NolaCaine

Dinner at Makoto last night was a very interesting experience for a number of reasons and the experience stands out in my mind as much as the food. Overall I felt like we were invited into a lady's house and she was going to serve us dinner but yet we were reminded that we were at a restaurant because when we arrived, a mere 10 minutes before the reservation time, the door was locked and when we called hoping to escape the December chill, we were informed that "the chef is not ready yet." Makoto provides an 8 course pre fixe with a couple of upcharge options. One is expanded sushi during that course; I didn't catch the other. The menu is not online, I didn't snap a picture and it changes daily. I do not know Japanese food and therefore I will do a very poor job of explaining the menu but hope I capture enough to make you want to dine there (order is approximate). 1: Selection of 4 items in order we were instructed to eat them: tender, juicy, flavorful, slightly spicy beef tenderloin, 2 types of mushrooms in a delicious sauce ("pick up, bring to your mouth", we were encouraged), a single turnip (baby) in a bland sauce, and 4 blackberries with some mild cream sauce. 2 & 3. One of them contained some type of fatty seared fish with a mild miso sauce and that was amazing and I want more. The other items were good as well. One was fried duck liver served over a rice cake with a seaweed base. Another was a choice of sea bass or cod. I had sea bass and it was perfectly well cooked but my companion's cod was a bit blackened. 4. Sushi. Great especially since a very special leaf was served with which made the experience elevated. My flounder flower was fatty. 5. Seafood soup: Two waitresses made it at our table and we were told "let me cook this for you". At first I didn't really like it but by the end it was amazing. I enjoyed how the soup changed over the 3 serving. (our hostess kept spooning it into our bowls and I had a little cough so she gave me extra broth with encouragement to eat it all). 6. Deep fried monkfish in a nice broth. Compared to the rest, unexciting from enjoyable all the same. 7. Sashimi: also amazing. We were instructed to eat the first without soy sauce because it was already marinated and also informed of the order in which to consume the other 3 pieces. 8. Fruit tart with a side of Grand Mariner sherbet. Sherbet was the perfect ending to this meal. I was full, but not overly. Notes on service: I had a little cough and so the waitress (noun doesn't suit) brought warm water for me and kept it warm and filled at my side all night. Our table ordered 3 sakes and she explained them all to us, choose her favorite and brought that one when we wanted more. We also received tasting cups. I am allergic to nuts and milk, cream, cheese ect and Makoto doesn't alter the menu for allergies. My allergies were outlined when the reservations were made two weeks in advance and maybe that is why this night there were no nuts on the menu. Although two items contained cream, I was simply informed "that contains cream (or cheese), you might not want to eat it."

It was Makoto. I loved the experience. I noticed the thread is old and dusty. I'll give it a little update today or tomorrow. Quick review; One of the items was divine. next level and heavenly. Of the 7 courses, I'd say 5 were hits, 2 were ok, but that's in comparison to the others.

Quick little mini-review to say that TobyChun above is right about the miso ramen. Excellent portion size (enough broth for me but I couldn't quite finish the noodles). Pork had just enough fattiness and my cold and sore throat seems eased by the broth. Oh, and the coke is canned.

Today, Dec. 12 and tomorrow, Dec 13, PV is open only for dinner. It is closed on Sunday, Dec. 14. Starting Monday, it is open from 11am-past my bed time (I stopped listening). I haven't been yet, but give me a few days. Their claim to fame is 36 wines by the glass for under $10.

Power of persuasion caused me to get a duck here last weekend and I very much enjoyed the food and experience. I am not special and my duck probably wasn't either but I still loved it. What's to write? It was a fatty duck with succelent juicy meat served with the usual accompaniments. The pancakes seemed home-made as they were not all the same size/shape and were a bit thicker than usual take-out. Oh, we ordered HALF a duck ($22) We enjoyed the $3.50 celery appetizer. Yes, you read that price right. I enjoyed it so much that am going to try to recreate it. It's slightly cooked celery in a sesame oil and weak soy sauce (I think) served warm. The shrimp pot stickers were good too"¦very shrimpy and tiny. Little one biters. ($8) My husband ordered a humbled bastard or a pissed off bastard or something like that. Basically rum, some more rum and a blue plastic cup. Terrible unless you like rum over ice. ($8) It's an entertaining experience in my opinion and the food is good. (all prices quoted above are from memory, not ticket).

