Choirgirl21

Guessing that was the Humboldt Fog, served nice and gooey? I love humboldt fog, although my favorite of the evening on our plate (I knew I wanted it going in) was the Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk. So good!

Cork, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! Went to Cork last night for the first time with 4 friends. Between us, we ordered every single plate on the menu aside from the olives, the 2 salads, and the shrimp dish. We also got 5 cheeses, 5 charcuterie, and 3 of the 5 desserts. It was totally gluttonous, and insanely good. Wines were consistently good to outstanding, as was the food, and our server, Devon was fantastic. Her food recommendations were in fact some of the best dishes and her wine knowledge was impressive. Food first. To keep it simple, I'll just put the dishes into 1 of 3 categories: Good, but wouldn't necessarily order again - for me this was the trout and the avocado, although others really liked both. I just found them a little plain, the trout in particular, although it was very light and refreshing (a LOT of citrus, too much for my taste). The brioche sandwich also belongs here I think (who doesn't love a sandwich with an egg on top, but that's all it was), and the pork tenderloin, which would move up a category if not for the overly bitter greens (mustard I think?), and the chicken breast (not sure why anyone ordered the chicken? ) Really good, I would happily eat again (and again) - The flat iron steak, simply b/c it was a solid dish, but still in the end just steak (and it came medium rather than med rare), the sauteed mushrooms, really delicious but some bites were oversalted (they were great on the flat iron though) and the sauteed kale, although it was one of the best kale dishes I've had in a restaurant. Torn about where to put the duck, but settling for putting it here. I found the contrast of the rich duck and the beets and vinaigrette refreshing and different, but it's not the best duck confit dish I've had. The must order dishes - the leeks w/bacon and burrata, possibly my favorite dish although it's a combination I really like, the chicken liver bruschetta for anyone who likes that sort of thing (and in this case, you may be able to win over someone on the fence), the oil cured roma tomatoes were much loved by everyone at our table, as were the brussel sprouts. Seriously, those were 2 dishes I sort of brushed aside as things I could get anywhere or make at home, but they were both outstanding in their simplicity. Oh, and the fries, but minus the homemade ketchup - I think they were better than Palena's to be honest (bracing myself for the feedback on that one, lol). Finally, the branzino served on a bed of some type of beans (details are failing me here). We had the crostada, the chocolate torte, and the goat cheese quinelles for dessert - I would recommend any of them depending on your tastes. I started with the sparkling wine flight, particularly enjoyed the last one, which was a sparkling riesling. It was delicious with our vermont blue cheese. Then I had a french sauv blanc Devon recommended as an alternative to the leek pairing - it went great with all of our cold plates, I thought it was a spot on recommendation. We also ordered bottles of a tempronillo (don't remember the name right now, but it was $45/bottle) that we all really enjoyed. Finally, a glass of the moscato d'asti paired with my dessert was the perfect ending. I would really recommend going in a group if you can - it was a great way to sample so many dishes. I will definitely be back. I wonder if the service is so good across the board too - if not, I'll just be requesting Devon everytime.

