stickmoon

It's the biggest burrito I've ever seen in my life BY FAR.

Don, say hi next time

Evilkim and I were sitting right behind you, at the table along the wall. That thing was HUGE!

I really appreciate this board and all it's members...it's pretty rare these days to see forums that do not devolve into horrid flame-wars and utter nonsense. That's a tribute to Don's hard work, but also the members. So many of you know so much about food and the inner workings of restaurants, I've learned a lot about about both and tried a number of restaurants and dishes I probably never would have otherwise. Happy new year!

It's so much better now! Thank you Don!

I got a Cuisinart food processor and a Le Creuset dutch oven. Yippee!

I'm experimenting with tempering chocolate and making a concoction of crushed graham crackers that have been toasted and marshmallows mixed with tempered chocolate. I'm thinking of calling it s'mores. :-)

The Liberty Tavern currently offers a dessert that is very similar. Chocolate custard mixed with graham crackers, topped with bruleed marshmallow. It's so good.

I got an email that said Willow is closed tonight.

I love snow days, and I especially love to cook during snow days. Today it's comfort food all-around. I'm making roasted tomato soup with grilled cheese for lunch.

Then eggplant and chard lasagna from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone for dinner.

Stopped by Screwtop last night.

Say hi next time

We stopped in around 5:30 and noticed, like FunnyJohn, that it quickly filled up around us. In addition to wines they have about fifteen or so beers behind the bar, including two rotating taps. The beer list has a good selection of microbrews, but the only one I recall is the Racer 5 that I had. We enjoyed the cheese plate. $15 for three cheeses (+ $3.50 for each accoutrement...about a half dozen to choose from) seemed a bit pricey at first, but the generous portions and three types of bread made us quite happy. Most cheese plates don't come with enough bread...not at Screwtop. Service was eager and friendly. No happy hour specials, but maybe that will change after they settle in. Another nice addition to the neighborhood. Congratulations, Wendy!

Truthfully, I try to avert my gaze as to not garner attention.

Me too!

ps...the gelato guy is still a bit creepy.

Every week last summer he used a headset microphone and drummed up business by asking "Would you like to try the holy grail of sorbet?" I wonder how he settled on that catchphrase.

Is it just me or did Bryan get ripped off last night?

Tom Colicchio explains how Michael won on his blog - click

Bryan seemed to do the best last night, but then again, we didn't taste the food. Also, I think the judges chose a winner based on performance over the entire season and not solely on the final challenge. I thought Bryan was going to win, and I was surprised that Michael won especially because the judges rarely go for the chef who takes risks/thinks outside of the conventional. That said, I'm wicked happy for him because he was the only finalist without his own restaurant and the prize will really help him out. Overall this was a great season, and I'm not sure Top Chef could get much better in terms of the competition. The four finalists were the four best chefs.

I tried the cookies and cream flavor...there was no distribution problem with the cookies, but overall the ice cream wasn't creamy enough for me. It didn't taste as smooth as most other ice creams and I personally like letting my ice cream melt into something of a "soup," and when I did so it never reached the right kind of creamy-cold consistency that I get from other brands. Plus, I thought it was a local brand, and evidently I didn't look closely enough or else I would have learned it is local only if you live in Oregon.

Wow!

Northern Virginia Magazine reports on Liberty Tavern's plan for the old Murky Coffee space:
 

Quote

Northside Social will be managed by Willow’s one-time sommelier Alison Christ, while ex-Murky Coffee general manager Marianne Tolosa will step in as director of coffee (look for Counter Culture java and dairy goods from Trickling Springs Creamery). Baker G. David King is expected to trot out around a half dozen bread varieties per day.

Northside Social is expected to feature “work-friendly farm tables” as well couches and love seats for maximum lounging, while second story guests will now enjoy an aerial view of the ground floor. The from dawn-to-dusk venue is also expected to field various alternatives to your morning joe (think: fully developed wine and beer program) as well as live music.

Northside’s menu will turn on breakfast, lunch and other lite-fare, and is tentatively set to include: Polyface Farm egg sandwiches, homemade granola and yogurt, chicken liver rillettes and apple pie topped with Fiscalini cheddar (FINALLY!).

Northside is currently projected to open right around Christmas.

Chef Liam LaCivita will oversee the kitchen. The article also has info on their new restaurant, Lyon Hall.

The bathroom at Zaytinya has the best hand dryer I've ever had the pleasure to use. Not sure why it hasn't caught on...I haven't seen it anywhere else. The food is pretty good too.

I'll cop to being somewhat intentionally provocative, but I did intend it as a legitimate question. It seems to me that vegans, more so than vegetarians, have an ethical/moral issue with eating animal derived products. As such, vegetable based meat "recreations" seem somewhat offensive to me in that context. You can add texture and flavorings and not have it resemble a chicken tender. It seems an unnecessary reminder of a practice they disdain.

This, spoken from a true omnivore.

Why are you offended by people who eat plant-based proteins that have a similar texture or flavor to animal-based proteins? I have no problem when you eat a meatball, but you have a problem when I eat a vegan "meatball" with my pasta and sauce? I'm confused.

Thanks goodeats and Pat! I think Buzz only does "breakfast brioche" muffin-type thiings...but Best Buns website says they make brioche. Never been to Marvelous Market but I see there's one in Ballston I can check out. Checked out Ina Garten's recipe...that would be fun to do, but I don't have a mixer...maybe Santa will bring me one!

I was wondering if anyone knew of a bakery, preferably in NoVa, where I can get a good loaf of brioche? The only place I know of is the Quail Creek Farm bakers at the Courthouse farmer's market. Anyplace else, or is it just the usual suspects (WF or Firehook)?

If I get it from Quail Creek on a Saturday, will it stay fresh if I keep it in the fridge to use on a Thursday?

mad props for the poetic baker

4 Realzzz.

We were at Proof on Saturday when he made the rounds dressed as Julia Child...he was hilarious!

A DR.com Happy Hour at Proof sounds fun...Tuesdays or Thursdays generally work for me.

Rachael Ray offers dinner to jobless Ohioans

What a classy lady.

That's nice of her. I wonder if there will be any Stoups involved? Or perhaps she'll go with a Choup instead.

Hm. Sounds like I'm the only going there...

I've been to the lounge probably 15 times since Eventide opened. My favorite dish is the mushroom burger ($10). Rather than the standard grilled portobello cap, the chef uses a mix of chopped mushrooms to make a patty. It's always well-cooked and seasoned, and sandwiched by a grilled croissant with a schmear of arugula pesto. It's juicy, meaty, and rich. It comes with a mixed green side salad and together qualifies as a small meal. I also really like the house-made pretzels ($8). They come out of the kitchen fresh baked and piping hot, with a side of salty, smoky deviled ham and a peach mustard.

The french fries ($5) aren't bad, but I've had much better. Sometimes they're kinda limp or have a dry texture. I wish they would serve the upstairs dinner menu in the lounge, but I understand the kitchen is concerned about quality control.

The service is always friendly and professional, which is a big part of the reason we return to so often.

Top Chef spinoff to come - Just Desserts: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010386.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

Also in this article...a second season of Top Chef: Masters and the channel hopes to have "some sort of Top Chef presence on its schedule throughout the entire year." YIPPEE!!!

Opentable has a link to restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving. Click.