wrash

OK, Don. My wife has agreed to try Legal Sea Food again, but not the one in Tyson's where she refuses to ever eat again, ever. So we're going to the LSF in Crystal City at 7:30 or so, and maybe they'll show us a whole new side of Legal. If anyone is in the area, wave when you walk by. I'll file a report on that one after we have dinner. Wayne Rash

We've had one potentially significant restaurant opening in the last few days in Fairfax County. Trummers on Main in Clifton shows a lot of promise. This place is brand new. I wrote a report from during the soft opening, and someone else visited it after the official opening. Our findings are similar. From where you are, go south on Clifton Road (SR 645) until you run head-on into the town of Clifton. You can't miss it because if you do, you'll end up in the creek. They now have a functional Web site at http://www.trummersonmain.com. While it's clear that this is a new restaurant, especially in the staff timing, the food is well executed. Wayne Rash

There's also a fairly new restaurant just a couple of doors down from Villa Mozart called Rue 123. I know nothing about it, except that it allegedly serves French cuisine. It's in the old Baliwyck Inn location. It has actual parking, which is a plus. If anyone's been to this place, I'd be interested to learn more. Wayne Rash

That's correct. We're speaking of the Jefferson in Richmond. However, the dining at the Jefferson in DC that's under rennovation is unlikely to be worse, and may be even better. But getting served may take a while. Wayne Rash

There was a story in the Post a week or two ago. Something about a dispute over the lease for the DCA location, and another restaurant is going in its place, reportedly Sam & Harry's. Legal is suing the airport. Here's the story from the Washington Business Journal: http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/top_shelf/2009/07/legal_sea_foods_to_take_flight_from_reagan.html

And of course that's the one that's going to close. Wayne Rash

I didn't get to the Jefferson's bar in time to get the nickel martini, but the bar is a pretty nice place. It's quiet and it's pleasant to sit by the windows on Franklin Street. I haven't tried the other restaurants there, but I did experience the banquet service. If you have cause to attend an event at the Jefferson Hotel, make sure you eat somewhere else first. You won't want to acually eat the banquet food. I was there Saturday and was served the Chicken Norfolk. It comes with a sahara-dry chicken breast, and fried green tomatoes that have somehow been rendered totally without flavor of any sort. I'd have thought the tomato would have at least tasted like grease. I also tried the maple and pecan glazed salmon. Ask yourself if you like sawdust with your pancakes, and you'll get the idea. Except the pancakes are missing. Wayne Rash

So does anyone who has been to LSF lately know if it's safe to go back into the water? And if it is, which LSF would be the best chance at a good meal? I don't want to repeat the Tyson's experience again. Wayne Rash

I know this is rather tardy for a reply, but perhaps the reason no one talks about Heart in Hand is that's been in a slow and non-spectactular decline. There's a regular lunch crowd that eats there, but unless I hear that things have improved, I don't plan to go back. It's not relmarkably bad, it's just not very good. For example, they serve real Virginia ham, but clearly the kitchen staff doesn't know how to prepare it, so it retains far too much of the gamey flavor that comes from impatient chefs. I could go on, but it's just not worth the trouble. If you want to eat lunch in Clifton, either settle for sandwiches across the street, go up the road to Panera or Subway, or wait for dinner at eat at Trummer's, which IS worth the trouble. Wayne Rash

Their PR company sent out an elaborate e-mail with the history of Clifton, the story of the rennovation, and a look at what the menu and wine list will be like. However, it still links to the old Web site, which is one page that contains a form for more e-mail information. Hope they get the site updated fairly soon. Meanwhile, I have a copy of the menu which I can scan and upload if anyone wants it, and if it's OK with Don. I won't want to fill up the storage with uninvited menus. In addition to dgreen's description of food happenings in Clifton, the Heart in Hand people have added a bar of their own, apparently to compete with the Clifton Store pub across the street. Unfortunately, Heart in Hand's food has declined since the days when Nancy Reagan and George Will met there for their regular lunch dates, so it's not all that memorable. The Clifton Store pub serves the same things that they served before the pub part was in place, which means mainly sandwiches. The sandwiches are not bad, and are reasonably priced. They're cooked to order, and as long as you don't mind eating on patio furniture inside, it's OK for a quick lunch. There's also seating outside. The Clifton Cafe (aka Clifton Coffee Mill) apparently serves food, but I haven't been inside. Maybe a few of us who live near Clifton should descend on it en masse and freak them out er.... um... see how their food is. Peterson's is fun for ice cream. They also sell hot dogs. I don't know how those are, but without a baseball or football stadium, how can you really experience a hot dog? On the other hand, these are not, at least, Trade Show Hot Dogs, of which I have eaten far too many, and regretted far too much. Now, if only Trummer's served lunch. Wayne Rash

