LauraB

Agreed. And we discovered on Thursday evening while having dinner for the first time at Iron Gate that they had also hired our favorite staff member from Fiola -- Frank! They are clearly scooping up some of the top talent in DC. We had a fantastic experience at Iron Gate and Brent, Frank and Jeff had a big role in that, in concert with Tony Chittum's cooking. Iron Gate is clearly poised to be the flagship of NRG.

Recently a few members have mentioned in other threads that Nebbiolo Langhe is a wine that they like for an every day wine at home due to its drinkability and relatively low price. Last evening I was in a restaurant and noticed that they had this wine on the Wines by the Glass list. Having been intrigued by the mentions of it on DR, I ordered a glass and liked it a lot. I haven't been able to locate the thread(s) where it was mentioned, despite searching. I'd appreciate it if some of you could let me know where you are buying this wine. Thanks.

Yesterday afternoon (Sunday) we went to the matinee performance at the National Theater of If/Then which let out shortly before 5:00. Walking back, we veered toward Table and arrived around 5:20. We were the first guests to be seated and during the time that we were there, only one other couple came in. It could have been the early hour or the fact that it was a holiday weekend when much of the city seemed deserted. In any event, we had a delightful experience at Table and would be pleased to return. The décor is spare, featuring blond wood tables, very Scandinavian, a look we very much like. There is one very long wooden banquette on the left wall with a number of 2- and 4-top tables. There is one round table near the entrance which would hold maybe 6. The banquette faces the long kitchen which is completely open to the dining room. There are 2 high-top tables jutting out from the kitchen, each accommodating just 2 diners, where one could have a close-up view of the chefs at work. We were told that there is a second floor with 4 tables, but we didn't see it. And, of course, they do have the roof space for warmer weather. There is no bar. If cocktails are important, this is not your place. They serve wine and beer only. (I understand that that is due to the restricted liquor license they were granted for the location.) Unlike previous posters, we were served bread without asking, soon after being seated. However, like previous posters, we found the bread to be fairly pedestrian, but the olive oil is really excellent -- a nice sharp bite to it. The menu we were given was completely different from the dishes described above, owing to the fact that the menu changes frequently in accordance with the season and availability. The menu was very appropriate for autumn for the most part. For appetizers I had the Fluke Sashimi ($13). I thought this was a well-sized portion. The fluke was very thinly sliced, and was dressed with a soy and yuzu preparation. I found the soy to be a bit overwhelming, but I still enjoyed it. Mr.B had the Rabbit Roulade ($14) and he loved it. I didn't get a bite and I don't have a copy of the menu, so can't describe it beyond 'delicious' and a generous portion. I think a diner could do very well here just ordering appetizers. There were several on the menu that really appealed, including a mushroom risotto. For entrees, Mr.B ordered the Pork Tenderloin which was served with seasonal vegetables. I did get a few bites of this and the pork was incredible -- I can't identify what the seasoning was, but it was the best pork tenderloin I've ever tasted. The menu listed a Veal dish at market price and I inquired about it. Our server, Anna, told me that it was $34 and that they only had one serving left. I ordered it and a few minutes later I was informed that it was a Veal Tenderloin and it was actually $36. I decided to stick with my choice and I'm glad I did -- the veal was cooked medium rare and it was really tender and succulent, served with crispy sautéed greens and roasted white and sweet potatoes. We ordered 2 wines by the glass, a white Sancerre ($12) and a red Bourgogne ($13). The pours were average and the wines were average. We did not order dessert. The service was great -- Anna was very personable and our water glasses were refilled in a timely fashion and plates cleared appropriately. Since we were one of only 2 tables at the time, this may not be representative of service when the restaurant is packed. We would be happy to return to Table anytime.

Pureed cauliflower and collard green soup Roasted turkey breast (an Ina Garten recipe, surprisingly moist meat despite the lack of brining) Chard sautéed with olive oil and garlic Steamed broccoli

FYI, Dana Milbank is a 'he' not a 'she.'

Thanks for doing that, Elizabeth. I didn't see that thread, apparently. Would it make sense to merge my post into that thread and eliminate the separate thread I started for Pensacola?

