Flavortown

Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery is partnering with Birch & Barley to offer a 5 course/8 beer dinner on Monday, April 19th. Copied from an email blast sent by Birch & Barley this morning: The Menu Apéritif Brooklyner Weisse Tuna Niçoise Crudo with Quail Eggs, Green Beans, Olive Salt and Pickled Red Onions Brooklyn Cuvee de Cardoz 2009 Gnocchi with Rabbit Sausage, Ramps, Ricotta Salata and Fennel Pollen Brooklyn Local 1 Lamb Loin with Bulgur Wheat, Asparagus, Peas and Spring Onion Brooklyn Local 2 Cheese Course Grayson with Brooklyn Wild 1 2008 Pleasant Ridge Reserve with Brooklyn Monster 2008 Ossau Iraty with Brooklyn Dark Matter Almond Rhubarb Shortcake with Mascarpone Ice Cream and Basil Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 2009 About The Beers Brooklyner Weisse This is a rare version of Brooklyn's ode to the Bavarian Hefeweizen. Typically seen on draft, this iteration is refermented in the bottle for a more complex flavor and a gentler effervescence. Brooklyner Weisse still teems with banana, clove and melon, with a whiff of smoke in the finish. This edition is so limited, there aren't even labels for the bottles! Brooklyn Cuvee de Cardoz 2009 A wonderful release from Garret's Brewmaster's Reserve Series that most had thought they would not get another chance to taste. Luckily, Garret stashed some away for our dinner, and it will be fascinating to see how this brew's flavors have evolved. Already delicious on account of the spicing (Ginger, tamarind, mace, black pepper, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and chilies are added) this beer is sure to continue to pair elegantly with Chef Bailey's Tuna Nicoise. Brooklyn Local 1 This is Garret's homage to the Saison and Strong Golden Ales of Belgium. Brewed with German barley malts and hops, aromatic raw sugar from Mauritius, and a special Belgian yeast, this is enticing and unforgettable. Like the Brooklyner Weisse, Local 1 is refermented in the bottle for a palate of unusual depth. Brooklyn Local 2 The sister brew to Local 1, Local 2 is brewed with European malts and hops, Belgian dark sugar, and raw wildflower honey from New York family farm. Another special Belgian yeast adds a spicy tone to the dark fruit, caramel and chocolate flavors. And of course, Local 2 is also refermented in the bottle for a dry complexity. Brooklyn Wild 1 2008 A highly sought after rarity from Garret's cellar, Wild 1 is Local 1 aged in Bourbon barrels. The wood adds caramel, vanilla, and coconut notes to an already complex offering, while two years of aging has mellowed out the stronger flavors and rounded the ale into an astounding refinement. Brooklyn Monster 2008 A Barleywine that is vivacious when young, this 2 year old bottling has evolved into something much more: caramel, toffee, raisin and red fruit all dry out elegantly in a finish redolent of fine sherry. Brooklyn Dark Matter The most recent Brewmaster's Reserve release, and one of the best yet. This is a strong Brown Ale aged in both Bourbon and Rye Whiskey barrels then blended to taste. Sweet Bourbon notes mingle with spicy Rye, and all is balanced by the caramel richness of oak. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 2009 Dessert in a glass, showing luscious deep dark chocolate flavors. A touch of red fruit is discovered among the nutty, almost port-like flavors this beer has already begun to develop. Details: Brooklyn Brewery Dinner at Birch & Barley on Monday, April 19. $100 per person, all-included. For reservations and more information, please call 202-567-2576.

The List Liz Tweaked fuzzy510 ol_ironstomach gubeen Kmango (+1?) eroica (+1) GennaroE One week out, and only 10 sign ups? Come on people, I know we can do better than that. The menu that Sudhir has put together is exactly what's needed on hump day in order to get through the rest of the week.

