jayandstacey

You will notice in our Film forum that I publicize the Director more than I do the Stars.

Maybe I just miss the old days where the host was the star and the chef was the director - behind the scenes; important but not in my face. (nothing against chefs...)

Maybe guys like Tommy took it a bit too far. 

As a restaurateur?  Danny Meyer. 

Haven't heard of this one.  Was he on Iron Chef a while back?

I'd heard of Duke Ziebert, Mel Krupin and Leo Steiner - and in fact when I was racking my brain for examples, I thought of some of the 80s DC "bar stars" as being more out there as hosts vs. chefs.

But I can also name as many chefs with white-dyed hair that is spiked.  Or that are giant humans.  Or that can be seen in syndicated TV shows on 2 channels simultaneously.

Put another way, I feel that somewhere in GAR is someone who knows hospitality as well as anyone on the planet.   An artist who knows not only how to be hospitable but how to get whole staffs to be - and I disagree that a slight departure from the script results in confusion.  I get that GAR chooses to keep that person (or system, or app) quiet - but why is this so universally the case?

All fair points.   We're not as opposite as would seem in a forum where brevity is a necessity.

I certainly didn't mean to say that celebrity chefs always get positive attention, rather that they get disproportionate amounts of attention relative to the service side.   And that doesn't mean the service side doesn't get any attention....except, as pointed out, the bus/wash/prep folks rarely get any love at all.

An example comes to mind:  Two big, new restaurants are going to open in DC next week.   One is Bryan Voltaggio's and the other is GAR venture.  Both will get attention, but:

1. Which is likely to get more attention?

2. Which is more likely to provide a decent overall experience on day 1?

3. Which is more likely to survive for the long term?

I chose Voltaggio becuase he's highly regarded, successful and seems to know the buisnes as well as anyone.   Arguably, questions 2 and 3 are a wash - with maybe a long-term edge to GAR (Voltaggio has closed at least one spot recently).   But #1 will clearly go to Voltaggio, will it not?

I suppose one could follow my line of argument and say therefore that McDonalds is consistent and they train the emplyees, so therefore is on a par... that's not the case.  I'm not saying the food at a GAR is as good or exciting or any of that.  This site should always have a sharp interest in the food.

Yet, I can't think of any examples of someone who's become famous or 'celebrity' for their restauarant hospitality prowess.  I've seen passing mention (on this site FAR more than any other) of excellent hosts, waiters, etc.   But none (AFAIK) have crossed into celebrity.  Have they?

.

.

.

.

Should they?

Ex-cuuuuse me? 

I'll take a stab at this because I'm pretty sure I'm on the same wavelength as Mr/s Pizzaandbrew.

The food world in general goes ga-ga over celebrity chefs.   They focus on food preparation, taste, presentation, creativity, etc.  They seek the trendy flavors; the up-and-coming kitchen stars.

Generally, no where near as much attention is given to the F-O-H servers and staff that complete the experience.   This site is no exception.

Now - I'm not saying that means you (we) NEVER talk of such things...but, with GAR as the prime example...they take a simple approach:

- Decent food that is, more than anything, designed to be served consistently.

- More than anything else, a focus on consistent, high-level service with attention to detail.

For that, they are seen as really just in it for the profit, not for some higher calling.

Can any of us name the GAR person that oversees the serving staff across the 14 restaurants and is responsible for their service quality?   I can't.   Yet I guarantee that person has as much passion for their job - hospitality - as anyone in this business.  And they arguably have more of an influence over the DC dining scene, in just raw numbers, than maybe anyone else in town.

I think it was Kibee(?) that posted in another thread how service at a chain steak place saved the day vs. crappy service at a more trendy place.   I know for me, over time I've leaned more and more toward the service aspect vs the food excitement.   I also think I'm like most Americans in this regard - I've joked that if I owned an ambulance service I'd just park outside the old O'Donnells in the early evening.  They weren't there for the food plated with tweezers...they were there because they knew that for their $25/plate they'd get a consistent meal served by a trained wait staff.

