LauraB

I saw some Wednesday morning at Balducci's in Bethesda. They were in a jar. Beyond that, I can't give you any details as I didn't inspect them closely. Perhaps a call to the store could tell you whether they'd meet your needs.

I frequently have last night's dinner leftovers for breakfast, especially if dinner was a soup or a stew. This morning I had leftover potatoes dauphinoise, followed by a vigorous workout

The best way to find threads on specific restaurants is to go to the Dining Guide, then click on the area (Washington, Virginia, Maryland), then look for the section of town where your restaurant of choice is located. You can also try using Google: search the name of the restaurant+Don Rockwell. As Sthitch said, the DR site search function is worthless.

Porcini-crusted beef tenderloin with herb butter (fresh chives, tarragon and garlic) Potato gratin dauphinois Savoy-style with nutmeg, gruyere and creme fraiche Baby romaine and arugula with honey vinaigrette and gorgonzola

I saw some this morning at Balducci's in Bethesda.

We've had good experiences at both Addie's and Black Market Bistro. Food, service and ambiance were good at both places. Addie's is, of course, basically across the street from Strathmore.

This reminds me that I subscribed to Flavor Magazine quite some time ago and have never received an issue. Guess I need to contact them.

Thanks for the moral support and good luck with the move. Hope it goes smoothly! Pun intended.

Shame on me: I am eating a frozen, microwaved: Amy's Brown Rice and Vegetable Bowl. Husband is out-ot-town, don't feel like cooking. I may follow this up later this evening with an Amy's frozen Pesto Pizza. Yes, it's that kind of a day.

This is possibly too late for you, but I just received an email from Johnny's Half Shell that they are serving a Thanksgiving meal tomorrow night (11/4/10)!

Barley Stew with Crimini Mushrooms, Leeks and Kale Arugula, Sliced Pears, and Roasted Red Grapes, dressed with Roasted-Shallot Vinaigrette

Grilled lamb loin chops Grilled red peppers Sauteed red chard with garlic Steamed brussel sprouts