Despite the official word that Trummers on Main will open on Monday, the soft opening is indeed underway. My wife and I ate dinner there tonight. The restaurant replaces the not-very-lamented Hermitage. The new owners have clearly focused a great deal of attention to the decor. It's open, light and comfortable without being stuffy. The noise levels were a bit higher than I'd like, given that the tables were only about half full. Just putting table cloths on the tables would probably solve that issue. The menu, at least during the soft opening is limited to eight appetizers and eight entrees. The appetizers are creative and well executed (at least what I tried). The entrees are heavy on fish, with one item each of pork, beef, lamb and chicken. The wine list is quite good with a broad selection of American and European wines as well as wine from everyplace else. They have the old standbys, but also a number of wine choices that I haven't seen elsewhere. It's a nice change. Wine by the bottle is reasonably priced, but wine by the glass is a little steeper than I think it should be. Stefan Trummer, who owns the restaurant with his wife, is apparently a legendary bartender from New York. Unfortunately, I don't know how he does, because our pre-dinner cocktails never arrived. My wife ordered a brandy alexander, and that apparently caused consternation among the bar staff, one of whom came to the table to ask if we wanted our brandy on the rocks. The appetizers arrived on time. I had the grilled romaine salad, which is served with pecerino cheese, anchovy dressing and a poached egg. I guess the idea was a grilled deconstructed Caesar salad. Quite honestly, I prefer this approach. It's the first time I've had a salad with a poached egg in quite this way, but the effect is quite nice. The anchovy dressing really delivers the Caesar feeling without being overbearing. My wife had the Mahi Mahi Pastrami which is served with melon balls and a refreshing and very light dressing that I'm at a loss to identify. But it was different from any Mahi Mahi that I've ever had. I'll have to have an entire appetizer next time and figure out the recipe. Unfortunately, my wife wouldn't allow me more than just one small bite. We both ended up having the pan roasted skate wing for dinner. Unlike my recent misadventures in the name of seafood, this one was perfectly cooked. It's served with a tapenade-like olive side, red pepper sauce, porcini mushrooms and what the restaurant calls "corn puddin'." My only complaint is minor - I'd be happier if they could tone down the salt on the fish slightly. The regret I have is that there wasn't more of the "corn puddin'" on the plate. It's just a thin layer beneath one part of the skate wing (the red pepper sauce is underneath the other half). I'd also have liked it if there had been a little more to eat on the plate - perhaps a roasted fingerling potato or something. All that you get is the fish and the sauces. I felt like the plate needed completion. Trummer's makes their own ice cream, so I kept it simple by ordering vanilla. This is made in-house and uses two different types of vanilla, but I couldn't find out what those types might be. The owner also sent over another dessert to make up for the cocktail problem. This was chocolate soup - a composed dish with chocolate cake, milk sorbet, meringue and chocolate sauce. Both desserts were well made, short on goo but long on flavor, and nicely presented. As you might expect, the service was best described as variable. You already know about the missing cocktails. The bread guy clearly hadn't done that job before this week. He was pleasant, but oh-so-deliberate. The waitress on the other hand, despite being quite young, clearly knew what she was doing, she delivered the food on time, kept up with the progress at dinner, and didn't rush us or make us wait. She also wasn't intrusive, but offered what she knew of the menu when asked, and her opinions were apparently based on knowledge. So the service was better than I'd expected, and the execution of the food was much better. My wife said that the atmosphere reminded her of Windows in Rosslyn (for those of you who have been around for a really long time). The room we ate in was light and airy, we had a nice view of downtown Clifton, and the whole tone was comfortable and unhurried without being slow. I feel certain that the service will improve. The cooking is already up to standard, and I'll go back. Prices are moderate. Both of us had dinner including appetizers and wine, for about a hundred dollars. I think this restaurant deserves a serious look at a close-by spot worth the time and money. I'll be back there again. Wayne Rash