Saw a lot of familiar faces last night, and hope everybody enjoyed it as much as I did. I definitely overdid it with the food -- it's a bit hard not to when you're surrounded by 60 restaurants that are holding out one or more dishes at you-- but here were the top 5 things I tasted (in no particular order): Vanilla rubbed pork belly with date puree from Trummer's on Main Braised beef short rib with pickled ramp and porcini puree from Charlie Palmer Steak Tuna tartar in a sesame miso cone from The Source Vidalia's cooked beef dish (As opposed to the beef tartar. I don't want to misrepresent the details, the only component I remember accurately is "garlic glass") Seared scallop with mini spanikopita roll from Kellari Taverna There were a few serious duds, but overall I thought the food was pretty great. Plus it was interesting to compare this to DCCK's Capital Food Fight: TOTN's space was much more appealing, the food was about even, and the entertainment was obviously less impressive (a DJ vs. Iron Chef battles with commentary from Anthony Bourdain and Jose Andres).

Chef Kyle Bailey seeks motivated, dedicated, hardcore line cooks to work at Birch & Barley, an exciting new restaurant that recently received 2.5 stars from the Washington Post (the review is here). This is a position for cooks who want to become chefs. Long hours, hard work. Those interested should contact him at Kbailey@birchandbarley.com for more information. (Note: I'm just posting the ad, and have no involvement at all in the hiring process.)

The List Liz Tweaked fuzzy510 (?) ol_ironstomach gubeen Kmango (+1?) eroica (+1) GennaroE

Tack on screwing over everybody who works in food service and relies on public transportation to get home after work. This is crazy. If anything, Metro should be increasing its hours.

I'm in too.

Apparently I don't. Today I requested a 12" Pattison Avenue (Pork + Rabe) on 6 inches of bread, and received a mass of pork with literally two stems of broccoli rabe (less than 1/4 of the amount on the normal sandwich) and a sprinkling of cheese. The imbalance of ingredients might have been tolerable if the pork had tasted good, but today it utterly lacked seasoning and tasted more of unadulterated fat than anything else. Plus it was ice cold, which only accentuated the unpleasant texture of the meat and underscored the lack of any other flavor. I'm pretty disgusted. The 4 or so lunches I've gotten from the Sauca cart have been far superior to this sandwich, and cheaper. Edit: At least the Arancini were decent; they have a nice spiciness to them.

Wish I could join, since I've never actually had dim sum, but I work brunch every Sunday. One of these weeks I'll be in for a Saturday trip though.

Good question. I don't think so -- once you sign up, that's it, you're in. See you there.

The List Liz Tweaked fuzzy510 (?) ol_ironstomach gubeen Kmango (+1?) GennaroE It's a few weeks away (duh) so tentative responses, needing to check schedules, etc., are all more than welcome. Chef Seth and I are really hoping for a big turnout -- like past Spice Xing events -- so keep the sign-ups coming!

That gnocchi was, without a doubt, the star dish of the night. I recently had a take on braised rabbit (a fantastic bowl of cavatelli at Radius), and the contrast between that and Chef Bailey's use of rabbit sausage was really interesting. Grinding the rabbit and forming it into sausage, undoubtedly with heavy use of herbs and other seasoning, concentrated its flavor, as opposed to the dish at Radius, which was delicious, but also focused more on exploiting the tender texture of the rabbit: that beautiful, fall apart quality that this meat takes on after a good, long braise. The use of sausage made sense given the tenderness of the gnocchi; it brought variation in texture texture to a dish that otherwise would have been all pillowy and soft. The ricotta salata (made in house), and the ramps, completed the addictive flavor profile, and set it apart as a real Spring dish. I wish I was eating another bowl of it right now, despite being stuffed. While the Tagliatelle was less than stellar for me, the Cavatelli was extremely impressive. The Cavatelli themselves, almost as tender as gnocchi (no doubt thanks to the ricotta that they are composed of) coupled with rich, braised lamb, while not quite so Spring-like as the rabbit gnocchi, really rounded out the pasta tasting as a whole with its rich, comforting qualities. Of the food we actually ordered, most every dish was completely successful: the crispy duck egg over pancetta, frisee, and asparagus was lovely (and wonderfully messy: the yoke was so runny that as we cut into the egg, it erupted from the plate); the new risotto, packed with chorizo, shrimp, and parmesan, then balanced with toasted garlic, the sweetness of a balsamic vinegar reduction, and the acidity of chorizo vinaigrette was great; and the new side - sugar snap peas with almonds and preserved lemon - screamed Spring, combining almonds, almond oil, lemon juice, preserved lemon, and butter to form a tight glaze on a bunch of perfectly cooked (not at all mushy) sugar snap peas. And of course, dessert (along with Tiffany's other direct contribution to the meal, the oft praised bread board) was fantastic. We opted for the peanut butter chocolate tart, a creation that ingeniously exploits the traditional combination of savory peanut butter and sweet chocolate, balancing the two components expertly to avoid oversaltiness as well as an equally dangerous threat: too much sweetness. Tacking on a mini vanilla whiskey milkshake and a sorbet for good measure only elevated this dessert further. Beers were also great, and thanks to Kevin, the tender, most of these courses were paired perfectly with suitable brews. The most successful of these was the match up of a dark, smoky beer with dessert, a combination that totally blew my mind.