Some places do provide both good food and service.  They don't have to be mutually exclusive.  And I think there's more correlation between good service and long-term success vs. good food and long-term success.  Is Edan's pizza, or Pavroit's (sp?) charcuterie as good if the server can't get it to the table, is inept and cops an attitude?  For my $, no, it isn't.  A bright star isn't doing much good with a wet balnket over it.

So I guess the net is - why is Chef Fancypants sainted when GAR's FOH leader is more likely to be vilified as being only a profiteer?  Can't both be important artisans?  Can't both be lauded with similar gusto?

edited to add:  I also think Pizzandbrew is hinting at the fact that many celebrity chefs will take advantage of their celebrity and crank out mass-produced product maybe without the individualized care that made them famous.   Or, they replicate their formula so that it can be mass produced, all the while taking their cut.   So who's really the profiteer in these situations?  Why do they get a pass and GAR may not?  I'd argue that GAR is doing what their doing without the "flash power" of a celebrity chef name, which is all the more impressive; they only have their restaurant's reputations...which are built on hospitality.

Ha Ku Ba is closed.  We enjoyed going there and we stopped in about a week before they closed - my 9 year old son promised to come back on Halloween in his Batman suit, and made a 'date' with the waitress.

When we arrived Halloween night before sundown, the closed sign was on the door.  To the waitress ... we hope you landed a new job and my son was really "batman'd up" to see you

I believe that Yoyogi did them in.  I also wish the property owners would build out on the master plan, which includes 4/5 story buildings where Ha Ku Ba and the rest are now.  It would look more like Rockville Town Center and drive more traffic to the restaurants around that intersection. 

Yup.

I used to work in the highest-volume Rolling Rock outlet.  Needless to say, they paid anything but the highest price for the swill.

Having said that, the Grand Mariner thing was something, vs. so many places that have nothing.   I suppose heavy drinkers don't need a gimmick, theme or otherwise.  But I'm just along for the ride, and this one was something different.  Did I buy in?  No, other than the GM/mimosa thing my wife enjoyed.  But I bought into the fact that they combined a theme/gimmick along with attentive service and decent food.  The bartenders talked it up.   They also discussed other topics.  It was a nice evening.

There's money flowing both ways along paths we can't fathom and that will continue to be invented.  That's fine by me - all of it is because people are caring to make a buck.  And they make a buck by making me happy (since ultimately I'm the guy with new bucks in pocket).  So the owner buys an extra 5 cases before the end of the month and gets a "free night" of some new liquor from the same brand...and that makes things fun and begets more sales of the cases... that's cool.  Free enterprise and all. 

It really did have the feel of a John-Taffer-esque-planned-business-plan.  No denying that.  But that beats some tired old bartender in a tired old bar serving regulars and getting through the night despite me. 

Had a wonderful meal here.

The decor is classic tavern- dark woods, tight quarters, low light. This is a bar's bar and a tiny one at that (maybe 14 at the bar plus four 2-tops, then seating for maybe 20 more in back.

The bar focus is Grand Mariner, with many drinks, a couple of "planks" (aka flights - and this is the only pirate reference inside) and a GM club that you can join, buying a bottle and locker storage and all that.

Ok, cool bar, maybe a little gimmicky- but the food is really, really good.

We started with filet crostini, with a tiny dab of goat cheese and vinaigrette. The cold meat was cut fairly thick but was soft like butter and delicious. I might have preferred this over a hearty bread vs a crumbly toast, but an excellent start.

My wife got a trio of crab cake, shrimp and stuffed lobster. The crab cake was very nice and surprisingly delicate- no heavy spice or butter. I enjoyed a hearty Ciopinno with tender calamari, mahi mahi and other good stuff that had me digging into the deep tureen.