I just got an invitation from the folks who run Trummers on Main in Clifton to their soft opening this week. I plan to go there for dinner on Friday evening. The actual soft opening starts today with the real opening on Monday 7/13/09. The Web site is here: http://www.trummersonmain.com/ and there's a blog site by the owners here: http://www.stefantru.../blog-text.htm. With a chef from the French Laundry, maybe this will be a nice place. I'll file a full report after I visit the place, unless someone else gets there first. The number for reservations is 703.266.1623. One warning, neither Web site above is up to date. clearly the owners have been spending their time making the restaurant work. Wayne Rash

At least they don't drink a lot. I think I'll avoid this place entirely - including the scotch. So now the question is whether there's any place at all in Union Station worth visiting for a meal, or if it's just better to grab a sandwich in the Acela cafe car? WR

I love Bistro Bis. I first went there right after it opened with a friend who owns a restaurant in San Francisco, and I've been going back from time to time since. Unfortunately, going there while at Union Station requires that I actually remember that it's a couple of blocks from Union Station. At my age, memory can be a problem, although I forget exactly why. One thing that I will remember, however, is that almost anything in Union Station is better than America (the restaurant). Maybe even Sbarro. Or maybe not. I've never actually eaten there. Wayne Rash

I have the strong feeling that "Lunch at a place of her choosing," is going to resemble Le Bernadin a lot more than it resembles America. She took me to Gary Danko in San Francisco. Now you can understand why America was soooo embarassing. I don't know what I'll have to do to overcome this, but you can bet it'll be expensive. Wayne Rash

I just had lunch at a fairly new place in Fairfax City. Bernie's Deli is located on Rt. 123 about a block north of George Mason. You can find out details on the Web site here: http://www.berniesonline.com/ The guy who runs the place is actually named Bernie. He used to be one of the owners of Wagshal's in DC, but got tired of the commute and decided to open a deli near where he lives. Bernie's is set up to be a carry-out place with a few tables so you can also eat in the store. You order at a counter, pay at the register, and any sides are displayed in a case next to the register. There's also a display of cakes, bread pudding, cookies, cupcakes and all sorts of other things that I shouldn't be even thinking about, much less eating. Most of Bernie's menu is sandwiches, as you'd expect from your basic deli, but the menu also includes some entrees that range from Beer Can Chicken to Shepherd's Pie. And just because the store is geared to carry out doesn't mean they give you short shrift if you eat in. The cooks will heat your sandwiches, prepare the entrees, and warm your dessert. One of the things that I had (but shouldn't have) is their bread pudding with bourbon butter sauce. Served warm with the sauce also warmed, this is pretty sinful, especially for those of us who aren't chocolate fanatics. The sandwiches are seriously good. If you like what's on the menu, that's fine. If you want something else, that's fine, too. If they have the ingredients, they'll make it. The only downside is that a lot of people in Fairfax have found this place, so it can be crowded. Also, it closes at 7:00PM. Bernie's doesn't make any pretext of being fine dining. This is a deli with tables, pure and simple. It's not as chaotic or as elaborate as a deli in Manhattan, but it's a nice place, the food is good, and Bernie's a nice guy. The more I eat here, the better I like it. If you're anywhere near Fairfax, it's worth taking the time to look for Bernie's. Wayne Rash

I started my day in Restaurant Hell yesterday by dining at Union Station's America. I was seeing a friend off, and we decided to have lunch before her train to New York left. We chose America because it was what appeared to be a nice place, and it was near the gate to the Acela. I guess I should do a better job of checking out restaurants. I ordered the Cuban sandwich. It arrived having been microwaved. The bottom half of the roll was soggy, thin and falling apart. The center of the meat was cold. I ate two bites. My friend, who is used to eating in New York, wasn't impressed. Now I have to buy her lunch. In Manhattan. At a place of her choosing. You'd think that by now I'd learn. Wayne Rash