A dinner at Masala Art a few months back gave me a chance to meet Chef Seth and to learn a whole lot more about Indian food than I ever had before. This contact, coupled with having lived vicariously through posts about past dr.com events at his restaurants (particularly the Crab Feast held there nearly a year ago, which discussed here, and really ought to become an annual tradition...) led to talk of organizing another chance for dr.com members to visit Spice Xing as a group. The goal was to offer a variety of dishes that would represent Chef Seth's cooking without creating a menu so expansive that one would only get a single bite of a thirty different things, overwhelming one's palate with spices but never actually understanding how each individual dish works. I gave Chef Seth full reign over the menu, and he came up with this: ON ARRIVAL Mirchi Paratha whole wheat layered spicy bread Raita cucumber and yogurt relish APPETIZERS Tandoori Wings Chilli Cheese Toast Kathi Roll spiced chicken wraps Vegetable Cutless Lamb Seekh Kabab lamb mince rolls ENTREES Masala Baked Fish Nariyal Shrimp Curry south Indian coconut shrimp Salli Boti Jardaloo lamb stewed with apricots Indo-Chinese "Chili Chicken" Methi Chaman mustard flavored spinach and cheese Gobhi Simla Mirchi cauliflower florets & bell peppers with wild onion seeds ACCOMPANIMENTS Dal Makhni slow-cooked lentils Steamed Basmati Assorted freshly Baked Breads DESSERTS Gajar Halwa carrot pudding Rasmalai saffron flavored poached cheese dumplings I expect that this menu will allow everybody to get a broad sense of his cooking, yet at the same time, the dishes are laid out in such a way that it will be possible to give them each the respect they deserve, rather than having to scarf down a single fork full, pass the plate along, and repeat, barreling into a wholly different set of flavors before having a chance to realize what you've just put into your mouth. For $37, all inclusive, this spread is more than worth it, and I'm sure that everyone will leave both happy and full to the gills. Here are links to Spice Xing's dr.com thread and its website for some background info. As it stands, there is no limit to the number who may attend. Sign up either here or through PM, and I'll keep a list.

I've been to the one in New York and had the frozen hot chocolate. While I didn't enjoy it enough to make a return trip, the portion isn't a rip off for the price: each is so huge, and so rich, that 3 could easily share it and be satisfied.

