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dwt

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  1. dwt
    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.
  2. dwt
    The Hersch's questions deserve a reasoned response. My question: Where is Chef Ashwell currently working?
  3. dwt
    Chef change, again: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-guide/wp/2013/07/31/ed-witt-out-justin-bittner-in-at-8407-in-silver-spring/
  4. dwt
    Closed, according to PoP: http://www.popville.com/2013/07/bistro-le-zinc-closes-in-cleveland-park/
  5. dwt
    Of course I don't. I believe emphatically that you and others accurately reported having wonderful meals at Bistro La Bonne. Oh, and it wasn't my birthday -- BD = Bastille Day, which is a special enough occasion for us and, we presumed, the restaurant which had advertised a special menu and entertainment for the weekend. I thought they'd be on their "A" game for July 14 and went in with that expectation only to be disappointed, otherwise I wouldn't have written anything. I think it was just an off night but based on the service issues alone I would prefer hitting one of our regular spots (Bistro D'Oc, Bistro Francais, La Chaumiere, etc.). As for trying something new, I hear a siren's song coming from Le Grenier (their menu is a seductive read).
  6. dwt
    First time dining at this bistro; unfortunately, they did not shine for Bastille Day. Service issues were glaring, and not just at our table. I saw three parties leave in frustration over the wait. Two tables in my line of sight had to flag down servers (one leaving his seat to do so) to have their silverware replenished when their mains arrived. Why do they deliver a bread basket and no bread plates? Drinks took forever to arrive from the downstairs bar (which was mostly emptly). My dining companion's bronzino looked good (I did not sample it). And the Navarin d'Agneau, which I ordered based on the accolades it received up thread, did not thrill. I'm not much of a cook, but I can produce a sauce more flavorful just by following Anthony Bordain's recipe. At least half of the stew meat was mealy. I really hate writing this. I had first planned on dining at the corporate carpetbagger Le Diplomat, but decided to go with an independent local establishment for our BD celebration. Given the praise of others, I suspect that our experience was an anomaly, but next July 14 we will probably return to one of our usual haunts for French fare.
  7. dwt
    I had a solo dinner at Yuzu this past Wednesday and was very pleased. I discovered Yuzu through a Tom Sietsema "First Bite" column http://tinyurl.com/nbngbtv. The restaurant, which has been open for about a month, is located at 7345 Wisconsin Avenue. Their web page is here: http://yuzubethesda.com/. I ordered nigiri from the menu of specials on offer that day: I enjoyed everything with the exception of the nihon anago, which was oddly mushy and tasteless. From the regular kitchen menu, I ordered the "fried oyster, kakifry" which was just wonderful. The panko coating was crisp, not greasy, and the interior harbored full-flavored, molten oyster goodness. The oysters were accompanied by a dipping sauce (can't recall the name, but it was dark and a little sweet, akin to a plum sauce), and a small dab of spicy mustard. Both perfectly complimented the oysters. I'm reserving final judgement until I'm able to dine here at least another time or two, but I'm hoping that I've found my go-to sushi place near home in east MoCo.
  8. dwt
    Haven't been (could go for a limoncello right now!). But popville was on top of it a couple weeks ago with several interior photos.
  9. dwt
    I love skate too, so I was saddened to find out it is over-fished: "Skate Overview" on seafoodwatch.org Please don't take this as a scolding -- just sharing information.
  10. dwt
    Beer map: http://thenationalsreview.com/2013/06/05/the-nationals-park-beer-guide/ Credit to Dan Steinberg for tweeting the link.
  11. dwt
    I hate to say it, but I've been approaching this view recently. I've dined in the cafe only since the expansion. The first 1/2 dozen or so times blew my socks off. The pastas, seafood, pig (oh my, the shoat I had one night!) were all excellent. The past few times we've dined there the experience has been underwhelming, to the point that we haven't been back for 2-3 months after averaging a monthly visit. I can't quite put my finger on it. Nothing has been bad, just not as impressive as in the past. Note that I've never ordered the standards that folks rave about (burger, chicken), alternating between fish and pig for main, soup or salad for starter. I haven't had as bad an experience (dirty wine glasses, e.g.) as jondagle, but 3 out of 3 previous dinners at prime time (8/8:30) they've been our of my first-choice entree. I don't rule out a return visit, but I'm not hurrying back -- more inclined to dine in the restaurant for a special dinner than in the cafe.
