ktmoomau

The pulled duck sandwich is really good. I also like their wedge salad as they have good bacon.

Just wanted to add my Philly report from this past weekend: Morimoto- I really loved the basic omakase ($40) menu. All the fish was very fresh, the opening Toro Tartare with with Caviar, Tempura, Scallions, Ponzu and Fresh Wasabi, and finished with a Japanese fruit was a highlight. We had an assortment of sushi with toro, red snapper and others. We also had a whitefish caparcio with microgreens, with a very tasty vinaigrette with hot oil, we had black cod with miso served with a mustard sauce and pickled peppers that was cooked perfectly. Everything had very good balanced flavors and we were happy with each course. We ended with a chocolate cake with blueberry sauce that was very good. It was just enough food for lunch without being heavy. I wish I lived nearby so I could eat here more often all of the lunch specials coming out looked great. Reading Terminal- I ate some Amish doughnuts which were ok, I grew up with an Amish Nanny in Western Maryland and I prefer the ones there as I think they are better (lighter not as dense), but they were still good. I love Amish baked goods, but so many I get at home when I go home I didn't really bother with any but a doughnut. Miller's soft pretzels were wonderful. They were buttery, soft, yet a tad bit crunchy at parts, just the right amount of salt, really good. DiNic's roast pork was ok. I ate mine a few minutes after ordering and the bun didn't hold up to the au jus, but the pork with the greens was very good, but perhaps just a bit too soupy. The Reading Terminal was a lot of fun, they has cantaloupes the size of watermelon, and all the produce, meats and cheese looked so good I wished that I had brought a cooler. Distrito- This place was so much fun. I want to go back and eat in the bug. I loved the eccentric decorating. The drinks were good, I was impressed with the Tequila selection. We ordered way too much food, they say to order 3-4 dishes per person, but at 2-3 each we were stuffed. I had the short rib flatbread which was very good, the meat was tender and savory and melded well with the BBQ sauce, the carnitas tacos were one of the best dishes of the evening, the pork was so tender and flavorful, they had bits that were a little bit more well done mixed in for a great ratio of pork texture. The Amarillo (rabbit mole) was excellent, as well, the rabbit was tender and very flavorful it wasn't overwhelmed by the sauce and was served on rice in a small hot pot. The whole dish came together really well. The duck fundido was another big hit, spicy and cheesy with tender as can be duck it would be the perfect after bar food, as well. The guacamole was also good, the salsa was decent- very fresh red tomatoes just rather normal. I also had a bit of the tres leches cake which was quite good, much like a very small smith island cake. This was one of my favorite meals. I also had some of the salads which were a big portion, but a tad bit bitter (which may have been the cilantro which I don't really care for) Fork- While I read above that someone had a recently disappointing meal there, our meal there was excellent. I am not sure what bottle of wine FIL ordered. It was a Soellner, Wogerain, Grí¼ner Veltliner, 2007, Austria that was lovely after a hot day, it was crisp and fruity, but not too oaky or sweet and paired very well with my food. We started out with a choice of multigrain, french or other bread, I had the french which had a great taste to it, crusty on the outside, tender within. They had a nice cow butter which was soft and had good flavor. I started with the baby lettuce salad with croquette and balsamic. It was very fresh, nicely dressed and the croquette was was warm and crisp on the outside while almost, but not quite gooey on the inside. Hubby had the fish provencale soup with crouton and that was very good, it had a lovely fish broth thickened with cream that was very light I really enjoyed the couple bites I got. For entree I had the citrus cured salmon that was then seared on carmelized shallots, potatoes and a lovely spinach sauce. The citrus with the shallots and spinach sauce balanced very nicely. The fish was cooked with a nice sear and had great flavor. It was seasoned just right. The potatoes were a nice bit size, but in a rustic style that blended nicely with the bold flavor of the fish. Hubby had a duck dish that was very good as well. The duck itself was incredibly juicy, again not overcooked at all, a perfect medium rare. We split the chevre cheesecake with oatmeal crisp and champagne pear. The pear was a bit hard to cut you had to use both fork and spoon but was very juicy and had a nice texture, almost like a plum in texture. The chevre cheesecake was rich and tangy and the crisp was sweet and crunchy so the flavors and the textures were nicely varied. All in all another nice meal. Pat's King of Steaks- I think I am just not a huge cheesesteak person- I would rather have a prime rib sandwich in all honesty. This was ok, the highlight were fries with cheez-whiz for me. But I had mine. Hubby likes these more than me he probably really liked his. We both got with provolone. If I ordered again, I would get it without onions, peppers and just mushrooms as the peppers had no flavor and the hot peppers on the condiment stand were better, I think it would be better if the cheese was on top instead of the bottom (it is with the whiz, but not provolone as it just kind of melded into the bread which I find rather mediocre). Franklin Fountain- a fun stop. I got the ladies choice which is a float of raspberry soda with peach ice cream. It was fruity refreshing, but still nice and creamy. So all in all good eats. Definitely would like to go back and eat more.