I think the mark of a really great chef is that after you've had their cooking, you're not only willing, but eager, to try new dishes they cook up, even when they contain ingredients you normally don't enjoy. Case in point: Chef Wiss' Braised Local Rabbit Cavatelli arbequino olives, basil, black mission figs, pistachios ($10/16). The generous half portion of house rolled cavatelli had me hooked, despite the fact that I have never much enjoyed that particular pasta, nor the first listed ingredient: olives. The cavatelli themselves had that just-right amount of chew, and this texture made them the perfect foil for the fall-apart tender (and abundant) braised rabbit, which managed to be rich and flavorful, while at the same time remarkably light. This may have been due to the balancing act accomplished through the rest of the dish's components: olives scattered throughout lent saltiness and another layer of texture, mission figs (employed sparingly) brought a touch of sweetness, and pistachios provided a crunchy finish to what was probably the best pasta I've had since a trip to Corduroy a few months back. Everything else that I shared with Dave (Rovers2000) and his +1 tonight was as delicious as ever (the mussels and the crispy chickpeas), and the light, fresh Arugula Pizza ricotta, feta, baby arugula, roasted garlic ($13 Small) was a nice special, taking the mellow bite of roasted garlic and marrying it with those two cheeses as well as the greens over top. It was a nice welcome to early Spring, even if tonight's weather wasn't so great. As always, the combination of low prices and quality food -- with attention to culinary technique as well as seasonality and local sourcing of ingredients -- makes Radius a ridiculous bargain. And as all the awesome produce of Spring and then Summer arrives to replace Winter's tired root vegetables, Radius will definitely be one of the best placed in the city to experience them at their best. Chef Wiss has already started to work peas, carrots, spring garlic, and rhubarb, among other Spring ingredients, into his menus, and I can't wait for more to come.

After sneaking in for the Co-op shift at DC Central Kitchen tonight, I joined up with a few fellow volunteers who were headed over to the Atlas District for dinner at Granville Moore's. Upon arriving, we were faced with a 1 hour wait time, and quickly decided to head down to Liberty Tree instead. The wait there was about 30 minutes anyway, but it was worth it in the end, and I'm glad to see that they're doing so well, even if it meant having to hold out another half hour for food. We composed a meal of all small plates and appetizers. While it was solid -- not stellar -- there were some particular highlights, and I'm eager to return for a chance to sample the rest of the menu, especially that lobster roll. The Pigs in a Blanket that leleboo mentioned are an irresistible combination of juicy Linguica sausage and buttery, flaky pastry dough; I could have easily eaten an order or two on my own. The onion strings, topped with grated pecorino, are equally addictive: served in a huge portion, perfectly crisped, and not all that greasy, I found my hand gravitating toward them in between trying each of the other dishes. The peppadews, with their simple combination of sweet pepper and super creamy goat cheese, were also great, but at a dollar a pop, they seemed slightly overpriced. $5 for 3 small Potato Fritters was also a bit steep, and hard to explain when compared to an $8 portion of Fried Calamari that overflowed from the large bowl set before a nearby party. And while those fritters were fried perfectly, they were slightly bland, failing to deliver the flavors promised by the menu: bacon and pecorino. The Brussel Sprouts, served cold, with bacon and balsamic reduction, also failed to take full advantage of these sure-fire flavors : the balsamic was hardly present, and the bacon was integrated only in the form of chewy, bacon bit like chunks. The olives that leleboo noted, and the Brick Oven Roasted Little Neck Clams, rounded out our order; the former were delicious in moderation, though their saltiness easily overrode any other flavors (garlic, herbs, etc.) present; and the latter was desirable more so for that delicious sauce of white wine, butter, and clam juice that filled the plate than the clams themselves, which quickly became an afterthought. Overall, Liberty Tree's prices are more than reasonable, and it seem like there's a lot on the menu worth exploring. I'm looking forward to seeing what Chef Glufling can do when it comes to larger plates, where he's working with more components and more flavors. My only gripe at the moment is that some of the items on the menu don't seem appropriately priced in relation to each other, but that won't stop me from coming back.

Go try the pork belly at Againn, it might just be enough to change your mind.

The AU location isn't so hot either. Doughy and bland sound about right from what I remember of the two or three times I've had Angelico. If I have to order take-out pizza (which hasn't happened in a while), I go with Cafe Romeo's.

Masa 14 might be a good spot, especially since they're planning to open up their rooftop as well.

Exactly what I thought.

Based on a bunch of research I've been doing, and discussions with some insanely knowledgeable people on a few forums, I decided to postpone the new knife purchase in favor of a set of waterstones so that I can learn to freehand sharpen with my Forschner before buying something that I'd be more afraid to ruin. Went for the Naniwa Superstones -- 400, 1000, and 5000 grit -- as well as a flattening stone and a fine grit, ceramic honer (DMT CS2), from sharpeningsupplies.com. This should be an interesting adventure.