Recently my husband and I spent a week on the southern Oregon Coast and we found some pretty good food � not stellar, but pretty good. Depoe Bay, Oregon On our first day we drove from Portland down to Depoe Bay to the Whale Cove Inn, just south of the town of Depoe Bay. There are hardly enough superlatives to describe this place. Less than 3 years old, the Inn is totally contemporary in design and features ocean views from every room that are stunning. When we entered our room and took it all in, I said to my husband, �Wow, this is one of the few places that exceeds my expectations!� A very large, totally private terrace with soaking tub overlooks the cove where dozens of sea otters were bobbing in the surf. On the first floor is Restaurant Beck, opened in June 2009 by Chef Justin Wills. The restaurant enjoys the same ocean views as the rooms above and dining at sunset is a magical experience. This restaurant is trying hard to be a fine dining experience, in an Oregon style. We found the service to be friendly and competent, and quite laid back. Some of the food was quite good, some just ok. A butternut squash soup was excellent, a lamb entr�e was very dry and stringy. I cannot provide more details as I did not take notes and the menu is not posted online. One thing that really surprised us was that the menu contained very few items that are actually from Oregon. The only seafood option was Maine scallops. No salmon, no other seafood from the West Coast. There were some items from a nearby farm (Barking Dog), but they were a relatively small portion of the menu. The cost of the meal was considerably less than we would have paid in DC for a similar meal without the view, so we forgave the less than perfect details. And you can�t beat the commute: 2 flights up in the elevator! Restaurant Beck 2345 S Hwy 101 Depoe Bay, OR 97341 (541) 765-3220 Reedsport, Oregon The following day we drove 4 hours south on the 101 Highway along the coast. Midway through this drive we found ourselves in Reedsport and looking for lunch. Well, folks, there ain�t much here! By chance we happened to spy a Natural Foods Store and decided to check it out. What a good find. A food store with fairly minimal offerings and a caf� with about 5 or 6 tables. They offer all kinds of coffee drinks, baked goods and some freshly-made foods. I ordered a fresh juice drink that was prepared before my eyes with produce procured from the stores� bins: carrots, beets, celery, garlic, cabbage, not sure what else. It was delicious! Also had a house-made roasted pepper soup that was really good. Husband had a Panini which he also said was delicious. Our server/cook was a young man who had recently earned his M.S. from the U of O marine biology program and is looking for a job. He was a delightful conversationalist. It was great fun to observe people come in and out of the store � this place is obviously beloved by the locals. Before departing, we bought some organic chocolate bars and a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir which turned out to be delicious. If you ever find yourself in Reedsport in need of some sustenance, I recommend: Reedsport Natural Foods 1891 Winchester Ave Reedsport, OR 97467 (541) 319-0089 Gold Beach, Oregon We spent 5 nights of our vacation at a Lodge on the Rogue River a few miles upriver from Gold Beach (Tu Tu Tun Lodge). The food at the lodge was great, but after a few days we wanted to explore lunch choices and we found some good options: There is not much going on in Gold Beach, but they have an amazing bookstore, considering the size of the town. The bookstore has a wi-fi coffee shop, but it does not offer more than coffee drinks and pastries. They recommended the Barnacle Bistro a couple of blocks down the street, so we tried it out. Frankly, the name was a bit of a turn-off. Barnacle Bistro? Those two words don�t seem to go together. Well, we are so glad we tried this place as our lunch was really good. We both had sandwiches which were served with a side of ginger slaw which was tasty and so much more welcome than fries or potato salad. Husband had something called �Horseradish Heaven� which was beef and horseradish sauce on a bun. I had a special of the day which was Blue Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Cranberries, on toasted multi-grain bread. Oh my God, that was so good. The bread clearly had a sourdough base. The bread was fantastic � very reminiscent of European bread. I asked the owner where the bread came from and he said it�s made especially for them in Coos Bay. Wow, it wouldn�t have surprised me if he said it was from Germany � it was THAT good. I also had a microbrew which was similar to a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale�very good. They have several microbrews on tap. This is a funky, down-home kind of place with friendly, casual service. If we�re ever there in the future, we�d be happy to return. Barnacle Bistro 29805 Ellensburg Ave (Hwy 101) Gold Beach, OR 97444 (541) 247-7799 Port Orford, Oregon Redfish had been recommended to us by staff at the Lodge. One day we had completed a strenuous hike just a few miles south of Port Orford, so we decided to try Redfish for a late lunch. What a delightful spot! This restaurant is relatively new � only open a few months � and has a location that many would kill for � beautiful ocean views. The interior is like an art gallery�slate floors, chairs custom-designed, artwork on the walls. Very contemporary, very sleek. Fortunately, the food we had for lunch matched the d�cor � very good. For lunch they offer soup, salad, sandwiches and hot entrees. We both had the soup of the day: tomato bisque: it was topped with a slice of emmentaler and microgreens, it looked like a piece of art, it was hard to start eating it because it was so lovely. Husband had a pulled pork sandwich on excellent bread (made specially for them in Coos Bay) and I had an arugula salad which was extremely fresh. We would love to come back here for dinner. Redfish 517 Jefferson Street Port Orford, OR 97465 (541) 366-2200

QUITE the bargain! 40 pieces of bone china for $149? It looks great. If you decide you don't want it, I'll be happy to take it off your hands.

Isn't La Canela on Gibbs? Haven't been there in awhile, how are they doing?

Wow, another great meal from Zora. Zora, I'm curious where you purchase Kabocha Squash. I have a couple of recipes I'd like to make, but haven't yet seen Kabocha. Thanks.

The Dupont Market has nothing to be ashamed of. I've been to the Union Square market several times (last time was mid-Sept) and, indeed, it is incredible. However, everytime I've left feeling that it was almost too much. There is so much that it's really difficult to make a decision about where you want to buy. On our last visit, we were staying in a hotel so I really couldn't buy anything, and I frankly felt relieved that I didn't have to make a decision. I'm sure that if I lived there and went regularly I'd figure out which vendors were the best for my needs and it would be less daunting.