The last couple of times at Villa Bella haven't been up to its previous standards. I don't know if they're using less-experienced cooks, or not getting the best ingredients. Whatever it might have been, when I went there last night for dinner, I think it was my last time. I ordered what is normally a nice, light, fairly healthy dish, which is the mixed seafood in marinara on linguini. When it arrived three of the mussels hadn't opened, which meant that half of them were dead before cooking, and should never have been served. The clams were so badly overcooked they were like chewing rubber. You couldn't cut them with a table knife. Those didn't get eaten. The shrimp, while overcooked, was edible. The scallops were OK. Pieces of clam shell were strewn throughout the dish, and I ended up breaking a tooth. The bruschetta appetizer was soggy enough that it drooped. At least the hot bread was still hot and fresh and delicious, and the linguini was properly cooked. The other good news was that my dental insurance covered the damage. I've heard (from my dentist who used to go to Villa Bella, too) that there's a much better Italian restaurant in Lorton called Pane e Vino (http://www.paneevino-ristorante.com/). I think I'll try that next. Wayne Rash

Newport I'm in Newport, RI, for a press event. I was on my own for dinner last night. This was complicated by the fact that the train was an hour late, so I didn't get to dinner until 9:00PM. In DC this would be a non-issue, but here in New England, they roll up the sidewalks by then on weekdays. So I ended up at the Red Parrot on Thames Street. Here's the link: http://www.redparrotrestaurant.com/. This place came with great promise. People who actually live here like it. The Stoli martini was perfect. I had what they call Sole on the Rocks, which is really a fillet of some kind of flat fish (probably flounder) on a bed of sea scallops and crab. The sides were a starch and in this case, fresh asparagus. For the starch, I chose red beans and rice. The bottom line is, don't bother. It's fairly expensive, and the seafood isn't properly prepared. The kitchen didn't remove the abductor muscles from the scallops, meaning it was like eating rubber bands, but with less flavor. The "sole" was OK, but there was little of it, and it was slightly overcooked. The crab apparently came from a package and nobody checked for shell pieces. The asparagus was clearly fresh, but should have been cooked less. The red beans and rice were over-cooked and free of any sign of flavor. It was like eating brown mush. Ack. Don't go there. Now, here's where I SHOULD have gone: Scales and Shells in Newport, also on Thames St. Here's the link: http://www.scalesandshells.com/. I didn't go there last night because they close at 9:00PM on weeknights. I'm told that it's the best seafood in town. A couple of warnings: They only sell seafood, and they don't take credit cards. I'll check them out before I leave town. Newport is a nice town, but it's filled with overpriced tourist places. There's a t-shirt shop that specializes in Las Vegas T-shirts. On the other hand, the view from my room at the Hyatt on Goat Island is spectacular. And I've been here often enough over the years that the waitress (Suzette) knows exactly how I like my eggs. Wayne Rash

Here's a follow-up on the Legal Sea Foods item I reported on a few days ago. Today I got a very nice note from JaAnne O'Neill, Manager, Guest Services for LSF corporate. She apologized for the unfortunate meal, enclosed a gift certificate suggesting that I try again, and expressed her concern about the problems. She said that she takes my concerns very seriously. It didn't sound like a form letter, and it was even hand-written. Sounds like maybe they're trying to get this eatery back on track. Wayne Rash

I tried Coastal Flats in Tyson's on Thursday at dinner. There was no significant wait. I went there primarily because of a number of recommendations that I go there after my disappointing experience at Legal Sea Foods in Tyson's. The restaurant is noisy, but the service was attentive without being overbearing or overly friendly. My iced tea was never empty, our food was promptly delivered, and the salmon was cooked exactly right. I had one of their standards, the short smoked salmon. I was concerned about the sauce, but it was served on the side, and the glaze on the fish seemed to be designed more to hold the smoke flavor than anything else. My dish was served with their cauliflower mash as a side. I'm not sure what's in there besides cauliflower, but it tastes like maybe some heavy cream and potato. During the dinner, I related our story of the Legal Sea Foods disappointment to the waiter. The manager came by and asked about it again. A few minutes later, the waiter told me that the restaurant was buying desert for my wife and me to make up for our last disappointing dinner at Legal Sea Foods. So, I had the strawberry shortcake and my wife had the bread pudding. The strawberry shorcake could have benefited from a few more berries. The bread pudding had to have had a calorie count into the four, perhaps five digits. I think I gained a pound or two just sitting in the booth with it. As you'd expect, it was pretty yummy, but I'm glad I didn't eat it, or I'd still be there, unable to move. I have to say this is the first time I've even heard of a restaurant going the extra mile to make up for a disappointing experience at a competing restaurant. But I was certainly impressed. Coastal Flats, at least, knows how to cook fish. Wayne Rash