Well you guys basically confirmed what I already knew, I had hit all of the reputable wineries on my last trip up there two years ago. On my first day, I revisited Standing Stone and Shalestone, and then in a moment of poor judgement joined some friends at Penguin Bay since they were the only winery still open. I only bought one bottle at Shalestone this time, I meant to go back and buy some of their pinot b/c I didn't want it sitting in my car all weekend, but I never managed too. I did go back to Standing Stone to retaste and left w/6 bottles. I think there are some really solid, food friendly wines for really good prices at SS. Day 2 I hit the west side - started at Lakewood, meh except for a dry reisling I liked enough to buy one bottle of. Then I revisited Miles and Fox Run - Miles wasn't as good as I remembered and Fox Run disappointed again (I forgot I had been there until I walked in). The highlight though was a newer winery called Red Tail (just before Fox Run). Really good wines across the board and an excellent dry riesling. I really liked this place and the staff was incredibly friendly (and they're dog friendly) - I HIGHLY recommend it. Last day I did stop at Hazlitt, I was curious as I had read some good things elsewhere. Really disliked their wines except for the dry riesling, but it was the same price as the Red Tail and didn't compare. Then we went to Damiani, which I had really enjoyed last time. They were offering a wine and chocolate pairing which was interesting. Dry chardonnay w/a sesame chocolate (I left with some of the chocolate), pinot w/ a smoked almond and dried cherry choc (I tasted both pinots, the cheaper one was terrible, the more expensive one was quite good), a pistachio and ginger chocolate with either merlot or cab (merlot is suggested pairing, i thoguht it was much better w/the cab) and finally a meritage infused truffle with the meritage. Really good, but I'd rather have my dark chocolate with port, that's just me though. I also tasted their dry rose and left with 2 bottles of that. Finally, Atwater was a pleasant surprise. I liked their wines across the board, especially a brut champagne, which came home with me. Oh, I did go to Lamoreaux Landing again - same impression as last time, wines are all okay - I liked the red oak riesling the best. Oh, I almost forgot the reason for my follow-up post - the distillery. It's open - they have 2 vodkas (one is infused with berries), a gin, a whiskey of some sort, I think corn (sorry, not a whiskey drinker) and 2 fruit liquors, a cassis and a blueberry. I really liked the cassis liquer - so much that I bought a bottle despite having a whole bottle of creme de cassis at home. I'm not a very good judge of hard alcohol on its own so I don't really know what to report on the vodkas I tasted except that I found the berry infused one quite pleasant mixed with a little tonic (they pour you shots, but will add a little tonic for you if you'd like - I tasted everything both ways). You get to taste 3 of they're offerings for the fee ($2 I think). Staff is very friendly, I didn't have this experience but other people reported them pouring full shots for them. Well there's my report on the distillery plus the totally unsolicited report on teh wineries I visited. Thanks for the feedback!

Which SS Safeway and where? Are you certain the market always (or almost always) has them? I've been using the leftover simple syrup I infused with them in my margaritas and enjoying the extra kick it gives them so I think I'll be buying them again.

I've been getting a lot of emails from PS 7's lately of specials that they're running. It makes me really nervous that they might be in trouble due to the economy. Does anyone know if this is the case? Either way, putting my plug in for people to stop by for dinner so so one of my favorite DC restaurants doesn't go under! I'm hoping to get down there soon myself.

Does anyone have any favorites? I was there 2 years ago, spent 2 days visiting wineries along Seneca Lake and then spent a day at the wine festival so I've tasted a bunch, but it's been a while. I'll be on the East side of Seneca lake again so wineries on that side are ideal, but west side of either Cayuga or Seneca are possibilities. I did a little searching online and sadly the "new" places that popped up are on the north end of the west side, which might be a stretch for me to get to. Also headed up there with my dog for a greyhound event so many, but not all wineries are letting dogs in. Anyway, thought you might have some suggestions. Wineries that I enjoyed last time that allow dogs and that therefore I will definitely be stopping at are Standing Stone, Shalestone, and Damiani. I hear there's a new distillery that's letting us brings dogs so I'll be checking that out too. Thanks!

Thanks all. The WF I went to (Harbour East), not surprisingly did not have them (it's a small store), but a friend found them at the Silver Spring location and picked them up for me so I'm all set. They better be worth all of the trouble.

Yep, Hmart is the one on 40. I actually think the one here in Laurel is a Grand mart, but I'm not sure b/c my friends and I just call it Gmart. The guy at Hmart told me it's too expensive to buy the minimum order of fresh lime leaves for how few people want them - I guess they just don't sell and neither place had any frozen. Sadly I don't have time to drive much beyond here or Baltimore (already have to go there for other stuff) so I may have to do without.

Does anyone know where in MD I might find them? Or any type of lime leaf really. I checked both asian markets in my area (Hmart in Ellicott City and the local one in Laurel) to no avail. I need them for my dinner club tomorrow night. Thanks!

If I remember correctly, they finish they're beef on corn, for the last 6 months I believe. So it's partially grass-fed. Well they don't, the people they get it from do. Their meat is pre-cut to an extent before it arrives - I've had problems getting certain cuts of meat (pork in particular) because they don't get whole animals in. It's a great place though, especially for folks who care less about getting 100% pasture-raised meat. And good sausages (I think those are some of the amish delights you speak of).