Have to agree that the food was bad, which is why I haven't been there since the mid-'80s. That patio, however, is really lovely -- one of the best outdoor dining spaces in DC. I really hope the space will be taken over by a good restaurant. DC could really use more good restaurants with nice outdoor spaces.

Slow-roasted whole chicken Sauteed kale with garlic Steamed brussel sprouts

Brined, then grilled jumbo shrimp in a garlic and sundried tomato sauce + parsley, cilantnro, hot red pepper flakes, EVOO Grilled asparagus: yes, they're out of season, breaking with my Locavore ethic Sauteed red chard in EVOO & garlic Meals this week are spartan. Getting read to go on vacation next week.

To Carla Cohen. Long live Politics & Prose. The city just wouldn't be the same without it.

Grilled Alaskan halibut, marinated in: garlic, ginger, cilantro, sugar, soy sauce, rice wine, toasted sesame oil, salt, pepper Sauteed Kale in EVOO and garlic Steamed Broccoli

We had the privilege of dining at Galileo III last night. The last time I dined at Galileo was November 11th, 1989. I remember the EXACT date, do you think I’ve missed it?! Obviously, I was eagerly anticipating the return of Galileo, and the offer they made to DR members was impossible to resist. Our experience last night was very good, but not spectacular. Highlights of the night: Nancy, Roberto’s wife, is a fabulous hostess. She made us feel very welcome. The Gingered Sidecar from Chris: I’d never had a sidecar before, tend to order gin martinis, this was among the best cocktails I’ve ever had. Taglierini Neri All’Aragosta: Black Taglierini served in a lobster cream sauce &butter poached Maine lobster tail. The Ravioli Verdi: Green ravioli filled with Fonduta served in a butter & sage sauce – really delicious. The herb spread served with the house-made bread: possibly the best spread I’ve ever had. This and the house-made kalamata bread were SO good. Lowlights: Sadly, the Risotto. I love Risotto and tend to order it wherever it appears on a reputable menu. This risotto, however, was way undercooked…Creamy? No. The rice was really chewy, almost hard, and the flavors were underwhelming. Also, the Crostata di Mele (Apple Crostata) on the dessert menu: nothing special at all. The rest of our meal was good, sometimes very good, but not great: Budino di Parmigiano: I know this has gotten a lot of love on DR. I found it tasty, but kind of a gelatinous mess. Certainly not transporting. Capesante: Sautéed sea scallop atop yellow &black polenta, sautéed lobster mushrooms, cream sauce. Just to be clear: this included exactly ONE scallop. The taste: Scallop cooked perfectly; flavors good, not great. Coda di Rospo: Roasted pancetta wrapped monk fish with rosemary, cannellini beans, red wine sauce, dry kale. Tasty, not fantastic. Filetto Di Vitello: Porcini powder dusted & sautéed Catelli veal filet medallions, roasted Porcini mushrooms, braised cipollini, Taleggio cheese sauce &veal jus: Very good, not fantastic. Torta di Cioccolato: dark chocolate torta: pistachio, lime, basil, coconut. Once again, this was good, not great. The basil flavor overwhelmed the rest of the dish. With regard to service. We have no complaints, although we’ve had far better, more competent service in other high-end restaurants. At this time, Galileo does not have a dedicated Sommelier, and the Manager is serving in that role. A quick look at the wine list left us feeling a bit intimidated as the prices seemed to be starting at well over $100 per bottle and quickly ranging upwards. The manager assured us we could get a bottle far below those prices and, after we described our desire for a medium-bodied red, he brought us a perfect $50 wine (Tenuta Carretta Barbera d’Alba 2005). We did not finish the bottle and we requested to take it with us. Apparently, the restaurant does not yet have the appropriate packaging bags and we were left with the naked bottle to carry out onto the street. I felt a bit awkward standing on the sidewalk waiting for our car to be brought up, holding a half-empty bottle of wine in full view. (I’m not at all sure, but this may even be illegal. We will certainly return to Galileo and hope for an even better experience.

Sauteed boneless chicken breasts with lemon-basil sauce Broiled tomato halves Sauteed red chard with garlic Green beans with lemon-parsley sauce

Yes, you could do that. It should store well in the freezer for up to 3 months.