A spicy pork and bean chili Pork shoulder cubed, browned in bacon fat Diced onion and minced jalapeno chiles softened, then garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin and cayenne added Beef broth, a cup of brewed coffee, and pureed tomatoes added Simmered for a few hours Kidney and pinto beans added and heated through Served with toppings of toasted salted pumpkin seeds, chopped red onion, cilantro, diced avocado, and sour cream

I've searched the forum and haven't found a thread for Pensacola. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions for decent places to eat in Pensacola? Asking for my husband, who has a business trip there in a couple of weeks. Thanks for any information.

Thank you so much for sharing!

With the arctic freeze today it seemed a perfect day for hunkering down and simmering something delicious. Scurried out to the store early this morning and returned with the ingredients for a spicy pork and bean chili. The kitchen smells great right now.

One place I'd consider is Cedar. It's at 8th & E, so just a few blocks from the theater. They begin dinner service at 5:30 and have a $35 3-course pre-theater menu. I haven't been there in about a year, but we went 3 or 4 times last fall and we really liked the place a lot. Here's a link to the pre-theater menu: http://cedardc.com/menus.php?catid=50

My husband and I took this tour today with lovehockey as our guide. What an incredible experience it was! Her knowledge and enthusiasm for the history of the Capitol building is remarkable. We thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a great deal. I also learned that there are still quite a few spots available in the tour she is leading for DR.com members next Saturday, the 30th. If you have 2 hours free that day between 11 am and 1 pm, and you have an interest in this, you should absolutely sign up via PM to lovehockey. This is truly a rare opportunity -- a FREE tour of the Capitol building in a very small group.

I visited the brand-new Giant at the 'City Market at O' this afternoon (7th & O, NW). While I do most of my food shopping at farmers markets, Whole Foods, and specialty stores, I have been looking forward to the opening of this store because it is just a few blocks from home. I didn't have the time to go over the store with a fine-tooth comb. It's huge! Something like 72,000 square feet. Still, a few things stood out. In keeping with the diverse nature of the neighborhood, it seems to me that they are trying to be all things to all people. I suspect this may change over time as they discover what sells and what doesn't. Most startling to me was the variety of items available in the meat section. Among other things, there was goat meat, pigs feet, beef marrow bones, beef heart, tripe, etc. etc. I don't recall ever having seen these kinds of meat products in the refrigerator case of any Giant I've visited previously. The international foods section is quite large. It has the usual brands you'd find at Giant, but also many more that I've not seen in a conventional grocery store. They have a fairly large natural foods section that features their house brand, Nature's Promise, but also many other brands of organic and 'natural' foods, including many gluten-free options. The wine and beer section is one of the larger ones I've seen in a conventional grocery store. It's filled with the usual industrial wines and, if there were any non-American wines (other than champagnes), I failed to spot them. I didn't look closely at the beers, but I suspect it's the same. And, speaking of wine and beer, they have a café where you can purchase a glass of wine or beer and sip on it while you shop. That should help to increase sales! There is a fairly large grab-n-go section, plus a counter where you can order sandwiches made-to-order, pizza, etc. That seemed to be pretty popular. They also have a sushi section. (I'm not inclined to eat sushi at Giant, so I didn't look at it too carefully.) There is also a hot bar and a salad bar, neither of which looked particularly appetizing to me. The staff was extremely friendly -- they've clearly been trained to greet every customer with a "How are you?" I walked there, but they do have an underground parking lot. The entrance is on 7th Street, between O & P Streets, and there is 2-hour free parking.

I don't know if anyone else here is a Jerry Traunfeld fan, but I sure am. I have 2 of his cookbooks and everything I've made from them has been fantastic. Last night was no exception. The recipe is titled Halibut in Carrot-Cilantro Broth. I've made this recipe once before using halibut, but last night I used cod because, well, it was $10/lb less expensive. The fish is poached in a 'broth' of carrot juice and dry vermouth that is flavored with salt, shallots, grated ginger, and lime juice. Cilantro is added at the end. It's very aromatic and flavorful. Served with chard sautéed in butter and steamed baby Brussels sprouts.

The one in Maryland is in Columbia and they are related. I went to the Columbia location once about 9 years ago and really enjoyed it. Have no idea what it's like today.

I agree with your definition of 'value.' And now that you've clarified what you actually received, it makes more sense. Thanks.

I just want to make sure that I'm understanding you correctly. You spent $50 on a lunch that consisted of a half-portion of pasta, a half portion of soup, and a salad (a green salad?) and you thought that was a good value?

