dwt

Went to Mike's for the first time last Friday to meet up with friends. We didn't get crabs, at least not the hard-shell variety. My two dining companions had crab cakes and they were both pleased (I did not sample, but trust their judgment). I had the rockfish fillet, stuffed. I was a little disappointed. The fillet was over cooked and the imperial was under seasoned -- liberal application of salt and pepper shakers helped. But I would gladly return. It's such a nice atmosphere and service was very pleasant.

Wait a minute ... Don, are you sure it was a lunch buffet? I had heard recently (2-3 months ago) that the Sunday brunch had been converted to a buffet.

Don's report jives with what I've discovered recently. But call me "Captain Oblivious." I didn't realize there was ownership commonality between these two restaurants until this appeared on the 8407KB Facebook page recently:

I'm keeping an open mind but I'm worried that the dumbing down will continue and they will lose others of their excellent staff. Apparently the departure of Nancy, the former GM who was very dear to us, was the first warning sign (Captain Oblivious didn't realize it unit now).

PoP dug it.

Sorry to be slightly off-topic, but I've always wondered what the tag "Regional Italian," which is applied to this thread, means. Is it meant to indicate an Italian restaurant serving food from only one or more than one region of Italy?

BTH, The Red Hen Does not use this terminology anywhere on their web site, calling themselves "an Italian-influenced American restaurant." And it's the only restaurant on dr.com to which the "regional Italian" tag is applied.

I know I have posted about this place but can't seem to find another thread about the restaurant.  I have no clue where I posted about it!

I looked before posting and the only reference I found on DR was lperry's in her Federal Shutdown Specials thread.

Sorry for bringing back potentially painful memories.

The Daily Dish

They are located in the strip mall on Grubb Road, near the intersection with East-West, a few doors away from Parkway Deli in the old Red Dog space.

Aside from the seasonal/local bent (the entrees do change frequently) they are somewhat distinguished by offering a full bar and vegan/vegetarian-friendly selections. In terms of the kitchen's ambitions and the ambiance/decor, I regard them as slightly more casual than nearby 8407.

We've been maybe 1/2 dozen times. It's always a bit of an afterthought for us. We go when we want something relaxed and close to home, and we've grown temporarily fatigued with the places in our usual rotation. Last Thursday evening, our party of 3 had a very pleasant meal. It was particularly delightful to sit just inside open garage door up front so we could enjoy the cool evening air. We each started with a vegan soup of the day. Both my companions had the tomato, which they liked very much. I had the potato/leek, which would have been improved with the addition of heavy cream , but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Both the crab cake (appetizer) and lamb shank (entree) were deemed good by my dining companions. I had a sauteed softshell crab entree that, while not iconic, was well-prepared and satisfied a craving I've been suffering for several days (NB: at $30, it was the most expensive item on the menu). For libations, we enjoyed a margarita (The Classic) and Flying Dog Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale, which was on draft.

If it were as close to home as our other regular haunts, we would probably dine at TDD more often. Over time, it has proved to be a good option for us when we need to break away from our routine.

Funny, before following the link to this thread I was wondering if La Colombe would qualify as independent. I've never been to one of their cafes but frequently buy their roasted beans from WF or online via their web site. The Corsica and Phocea are my favorite blends. I hope to visit their Blagden Alley location soon.

These guys are in business to meet the expectations of weekend hog bikers and the people who support the Horse Farm folk in the area.  They do a fine job of that.

Well said, antepiedmont. They have an honorable mission and it sounds like they are fulfilling it admirably.

Here's a suggested addition for Gordonsville: Restaurant Pomme.

I've dined here twice. Once was for a holiday lunch with co-workers 2 years ago. It was nice. The only dish I recall was the gumbo, which I enjoyed.

Went last night with a friend for dinner. We sat on the patio, which we agreed was  much more pleasant on a nice, cool evening than the somewhat dim dining room into which not much natural light filters. Service was friendly and helpful, though the team approach to service resulted in the occasional food auction.

We both started with Malpeque oysters. I hit a couple of gritty ones and there was a wide variance in size of the bivalves. Frankly, some were so puny that they should never have made it onto a diner's plate.

My main was the cioppino, which was very good -- nothing stunning flavor-wise, but a solid execution. I appreciate that they don't just load the bowl with mussels, like so many do with their seafood stews, but serve a balanced mix of clams, shrimp, mussels and bits of fish. A side of smoked bacon collards was under-cooked for my taste and didn't seem to have gained much flavor from the bacon.

The big disappointment was my friend's Mahi Mahi. For $28, I thought the portion was ridiculously small (under 6 oz, I would guess). Even if it were half the price, I would have been disappointed. A side of Szechuan eggplant looked good, but I neglected to ask my friend how it was.

As the dining guide states, Passion Fish is polished but expensive. I think the value proposition doesn't work for me. I'll try a different option next time I dine out in RTC.

Went to the Saturday blow-out against the Rangers. Daunted by the long lines at Ben's, Chesapeake Crabcake, etc, opted for chili nachos at the Hard Times behind section 116. What a mistake. Chili was flavorless and, excuse me, but who the hell puts cold, shredded cheese on nachos? Never again. 

Check out Sharp Rock Vineyards some time. I'm no wine expert, but I recall enjoying their whites and rose when we visited a couple years ago. It's a small-scale operation (the tasting room is maybe 12x20') in a lovely setting near Old Rag. The couple who own the winery are very nice, laid-back folks.

La Chaumiere -- solidly in the "what's new to say?" category. Can't believe it's approaching 40 years old.

If in NW DC, check with Georgetown (202-444-0086) or Washington Hospital Center (202-877-3627). Those are the numbers for the infectious disease department. Otherwise, head to the ER/Urgent care center at either location.