They had a decent beer selection on tap, including brewers art "resurrection" and a few other locals. My vanilla porter was not gimicky.

With a few drinks and the grand-slam touristy specials, this was an expensive night. But it was really, really memorable and we look forward to going back.

The place is a block west of the Fells Point main drag and has been open 11 years- so it is no secret. Make a reservation or be there early on weekends.

I wonder if there's a way to create scarcity here as a tool to combat this.

Any one of these could be really suicidal to the business, and I don't pretend to know the restaurant business.  But I've always been interested in how some places seem to transcend the norm, and how they tipped the scales that way.   For instance:

- Like the place in AC, NJ...maybe ask people a question when they reserve "who do you know that comes here?"   There's no wrong answer...but now people are less anonymous and (more importantly) - they either tell the truth and have a friend "on the hook" OR, they lie and risk being called out for lying.  If I were to make a reservation and was asked, I might say "Don Rockwell" or "DR. com" suggested me and thus I'd feel like I might be ratted out if I didn't show.   Suddenly I've got some skin in the game.

- Maybe a few rules, like "new guests must reserve at least 3 weeks ahead, people who previously no showed must leave a deposit" - of course you have the same number of tables and reservations, but the rule makes people think that they have to prove themselves or they lose their right to come to the restaurant.   People generally want to be "in with the in crowd" and by encouraging good behavior on their part, you're giving them a kind of 'perk'

- Maybe you take Open Table reservations but contingent on a live conversation.  That's work on your side, I get that...but again, it introduces some scarcity for the person making the reservation and a heads-up that they better be real.  I don't know if OT allows that...but I'd consider something like that.

- Maybe you take a credit card hold and have a no-show fee.   That's last resort kind of stuff but...if combined with some of the approaches above, it might hammer home the importance of timeliness.  Doctors do this routinely now.

- Maybe you have a frequent diners club and a no-show is cause for loss of points (or something like that).  That won't help with the one-off person who's never eaten with you before except that it just paints the picture that you take it very seriously. 

I think a combination of the impression of scarcity, some carrots and some sticks might be the ticket here, with scarcity being the hardest but ultimately most effective means. 

Here's a tribute video someone made - he had over 1000 employees during peak season, he had a program where teachers that worked for him during the summer would get support for buying school supplies, he supported efforts in other areas of the world... really neat guy.

And now the sad news that Matt died due to injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident while on a humanitarian trip in India.  The post above was from only a month ago, now this...

I was fortunate enough to work with Matt for a brief period at a little bar called "Flaps" in downtown DC.  Per the article linked in the post above, this was probably just after he stopped drinking back in the 80s.  He was a bar tender that drank club soda and stayed rational while the rest of us got irrational.  We weren't close - but we were on the same team.

The articles and eulogies will point to all the good he's done - for people who enjoyed his food, for suppliers, for employees and for the others he touched.  And if the articles are true, he certainly lived more in his 53 years than I'd hope to live in another 200.

Matt used to always request this song, and I'd always play it for him (I was DJ'ing).   So...one last time... "For Matt behind the bar...tip him as hard as he's working for you... this is Hipsway's "Honeythief"

RIP Matt.  Well done.

A story worth reading.   Sometimes you just never know. 

Green Pig is across the street from my apartment. I stepped in last night just to make a reservation for some guests coming to town. Aundrew, the bar manager/cocktail guru/ultimate Nationals fan, greeted me with a beer. Their bacon cheeseburger (which has bacon in it, rather than on it) is also the best burger available in the DC Metro area (the regular cheeseburger is just OK). Unfortunately, in my short time there, the Cubs scored three runs, sealing the Nat's fate. I was, therefore, deemed unlucky and politely asked not to return during future games.

The rule is, of course, that the next time the nats lose and you are NOT in the place...then the ban is lifted- as clearly it wasn't you.

Conversely, if they embark on a winning streak, with each successive win you should stay father and farther from the place. The season rides on this.

