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Is this a new trend? [scroll down to second entry: Naked Lunch--Or Is It?]

And I think if you combine these two trends you've got part of the answer. "The market" has smartly combined the DC tradition of happy hour with food, spontaneously generating a strata of society whose main social activity is meeting for drinks and snacks at stylish, clubby restaurants. A 30-year-old single childless woman with lots of disposable income (like myself...cough, cough) is much more apt to end up having a meal or appetizers after meeting friends for drinks at IndeBleu, Bourbon, Zengo, or drinx. Previously, it seemed our choices were either divey (Big Hunt) or exclusive (MCCXXIII)--neither of which ever tempted me to linger.

I suppose it could be a result of the resounding echo I hear when I try to beckon bucks from my wallet, but I can't comprehend going somewhere that I expect service issues. Except, of course, dollar beer night. And Restaurant Week.

At the Reef a few months ago, I asked the barkeep if they had any IPAs on tap. He recommended Pilsner Urquell. Sigh.

Did anyone else think this whole line of thinking awfully narrow, especially for DC? Seems like he assumes that everyone asking after good African restaurants has faulty expectations, but among my friends, at least, a good deal of us would actually like some African rec's.

Here here (hear hear? wow I need another coffee) for Billy at Cashion's and Krish at Aroma. I'll also add Coty at the Reef, Shola at the Tabard, and Chris at the Lucky Bar.

This: Is I think what Michael stated so well here: I'm a pretty darn-well experienced diner, and I'd never dream of intentionally or carelessly pulling a no-show, but Stretch's perspective intimidates and quite honestly scares me. It is precisely the attitude that makes me hesitate to try new, high-end places and brings into high relief the difference between the restaurant world and the professional world. Have any of the other office drones here ever publicly threatened to poison the guy who didn't show up for that important meeting? Not while on your meds... And incidentally, of COURSE restuarant people have as much right to kvetch as anyone else. But they should also be aware that they're not doing so anonymously and that their opinions reflect on their establishment.

I had dinner at the bustling Tabard Inn last night, and it was terrific all around. A tuna "tartar" starter is actually seared, sesame-crusted slices accompanied by microgreens that have been tossed with a pungent wasabi dressing--a neat twist on sushi. Speaking of which, the halibut entree is a sushi-grade filet, cooked to rare, and served with sauteed fennel, capers, tomatoes, and orange sections. I didn't really like the orange sections terribly much, but aside from that, it was off the hook--the textures, flavors, everything. Verrrry nice. I also managed to finagle bites from almost everyone else at the table, and all entrees were very tasty, with the duck and the risotto coming in as superstars. To finish, we had a turkish coffee creme brulee that was loaded with cardomom. It was, truly, perfect. Service was lovely, the bread basket delicious... I still think the prices are too high, and that dining room WAY too loud, but that food is terrific. Two thumbs up.

I'm with you! (Except for the YMMV bit because I don't know what that means!)

Thanks, Don! (Actually, I don't know! It was the one in Dupont.)

When is it okay to monopolize a table? Last night at Sette, after a dinner of odd, not entirely competent service, my dining companion and I sat for at least 20 minutes after finishing eating with our plates in front of us. The busser finally took them away, but then the waiter didn't return to us for another 15 minutes. By that point, we'd gotten absorbed in a new conversation, so we each ordered another glass of wine. From that point on, every waiter in the place--and the two hosts--just HOVERED over our table, obviously and impatiently awaiting our departure so they could turn the table. The bar was packed, so paying and moving wasn't an option. As a rule I don't do this--certainly not in a busy restaurant--but I gotta admit, I took some pleasure in lingering over our wine for another 25 minutes (which, please note, was still 10 minutes less time than we had sat there with empty glasses and no attention). Am I a cad? [Oh, the food: The tomato bread salad was oily and not salted, but the quality of the tomatoes was surprisingly good for this time of year. The pancetta and arugula pizza was nice--the crust was very good. But for the life of me I'll never figure out how to eat a pizza that comes to you sliced, but with a veritable bushel of fresh greens mounded on the top...]

