Flavortown

Panzanella Salad: Toasted baguette, tomato, cucumber, and a vinaigrette of red chili oil, sherry vinegar, and some extra virgin olive oil drained off of the lemon confit (Ad Hoc at Home recipe) I'm working on. Totally forgot red onion.

In.

Tallula's appetizers were across the board awesome: a beautifully battered and fried softshell crab; nicely seared, buttery scallops over a fresh corn polenta (mentioned in Tallula's thread, and truly delicious); and a fava bean bruschetta topped with lardo and a fried egg, punched up by an acidic tomatillo sauce. EatBar's offerings were also definitely worth ordering: a solid burger made with beef that was spot on in terms of both flavor and texture (I don't know how anybody could perceive it as low quality...), addicting fries, and pretty good fritters. The weakest dish of the night was a cavatelli off the Tallula menu that was slightly overpowered by acid (vinegar?), but we still gladly cleaned our plates, and I'm looking forward to a return visit for a chance to further explore both menus.

In as well, barring unexpected changes in my work schedule.

All right, looks like I'll be the first one to offer a comment on how the pizza Spike is putting out actually tastes. Before that, a brief take on the rest of the place: Aesthetically, I actually like it a lot. While the pictures of Spike and Co. all over the walls aren't particularly attractive, overall I think it has a nice look, and their method of displaying the pizzas is smart and effective: they've got 15 or so round pedestals that each have a different pizza on them, forcing you to look them over whilst standing in line, making it considerably more difficult to decide since most all of them at least look good. I was fine with waiting the 30 minutes it took for me to order and get my pizza. First day open, technical difficulties, crazy long line, etc. . . . It wasn't too big of a deal to me, though some of the frantic fans had gone from snapping shots of Spike expediting to demanding their pizza from the defenseless staff. By the time I got to the register, I'd decided to go with a slice each of the White Pie Today's ricotta, fontina, roasted garlic, Parmesan, mozz, sea salt, olive oil, fresh Italian parsley and the Roasted Potato and Pancetta Pie Roasted local spuds, pancetta, caramelized onions, our tomato sauce, mozz, fresh rosemary. Both were $4 a pop, and I skipped the house made sodas, despite the legion of people happily sipping on them while waiting for their orders to be filled. So, after standing in a corner for about 10 or 15 minutes, drinking ice water and watching as the people working the counter tried to get a handle on calling out people's order numbers for them to pick up their food, I grabbed my slices and dug in. Without a doubt, the quality of the food and the length of the line going out the door and down the sidewalk are not at all commensurate. However, I've definitely eaten worse pizza before (i.e. Dominos, Angelico, etc.). Spike's pizza falls into the realm of what I consider NY style pizza -- floppy and heavy on the toppings, almost demanding folding if you want to eat it and not make a complete mess. Yet while the look and the feel of the pizza was accurate, eating it breaks the illusion: the crust just isn't quite there yet. It has too much chew (almost gluey) with only the slightest crispness at the end-crust, along with just decent flavor that might have developed further had the pizzas spent a little more time in the oven. The white pizza was undoubtedly cheesy, and not doused in oil as often occurs with white pies. Yet their mozzarella doesn't taste like a particularly high quality product in comparison to other area pizzerias, and I got no hint of the roasted garlic. The potato and pancetta pie struck me as a unique concept, but wasn't all that successful: the chunks of potato looked like they might be crispy, but instead were soggy; and the pancetta wasn't browned at all, bringing only oil and chew rather than crispiness to the equation. The sauce, however, was actually pretty flavorful, and the hit of rosemary was well balanced and appreciated. Still, all those components, together with the cheese, brought way too much moisture to a pie that already hadn't received enough cook (the underside was pale). Obviously, judging any place solely on its first official day of service is unfair, even if that day was a long time coming. And as one who has worked with pizza dough in a number of contexts, I know that each batch from the same recipe can somehow come out drastically different. But if the pizza I got today is what Spike was shooting for, based on how my jaw feels, I'd insist that no amount of appealing presentation and menu description can make up for an overly chewy crust. Much like Good Stuff's burgers, which have successful toppings but a terrible base (the meat), Spike's pizza reads well on the menu, looks good on display, and even has decent toppings, but misses the mark on the most foundational element. Yet while Good Stuff seems like a lost cause to me, I think We, The Pizza could possibly settle in and reach a point where $4 a slice doesn't sting too badly.