I loved the Acorn rose I had at PS 7's recently. LOVED.

Well I'm a relative newbie to the group, and just seeing this now, so being totally intimidated and unable to plan, chances aren't good for me. Actually, I'd like to see if I can adjust my schedule to make it, but sadly don't think I'll have time to make anything extravagant. I'm gone all day Saturday at the Food & Wine festival at the National Harbor (anyone going?). Will see what I can whip up on the fly, or maybe just bring loads of alcohol? Quick question - does anyone bring their dog(s)? I see they're allowed in the park and wondered if anyone would mind if I brought my male (he's friendly and will be kept on lead and away from the food).

I noticed that too. During our eternal wait, I saw her and my boyfriend and I debated whether it was her (he didn't think so). On our way out, I stopped to use the restroom and there she was. I couldn't stop myself from confirming it was her at that point and chatting for a minute before we left (and I'm sure saying something totally inappropriate since I had had some drinks).

I was juliusc91's dining companion at the Matthiasson wine dinner on Wednesday night and loved every bit of it. One of the better meals I've had in my life honestly. Of course, you can tell from my earlier posts that I'm a huge fan of chef Peter Smith's and this was really an opportunity for him to shine, but the meal exceeded my expectations. I'll only add to what my friend said. Our second course was a cured halibut, very thinly sliced and served with arugula, a strawberry sauce, and a sprinkling of a hot pepper that was really incredible, and paired really well with the interesting Matthiasson white. I'm not doing this dish justice either, especially b/c I can't remember the name of the spice, some ethnic pepper that slowly build up it's heat (but according to chef, and I also learned the hard way, will numb your tongue if eaten alone). For me, this dish stands out a bit more b/c I expect great meat dishes from PS 7's, but I don't typically order the fish. In any event, a delicious combination of flavors that really surprised me. The sweetbread dish changed my mind on sweetbreads. I have only had them a couple of times before, and mostly remember them as being sort of non-descript and mushy, taking on the flavor of whatever they were served in. The sweetbread in this dish was meaty, and full of flavor, but still tender and perfectly fried. I could have been content with just the sweetbread and the sauce on the plate (there were two actually, but the one I speak of was a veal reduction I believe), but add bacon, onions, peas in a creamy sauce with a perfectly flaky crust, just yum. There was also shrimp in the pie, but for me I'm not sure if I cared. I think the dessert deserves mention too. I'm not a huge desert person and I'm especially not a fan of flans, creme brulees, and the like. In any event, we were served (and my foodie grammar is going to totally fail me here) what I think was a coconut flan, with a thin little cookie on top, served with tropical fruits and sauce. It was paired with a dessert wine from the distributor made completely from late harvest chenin blanc. This may actually have been my favorite pairing of the night and the dessert was delicious, clean and refreshing and a very nice end to a fabulous meal. We discussed at the table how PS 7's remains an under-recognized restaurant for our area and this meal only reinforced my feelings on that. I can't wait to go back for some ducky flatbread and another glass of the oustanding Acorn rose.

I know! It was BY FAR our favorite thing at the entire event (and trust me, we tried nearly everything ). Good enough to actually cause me to contemplate dropping a huge amount of cash to eat there. They serve it on their menu fyi.

I no longer see the $77 bar tasting menu on the site. Does anyone know if they're still doing that?

If anyone was there and had what I'm talking about, could you let me know which restuarant served it? It was a small piece of tuna, I believe crusted in espresso, on a skewer or as a lollipop of some sort, perhaps with a dollop of cream on top. Thanks!