I'm in pretty much complete agreement. If I hadn't gone in thinking that this was Ris Lacoste's place, and if it hadn't just received 2.5 stars from Tom, I may not have been quite so disappointed. But Ris simply did not live up to my expectations, nor to the prices on its own menu. Though unexcited about the Bar Tart, I found it quite delicious, and the flaky pastry crust on which its components rested had me excited to try the Chicken Pot Pie. The Rockfish, and the single Sardine, were also well prepared. In particular, that single sardine had a brilliant flavor profile -- great acidity from the verjus that played well with the toasted, rich pinenuts and the sweet onions. But the portions were a joke. As for the Mushroom Pappardelle, it was the one truly generous portion served to us (maybe because it was ordered as an appetizer, but sent out an hour later with our entrees they decided to bulk it up?), but the many ingredients, which should have worked well together -- butternut squash, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, and chestnuts -- did not mesh. It seemed more to me like pasta in a mushroom cream sauce, with a whole bunch of chopped up stuff tossed in, served tepid (it may have been much better hot) and difficult to eat in a way that captured all the flavors due to its poor construction. A few dishes that Leigh didn't mention.... The bread service is truly lackluster. We waited so long for our food that I couldn't help eating some of it, but it didn't taste particularly fresh to me, and I'm not a fan of bland, tiny slices of bread that are all crust and no interior, especially when they are served on their own (not with a dish for the purpose of saucing). Clam Cakes ($6.30) off of the Rush Hour menu, which at least one bartender described as clam hush puppies, were not worth eating. I had one (from a generous portion of about 8), and despite the fact that I almost never turn down fried food, passed on seconds. The accompanying tartar sauce was lovely -- creamy, with the right balance of pickled tartness and sweetness -- but the cakes themselves, shaped like hush puppies to be sure, were bland (no clam flavor at all) and tasted simply of dough to me. Calling them hush puppies only reminds me of the ones offered at Sou'Wester, and makes me take even greater offense to their flavorless counterparts' existence. A picture posted on Yelp showed Ris' Chicken Pot Pie ($18) to be of the sort that I hadn't seen in a long time: one fully encased in pastry crust, and turned out of the pan it was cooked in, onto a plate. It looked large and deeply satisfying, as so often there is not nearly enough pastry crust to go along with the rest of the pie's contents. I guess the preparation has changed recently, as ours was served in a small dutch oven, and just topped with a layer of this delicious crust. Its contents were good -- plenty of rich chicken flavor, and a good balance between vegetables and meat, etc. -- but unlike the one served at Againn (for the exact same price) I have no desire to go back and experience it a second time. The accompanying salad was boring, and the extra gravy on the side was simply unnecessary, like serving a crock of extra broth alongside a bowl of soup. Undoubtedly, the poor service colored my perspective on the food (and there's nothing I can do about that), but even taking this into account, when juxtaposed with the cost, and in light of the reputation that precedes her, the food that Ris is putting out just doesn't do it for me. I'd like to give the place a second chance, but given all the other fantastic options in the area, it just doesn't seem worth it. I went directly to Vidalia (a 5 minute walk away) after dinner for a beer and a soft pretzel, and felt more satisfied by that $3 combo of bread and mustard than all I'd eaten over the 3 and a half hours spent at Ris' bar.

I think it has to do with the fact that Burger King is a massive chain that sells standardized, low quality food (and Bourdain is a cook, and somebody who goes around looking for the best and most interesting foods in various places), while Chase has nothing to do with food/his mission and persona. It's not about the companies' respective successes, it's about what fields they're in. For product placement of Chase to constitute selling out, the subject of No Reservations would have to be...banking? Credit cards? Finances? Something like that.

