qwertyy

Washingtonian has a blurb in the February issue...

COULD SOMETHING REALLY GOOD BE BREWING IN BETHESDA?

David Craig gets around. The Scottish chef worked for the late Jean-Louis Palladin and Roberto Donna at Pesce, moved on to the Tabard Inn, where he whipped up such gutsy arcana as haggis, and did time at Black’s Bar & Kitchen in Bethesda.

Now he’s opened his own place, David Craig Bethesda (4924 St. Elmo Ave.; 301-657-2484), in the former Napa Thai location. Dark-wood wainscotting, white walls, and abstract paintings make for a modern space. And Craig’s personal approach to Modern American cuisine is welcome news for Bethesda, where it’s easy to find a restaurant but hard to find a really good one.

Craig’s Maryland oyster stew seems simple—a rich, milky brew studded with briny oysters—until you get a hit of smoky bacon and a ping of chive and leek. Chicken Two Ways is delicious: The leg is stuffed with wild mushrooms, slices of white meat are fanned on top, and beneath it all, soaking in the juices, are herb-flecked polenta fries and braised purple cabbage sweet with cider. Risotto made with vialone rice from the Veneto doesn’t have the creamy consistency of the classic, but the riot of flavors in a single spoonful—bits of roasted apple, lobster, winter squash, and mascarpone—make up for the departure. Entrées are $12 to $29.

It’s a promising start for this small, sometimes-overworked kitchen, and a promising sign for a city with few independent, chef-driven restaurants.

Polenta fries? Oh, yum!

Did anyone see Supermarket Sweep on Dateline last night? I never watch this show, so of course the one I catch in my lifetime is about unsanitary grocery store conditions. Guess which national chain is the most life-threatening?

That's right! It's Safeway with an average of 25 critical violations per 10 inspections! (A critical violation is one that can result in sickness for the consumer.)

Back to the farmers' markets for this gal...

1)  Safeway. Finally, in the spot no store wants to be number one in Dateline’s “Supermarket Sweep?” Safeway.

For every 10 inspections, Safeway stores received 25 critical violations— on average, two and a half critical violations for each inspection.

The biggest problem, according to inspectors? Temperature violations. For instance, “Dateline” recently found this Safeway in D.C. selling fried chicken that wasn’t hot enough to keep bacteria from growing.  And over two visits, “Dateline” also found dirty floors, broken packages of meat, and the store itself in a state of disrepair with wires hanging from the ceiling of the produce section.

We should mention that 25 percent of the stores in our survey had no critical violations at all in 2004.

This kerfuffle reminded me that, among restaurant terminology, "cakeage" is my favorite by leaps and bounds. What a great word.

Also has anyone been to David Craig Bethesda?

I tried once to find that it's closed Mondays. Menu looked good, though.

Giant, I am happy--well, not happy, but whatever--to know that I just don't have rotten luck that this keeps happening to me. Do you remember when the P Street WF first opened? Once, when I got home, I discovered that the bagger had left out a loaf of bread. I called to check on it, and the manager said, "Yes, I'm so glad you called! We have it right here. Do you live nearby? May I send a young man to your apartment to give it to you?"

Wow! What service! What consideration!

Now, I come home to find not only my bread missing, but double and triple charged for some things. Last time, it totaled about $7. I called and they told me I had to come back that night. "No because I'm miles away, I have no car, and it's 8 at night. I'll come tomorrow."

The next day, the woman takes my reciept and refunds my double cole slaw, my double chicken, my double tuna... Wait. I actually bought three cans of tuna. "I thought you said you wanted a refund," she accuses. Sigh.

In the end, she accidentally RE-charged it all to my credit card TWICE, removed it three times, and then pulled me out of the checkout line 15 minutes later because she'd neglected to get my name and address.

What a difference five years makes.

I am totally on board with many of these--baloney (spelled like that!), Hi-C, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Fanta Grape... And I'll add Dippin' Stix to the list. (Remeber THOSE?)

But nothing beats Fanta Orange when you're in the tropics, and I've recently discovered that Cracker Jacks are less cardboardy--and purty darn good and addictive, in fact--if you buy them in the bag, not the box. I'm just sayin'...

Where are you coming from? Im in Takoma Park and have been known to drive over the river just to go to Cheesetique. Fieldtrip?

I'm in Adams Morgan, but judging from my utter lack of self control around cheese, a mile walk to and from the Metro is probably a smart idea...

Thanks so much for your concern, Dean. I want to reiterate that the busser, bartender, and consumables were all very good, so our night wasn't really "messed up." It was just a disappointment, not deserving of the food, to have so many hiccups in our meal from what may very well be a good server on a bad night.

On a more expansive level, whereas I am apt to give a second chance to a restaurant like Dino that's gotten consistently good reports, my friends who eat out a lot but aren't food geeks won't. Where do you all fall?

Good question. In the case of PWD whose impairment is mobility, the larger dog breeds are used as an assistive device, much like a cane. The dog aides in balance and weight bearing. It can stabilize and even pull (ie: uphill) when needed. This is done via a harness.