Summer is definitely here, and the specials that Chef Wiss has on his menu this season are consistently outstanding. The salads, pastas, and pizzas manage to incorporate local, seasonal produce in ways that are smart and effective, not inane and gimmicky. A few stick out in my mind from recent visits... The Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho mentioned above is smooth and creamy thanks to the emulsified olive oil, yet still light and refreshing -- plus it gets a boost in flavor and texture from those halved grape tomatoes. It's the best rendition of this classic that I've ever tasted, and it manages to best a cold Hennepinas the perfect way to cool down after trekking through the heat. The Grilled Bruschetta ($10) is a lesson in balancing flavors, in addition to being visually stunning: a thick layer of extremely rich Pipe Dreams Dairy goat cheese on olive oil coated, grilled ciabatta is magically counterbalanced by the sweetness and acidity of bright orange and red grape tomatoes. The salads are across the board awesome, particularly one that meshes grilled watermelon (a surprising blend of smokey and sweet) with feta cheese. The delicious Fig and Feta Pizza centers on a similar flavor profile: the clash between sweet black mission figs and salty feta. But pizza wise, if there's one thing that can't be missed, it's the Corn and Tomato Pizza: the sweet Virginia corn and tomatoes that Chef is working with are already a match made in heaven, but with goat cheese, mozzarella, and pickled red onions providing a backdrop, their affinity is amplified beautifully. With this kind of a success rate, it's hard not to return each time a new dish shows up on the menu.

Probably yellow tomato + coriander sauce, with some pancetta in there as well.

Now the owner of this guy, 240 mm style. Yet to put it to work, but will report back after tackling a few cases of onions, peppers, and tomatoes with it this weekend. P.S. - Korin really is a fantastic vendor. Fast, efficient ordering process and delivery. And they're currently having a 15% sale on all knives.

Sounds like a good meal -- all the typical spring flavors that are showing up on menus lately. Almost makes me want to give the place another shot.

I think that'll work. It'll round it all out, and dull the sour flavor. Only problem is that if it's way too sour, it'd take so much oil that the consistency of the whole thing might be changed for the worse. So maybe some simple syrup, or even a touch of honey, would do the trick.

Oval Room sprang to mind the moment I saw the title of this thread. Wholeheartedly seconded. Many of the other options listed here are high-end food with deals that make it more affordable (Corduroy's bar, CityZen's bar, Palena Cafe, and even Vidalia, with a bar menu that is as much of as what's on the dinner menu), but even paying full price at Oval Room, the food will (from my experience) blow your mind.

The bar at Radius. Feel free to join, and shoot a pm if you're comin'.

Asparagus + goat cheese = match made in heaven. In an omelet, with pasta, etc. etc. Bring mushrooms and shallots/onions into the mix, and it only gets better. Thomas Keller also suggests a cool technique for working with asparagus in Ad Hoc at Home: trimming them, then running them a bunch at a time over a mandolin so that they're sliced into thin coins. Cook them in a small amount of water (he uses parsley water, but that's a pain to prep) so as to preserve their flavor, or integrate them into other dishes (vegetable stews, and so on).

The Whole Foods in Tenleytown might have sheep's milk ricotta. If not, I know that they do carry a few good options for fresh cow's milk ricotta, including Maplebrook Farm's, from Vermont.

Brisket Burgers w/ Edam, Arugula, Caramelized Onions, Smoked Bacon, and Horseradish Mayo Caprese Pasta Salad Assorted Skewered Meats (Kielbasa, Sirloin, Chicken) and Vegetables Cheddar Brats Ribs (Dry-rubbed and slow-cooked on the grill) Lots of beer BBQs with a bunch of cooks trying to one up each other are fun.