Dinner at the bar this past Wednesday, while not even vaguely related to St. Patrick's Day fare, was fantastic, and completely satisfying. I undoubtedly over-ordered, yet somehow managed to clean each of the three plates that was put in front of me. The Free Form Lobster Ravioli that Bettyjoan had last week is now on the bar menu, and at $10, it is worth every penny. When she wrote that it was "chock-full of lobster," she wasn't kidding: under a thin shroud of delicate pasta -- just barely enough to remind one that he or she is eating a ravioli, and not just a plate of succulent lobster -- there was at least one full claw as well as a significant amount of tail meat. The sauce, a rich, creamy bisque, spiked (I think) with cognac, but primarily dominated by the pure flavor of lobster, was simply addicting. It clung readily to the lobster, and was just the right complement for it, magnifying its sweetness rather than tampering with it unnecessarily. Additionally, the slivers of leek present in the sauce were there for more than show: they added notable texture and depth that rounded the dish out. This first course was accompanied by one of Vidalia's Soft Pretzels ($3), served with an "onion-ale infused mustard." Although this dish inspired me to post about soft pretzels in the trite food thread, I sure as hell don't want it to go anywhere. Served nice and hot, the outside had a wonderful texture: just enough crispness to differentiate itself from the fluffy, chewy interior. Buttery, and lightly sprinkled with coarse salt, it was delicious on its own; but the accompanying mustard, which was thick/dry enough to hold in a quenelle, and thus more of a spread than a dip, was a welcome addition. Its base appeared to be whole grain mustard (rough in texture, and normally quite astringent), but the infusion of onion and ale (presumably reduced over a long period of time to to reach that thick consistency) added both a touch of sweetness and an undertone of darkness that really tamed what could have been an overly abrasive flavor. And then came the main course, even though I would have been wholly satisfied ending my meal by sopping up the last of that lobster sauce with a chunk of my monstrous pretzel. Vidalia's Burger foie gras mustard, onions, cheddar ($16.50) is glorious, and without a doubt the best I've ever had. Running the risk of starting some sort of an all out war (yet recognizing that they exist at clearly different price points), I have to say that it beats a Hell-burger any day. And it flat-out crushes Palena's. What I admire so much about it is that it takes a slew of components -- so many that they could easily overwhelm the meat, and make the a mess both corporeally and in terms of flavors -- and balances them perfectly. Ordered medium, it was cooked exactly as desired, and the meat was not only juicier than any other burger I've had the chance to try elsewhere, but also had that ideal texture: holding together, without being overly packed and tough. The bun showed the same exacting level of design, built exactly for its job: rather than having that egg-washed sheen present on many brioche/fancy burger buns, the outside had a coarser texture that failed to get slippery or to disintegrate. Similarly, the interior was just as soft as any other bun, yet slightly denser (without being dry); it readily absorbed the juices coming from the meat, but didn't lose its structural integrity as a result. Instead, it just held onto all that flavor, making sure it went straight to my mouth and nowhere else. The layer of cheddar was fully melted, yet not oozing off of the burger, and was topped off with a few strips of bacon (benton's I'm assuming?) that was neither crisp enough to disrupt one's ravaging of the burger as a whole, nor fatty and chewy. Similarly, the shaved and fried onions that finished it off were ideal: crispy enough to add texture, yet not so brittle that closing up the burger caused them to shatter. Finally, the accompanying spreads (a thin layer of presumably house-made ketchup on the top half of the bun, as well as the foie gras mustard) added a touch of sweetness, as well as a combination of creamy decadence and mustardy bite, respectively. Taken as a the perfectly packaged whole that it is, this burger is just a masterpiece, and the light, crisp potato chip at its side provide just enough incentive to pause momentarily, put it down, and contemplate this mastery, rather than simply inhaling it in under a minute. If bacon is the gateway meat for vegetarians, I imagine that this burger is more of a black hole, capable of sucking anyone into the life of an unabashed carnivore. But whether or not you have a vegetarian who needs convincing -- a veritable offer they can't refuse, as Don (Corleone) might put it -- get to Vidalia ASAP to give it, and the rest of the new bar menu, a try.

Soft pretzels. I love them, I order them everywhere I see them (and I'll continue to do so), but I almost can't believe how many places are offering them now, in one form or another: Birch & Barley, Againn, Eventide, and Vidalia, among others. I wonder what started the trend.