Dogs are also combined with a mobility device, such as a wheelchair, to retrieve etc.

Finally, and perhaps most helpfully, they give the owner confidence, and strangers a means to approach the PWD, thus facilitating social interaction and public education.

Personally, I've got no problems with dogs in restaurants when accompanying PWD. My 3 are in my kitchen and by my table everyday.

But strangers aren't supposed to touch or pet the dogs because they're working, right? I just saw someone petting another person's service dog unbidden and was wondering about that...

I finally had my much-aticipated first meal at Dino's last night. Due to a dieting dining companion, we didn't order the RW menu... but I don't usually do dessert anyway (I'm a salty girl!), so no biggie.

The food was really tremendous. After learning that both my friends texted that they'd be considerably late, the terrific bartender plied me with two delicious crostini--squash and asiago. A promising beginning. (Why can't I get my winter squash to taste that good??) The chopped salad was a good-sized plate of veggies, including roasted beets, mushrooms, carrots, and celery, with a nicely tart dressing using phenomenal olive oil. The Italian bouillabaise really hit the spot too. The monkfish and mussels were a bit dry, but a fork loaded with a bit of fish, a bit of sauce-soaked bread, and a bit of tomato made for the perfect bite. The bread basket was good, too--especially so considering that we got to dip it in that phenomenal oil, sprinkled with sea salt. (Actually, I sprinkled the sea salt over most of my meal; not because it was badly seasoned, but rather beacause it's SO COOL to have that option.)

Unfortunately, our server really brough the whole meal down a few notches. Our bottle of wine didn't show up til halfway through the appetizers. The bread basket promised when we first ordered didn't show up until halfway through our entrees, along with spoons for the bouillabaise. Although one of my dining companions clearly ordered two crostini, three were brought--however, we didn't bring it up because that didin't really register with any of us until we saw on the bill that they'd also charged for three. Also, if you drop the check but we still have a half bottle of wine left, there's really no reason to come back every five minutes to see if we've paid, is there? And while I'm no design maven, my friend thought the upstairs was a bit, in her words, "Denny's-inspired."

Conclusion: We may return, but likely just to the bar for small plates and the terrific wine options.

Okay. I'm sold.

I see the driving directions on their Web site. Any love for the carless? Does Metro drop off nearby?

Has anyone else noted that the newest DR member is DC Segway User??? I wonder if he's come to give his side of the story...!

I am currently having trouble accessing the site, but info can be found at www.galileodc.com

Thanks. I'll bookmark it and take a look later today...

This sounds really amazing. I've been meaning to seek out some cool cooking classes in the city, and this sounds right up my alley. Not to ruin ctay's Christmas gift, but how much do these classes run and how often? Long wait lists?

The good news:  no problem ordering just a salad.

The bad news:  it's going to be a really expensive salad. 

Thanks all for the terrific reviews. I'm going tomorrow for my first time and am already salivating... 

Thanks all for the terrific reviews. I'm going tomorrow for my first time and am already salivating...

Give him steak within walking distance of Dupont: The Prime Rib. I know all its foibles, but I love that place. And I think the big leather chairs, linen tablecloths, and piano player make it an awful romantical joint, if masculine.

Maybe that is the reason for the surcharge.  The berries may be from the other hemisphere.

Not quite Connecticut and M, but two new restaurants have opened on 19th between M and L...

Science Club, replaced whatever had taken the place of Star of Siam, and Mezza Luna just opened, taking the place of...oh I can't remember. I don't know anything about these places, but what kind of name for a retaurant is Science Club? Maybe it really is a club/hangout for scientists?

Science Club? That sounds interesting. Anyone have news on what it is? Bar, lounge, resto? What kind of drinks, couches, food? Maybe you have to check your brain at the door?

Oh, I like this!  Not standing on the left side of the escalator so that people can walk past you; not taking the elevator when you're able-bodied and there's somebody there with a child in a stroller; the list of offense could go on and on.  Now, for that enforcement problem...

Clearly, take the credit card number and penalize--er, charge them 60 bucks!

I like how "penalty" is crossed out and replaced with "charge." I suppose that's supposed to make dropping some dough for being rude less painful?

[Though if we're going to start enforcing politeness by contract, I say we start on the Metro. Each fare card ought to have a statement on the back binding the holder to certain rules, such as not standing in the doorway...]

Chef will be interviewed on the Kojo Nnamdi Show today at 1:30pm on WAMU 88.5FM.

DC Restaurateur Jose Andres

He's credited with introducing Washington DC to the Spanish appetizers known as Tapas. Now Jaleo's Executive Chef Jose Andres is introducing them to the rest of the world, with his new cookbook. He joins Kojo to discuss his passion for food and friendship.

Cheers to Dean Gold's explanation to the credit card complainer. Very professional and detailed and non-adversarial.

What's the story on RW for one person who wants to eat at the bar? Would I be able to slide onto a stool unannounced, or do places like Corduroy and Dino take ressies for the bar during RW? (I know some restaurants do that for new year's... Just checking...)