Spiral Stairs

I think that, in the case of Greenwood v. DC Foodie, Greenwood would have to take the position that the presentation of the food is copyrightable, not the food itself. Can a food's presentation be considered art? It's an interesting question. I'd bet some chefs would be loathe to say no. Whether legally defensible or not, it was a stupid, stupid business move to assert such a silly right -- especially when Greenwood apparently was, at best, unclear about the rules governing photography in her restaurant (which she is, of course, free to set). The internet has a way of magnifying and propagating ill will.

Happy birthday to you, then! My wife has chosen B. Smith's for her birthday dinner. I tried to nudge her in the direction of Vidalia -- or even Georgia Brown's -- but to no avail. Our one experience at B. Smith's was good, though, notwithstanding some contrary stories here on the site.

While a bit more trouble, it would probably be possible to call the restaurant, cancel the reservation, tell the restaurant that -- lucky them! -- someone else is taking your reservation, and give them the name. Canceling it that way is supposed to cancel for Opentable purposes too, isn't it?

I did that recently (called to cancel an OT reservation), and I still got a scoldy e-mail from OT. I wrote back to say that I had canceled by phone, and they said they would correct my account to reflect that I am not, in fact, a scoundrel and malingerer. I just had an idea: Since people on DR are constantly making and canceling reservations, there should be a sort of clearinghouse for canceled reservations here. I.e., before calling the restaurant to cancel, one could post something on here that says, "I am about to cancel my 8:30, Tuesday, reservation for 4 at Restaurant Eve. Anyone want it before I cancel?" I don't know if there are enough DR users doing enough canceling to make it worthwhile, but it might be useful.

MINE, however, is comprised entirely of the single wine molecules they serve at NaNoLab.

Mon: Spouse's choice, as yet unmade (It's her b-day.) Tue: Recover from Monday. Wed: IndeBleu Thu: Recover from Wednesday. Fri: Acadiana Sat: Eat mac and cheese from a box. Sun: Eat leftover mac and cheese from a box.

We had lunch at Neramitra today. Holy cow: They're not joking with the "spicy" designation. At Asian restaurants, I almost always gravitate toward dishes with the "spicy" icon. This time, it was Ka Prow Chicken. I have a pretty high tolerance for heat, but I had to shut it down after making my way through about two-thirds of the plate. The other third, though, is tempting me in the fridge right now. My wife's pad thai was moist and tasty; grilled pork skewers with a chili sauce and spring rolls were excellent appetizers. It's a beautiful space, and I hope it does well.

In the hazy time between presses of the snooze button this morning, I heard a blurb on WTOP about a restaurant called Agraria, due to open in 2006 on the water in Georgetown. Now that the haze has passed, Googling has revealed some more information about this interesting concept. From a press release by the contractor: It must have been in the works for a while -- I found this from 2003: Hmm. Wonder why these North Dakotans want to set up shop all the way over here.

Just picked it up. At first, I looked up the last restaurant listed and though, "Hmm. Zola gets 2.5 stars. What was Rocks talking about?" Then, I thought harder and figured it out. Clever, clever.

We love Pacific Cafe (just ordered out from there last night). It helps that we live two blocks away. My wife, a creature of habit, virtually always gets the pork with vermicelli. I am less a creature of habit, but more a creature who enjoys fried and hot things. So I often get the calamari appetizer, which is served with little pepper slices (they look like jalapenos, though I'm not sure what they really are). Last night, I had a delicious curry shrimp too. I've also wondered how they stay in business. At this point, however, it would be worth weathering losses for another year or so, since a huge customer base is about to install itself a block away at the new Jenkins Row development.

It seems to me that the restaurant industry is not unlike the arts, and a chef is not unlike an artist. While a few will hit the jackpot (thus, becoming Bobby Flay or Andy Warhol), most toil relatively anonymously for scant rewards. The chance of hitting the jackpot is sufficiently small that it is not the primary motivation for any rational person's decision to enter either field. At the same time, however, most people in either field would not turn down the jackpot, if presented. Me, I hate risk. That's why I'm a lawyer! (And that's why I'm jealous of all those who decided to accept risk for the sake of passion.) P.S. -- Has anyone seen Spanglish? Adam Sandler plays a chef who, during the course of the movie, is described by the (New York?) Times as the best chef in the country. Even prior to that designation, he had really struck it rich. You know: huge house, nice cars, housekeepers. It looks so easy!

I also assume that Chef Armstrong pays himself (and his wife) a salary, which would be accounted for in the labor costs. Thus, the $13 "left over" at the end is not likely the amount on which the Armstrongs must rely in order to feed and clothe themselves.