So I FINALLY got to Woodberry Kitchen this past weekend. As others have said, the renovated space is really great, as is the locally sourced food concept. We enjoyed everything we had - pickles/olives and deviled eggs to start, followed by the pork buns (basically a bbqed pulled pork on pretzel buns) and the pierogies (served two ways, potato with a dill sauce and sauerkraut with crisped pork). Entrees were the alsatian sauerkraut platter w/pork belly, sausage, spareribs and smoked turkey and the wood-oven MD rockfish with leeks and hen of the woods mushrooms. The pork itself was phenomenal - I tend to only eat locally sourced pork (my favorite is from a guy who raises pigs that forage in the woods) and I thought this pork was as good if not better flavorwise. The spareribs were a highlight, with a slightly sweet rub that was just right. The downside to the sauerkraut dish was that everything was a bit dry/overcooked. My fish was cooked well and was complemented well by the mushrooms and hint of sauce on the plate. Dessert was malt ice cream, which was just plain old YUM. We also had a really great bottle of Alsatian gewurtztraminer, which was from the featured biodynamic winemaker. The downsides - we waited 30 minutes for our table (for which we had a reservation). At about 15 min in, when we asked the status, we were told it would be at least 10 more minutes and offered menus and asked if we wanted drinks. I had been resisting ordering a cocktail, but at that point couldn't wait any longer without something so we both ordered one. We didn't actually get them until 5 or 10 minutes after we were seated, which was another 10 minutes after we ordered them. I suppose I wouldn't have cared all that much if the drinks were complimentary, but they weren't. The other issue, overall I really liked our waitress, really friendly, great vibe, fairly attentive, but when she brought us dessert menus she failed to tell us that they were out of both the ice cream and dessert wine (one of only 2 offered) that we wanted. She did make amends by offering our alternative ice cream on the house, except that when the bill came it was on there. I wasn't going to say anything so we paid the full bill. All in all, it was an enjoyable meal. I will definitely go back, in fact I look forward to doing so with a group so we can share one or two of the delicious-sounding flatbreads they offer. I just hope our long wait was abnormal and we won't have to experience that again or I'll be less enthusiastic in the future.

<Nodding my head> I shamefully never posted my review after my boyfriend and I went to jointly celebrate our birthdays back in January. Hopefully someday I'll get around to a full review, but the quick version is that it was by far the most money we've ever spent on a meal (and I've eaten at Komi, Gary Danko, Charleston...) and was worth every penny. To be honest, it was the best meal I've ever had. We both did the 7 course degustation with wine pairings and everything - food, wine, service - was exceptional from beginning to end. My goal is to get back sometime for a more affordable cafe meal, but being in MD makes it tough. I might actually move to Old Town just to be near Restaurant Eve (okay, maybe stretching a bit there...).

I don't work at PS 7's, but I do share your enthusiasm. I fell in love w/PS 7 after taking a cooking class through TasteDC with Chef Peter Smith. His passion for food is totally evident and his tastes (lots of meat, mushrooms and salt) suit me terrifically. He's also always gone the extra mile for us, like rushing to get me some homemade duck proscuitto so I could recreate one of his dishes for my dinner club, or bringing out a complimentary charcuterie plate on my birthday. Not every meal has been flawless (mostly there have been tiny issues with service), but across the board one of the more consistent places. I'm guessing the menu is very different from the last time I was there, but I did have the ducky flatbread at the bar - delish! I only wish I had known about the 7 course menu before I went to Oval Room for RW last night.

This was probably the wine I had after my palate was ruined by large quantities of siracha. My "friend" here didn't have the same experience as me based on years of having a little pho with his siracha. Seriously, I believe it has become a competition b/w my male coworkers to see who can eat the reddest pho, while sweat streams down their faces and shouts of "more water" are heard throughout the restaurant, but I digress.

Good to know, maybe she was just new. She did try - she had notes on the flavor components of each wine and she asked me what I liked and tried to put the two together. And I'll admit my expectations may be on the higher side, but I go back to this being a wine place just as much as a restaurant so I feel it's fair to have somewhat higher expectations of the staff. Anyway, overall I really enjoyed our experience and certainly nothing I complained about would keep me from going back.

