peasoup

The meal here was the most joyous and delightful dinner I've had in some time. The 2 chefs were so earnest and enthusiastic and utterly unpretentious. Their ingredients were pristine and beautiful, at the peak of ripeness, totally fresh. Their dishes were well thought out with no out-of-place components and well executed. The wine pairings were picked by the wine maker of Fausse Piste and were selected with obvious consideration for the food (c'mon, a 2001 Kalin Sauvigon Blanc to pair with the salty-sweet corn bread!) Really glad I stumbled upon this place on the internet. I don't know how this isn't bigger in Portland. And it's only $105. scallop with pickled green strawberry and apple, borage flower, lovage leaf, frozen hollandaise hamachi with squash, nasturtium, granola in curried yogurt squid and peppers with squid ink squid chips and anise hyssop in hazelnut romesco sauce cherry wood smoked sturgeon, pickled onion, dried morel, potatoes in bone marrow broth poached breaded and fried sweetbreads, tomato, artichoke, marigold leaves, garlic chips in a brown butter artichoke sauce beef brisket, cherries, and dried olive corn bread madeline with lardo, parmesan, and honey comb yogurt and honey lavender cream with blueberries

Hit Himitsu last night with a couple friends. Waiting time drinks at the Reading Room where Chantal had to explain the meaning behind the use of dark rum and blanche armagnac in a Zadie Smith inspired cocktail... It was my 2nd time at Himitsu and the meal was not as delighting as the 1st. Excluding the nigiri/sashimi, we ordered everything except for 3 plates. My biggest criticism is that there really isn't flow or progression to the food, no connection from one course to the next - it's just a bunch of plates: some good, some not. Second biggest criticism is the wine program is pretty poor and while I believe they allow corkage, they charge $35 for that. We had: chicken liver mousse - OK. But the 4 small, crouton-sized pieces of baguette served with the mousse struck me as ungracious tomatoes and strawberries - pretty nice dish, though the tomatoes were not so good (I think they were underripe). The parsley sauce and crisped quinoa along with good strawberries made it nice. hamachi with "orenji" (which I think is just orange) - OK, but the fish sauce flavor was overdone and too powerful Akamai + "meron" (it would be even cuter if they used 漢字) - poorly conceived. The flavor and texture of the tuna was completely obscured by the watermelon and some hot peppers eggplant - good but quickly surfeits as the fermented black bean flavor is very prominent and not much else comes into play cabbage e pepe - actual cacio e pepe would be much better squash done in "elote" style - ok. best part was the popped sorghum on top rapini, snap peas, pea leaves, soft egg - good, definitely my favorite dish fried chicken and biscuits - mediocre. I preferred their duck with biscuits (which came out too cool and sweet this time). The fried chicken had a heavy gochujang covering that wasn't good braised pork shank - OK. The meat seemed a little dry (not sure how that happens) and a little bland. Each bite definitely needed the pickled shallots that were in the dish to be tasty

Interesting. I have a few fond memories of Soigne.

Ha! I ate at Marc Veyrat for lunch about 23 years ago, by myself in my teens....I still remember a roast beef served in a cast iron vessel smoked with mountain herbs....and that cheese cart!

It's not even the best places in Japan. Last time in Tokyo I ate here, a non-descript place that seemed like a local joint for bottom-rung office workers in Nihombashi to hit up before training home, or grandma and grandpa taking the grand kids out for dinner after a shopping trip to Takashimaya. It was straight up amazing, and of a different kind than anything in DC.

Interesting geography lesson!

Holdfast Dining. Exquisite dinner. Incredible value.

My memory of most nights I've been there the menu has the salmon with hijiki and rice, a pasta dish (often fettuccine with mushrooms) and a pork dish (either cheeks or a loin preparation). I might just overlook the beef shoulder all the time.

Corduroy bar is great value....but often no beef dishes. And the ambience is not good...

Dinner last night was really good. Had the ricotta ramp dumplings mentioned above, asparagus vinaigrette, green tomato soup, and, for the first time, the roast chicken. Everything was well done and tasty. For dessert the crema fritta with rhubarb and a grand marnier vanilla ice cream float was lovely.

The list looks interesting...how's the food? Aggio there was lackluster...

How is that different from most, if not practically all, wine lists in DC? And most of those other overpriced lists are insipid.

I'm not sure that their list has much higher mark-ups than most other places, and it at least has interesting options. The worst part is they don't allow corkage. I almost always BYO. We had a very good still pinot noir from Champagne. $125 before tax/tip. Winesearcher has the bottle at $40 in Chicago and $70 in NYC.

Had a good dinner here recently. Food was well done with lots of good seafood (scallops, rockfish, dover sole), some nice meats (cornish hen, veal) and an interesting, overpriced wine list.

I dressed casual and don't recall feeling out of place at all (though casual not in the American sense...ie, not tennis shoes and under armour shirts). I seem to remember restaurant prices including service.