Definitely right on with the creamed corn, it was delicious. Not what I was expecting when it came out and then I tasted it and it was much better than my expectations. The birthday dinner was so absolutely wonderful, I gave them a shout out on the WaPo food chat. That pork chop... it is juicy, not overcooked (a rarity really) the sides pair so well with it. Everyone was really happy with their dinner. And the LT gin and tonic with the cucumbers is so refreshing. Even more impressive, I accidentally left one of my birthday presents there a bottle of wine from a friend at the restaurant and it is in the office waiting for me to pick it up tonight. (ok so maybe I had a couple too many gin and tonics, you only live once, and they were so good) I am so happy to have this place nearby. Their food never disappoints and it has really great value. Let alone our server who was really great. I can't give enough praise for how impressed I continue to be every time I eat there. It isn't fancy, but it is a perfect neighborhood spot.

I went to Elevation Burger in Falls Church with Hubby and the new brother and I am with the Meh's. I felt like I was eating at McDonald's but paying them 3x the price. Hubby was mad that I had suggested we go when we could have gone to Ray's. Oh well, apparently some people like it. Just not us.

And their breads and other baked goods are darned good so they should be able to have some good stuff.

Wow, I am a little obsessive about foods I love, but that is well very obsessive. Makes me feel a bit better about myself actually. And a little bad ass now that I know there is someone out there who wants to fight me. So somewhere someday there could be a cilantro showdown. (Debating whether I should keep a small sliver of soap in purse for inevitable throwdown so I can make the person eat it. Might be a long time waiting with soap in ones purse, but soap could come in handy...)

My Step-mother has the Cuisinart dual-bowl one and she loves it and makes really good ice creams from it (she had a walnut recently that was great). She likes the dual bowls because my Dad really likes ice cream and it allows her to switch it up a bit. She has only owned it for a few months now, but has used it consistently and it has worked very well.

Did you want a private room? I think the private rooms at 2941 are really nice, and while I have never had the chef's tasting at Volt, I think regular dinner compared to regular dinner 2941 was just as good. Equinox also has a nice private room and good food if you wanted a private room? I also think CityZen or perhaps the Source would be nice. To me Marcel's is really romantic and I love the food there. And of course there are the normal Washington heavy hitters, but to me Citronelle nor Komi are very romantic. I guess it depends on what you think is romantic. Palena is romantic to me and soo good, but rather small for a group.