How is processed soy fake meat "native""? They almost got me but I figured out their lie before placing my order.

Thanks guys. I'd love to try Mini-bar but I doubt that's it. Komi is where I (currently) want to go but Marcel's seems likely. We discussed Komi and Marcel's a few months ago. As you can tell, I am looking forward to it. Now this one seems a possibility because I could see friend's wife picking this place. How exciting. I might have to walk down that crazy dark ally for an anniversary or something soon.

As a special treat, a friend is taking me to a fabulous, expensive, DC place that only serves a predetermined tasting menu. That's all I know. He's intentionally not telling me but I want to read food porn in preperation. Ideas? I only know of one: Komi. I am not sure if that's the one though because I have a (recent onset) nut and dairy allergy and Komi specifically states that they don't accomodate dairy allergy. Other ideas?

I have been schooled. :-) I am not positive about the cleaning but there were two fish mongers behind the fish counter. Seems hopeful.

SOB. I am not that good at self editing. FISH. Although they probably have pig nuckles which is a pig fist so yes, they probably have fists too. Yes, live eels. Live. Swimming. IN a tank. You could take a small child and explain that it's a free aquarium...

Didn't check out the price but Good Fortune in Eden Center has live Dungeness crabs. In fact, they have a lot of live crabs of different storts...and fist, and eels...no frogs. yet.

I am a woman who used to make pizza. 5 years. having flashback. getting uncomfortable. I am also a super hero (not really but my son thinks I know everything). I am from New Orleans Lousiana and my hometown suffered a pretty bad hurricane. "Caine" makes it sound like a real name though so I use it for loyalty programs and my alter ego gets a lot of junk mail.

Quick little review to say yes, OKI is OK! I enjoyed the Tom-Yum Ramen all over my shirt and when the menu says "prawn" they mean it, one big prawn. Tom-Yum tends to range in spicy-ness generally and this is a mild version of the broth. I will report back once I enjoy a few other items off this select menu. I think I can make my way through it before spring. For those who are curious, I'd like to add a little note on decor. It's busy. And fanciful. And there are about 20 seats and 4 or 5 tables.

I had the good fortune to visit Good Fortune this week after a wonderful Pho lunch at Eden Center on Sunday. It is huge, clean, and full of wonders. My 4 yr old was quite happy to see live eels and lobsters. He was shocked to see live fish as well. No live frogs though. and he got a floating balloon. Aside from the huge fresh fruit and veggie sections, (and obvious Asian selections), Good Fortune carries pretty much all ordinate pantry staples and a huge selection of Goya products. I can't wait to go back alone.

so it's OKI not OK! I suspect this is a completely useless post but the (HUGE, wooden) sign lookes like "OK!" IMHO

While I realize that this thread has been asleep for awhile, i just had to voice my displeasure with my lunch. I met a friend at Kyoto near Union Station/ SOBs and it is horrible. I had a box, nothing too hard, difficult, or fancy. Everything was oily and deep fried, even the pot stickers. Do they not own a steamer? They should be ashamed of themselves servingthat crap as "Japanese". Anyway, I smell like greese and now feel a tad bit better. Oh, the coke was good. (I know I've said it before but I like good coke and it's hard to find.)

oh no you didn't...

I am eating Pei-Wei right now. I confess, I was curious. I was, for some reason, in the mood for something other than Suki Asia. I deserve what I got. First, the positive: the coke is great. Now the negatives: Pei Wei SPicy Chicke Salad = deep fried chciken in something sweet-gloopy with a hint of heat served on top of an iceberg salad. Not bad if you like that sort of thing. Spicy Tuna Roll is not going to kill me. Thai Wonton Soup might kill me. It tastes soapy. I can't wait to forget this $15 mistake. EDITed with update: I couldn't eat that !@#$. It's in the trash and i'm very hungry.