Why is this thread only 2 pages long? The Oval Room is in the same price range as numerous restaurants that receive tons of dr.com attention, and yet it gets so rarely mentioned here. Perhaps it is this lack buzz that made me wait so long to drop by and give Chef Conte’s cooking a try, but after the dinner I had tonight, I wish I’d done it sooner. One of the 7 courses on the tasting menu was an gnocchi with (for me) an irresistible flavor combination: mushrooms, pancetta, and ramps. I asked if an appetizer portion could be ordered a la carte, and that wasn’t a problem. The Potato Gnocchi honshimeji mushrooms, ramps, pancetta ($11) was good, but not revelatory. A generous amount of parmigiano over top brought some salt/bite to the earthy mix of mushrooms and smoked pancetta. Unique was the dish's lack of butter/creaminess; instead, the saucing was olive oil based, and a shallow pool of said oil (which begged for good bread to sop it up) was at the bottom of the bowl. This made for an overall lighter dish than I had expected, but no less satisfying. The Crispy Rockfish Peekytoe Crab Chowder, Pancetta, Licorice, & Parsley ($25), however, blew my mind. I ordered it with a great deal of skepticism, fearful that the licorice would be assert itself over the other components, but this is hands down the best fish dish I’ve eaten in at least 6 months. A large filet of rockfish, with perfectly crisped skin, seasoned exactly right (just the right amount of salt to satisfy the demand that arises from frying) poised over a chowder of crab, carrots, and potatoes. In his recent review, Tom Sietsema mentions a similar dish, and states that the chowder was creamless – if that’s the case in this preparation as well, I’m even more impressed; its creaminess provided an ideal foil to the crispy-skinned rockfish, while also bringing plenty of flavor and substance to the overall dish thanks to the carefully cut and cooked vegetables, as well as the sweet crab meat. The licorice, which I had so feared, played nicely with all the other components, rounding out the dish and interacting particularly well with the rockfish’s crisp, well salted exterior. I closed out my meal with a dessert just added to their menu: Cornflake Custard strawberry yogurt ice cream, marinated local strawberries ($9). The custard, which the bartender explained was made primarily from true Kellogg’s cornflakes and milk, somehow managed to be creamy while at the same time reminiscent of the texture of cornflakes. It was baffling to essentially not have to chew, yet to recognize the taste (and to some extent the mouth-feel) of cornflakes. The ice cream was also exemplary, capturing the tanginess of yogurt and the sweetness of strawberries. Unlisted ingredients included dried strawberries, a smart counterpoint to their marinated brethren, and crispy clusters of what I can only assume were toasted cornflakes. Just one miss: a flavorless sheet of strawberry gelee that brought nothing to an otherwise stellar dish. Both in terms of flavor and presentation, the food being put out by chef Conte’s kitchen is exceptional. The attention to detail on both these fronts begs one more question: why is the bread service so abysmal? Generic, baguette-like bread, fresh, yet not even warmed, along with bland (but at least softened) butter is not a just introduction to the intricacy of both the savory and sweet creations that follow. But besides this weakpoint, I’m amazed by what the Oval Room offers, and even more so by the lack of people taking the opportunity (or at least choosing to write about their visits) to enjoy what seems to be some of the best food in the city.

Againn, Brasserie Beck, Mio, and Birch & Barley/Churchkey are all within walking distance of 14th and K. I had dinner at Beck last night, and despite Kliman's suggestion that the kitchen has been slipping a bit, I was quite impressed. Plus there's a wide range of prices on their menu (from $13 sandwiches, to $20 mussels and fries, and up) that could make it suitable for a more casual meal. The same holds true for both Againn and Birch & Barley, though I can't speak to Mio as I haven't been yet.

Looks like the tradition is in need of another revival.... Anyone for Firefly, or Corduroy, around 5:30 tonight?