Hopkins in Baltimore is great if  you have something really interesting from a clinical research perspective. If you prefer the Hopkins system over Medstar, then check with Sibley.

Had lunch at the Rockville location a couple times in the past 6 months. The pulled pork was excellent the first time, needing no adornment. It was on the dry side the second time, so applied a little of the Carolina-style BBQ sauce. As darkstar995 mentioned up thread, the collards are excellent -- balanced flavors and served with just the right amount of pot likker  ("likkuh").

It has been a long time since we've been, but I recall Chef Diotaiuti stirred up a very nice risotto at Al Tiramisu. Note that the prep changes (risotto del giorno) and that it's one of the "market price" items on the menu.

The risotto accompanying an Osso Buco special at Sergio in Silver Spring was remarkably good. Unfortunately, it's not often on offer.

I drive by there nearly every weekday and they are most certainly open. I've noted that with the warmer weather the doors by the front communal table have been flung open and folks are starting to venture out to the patio for happy hour. One of these beautiful spring days, temptation will get the better of me -- I'll skip my evening gym session and stop in for some oysters and a drink. 

We were there Saturday night, about 8:30. Walked by Grapeseed and noted that the front room/bar area was sparsely populated. Considered going in, but we were in the mood for something more casual.

We both ordered the lobster bisque, which was thin in both flavor and texture -- I wouldn't order it again. Our warm lobster rolls hit the spot. I have a weakness for onion rings and I think theirs are among the best I've tasted. As usual, there was a nice range of beer selections on tap. This was our third visit and we will likely be back.

Back in the day, when disposable income was in short supply, Mrs. DWT and I took great pleasure in our evenings out at Pines of Rome. This would have been in the '80s. If I recall correctly, the value/quality graph was nearly perfectly optimized for us. I was actually impressed by their execution of whole roasted fish, usually sea bass (or was it broiled?). Our favorite waiter was John (sorry, don't recall his last name), who went on to become the proprietor of Vicino in Silver Spring. Vicino's menu was an exact copy of Pine's. And for several years it achieved the same value/quality balance. It helped that our children, when they were elementary/middle school age, loved it too (spaghetti and meatballs and pizza were their favorites). At some point, Vicino went down hill. Food quality suffered and the tiny kitchen seemed to lose its ability to deliver the goods in a reasonable time frame on busy nights. We took it out of the rotation several years ago. But I still have pleasant memories of both PoR and Vicino.

WAMU's Metro Connection aired a nice profile of Mark F. and his new venture this morning. You can read a summary of the story or click "play" just above the photo to hear the entire piece (worth the time at just under 7 minutes): http://tinyurl.com/kanw9yd

For old-fart context, my 40th H.S. reunion, which I did not attend if indeed it happened, was 2 years ago. I had completely forgotten about Geno's and the fact that they served chicken. One miserable summer, circa 1972, I worked at the one on Rt 355 in Gaithersburg. It was across from a Red Barn (anyone recall that fine fast food establishment?). I have few pleasant memories of my stint at Gino's, aside from a handful of amiable colleagues. If I remember correctly, the chicken was deep-fried in pressure cookers filled with grease (I still harbor an irrational fear of pressure cookers). Suffered a bad burn on the top of my left foot one evening when some of that grease splashed out of the pot while I was loading it up with chicken pieces. Have to admit, to a teenaged boy's unsophisticated palate, the chicken tasted pretty good. 

Yes, just down the street from Pete's.  One thing I've learned, at some places either the brewed coffee is great or the espresso is great, but not both.  Next time try an espresso-based beverage.

Your post jogged my memory. I'd completely forgotten I visited Coffee Nature a few months ago and enjoyed a very nice espresso. Had I been in a more receptive mood, I might also have enjoyed the barista's (proprietor's?) seemingly interminable lecture on the provenance of his beans. I was in Italian bar mode (knock back the shot and get on with the day) and forgot everything he said upon exiting.

Based on two visits since Justin took over the kitchen, he is doing good work. We've enjoyed the pork loin, duck duo (confit/seared breast), lamb shank and salmon preparations. Some of the accompaniments to the proteins are particularly notable: the celeriac/cauliflower puree that comes with the salmon and the mushroom farrow that comes with the duck are really good. I think portions have become more generous, relative to the previous regime. If the trend continues over future visits, I'll be lobbying the powers that be to elevate this restaurant to the top of the Silver Spring pecking order.

First time here. Love oysters and N'Orleans fare so have been looking forward to dropping in. Arrived just after 17:00 and the bar was swamped. Folks on the patio and inside had taken up all the seats. Fortunately, after a few minutes wait, an inside bar seat came free. Had a dozen oysters, sampling 4 varieties: two from the Pacific Northwest, two from the east coast. Sorry that I don't recall the names, other than the black salts; they were all different from those listed on PDOP's web site. Oysters were nicely shucked and fresh. They were accompanied by a cocktail sauce and 3 variations on mignonette -- I don't put anything on raw oysters, so no comment on the dipping sauces.  I then moved on to the grilled redfish with sage pecan butter and stone grits. The fish was cooked perfectly and the pecan/butter sauce complemented it nicely. The grits were good too. I would order this dish again. Had a glass of the Domaine De La Quilla Muscadet Sevre et Maine, which was very pleasant with the oysters, and an Oregon pinot noir (IEIO Cuvee E Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, if I remember correctly) which was good but at $15 I would think twice about ordering it again. Sam, the bar tender, was friendly and helpful. Atmosphere was lively and fun, as you would hope at happy hour. I plan to return soon.