  12. dwt
    The Silver Spring location has re-opened, not sure exactly when, but some time in the past 3-5 months. I've been 3 times now and can only give them a C+ on the food. The refurbished space is nicer than the old one that was closed by fire. Wood, or imitation wood, flooring covers the walls. There is a larger sushi bar than before, a line of comfortable booths down one side and a few 2- and 4-top tables near the front. Their sushi, both rolls and nigiri, are BIG, as in two bites per piece of nigiri -- this is not a style I enjoy. The fish is only OK, not very flavorful, and the rice is bland. It's basically one step up from the best grocery store sushi. I want to like this place more because the service is good and the staff are very friendly. I might return but only when, like last night, I'm late returning home, wanting a light meal, and have only pasta on hand to make for dinner.
  13. dwt
    We were in Philly for the Penn Relays this past weekend and dined at: Osteria: One of my favorite places. We were fortunate to snag a table Friday evening in the glassed-in patio area I mentioned up-thread. We shared warm dandelion green salad with pancetta, fava beans and pantaleo goat cheese; robiola francobolli “postage stamp ravioli” with royal trumpet mushrooms and thyme; east coast mackerel with grilled spring onion, asparagus and baby zucchini; and the special spit-roasted pig with oven-roasted potatoes. Everything was very good. For me, the pig was a standout -- a generous portion of full-flavored, moist meat. My only quibble is the plating is remarkably dull, with brown pig pieces and brown potatoes. It could have used some garnishment; my preference would be to chuck the boring potatoes and substitute greens. My only other quibble for the evening was the long wait between antipasto and prima. Otherwise, we had a great time. Parc: We plan to visit Le Diplomate some time. Saturday night we sampled its older sibling. Lively doesn't begin to describe this place. The host stand was manned by 4 people and every one of them was needed. Folks were constantly arriving and it was obvious the hosts had fallen behind in seating people. We were on time and waited at least 15 minutes for our table. The bar was packed, so we just hung around the entry-way until we were seated -- at which point we were graciously thanked for our patience. Our table was also near the entrance and we were well entertained watching the parade of humanity arriving and departing. We noted a significant number of parties consisted of 3 or more young, fashionably dressed ladies (Oh the shoes!) -- alert to you eligible bachelors. As for the food, it was what you would expect -- very solid. We enjoyed a sampler of 1/2 dozen oysters on the half shell (Washington State, Massachusetts, Long Island) which had a nice range of brininess, salad Lyonnaise (good, nothing remarkable), salade verte (same), scallops (excellent quality, cooked perfectly with a nice sear on the outside, still slightly pink in the middle), and duck confit (the meat was moist and falling off the bone, the sherry vinegar jus induced another dip into the wonderful bread basket). To drink, I had a glass of ‘Brut’ Marquis de la Tour with the oysters, which was just OK. With the duck I had the Cote-du-Rhone Vidal Fleury, which complemented the food nicely. Over all, it was a fun evening and certainly satisfied my craving for classic bistro fare.
  14. dwt
    Decadence! http://scrapbook.lacolombe.com/2013/03/22/duck-grilled-cheese/
  15. dwt
    I guess you were seated in the room closest to the entrance, within view of the wood-fired oven and grill. Those tables are close together. I've been seated there twice and it's not the most comfortable place to be. If it makes you feel any better, we spotted the owner of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones, seated in that section one night (his team was in town to play the Eagles) enjoying the same elbow room as the hoi polloi at the other 2-tops. There are two other rooms that are much more comfortable, assuming they haven't changed the configuration since I was last there. One room you reach by walking past the wood-fired grill/oven area and make 2 right turns. It doesn't have great ambiance, but it is quieter and the seating isn't as cramped. The other room is to the left of the central seating area. It's a sort of glassed-in patio adjacent to a church on the south side of the restaurant, and it's the most attractive and commodious of the 3 rooms. When making a reservation, I suggest asking for seating in that room.
  16. dwt
    I can't really say, since I'm working from a sample size of 1. I enjoyed that lone encounter but don't know if it's repeatable. That's part of the risk with ballpark food. From one nosh to the next that pizza slice/hot dog/Italian sausage might be relatively fresh or it might have been deteriorating for a while. That's why I most enjoy the few 4pm games -- avoid the concessions and head up to 8th street for dinner afterward.
  17. dwt
    The 3 best things I've had at Nationals Park are Ben's Original Half Smoke (all the way), Memphis-style bologna sandwich from Blue Smoke (kinda ashamed to admit this), and smoked turkey sandwich from Capital Carvery. If I had to choose one of the 3, it would be the smoked turkey sandwich -- freshly carved turkey, moist and flavorful, worth the wait in line. I've enjoyed the carnitas tacos from El Verano Taqueria, but be forewarned that their tacos, 3 to a serving, are miniscule.
  18. dwt
    > tatertot casseroles Please elaborate! Tatertots are one of my guilty pleasures that I indulge once or twice a year.
  19. dwt
    Hello, Gervais, and welcome to DR. Thanks for introducing yourself. Your resume is quite impressive and I wish you much success at your (relatively) new post on P street.