"Those are the rules of jinx and they are unflinchingly rigid" (the other jinx, the one you've inflicted on the nats)

Joe and Don - would you guys consider making money off this?

My thought is a "perfect risotto gift basket" that would have all the ingredients, tools and instructions to make the risotto Joe talks about.

You have credibility and market advantage - two things that are really important in any business effort.   The credibility comes from the million hits, and the experience Joe (and Don) have with risottos.  The market advantage is that you know where to get the stuff.

You could have two versions:  One includes the cookware (pan/stirrer) for the first time buyer, the second is just the ingredients for the repeat buyer.  I could see $100 or more for the second basket, and higher for the first depending on the cost of the pan.  I'd be sure to make the selling price of the baskets at least 2x my costs, maybe 3x or more.  This is a luxury item. 

You'd have to figure out the copyright stuff for the recipe - I *think* Joe pulled some of it from a published book but I'm not sure (if not, no problems)

As for making the baskets, you might stock a little bit of stuff that doesn't go bad quickly and where money can be saved with a bulk purchase, like the rice and spices.  But for the cheese and big items (like the pan) I'd buy them as needed to fill orders.   Point is, the gift baskets could be offered with very little investment behind them.

Anyway, fun to think about as I'm sitting in traffic.

Does anyone think there's a chance of brand confusion between Brasserie Beck and Mussel Bar now that they're both becoming chains?

I don't know - I live in Gaithersburg, in the neighborhood of the new Brasserie Beck - and got a Groupon from Mannequin Pis (15 miles away in Olney) the day BB opened.  Can you say "mussels war?"

Dinner tonight at BB was delightful.  We sat on the expanded patio where a limited menu (mussels/frites/charcuterie) was offered, along with the bar offerings and dessert.  They explained they are still getting on their feet and that the full menu would be offered on the patio soon.  Inside seating was booked with reservations.

We tried the classic, thai and mushroom mussels; each was excellent.  The thai version has the slightest heat and was my favorite. The frites are uniformly done and quite tasty - if you're not a fan of salt you might ask them to go light in that department.  Desserts were excellent, we tried the creamy graham cracker ice cream and the macaroons (lemon was a fave).  I'm not really qualified to say how these dishes all compare to others I've had in the past...but I never once thought "oh, I've had better at XXX restaurant..." and I tend to do that if a place has any real weakness.  None of that here.

Service was excellent and while there were a few things to iron out (the dishes came really fast, before we'd even gotten all our drinks) it was always recovered professionally.  They'll have it completely together in 2 weeks I'm sure. 

Welcome to the neighborhood BB!  Great to have you.

I'd also note that I think there are 3 benefits that come from stirring that no other method provides:

- precise control of the liquid-rice ratio

- precise control over doneness, getting if off the heat just prior to finish

- evenness of cooking.

Like the omelette, this is a texture thing as much as anything.  To achieve the best, you have to master these elements and stirring seems the best way to reach it.

With my own no-stir recipe, I've had times where the liquid-rice ratio was just off.  It was still edible but not ideal - and I had no clue until I pulled it out.

It took me a few tries, but I followed the Pepin method for making an omelette.  The results were spectacular, resulting in a velvety dish unlike any omelette I've had elsewhere.  Really better and really different.  I'd imagine Joe's risotto is like this - the "Platonic Form" of risotto if you will. 

Having said that, I suspect that more pedestrian risotto could be made without stirring if done correctly (so, not on the stovetop with a focused heat source).   Any such versions will fall short of the benchmark - but we don't always have access to the ingredients or time.

I'm making my no-stir risotto tonight.  I hope to make Joe's and compare if possible.  I expect to enjoy both - and that they will be very different.

I should have won that contest.

I hereby dub thee "Joe Risotto, Earl of Arborio."