In response to a request for the arancini recipe, I figured I'd tack it on to the list here: Sweet Corn and Shrimp Arancini Ingredients 2 and 1/4 cups arborio rice 7 cups home made (I doubt it's sold in any store?) corn stock, with extra reserved in case the risotto is finicky 1/2 Vidalia onion, small dice 3 ears of corn, kernels removed 3/4 pound of 31-40 count shrimp (though any size works), shelled and deveined 4 ounces pancetta, small dice 1.5 oz butter, + 1 red bell pepper 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, small dice 1 cup Pecorino Romano, grated (more to taste) 1 lime 1 splash (about a half cup) white wine (pretty sure I had a dry riesling on hand) Panko Wondra Eggs Extra Light Olive Oil/Neutral Cooking Oil Salt Pepper Process Shortly before cooking (so as not to give the acid time to start cooking them), marinate the shrimp in oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and the juice from half the lime. Start with a small pan over medium heat, with just a small splash of oil to get the pancetta started. Sautee the pancetta, rendering out the fat, and remove it from the pan as it begins to crisp up. It'll get even crispier as it cools. Set aside, and reserve the fat in the pan. Raise the heat to medium high, then add the corn kernels and red bell pepper. Cook until the kernels begin to brown up, tossing frequently. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the shrimp to the pan, maintaining medium high heat, for about a minute per side. Don't overcook -- they're going to get more attention when the components are incorporated into the risotto, and when the arrancini are dropped into the fryer. Remove the shrimp, retaining whatever juices the shrimp released in the cooking process. Dice the shrimp. Bring the stock to boil, then lower to a simmer. Melt the butter in a pot that can hold at least 10 cups. Over medium-low heat, saute the onions until translucent. Raise the heat to medium and add the arborio rice, and toast for about a minute and a half, until the edges of the grains begin to get translucent. Hit the rice with the white wine, and after most of the liquid has cooked off, pour in all of the stock. Stirring occasionally, let the risotto cook. It should take 20 minutes to absorb the majority of the liquid and to reach al dente. Start tasting after 15, checking for when the chalky taste and texture of the rice is gone, but it still has a bit of resistance to the tooth -- not mush. Adjust heat throughout to maintain a simmer, or just barely above it. A few minutes before the risotto is done, incorporate the corn, peppers, shrimp, shrimp pan liquid, pancetta, juice from the other half of the lime, and the zest from half a lime as well. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the Pecorino. Taste, and season with additional cheese, salt, and pepper. Turn the risotto out into a bowl. Beat 1 or 2 eggs (depending on how rich you want them to be), and stir them into the risotto as well. Allow to cool (spreading on a sheet and sticking it in the refrigerator is a good, quick method). A small ice cream scoop is the best tool for shaping the risotto once it has cooled. You can make them whatever size you want, just realize that as they get bigger, you'll want to fry at lower temperatures to insure that the inside heats before the outside burns. Once they are all rolled into balls, make an indentation in each and stuff 2 or 3 small cubes of mozzarella. Roll the risotto back up. Setup 3 bowls: one with Wondra, one with beaten eggs, one with Panko. Each rice ball goes into the Wondra first, then egg, then Panko. The longer you take, and the neater you are, the nicer they'll look. Depending on the size, fry them up in a deep fryer somewhere between 325 and 375. Make sure to salt them (lightly) when they leave the fryer, and don't eat immediately, or the nuclear hot, molten core will burn your face off. PS: they take forever to actually get cold, so unlike most fried food, they can sit a while. Alternatively, you can pan fry them in an inch or so of oil as long as you monitor the heat so that they don't brown too quickly, and if you don't mind the breading getting a little screwed up by the bottom of the pan.

Of course the heat will evaporate some of the water, but it'll never do as thorough of a job as throwing the sauce on the stove for an hour or two could. The uncooked tomato sauce is going to stay looser than the thick, sweet stuff that many US pizza places use. Agreed with DPop, Lola007, and others, that super wet pizzas with middles that are like pools of liquid are simply unappetizing. I'm not advocating acceptance of a soupy mess, but rather trying to counteract what (I think ) is too many people looking for a Neapolitan pizza with crust that is crisp/stiff/dry enough to remain level when you lift a slice off the plate. If the pizza doesn't droop, and if it isn't at least somewhat wetter than your everyday American pizza, it's not Neapolitan. For example, the few experiences I've had with Matchbox's pizza : the crust is thin, but more cracker-like than the soft, pliable, chewy crust of a Neapolitan pie. Of course, their goal is not to make the same pizza as what you'd find in Naples, but I think too many people expect the Neapolitan style of pizza to have the attributes that mark Matchbox's style.

Seriously. This sogginess is an intrinsic part of real Neapolitan pizza. Enjoy it. Also, the uncooked (i.e. not thickened) tomato sauce that makes Neapolitan pizza taste so fresh and light brings additional water, helping to cause the wetness.

Nah, wasn't me. Apparently lots of people were in need of some lovage that Sunday. Thanks for the offer, but it was for that Monday, so no need anymore.

Braised Pork Shank Fettucini fava beans, ramps, english peas, and pecorino ($9/$15): Go eat this now. What could easily be an extremely heavy meat dish becomes the epitome of Spring thanks to all the vegetable components, while still highlighting the pork shank's deep, rich flavor. And finish your meal off with any of their house-spun ice creams or sorbets; Chef is having a party with the new ice cream machine, and the stuff he's been coming up with (local strawberry sorbet, lemon balm sorbet, pistachio ice cream with a touch of salt) is simply awesome.

Lofty daydreams of achieving new levels of culinary douchebaggery by serving a dish with "three ways" in its title yield to the call of work, and the need to send a dish in my stead that others can cook up and serve for me. The solution: arancini caprese, the miniature cousins of last picnic's Suppli, made from tomato based risotto, stuffed with fresh mozzarella, and served with basil aioli.

I did the math, and almost 1/6 of those posts are mine. And I'm going again tonight.