So I got a call yesterday from the new manager at the Tyson's Legal Seafood. She was unaware of the sentiment that the grilled fish wasn't worth eating, and that the rest of the menu left a lot to be desired. She did tell me that she's just taken over as the manager, but didn't elaborate on why. She did apologize for the problems with dinner and says she will send me a gift certificate so I can try again. She also asked that if any of us eats there, we should provide feedback as to the problems. She's trying to make the restaurant better, but says it's hard to do without help. She did say that she was almost afraid to call me after my note on the LSF comment page. She was afraid that I'd yell at her. I don't yell at restaurant managers, and I explained that. However I did stress that whoever is responsible for cooking the food I needed to learn how to cook fish. I pointed out that I'd had better grilled fish at Red Lobster, a comment she found somewhat painful. I also mentioned that I'd gone to Coastal Flats a few days ago. I have no idea whether the Tyson't LSF will be able to get its act together, but at least the new manager is aware of the problem. I have a feeling that her predecessor didn't know or care. Wayne Rash

Having read a series of posts about the sad state of barbecue here in Northern Virginia, I have to ask whether there's any actual good barbecue. What I've found so far isn't promising. Ignoring the chain places, here's what I've found: Virginia Barbecue in Manassas. The "Virginia" style tasts like nothing else in Virginia, but not in a good way. Worse, the staff is unhelpful, knows nothing about barbecue, and doesn't care. They once packed a pound for carry out in a cup with a hole in it, and wouldn't replace it when I pointed out the problem. All they said was "Oh." Then, "We'll call our manager." BBQ World. It's convenient if you're in Burke. It used to be really good. Now the pulled pork tasts like it was made in a crock pot. The beef brisket has no taste at all. Dixie Bones. The comments of a few days ago get the spirit, but they are far too kind. Too bad, because it used to be good. The guy on Rt. 29. I can't remember his place's name, but he's in a trailer on Rt 29 near Warrenton. His smoker is on the back porch of the trailer. Looks promising, but the barbecue is over sauced, and the sauce is so sweet it'll run your blood glucose into quadruple digits. I've traveled long distances to get great barbecue, but it would be nice to be able to get something edible close enough to home that I can do carry-out on a Tuesday night when I'm too tired to cook. Here are some places that constitute good barbecue, just for comparison. They're all too far away for carry out if you live around here. Black's Barbecue - Lockhart, Texas Joe's Eat - Montgomery, Alabama (this place is probably closed) Moore's - near Raleigh, NC Any nominations for great barbecue in Northern Virginia, or are we stuck with Famous Dave's and Red Hot & Blue? Wayne Rash

In my original post on this topic, I made an assertion that my meal at Legal Sea Foods at Tyson's Corner made Red Lobster look like seafood nirvanna by comparison. Now, in the interests of full disclosure, I should point out that I've been technology writer for many years, and I've reviewed products and services for the entire time. However, I'm not a professional restaurant reviewer. Still, I know that when I make an assertion, I need to be able to back it up with actual research. So now I've done that, and in the process probably committed some sort of heresy. I went to Red Lobster. I had dinner. The world didn't end. In fact, the wood grilled fish at Red Lotster is actually far better than the equivalent product at Legal Sea Foods in Tyson's Corner. I had the grilled haddock, which was perfectly cooked. It was clearly fresh, it was moist and flaky. It tasted of the wood over which it was grilled. It might be Red Lobster, but the fish was cooked properly, and it tasted good. My wife had the wood grilled shellfish. The scallops were slightly more done than I like, but I like them pretty rare. The shrimp were cooked exactly right. Both were clearly fresh, there were no off flavors, no over-seasoning. The fried food may be what buys your cardiologist his Mercedes, but the grilled fish isn't bad. OK. Go ahead and yell at me. But they're beating the pants off of LSF. Wayne Rash

You are, of course, correct. My daughter reminded me of this by instant message as soon as she saw the post. So as she also reminds me, I have no excuse. Wayne Rash