  20. dwt
    Just received a "New On CityEats" email that lists Pesce. Following the link and paging through the picture gallery, the (unidentified) Chef de Cuisine sure doesn't look like Tom Meyer. Anyone know who she is, when the change was made, etc.?
  21. dwt
    We had a very good meal at the Penn Quarter location following the 'Zards victory over the Sixers last night. It's the first time we've dined here since the remodeling. I liked the new look, though I didn't see all of the space since we were seated by the windows facing 7th. There was a very lively crowd on hand, all of whom seemed to be having a good time -- great atmosphere. All of the dishes we sampled were a the very least good. Our party of 4 sampled: Escalivada Catalana. Nothing remarkable, but clean, bright flavors. Makes a nice palate refresher to accompany something richer. Espinacas A La Catalana. Enjoyed this more than I expected, since I'm not a big fan of raisins. Gambas con Gabardina. Shrimp on a stick! This was one of my favorites. The batter on the shrimp was light and the caper mayo had a nice zip to it. Jamon Iberico De Bellota Fermin. I enjoyed this and its accompanying pan con tomate. But it was a splurge I don't think I'll indulge in any time soon. Lomo de Buey con Valdeon. Cooked to the requested medium-rare, nice flavors, but not a stand-out to me. Salpicon de Congrejo. The crab meat was excellent, but I'm not a fan of green pepper which, for me, overwhelmed the flavor of the delicate crab. Everyone else at the table enjoyed the combination. Rossejat. Good, but not something I'd order again. It paled in comparison to the other dishes. Pulpo a la Gallega Maestro Alfonso. I'd probably eat a roofing shingle if it had pimenton and olive oil on it (or melted cheese). I hesitated to order this but was pleased with how amazingly soft the tentacles were. Chorizo Casero con Puree de Patates al Aceite de Oliva. This may have been in a tie among everyone at the table with the shrimp as favorite dish. The sausage had a nice texture and depth of flavor. I started off with a "Jose's Choice" gin and tonic, which may be the best G&T I've had, both in terms of flavor and presentation. There's a bit of ceremony with this. The server brings out a tumbler containing the garnishes and a single 1-inch square ice cube, along with bottles of gin (Hendrick's) and tonic, and then "mixes" the drink at the table. Service was friendly, helpful and efficient. Over all, a tremendously enjoyable evening.
  22. dwt
    Lunch at the Silver Spring location yesterday (2/16) was a mixed bag. As noted up-thead, the ambiance is convenience store chic. But this shouldn't deter the gas-station-taco cult adherents . The complimentary (whole-grain?) taco chips are tasty; the accompanying salsa verde is mild -- just ok. I ordered 3 tacos: barbacoa chivo , chorizo, and costilla puerco. The barbacoa chivo had excellent flavor, the best of the three, but the gristle content was overwhelming. I've only had goat at an Indian restaurant where you can maneuver around the gristly bits with knife and fork. In a taco ... I was fearing for my dental work and not enjoying the mouth feel. The costilla puerco was dry, needing a few squirts of lime to make it palatable. The chorizo was even drier and mysteriously lacking heat; I slopped salsa verde from the condiment jar on the table to get through it. The tacos are double wrapped in corn tortillas but alas, Don, you can't really produce 2 tacos from one. Will I be back ? Yes, at least one more visit. Planning to take my burrito-addicted son next time to see what he thinks.
  23. dwt
    Coda alla Vaccinara, as inspired by this blog post: http://www.elizabethminchilliinrome.com/2012/12/trattoria-da-danilo-rome.html (coda is the 2nd item in the 3rd group on the chalkboard menu). I based it on this recipe: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Roman-Oxtail-Stew-Coda-alla-Vaccinara. The use of cloves and cinnamon intrigued me. I haven't yet added the cinnamon, since that is the last step, but after 2.5 hours of braising, it tastes wonderful. Another 1/2 hour should do it. My gstore didn't have coda so I substituted beef shanks. Other variations on the recipe use different herbs (like marjoram) and some use white wine. I'd love to hear if anyone else would like to share their version.
  24. dwt
    They get a nice shout-out and photo in the NYT travel section feature "The 46 Places to go in 2013." Scroll down to item #44, which touts a handful of DC's newer restaurants. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/01/10/travel/2013-places-to-go.html?ref=travel
  25. dwt
    Yes, it's out there: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-gurus/post/8407-kitchen-bar-hires-former-701-chef-ed-witt/2013/01/07/c8029394-56af-11e2-bf3e-76c0a789346f_blog.html I stopped by this evening for a beer at the downstairs bar and ordered the grilled octopus app (w/ salsify, salsa verde), which is one of the new items attributable to Mr. Witt. It was fantastic -- one of the best dishes I've tasted lately. Looking forward to dinner here later this week.
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