The current Washingtonian (can't find a link online) has a little sidebar in which Cathal Armstrong breaks down the price and cost of an average dinner for two in the tasting room. Average bill: $250. Average profit: $13. Wow! I'm no accountant, but I'm pretty shocked that the numbers come out that way. (Or, at least, can be made to come out that way.) The sidebar itself itemizes the costs specifically, and is good for a quick read next time you pass a newsstand.

Buffet? As in get-up-and-serve-your-own-damn-self buffet?

Chris, thanks. My skimming eyes somehow went right over your disappointing description of 40 Sardines. Bluestem, on the other hand, looks fascinating. And it's in Westport (instead of a nondescript suburb).

Let me preface this by saying: I am from Kansas City, and go back often. However, I know quite little about fine dining options in the city. Which brings me to the topic: I would like to buy my Dad and his wife a gift certificate for a blow-out dinner (non-BBQ, non-steak, both of which cuisines are intimately familiar to my family). I've found that the KC Star has awarded four stars to 5 places: 1. 40 Sardines 2. The American Restaurant 3. Cafe Sebastienne 4. Le Fou Frog 5. Sour Octopus I've not been to any of them. (And I think the American is the only one that even existed when I lived there.) Anyone been to any of these places?

In today's chat, Tom S. said it is set to open on December 8th, which doesn't seem to be mentioned in the PR.

I'm glad to see Georgia Brown's getting some love here, because I have sensed a general decline in the amount of love it's been receiving. I haven't been in a year or so, but I have always had good food and good times there. The brunch is not only good but, if you get the entree boxed up for home, it's a spectacular deal. (On top of fond food memories, I met Bill Clinton at Georgia Brown's. I, for one, count that as a fond memory too.)

I ate at Ellington's last night for the first time. I'm a fan. The food -- two of us had the barbecue buffet, two ordered from the menu -- is simple, tasty, and a good deal. More importantly, though, this is a true neighborhood restaurant, committed to the neighborhood beyond what is typical for a profit-seeking enterprise. For instance, they hire homeless men and women and train them for jobs in hospitality. The neighborhood focus carries over into the service, which is extremely friendly and casual (but competent). The unassuming food, service, and decor makes you feel like you're a guest in the owners' home -- a home in which live music happens to be played. I had heard of the Thursday night barbecue-and-blues event before, and I thought it might be crowded. Far from it. For some time, we were the only diners in the dining room. When we retired to the lounge area up front, two or three tables were occupied. It's a little disconcerting that, despite the massive changes that have occurred in the neighborhood since the restaurant opened in 1999, the crowd was so sparse. I hope we were there on an unusually slow night, because this is the kind of place that can become a true institution, if the neighborhood nurtures it.

Agreed. (Well, maybe not "mostly" because of good restaurants, but that's a big part of it.) Our dinner plans for tonight and tomorrow both involve walking to local restaurants with our dinner-mates. (And we live in the dining wasteland of Capitol Hill!) And the fact that so many people make that choice means that cities are more hospitable places for good restaurants.

Let me pose this as a question instead of a potentially incendiary statement: Do you think that the proportion of people who "care" enough about their food to seek out non-chain, chef-driven restaurants (and avoid their converse) is so much higher in the city than in distant suburbs that it is a far riskier proposition to open such a restaurant in the distant suburbs?

I just remembered another good burger I had, in a most unlikely place: In the snack bar at the Hains Point golf course (East Potomac Park, in SW DC). I had previously heard that Bill Clinton considered it the best burger in DC. That may or may not be apocryphal. (More likely, Clinton considered the burger he had most recently eaten to be the best burger in town.) But after hearing that, I ordered one instead of the half-smoke I usually get there. It was, indeed, a juicy, tasty burger. It was very basic -- basic bun, basic toppings, basic slab of grilled ground beef -- but the price is right, and it gives you an excuse to spoil a good walk on the golf course.

Could you be referring to Jack's? I worked a couple blocks away for a year -- I never made it to that Jack's. (There's also a Jack's on Indiana Avenue, even closer to the courthouse -- a couple doors west of Au Bon Pain. I did make it into the Indiana Avenue one a couple times, but just got soup. (Which was merely okay.))

Teaism would be a relatively short walk. Map

I'm a big believer in tapas-style restaurants for big celebrations like this. Sharing is festive and fun. So I would second the recommendation of Zaytinya. Or Jaleo. Oyamel isn't getting much love around these parts right now, though I think it would be a fine choice too.