I can't get into the site at all. I mean, I can get the intro and the dancing I and all, but when I click on Menu or Bar or whatever, nothing happens. I don't have the level of Flash required to view the page... and I never will because I can't put new software on a government computer! Only of trifling importance, I suppose. I mean, how many government workers could there be in DC?

Hold on now. While I agree that there's likely another--and intriguing--side to this, I'm not sure that he shouldn't post it. I've mentioned in another thread that I wish he would post more about his own bad experiences, and give a name, because far too often he pulls the awful thing happened "at Big Name Restaurant" nonsense, which helps no one at all. And it never makes it into a review because then he won't go back. (Can anyone name a truly negative review he's published all these years, besides Extra Virgin? But it's true that it's a wiggly line because submitters have no accoutability. That woman could do PR for the Palm for all we know.

Wow. WOW. That story almost made me want to eat there, just in an attempt to observe that creature in her natural habitat. Wow.

I'm trying to envision what's so darn scary about waiters that people don't just ask them these questions.

This seems like an issue just for the crack investigative food team at the NY Times. That study they did on how 99% of restaurants featuring "wild salmon" were actually serving farmed salmon was eye-opening. I wonder if there have been any changes as a result of that? But I digress...

What's the listing on the last page??? [And just in case any Washingtonpost.com administrators are reading, I'll whisper this question... Does the book offer anything different than what's already archived on the Post's Web site?? Should I bother to buy it?]

I think the posts above are mostly not encouraging about brunch and lunch, which are an entirely different animal than dinner. I had the bison steak salad appetizer the other night, which was delish, but the dinner menu changes daily, so ask your server. All their offerings are good, but some are great; the waiters will steer you toward the real stars if you let them. I tend to prefer the appetizers to the entrees, but I feel that way about many restaurants nowadays, so that may just be me.

Right. I guess I meant to say *I* win. Po-tay-to/Po-tah-to.

And I'm going to be dining and drinking a lot more often in the district when this ban takes effect. And I'm not alone. Everybody wins!

I think the public health argument is a red herring. I mean, frankly, if you walk down Connecticut Avenue on a summer day, the buses and SUVs belch ten times as much crap into your lungs as you would get in a bar. And I don't mind eating in a restaurant with a smoking section. But wow, I hate going to bars anymore--and I'm a wino! After even just an hour or two, I come out of most places absolutely REEKING of the stench--and this bothered me even when I smoked. I suppose if places got ventilation systems that actually WORKED, I wouldn't mind it, but as it is, I don't go out to the bars as much anymore unless I'm wearing something that needed to be laundered anyway and don't mind washing my hair when I get home. Ban the crap. It'll save me hundreds in dry cleaning and shampoo.

A decline in manners all around--absolutely! Some guy actually started yelling and banging on the train this morning after the doors closed before he could get on. Jiminy! The day hadn't even started yet, and they come by every two minutes! But for my part, I've been trying lately to counteract all that and respond to rudeness with grace, anger with understanding, and ignorance with generosity. Holy hell it's hard, but it will, at the very least, make my commuting--and dining and living--experiences better.

But even that had qualifications--"they did not cross any lines" and "Their wait was amazed that they were as nice as they were given how upset they started out." I've done lots of time serving, bartending, and managing, and my brother runs a restaurant on the other coast. I know how to conduct myself and I LOVE food and dining out. But when I read posts from industry people--on sites like this, or Tom's chats, or that diatribe in the Post's Food section a couple of months ago--the preponderance are about how customers should act, or how they have acted badly. It's becoming exhausting to be a consumer. And I personally would never publicly out how much X stakeholder chafes my rear or how Y organization insulted me in our last meeting. Is restauranting that different than the rest of the professional world?

In all my time reading online food chats, I don't think I've ever read a restaurateur praise a customer. Might make a nice read someday... (Edited minutely for atrocious grammar)

What fun to flip through my food memories of the last year! Long-braised short ribs-Citronelle Falafel with lots of garlic creme and Egyptian salad-Amsterdam Falafel Foie gras cappucino with corn nut foam-minibar Carnitas-Tabard Inn Chile verde-Cashion's Sardine and strawberry on cracker-Arzak (San Sebastian)