to let my friends know that I've made a date to make the Mississppi Roast tonight, with a stick of butter and homemade ranch dressing.  I know I shouldn't, but I just can't help myself.  If you don't hear from me, you'll know what happened.  

Attention all congee lovers:  My favorite hangover brunch right now in the city is the Thai rice porridge here, with pork, green onions, and chilis.  

I ate at the bar this past Saturday, it was halfway full as I left at 7:30pm.  

4 hours ago, JimCo said:

 There's real value to places that perhaps eschew some tradition but help introduce the masses to new food and experiences.

This is my take on places that serve two pieces of fried chicken for over $15.

I would move Liberty Tree way down, Granville's and Copycat waay up, Big Board up, and JoshNE not at all!

We hit up Alta Strada last night and had a decent meal.  Everything was seasoned nicely.  The tagliatelle however seemed more like fettuccine (nit pick), and the ribeye was a bit stringy and not very juicy/fatty (did not love it) I felt.  It is a fine restaurant and one that I would frequent if I still stayed in the neighborhood, but Dino's Grotto is just as accessible to us and we prefer it.  Service was extremely friendly, it would be a great place to take a acquaintances, definitely heads and shoulders over Carmines.  

There is an attached, somewhat secret crudo bar attached in the adjacent storefront called Conosci, definitely higher end.  They have interesting a la carte dishes, or you can "put yourself in [their] hands" for either $45 or $135 per person.  

No longer named Modern Times, it has been rebranded as The Den, as the Little Red Fox executes the operations here.  Opening ceremony included a Happy Hour, and I am impressed they serve 3 Stars Peppercorn Saison here, as well as glasses of wine for $8.  Charcuterie and cheese available, as well as some desserts.

You know you are in the "circle of trust" if your friend takes you to Indigo.  Someone who might stop in out of curiosity might immediately be on the fence about the place and would very likely move on, because the wait is Toki-esque and the prices start at around $12 from what I can tell.  Very few people would call this a destination spot, especially considering the location, but if you plated their platters on nice porcelain and sold this downtown, it would easily go for twice what they charge here.

Last night I stopped in for a "quick" meal at around 7:45pm and the line was not unlike the ones at the Greek Deli.  I placed my order in at 7:51 and didn't get it until 8:35, luckily I had ordered a tall lager for my wait.  During my wait, the line never receded, and the phone was constantly blowing up with orders for four people.

As I people watched, I realized the best part is that EVERYONE goes to Indigo.  No young pretty people on date night, the owner has a huge portrait of his young daughter on the wall so that would be a weird first date setting.  There was a couple stealing kisses outdoor on the patio as they waited, as well as a six-top of 50-somethings enjoying each other's company.  A dark-toned woman in her 60s also stood patiently in line.  The young, the old, all races, all backgrounds, and it is the most casual vibe I can think of.  Sure, there are TVs, but to my eye it's Bollywood background and so everyone is just talking with their friends.  Everyone is wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, it's cramped, and no one is complaining about wait times or whatever.

I ordered the spicy chicken with rice and chickpeas, the chickpeas could use a little more bite to them to my taste but otherwise it is very very good food for $14.

Count beer calories . . . these are the ones that are tougher on your body.

Do you have any opinions on neat whiskey vs. wine vs. beer vs. cocktails?  Did I rank them in increasingly tougher-on-your-body order?  This is an important issue for me!

On 4/11/2016 at 5:47 PM, JoshNE said:

Interesting...do you know where I could find more info on Cumberland? 

The Cumberland at Vendetta has a Facebook page

Mixologists Jamie Macbain and JoJo Valenzuela are doing the Cumberland (I think also on Friday), a cocktail bar upstairs at Vendetta for a limited time. Cocktails and small plates. I agree with JoshNE on his picks, too. I am a fan of SMN still.

A small plates tour is best done with two, possibly 4.

Jonny Tacos will keep TU motoring along well, I predict.

Maketto isn't a small plates place either, in fact quite the opposite. How many are in your party, btw?

So this place is so cool. Ceremony Coffee, Little Red Fox open faced toasts, Bullfrog Bagels, and assorted pastries. Seating is generous, and you have a independent bookstore at your fingertips. Beer and wine, so it may be my new local soon.

my wife has forbid us ever to return.

So my wife was fine with Panda Gourmet tonight, and we actually ate there last month too as we also explored Chang in Rockwell. I find Panda Gourmet much more compelling, especially for cold dishes and vegetables. Some updates:

- no more delivery

- 10% discount if you pay cash!

- lady a table over was really mad that they forgot her General Tso's shrimp. A 15 or 20 minute ordeal. Felt sorry for her.

I recommend ordering the Dan Dan noodles, delicious and because they seem guaranteed to come out quickly for a starter. Other dishes may take a bit longer, if you are really hungry.

So, upside is greater than Peter Chang, but the service issues continue which can really torpedo a meal. A lot of lost in translation moments. But the value is tremendous.

Makoto. Once a highly relevant restaurant, chef-driven with no empire, now passed on to the next generation as Japanese cuisine flourishes in DC with Seki, Capitol Sushi and Sushi Ogawa, Daikaya, Sushi Taro, and the impending arrival of a new Nobu.

Under "How to Pickup for Valet Parking" section, it says for you to "pay for the parking and valet fee", so I think it is a separate thing.  Glad to hear you got your iPhone back, that happened to me a couple months ago.

I seem to recommend the same places over and over, so sorry for the monotony, but trendy foodie and fun all scream Union Market to me, and Rappahannock is one of the city's best.  He can have a true Maryland crabcake with minimal filler, or local oysters, and the rest of the menu tilts esoteric for her.

Maketto is a great choice too.  I think your gang will take home some DC foodie bragging rights that will resonate with those in NYC.

My expectations is that it will be a destination coffeeshop like all these other independents.  I know a barista at Chinatown Coffee will also pick up shifts there.  

His publicly available FB post on January 2, which I just found,  has a comment that also backs this up.  I don't see any word of replacement chef.