Assuming the rice "standing at attention," slightly undercooked when it's served, and completing its cooking during the first few bites, is traditional "Italian," that is the style I prefer. And yes, you have to constantly stir it, especially towards the end - there are two critical moments of doneness: one when you have to really start paying attention to the stirring (you can't chat with your friends in the kitchen quite as much), and another when you have to time its finish, almost to the second. The stock (or whatever you're adding) is added a little at a time during the cooking - towards the end, the rice starts to absorb the liquid at a much faster rate, so that's another thing to worry about.

I suspect the reason for the stirring is to keep the heat sort of "flashing" - where the rice gets some heat from the pan, then steps back while other rice takes a turn. I assume the rice can't take the direct heat of a flame as it is just too much like insulation - the edge absorbs all the heat while the center stays ever cool. And I understand that some things, like my beloved scrambled eggs, require a constant touch for just this reason.

But I also wonder if the method I describe above doesn't fix that - by using a hot oven (indirect heat) and adding stock that was boiled separately - you can get all of the risotto to heat evenly and override the insulating effect.

Just a theory. Someone else here may have actual facts.

I think you read that right here, and I had the same thought.  Would like to know more about alternate traditional methods.

I got to spend an evening in cooking class with an older woman from Italy...she was difficult to understand at times. (This is my lame attempt at credibility, that's the best I remember. She mentioned something about cooking at some particular places in Italy but I don't recall...)

Edit: Here she is.

We made then ate some really good risotto. She then handed us papers with the recipe. Generally:

- use a heavy saucepan, pre-heat oven to 450.

- saute onions, add rice and stir for 2 minutes. Add white wine, then boiling stock.

- cover risotto with aluminum foil and cook in oven for 18 minutes

- remove, add salt/pepper/lemon/parsley/parmesan. Serve.

Pretty simple and doesn't require so much stirring. I'm not saying this would beat Joe's recipe, rather that there are alternatives to constant stirring.

I love this post.

One of my favorite NBA quotes is from Caldwell "Pops" Jones, who once said that his greatest thrill was "When 'The Flintstones' went from half an hour to an hour." (If you don't believe me, read it for yourself in the first paragraph on page 4.)

jayandstacey, the opening sequence wasn't "stolen" (because it was the same production company), but certainly "homaged" in Hanna-Barbera's "The Jetsons."

I should note that I tend to write in outline format. Doing so, I believe the writing:

- Is easier to read

- Seems a bit more authoritative, and

- aligns well with how I think.

Ever notice how the Fintstones never really had much of a child character? I feel like the Jetsons were really the Flintstones with 2 kids replacing the neighbor Rubbles.

As an arguer, I thought "this will be an easy fray to jump into" but you know, not so much.

Just the first few seconds:

1. The very first frames feature "twinkle toes" Fred at his best - performing a feat of athleticism while being an overweight mess. A real everyman's hero.
2. The intro sequence was clearly later stolen (homaged?) by the Simpsons...the exit from work, the car in the garage, to the couch, TV on. Brilliant.
3. And they got off to a great start despite not having (yet) the awesome Flintstones theme song...a song later picked up on by 80s bands like the B-52s, Screaming Blue Messiahs and "Bruce Springstone"
4. The analogy to the Honeymooners is hard to miss, and arguably the Flintstones were a little edgier. So you've got the cartoon aspect drawing in younger kids, the Honeymooners characters for the adults and a little edge added for good measure.

Simpsons? Family Guy? The Flintstones broke that ground. Gets my vote.

My hope was that some would use Salamander as the destination and the "home" to return to every night after the daytrips.  My fear, based on the two recent Friday nights, is that people were staying at Salamander and not exploring off property.  jayandstacey, please don't think of it as 'too far away."  I honestly believe that Middleburg and the surrounding area (even going 100 miles south to Afton and Crozet) is the equal of Napa, Carmel and anywhere that some would cross a continent for.  I am suggesting that this worth crossing a stateline for, let alone a continent.