Yes. Who Dat?

I just got back from Noelia's for lunch and enjoyed it. First, it's location on F st between 13 and 12 hides it from the busier places on 13th. The space is beautiful with dark leather couches and chairs. It also feels vast somehow although it's not particularly huge. The doors to the street were open today, letting in fresh air which was nice. The street is not busy here so road noise was not a problem. I had calamari and prosciutto and melon salad. The menu is not particularly awe-inspiring but I enjoyed the squid and the salad. The melon was really sweet and a nice complement to the very fresh prosciutto. I could have used fewer tentacles in my calamari but I ate all of it anyway. I've had lighter but this was tasty. Meals are served with bread and some sort of very mild tapenade. Maybe I didn't smear enough on the bread. While I would not go out of my way to dine here, it was a very tasty and pleasant meal with an atmosphere conducive to discussion; which was the purpose of my lunch in the first place. Service was perfect and the food (other than the squid) was quite beautiful, including the salad and bruchetta my friend ordered.

Forgot to report! I went to three lobster pounds and they are: Beal's (Southwest Harbor): http://bealslobster.com/ By far my vary favorite lobster in the whole entire world ever. I've been dining here for the full decade I"m been going to NE for summers and it just gets busier. Thurston's: http://thurstonslobster.com/ (some where on Mt. Desert) Second best to Beal's. What they've got going for them is an actual drink counter and a dessert counter. and better views. The lobster is still fantastic. DO NOT GO TO ABEL's This place sucks, is about 4 times the price of other places; has rude service and is as slow as molasses on a cold maine morning. I hate that I've been 3 times in my life. Didn't find Sweet Pea's. In terms of Bar Harbor we stayed near blaze which isn't bad: http://blazebh.com/ Not amazing either but perfectly serviceable with nice staff. I was shocked and amazed by lazy lobster: Given it's location and cheeseness, I thought it would be horrible but was pretty good. I had a 4 yr old and a pile of books with me and the staff was very nice. I get the sense that this is owned/run for a local couple. Lot's of people came to chat with them during the course of my off-time lunch. https://plus.google.com/109959307061319045544/about?gl=us&hl=en I also had a fabulous meal in the village of southwest harbor but can't find the place. It's little, new, and serves local. If I can figure it out I"ll post.

Holy Crabmeat Batman: I'd like to publicly thank Big Buns for bringing a jumbo sized, full-of-large-lumps crab cake to Ballston. That badboy is fantastic. When I dinned last weekend, I was shocked at size of the lumps (huge); the size of the cake (huge) and the taste (amazing). In terms of service, my 4 yr old was flirtying with one of our counter ladies and I think she entertained him for a full 10 minutes while she had no customers and I while I fed self and the 1-yr-old. Keep up the great work. I still love the milkshakes.

I had one of the best lunches of recent memory at Bourbon Steak last week. Because I have a dairy allergy, i inquired about what was dairy free. I was a little surprised to learn that the options were limited so went to lunch with the assumption that i'd end up with a very basic grilled meal. I was very happy and satisfied when I left. Arctic Char: Perfectly seared skin and the fat layer underneath was all fat and yummy. I can't really figure out what was on top...maybe some chive, evoo, s&p, garlic mixture and it was Devine. I have been thinking about this fish ever since I ate it. I want more. Melon and Prosciutto Salad: Perfect and pretty. THe salt/sweet balance was perfect. Onion Rings; not great but not bad. They seem to be bread-battered and heavy for it. Peppers; the waiter told me that one in 10 is hot. My first was very very hot. Those that were not hot were nice. Edit: Forgot to mention service. The service was very very good. I did have my water glass go dry a couple of times, my personal pet peeve, but otherwise, very nice. I also saw the staff treating some special guests quite well which impressed me (birthday in one case, advanced age and mobility limits in another).

I just learned from the propriotor that the japchae, kim chi, and dressings are all made in-house. Thought I"d add that.