I finally got the chance to try Proof when a friend and I stopped by for some wine and food later Saturday night. Details below, or skip to the last paragraph for the summary. We started off with glasses of wine from the exceptionally crowded bar (a Caps came had let out shortly before our arrival). I had the vouvray and my friend had the Touriga, both were delicious but I particularly loved mine. My minor complaint, I asked for a glass of Chenin Blanc, not noticing that there were two on the menu and the bartender automatically gave me the vouvray, which happened to be the one I wanted but also happened to be the more expensive. The bottle was also almost finished so she pulled it out of the automatic dispenser and dumped what was left into my glass. It was close to, but not a full 6 oz pour (easy enough to see with it standing right next to my friend's glass). Fine, I'll chalk it up to how busy the bar was. After a surprisingly short wait given the crowd, we were seated at a table. I personally like the low lighting and enjoyed the atmosphere overall. Anyway, we started with the homemade pate and the bresaola. Both were good, but the pate was the clear winner. The shiraz our server recommended to me was good if you like that style. I don't anymore, so shame on me for going with her recommendation, but I wanted to give her a chance to see how she did. My friend got the Oregon pinot, which was good with the pate, but became overpowered if you added mustard or ate the bresaola with it. We then shared two firsts . The pumpkin gnocchi were outstanding and were delicious with the grenache blanc (my own pairing although the server told me that it would have been the sommelier's recommendation). I felt the portion was quite substantial given how filling gnocchi are, but I could have ordered it again I liked it so much, especially when you got a bite with the non-portabella mushroom (I think it was hen of the woods). The veal sweetbreads got a mixed response. We both enjoyed the dish, although my friend moreso. The thing is, the sweetbreads are served tossed in a hot wing type sauce, with a little blue cheese and a vinegary slaw. The waitress warned us that the dish was "a little spicy" and had a vinegar component. Unfortunately, and I am not a total wimp when it comes to spice, it was REALLY spicy and the spice stuck with you. I was glad we weren't moving onto seconds b/c I really felt like my palate was ruined at that point. We had smartly decided not to order wine with the dish, but I did ask the server what they would recommend if we wanted to do a pairing and it was coincidentally the vouvray I had start with and which my friend had ordered to have with the gnocchi. So he hung onto a bit of it and we both tasted it with the sweetbreads. Well I'll say this, it wasn't horrible with the dish, which was probably impressive given the situation, but had I wanted to do a pairing I would have been disappointed. We both agreed the smart thing to do is to just tell people to get a beer b/c you're gonna need it to counter the spice. All of that said, I really liked the dish and we both admired the chef for taking a bit of a risk. I just think the server should have been clearer about how spicy it was. We finished off our evening with a full glass of red each. It took me a long time, and a lot of the crackers and yogurt dip they serve you at the beginning of the meal before I could actually taste it again, but I ended up with the petite sirah, which was quite pleasant. I say ended up b/c it was actually my friend's wine. I again went with the server's recommendation (based on what I had told her about my tastes) and got the Malbec. I actually didn't like it, which is surprising (there aren't many red wines I plain old don't like) - maybe the sweetbreads were still interfering - but my friend really liked it so we switched. Oh, and I can't remember which one, but one of our glasses of wine was a dollar more than listed on the menu - I assume they had raised the price without updating the menu, but we didn't feel it was worth asking. All in all, I would say from what we were able to sample from the food and wine, we both agreed we could easily be enticed back for a full meal or the tasting menu. What I found faults were overall small, and almost entirely related to service. Not to say that our server wasn't incredibly friendly and attentive, she was both - I just think in the future I'll stick to asking to talk to the sommelier for wine recommendations, especially seeing what I read today about how great he is. I think had we just asked for him, I'd have virtually nothing negative to say. Although I do think if you're a wine bar and restaurant, your servers should be well educated regarding wine and pairings. Or if they're not, at least give them a cheat sheet with 2-3 recommendations per dish and let the customer then decide based on their tastes.

Was hoping for a newer review myself. Considering going for RW as they're offering their full menu. Anyone?

I haven't gotten around to posting my full review from my meal on Wed night, but we did have coffee and it was quite good. They send some home with you too, along with their scone mix and some butter (at least they did for us, maybe b/c it was our birthday, but I saw others leaving with care packages too). Have to pick up some cream so I can have those with my birthday breakfast Sunday morning now that I think about it!