Mr.B and I were running an errand in Cleveland Park on Saturday morning and stopped into the Coffee Shop. We left with the feeling that we're going to give it a long time to get its act together before returning. I want to qualify everything I say here with the acknowledgment that it was only their 4th day of operation and their first Saturday, so it was very early days and I am sure they were much busier that morning than they had been the first 3 days. All that being said, I feel they need to take a good long look at their procedures and revamp them. It's a strange hybrid of counter-ordering and table service. The menu posted above the cashier only lists the drinks. The food items are displayed on 2 counters. You order at one counter, but it only contains part of their food offerings; you also have to walk over to the other counter and look to see what's displayed there, then get back in line at the first counter to order. At some point after you order, the cashier dishes up your choices and then brings them to you, leaving those in line stranded. Wouldn't it make more sense for the cashier to give you your food while you are at the counter? When we finally got to order, the very friendly young man behind the counter really didn't seem to have a clue what he was doing. He had to call for help numerous times. In fact, during the 45 minutes we were there, every time I looked at the cash register, there was someone new working it. Both the manager and a woman wearing chef's whites (presumably the pastry chef) were manning the register at times, along with several other employees, but all one-at-a-time. You also place your drink order along with the food order. The drinks are made at another counter and are brought to your table by another server. In our case, we had long-since finished our food when the drinks arrived -- a brewed coffee for him, a pour-over for me. Honestly, after finishing the food and waiting quite some time, we thought of cancelling our drink orders. The server who brought them to the table had everything on a tray and his hands were shaking so much we were concerned that hot coffee was going to be spilled on us. He seemed quite new at the job, so maybe he was especially nervous. The food options: as KeithA reported above, they are almost exclusively sweets. There were 2 savories Saturday morning when we were there: a very tiny round spinach quiche (3 inches in diameter), and a Yukon gold frittata sliced into a slim wedge. I had the frittata and it really could have benefitted from being heated. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't anything special. Mr.B had a honey popover that he seemed to enjoy. He found his brewed coffee to have a sour taste. My pour-over was fine, but not worth the wait. We got to chatting with some of the other patrons at tables near ours (they're very close together) and the consensus was the same as ours regarding the procedures: very inefficient. We have been to Palena's dining room and café many times and we adore both, so we were thrilled to learn of this new addition to the Palena 'family.' We really hope that over time they can streamline some of their procedures and make it a better experience.

I made this cranberry orange relish for years: 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries Grated zest of 1 large navel orange 1/4 c. orange juice 1 cup sugar 1 tsp ground mustard dissolved in 1 tsp cold water 1 TBS cider vinegar Rinse the cranberries and put them in a heavy sauce pan. Add the orange zest and juice and the sugar. Bring just to boiling point, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the dissolved mustard and the vinegar. Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. Makes about 1.5 cups. Sweet and tart! We really liked it and it couldn't be simpler.

Pork medallions browned in butter Butternut squash, cut into large cubes, cooked on stovetop in butter with sage, apple cider, sherry vinegar, salt, then into oven to reduce liquid to glaze and fully cook squash Mustard and other greens sautéed in butter, tossed with garlic, red pepper flakes and cider vinegar This was a really lovely autumn meal -- many of the ingredients were purchased this morning at the Dupont Farmers Market.

I bought a kabocha squash from Spring Valley Farms this morning at the Dupont Farmers market. A couple of other vendors seemed to have them as well.

Was this the 'offset' you were referring to, Don, when you wrote that NRG's gain of Jeff Faile would soon be offset by a loss? Or, is that yet to come?

The WF on P Street had a sale on NY strip steaks today: $9.99/lb; regularly $17.99/lb Broiled NY strip steak, cooked medium rare, sliced thin Roasted red potatoes with rosemary Leftover brussels sprouts Leftover broccoli

My husband eats 4 pieces of fruit every evening (I am not making this up). Oranges are his favorite, so this is perfect! One box purchased! Thank you! Somehow I purchased the one that will be delivered to the seller. I assume we will be given pick-up instructions?

Broiled sockeye salmon fillets Brussels sprouts sliced and sautéed in butter, tossed with caramelized shallots, apple cider vinegar and a bit of sugar (sweet and tangy) Steamed broccoli