And every once in a while the poor have better access to fresh produce and goods than we know, depending on where they live of course. I grew up in rural Western Maryland with a lot of family from West Virginia. I grew up with an Amish nanny and interacted with the Amish community frequently. For them they could not afford to buy all of what they make. Whole families would come together to harvest and preserve. My family in West Virginia pride themselves on the gardens they raise. My grandfather was one of 19 (from two Mothers, one who passed away earlier in life) growing up in the depression in rural West Virginia. If you didn't grow it and make it you didn't have it. To this day my family all garden some with huge gardens and they pride themselves on preserving, some like my brother who does urban gardening in Dupont (although people keep stealing all his tomatoes, not so much the other produce, but tomatoes), some like my uncle when laid off from his job planted a huge garden this summer and has been doing so well he has been taking it to the local farmers market to make some money. My Grandfather at 92 had his first year where he did not put out a large garden. So I think access is an issue for some, but I think in this economy many people are going back to their routes and growing gardens. This year the number of people buying seeds and plants skyrocketed, so while yes buying fresh can be expensive and may be limited in other instances it really is not as much about money as access and knowledge. I think it is all about raising the awareness that it is possible to have an urban garden, it is possible to grow and preserve a lot of your food will help people realize that they can do it. But I think really it was about convenience and now that times are tough and more people are jobless it has changed that. I think the biggest problem is that people don't know where the food comes from and how to grow it, and I think awareness on those issues will help. So while it all may be a little silly in the papers, if it helps people realize how to be self-sufficient, if people realize that they can use this to help them through a rough period of their life then all the better, I will accept a garden, city bees, people gardening in chef's clothes, whatever.

And I think the Richmond location has better food... I don't know what that means for the DC one. There is a very lively bar scene at the Richmond location

And you could never put china in them or dishes that had ornamentation that wasn't glazed (which really you can't do with a dishwasher with a dry cycle either, but most modern dishwashers have cycles that don't have a dry cycle for this purpose) so you would have to be careful what plates you used.

Thanks, I feel like it will be a particularly good one this year. Some years just turn out better than others.

Can I note that the "Birthday Cake" on the menu is great. It is not a piece of birthday cake but a small round little cake with pink icing and multi-colored sprinkles. It just makes you happy to look at because it isn't hoity-toity it is the kind of cake your Mom would have made for your birthday (but mini-sized); however, the cake is light and fluffy, but perfectly moist and the icing was very tasty not too buttery or fatty, not too sweet, but rather sweet. I also really liked the Irish BLT which has sliced pork instead of bacon, but was great. I also had some of Hubby's pulled pork sandwich and that was delicious. I wish I could make it to lunch here more often it really is wonderful.

Thanks planning on going for my birthday next week so will do.

Speaking of potatoes- Liberty Tavern used to serve the pork chop with kraut, mashed potatoes and I want to say creme fraiche on the mashed potatoes? Is this correct? I remembering those being some of the best mashed potatoes ever and I don't see them on the menu so I wanted to have a go of it at home. Anyone remember exactly what it was? I hope they bring that back in the fall/winter. I really was addicted to those.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I was so excited about Bayou Bakery. That is so so sad. Darn it, darn it. I even had friends eagerly awaiting it, as well. It would have been great. I hope they do something else cool with it.

I am beginning to think perhaps ink should be on the trite food list. The dish I so loved at Hook is now at Sonoma(Thank you Barton Seaver, yay!). Mourayo also has dishes with ink, which I read about today when looking at the Groupon, not sure what though.