Agreed - Middleburg and the area is serene. That doesn't fly too well with my 12 and 9 year olds though. Give me another 8 years or so and we'll be out there more often.

I had forgotten that we went to Middleburg about 2 years ago, and funny story: My daughter rides horses and we visited Middleburg Tack Exchange, a small shop on a side street. At the checkout, there was an 8x10 framed picture of a well dressed man triumphantly holding a giant silver trophy with the setting sun shining in his face and a crowd of onlookers. Understand that I'm not from 'horse blood'.

Me: "who's that?"

Woman behind counter: "Oh, that's my brother."

Me: "Is that for jumping? or dressage?"

Woman: "Racing. He's a trainer."

Me: "Oh, what race did he win?"

Woman: "the Kentucky Derby. Last year."

What?!?!?! That was the beginning of me learning more about horses in general; including racing, my daughter's competitions and just working with them. This summer we'll be in the market to buy a farm(ette) with a barn and then raise a few horses ourselves.

I believe Salamander fills a HUGE niche of offering a high-end horse-related getaway. I wouldn't be surprised if Greenbriar and others eventually have to address this - sorry, but a golf course and a back rub aren't getting a guy like me onto the property (I'm not suggesting Greenbriar or others are hurting for business, just that Salamander seems appealing in a way no other local resort has before...to me...)

I look forward to an emptier nest egg, less soccer games and horse shows, and more Middleburg. (And when I reach that point, of course I'll mistily miss the endless soccer games and horse shows as I sip a nice tea on a patio somewhere in Middleburg )

although they did say that he Middleburg Film Festival didn't bring as much of a pop as expected as attendees were mostly watching films as opposed to shopping.

This is kind of funny - they hosted a film festival and *surprise* people watched films.

Respectfully, my post was not about the Salamander Resort.  It is about the IMPACT it is having on the town of Middleburg.  I am suggesting based on two recent Friday evening drive throughs that Middleburg is suffering from Salamander's opening.  Salamander may be sucking people to Middleburg who never leave the property, never visit the city centre nor the countryside or any other restaurants or wineries.

I believe this is a specific topic that says nothing abut the quality of what is presented at Salamander.  Rather it is a thread dedicated to the question, solely, "is Salamander a good thing for Middleburg?"  I am guessing not and wonder others' thoughts.

I would like to see this have its own thread (which is how I started it) with my original title which immediately notes what it is about.  I'd like to know how its impacting Goodstone, the Ashby Inn, a few wineries, the Red Rox Inn and others.  Is it bringing new people to Middleburg or does it cannibalize the market sucking business from the center of town and nearby?

I had expected that Salamander would be pulling people into Middleburg who typically might not come; while there most would explore and the whole town would benefit from the large, expensive resort.  My impression is that is not happening.

Thanks.

I understand your premise but I'm not sure the conclusion follows from it.

Middleburg is not a place I go - I haven't been in 25 years. It's just too far away. Having said that, my wife asked about spending a night or two at Salamander. We haven't, but:

- For us, our time at Salamander would certainly NOT be at the expense of other businesses in town as we don't go now.

- So there's a better chance of spending something in Middleburg vs. had we never gone to Salamander at all.

I suspect that as the resort is new, a number of Middleburg residents will try it and that may have a short term minor impact. But generally people like to vacation at least a little distance from home...and thus I believe that in the long run it should have a positive economic impact, in taxes if not in additional revenues for the Middleburg businesses.

I used to own a small record store; I sold it before record store day became a thing.

I'd like to see a simple change to RSD:  Where limited editions are issued - also issue a not-limited version of the same item.  The reason is simple:  I went into a local store on RSD hoping to buy a few things - I didn't care if they were limited to 500 or on red vinyl or whatever. The things I sought were all sold out and I walked out without spending a dime.  I'd have bought a black vinyl/million pressing version.

Leaving without buying - that's not really supporting the store - right?

Anyway, RSD is a really neat idea that I suspect will only get better.