We went to Sonoma Friday night we were meeting friends for a birthday later, but I wanted to get a bite to eat first. Although Opentable said they had no reservations at the time we were going we got seats at a communal table without a wait. We ordered a bottle of Hook and Ladder and started with two cheeses a sheep (a special they had not on the menu because they ran out of the one I wanted, but subbed this for that one and it sounded good) and cows cheese we also had the pork rillette and sopresetta. It came with very crispy white toast and grilled foccacio bread. The foccacio was really good, the other was best with the creamy sheep's cheese and rillette. I really liked the sopresetta with the spicy mustard. I really liked the accompaniments and portion sizes and the amount of bread provided it was really a very nice board with an accompaniment for each cheese and meat. I then had the black risotto with grilled squid. I have a feeling this is a Barton Seaver dish as it used to be on the menu at Hook and I loved it. I was so happy to see it here, because that was what I missed the most from Hook. The black risotto of course is cooked in ink and that gives it a bit of a briney salty taste, but still rich as risotto should be, then the grilled squid on top were light and perfectly cooked. I think there must be fresh lemon juice added on top because there was a nice hint of citrus to cut the richness and saltiness of the risotto. I love this dish. It reminds me of Barcelona. Hubby had the macheroni. The first one came out really salty, I tasted it and agreed that had to be an error. So he sent it back and they quickly replaced it with a fresh one that he said was very good (and I agreed it was much better) they were really nice about replacing the dish and I was so glad because Hubby really liked the new dish and when he goes someplace and has a bad experience it is hard to get him to go back, so I am really glad this went over well because I want to go back. Our friends then stopped in and the lounge had been closed for a private event and they didn't open it back up when the event ended so they let us take over the communal table for drinks and dessert. I had a couple glasses of J 2007 which was lovely very light and crisp. I had the ice cream sampler for dessert and I really enjoyed the cherry ice cream which was more like vanilla with fresh cherries mixed in. They also had a pineapple that was very good, and a little cookie in each bowl. I was really impressed with the food and it wasn't a bad value I could get a starter and the small portion of pasta and be perfectly happy. They seemed to call last call a bit early, I guess because the lounge was closed, but we had all had plenty to drink anyway so it all worked out. I was really impressed they let us take over a table downstairs when they weren't opening the lounge. We were all happy not to have had to scramble and regroup and make all sorts of calls to re-route people.

So the menu looks really good. Makes me a bit on the fence about Sei, wish there were more reviews.

I wanted to post about the recent Tallula brunch I had, because I used to love brunch at Tallula. They had these ricotta cherry pancakes that were incredible a couple years ago. The best pancake I ever had. Then we went this last fall and had a horrible brunch (hard biscuits, terrible gravy, overcooked bacon). The food was just not good (well and we had a bad experience at Eatbar too close to that so we just gave it some time). But then we took my Stepmother this weekend to brunch there I figured with the new(ish now) chef we would give it a try again and it seemed like food she would like. I still miss the pancakes, but brunch was really good. We were there when a bridal shower was going on so it took a little while as they had just ordered. I can understand that, although by the time we got our food we were hungry. I got the suckling pig with grits and tomatillo sauce. This was rich, but very good. The grits were very good, not gloopy not thin and not instant. The suckling pig was delicate and soft and very flavorful. The sauce cut a bit of the richness. Stepmother had an omelet she was very happy with and Hubby got eggs and bacon because he loves the bacon there. We will now go back more often as it used to be a regular place for us and then after how bad it was once we stopped, but I am very happy brunch is very good again. We like that there is a good place nearby with reasonable priced brunch that isn't overly crowded and loud.

The lobster mac and cheese is really rich, but good. I ended up taking a good bit of it home, and it warmed up well the next day which I was really surprised about. I think I have picked well the couple times I have gone. I got the pot roast which was great this Spring when it was so cold, the meatloaf was good and the lobster mac and cheese. And I like their corn bread. Hubby went once without me and got something not great. I love pancakes will have to go try them.

Thanks for the links. I had heard about something like this, but never really investigated. It made me think about doing the paper test, but I am a little scared of the taste as the taste of cilantro will stay in my mouth for over 12 hours sometimes and will ruin my next meal too. I need to ask my Mom if she likes it.

And Kaz has the sushi bento boxes.

I really like TECC, it's a great neighborhood spot. I have to keep reminding myself to see if they can make what I want without cilantro. I don't know why, but to me cilantro tastes really distinctively and the bad taste remains in my mouth for quite some time after I eat other foods (this happens with brussel sprouts too) and they are heavy on the fresh cilantro, which I am sure makes other people very happy. I have been really interested in the sandwich thing they picture on the door or the wall, anyone ever have it?

I was looking at Jaleo or Bodega's menu and they had paella cooked in ink, too, fyi.