bookluvingbabe

I went last year. Get any of the ice creams--the burnt sugar was amazing. Beyond that, I had a terrible cold and don't remember much of what I had. My reservation is for Thursday night so I'll try to post any MUST haves when I get back to the hotel.Jennifer

Sounds fabu! We're spending 3 days in LA before Hawaii next month. I haven't been to LA since 1999 so I'm not sure what we're going to do yet. Jennifer --- Dining at The Original Farmers Market (AlliK)

So I was on my way to my meeting, minding my own business, when the call came to cancel. My car was a mere block from Palena. There were many, many, many emergencies lights beckoning in the distance (i.e. the other 5 blocks to my house...) What to do? Settle in for the pate --very nice but there is one seasoning or ingredient or something in there that I just don't like... Then the gnocchi with fennel sausage bolognase. Wow! But the highlight of the meal was still to come--the chocolate eclair. What is usually a total miss for me was perfection on a plate in what I assume was Ann's hands. The pastry was perfect, the chocolate filling was amazing. Brought home a burger for Mr. BLB, if he ever gets home from work. Malick took fine care of me and I read another 65 pages while I was eating. What's not to like??? Jennifer

I tried and failed to work in a visit on Friday using the old "we'll go if there's a parking space out frount" ploy with my husband. Alas, it was 7 by the time we drove past and not a parking space in sight--or a seat from the looks of the place. Toyed with going on Saturday early during the Redskins came but cooked instead. Wondering if I can fit a trip in tonight or tomorrow....

Last night: kasha varnishkes from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. It only called for a cup of bow ties which seemed to few so I made it with 2 1/2 cups and it seemed a better ratio. Very simple except for the 4 pots I dirtied making it... Jennifer

I don't wait. Yes, it's better the next day but that's my secret since Mr. BLB does much like leftovers!!!

I had to cancel a 6:30 reservation at Tosca on Monday. Check Open Table! Sigh....

Back to NY for more meetings, work, etc. But...at least I get to eat well. On tap this trip: L'Imperio Babbo Hearth I will make it to Pegu Club for a drink. I'm going to walk to Magnolia and have a cupcake. And if I cross my fingers and toes, I might wangle a trip to the Chip Shop in Park Slope. Jennifer

Canceling my Saturday at 9 pm reservation at Corduroy. (Just watch me end up on an earlier flight....Sigh...) Go snag it on opentable now! Jennifer

Where's Tom?????

Anyone know if Corduroy is extending an extra week? I screwed up royally and my plane lands at 8:38 pm on Saturday night--not enough time to get to Corduroy for a 9 pm reservation. Next available time is 10:30 pm and I'm not eating that late. I'll post before I cancel on Opentable to give a DRer first shop at grabbing it... Sigh... Jennifer

Great. Another bank! The consignment shop has nothing interesting in it and we still have no decent cupcakes. This is more general whining about Van Ness but is Sips ever going to open??? Is Michael around? After he masters the Montgomery County laws, perhaps he can take a crack at the Riedel's space and know the craziness that is doing business in three seperate municipalities! Jennifer

I went to a party there and they had light apps. Nothing special and they were having "plumbing problems" and were orginally refusing to let guests use the "staff" restrooms. Turned out that some young women had locked the doors to the bathroom to primp. For an hour!

At least the owner ate the Chocolate Mousse space for a year before finding a tenent. I take a secret joy when I see small business's forced out and the owners unable to rent the space for the much higher rent they think the deserve. (My personal favorite was the spot at CT and T where the Newstand used to be. How long was it empty before we got yet another Bank???)Jennifer

Happy New Year!!!! We had a Sunnyside skirt steak, baked yukon gold potatoes and salad. I'm sipping a Gruet demi-sec and waiting for my Cheesetique sheep's brie to come up to temp.... Jennifer

Check opentable for Sunday the 15th at 6 pm. Just dumped it 20 minutes ago...

And pork it was. I love capers. I think they are a wonderful flavor and Chef uses them perfectly in this dish. We started with the mushroom bruscetta and the oysters. Very nice though the oysters were just a touch oily. I've seen that at lunch but never before at dinner. They were still great, though the price creeped up again. I had the wonderful pork and Mr. BLB had the red snapper. (Why is it called red snapper if it's a white fish???) I had a taste and it was very flavorful and tasty. For dessert I had the creme caramel and he had the rice pudding. Nice but..drumroll please... NOT my beloved bittersweet panna cotta. A lovely evening and great service from Virgil as always. Alas, the real reason for the trip was a dud as Books a Million did not have the Pooh calendar that Mr. BLB owes me as a Christmas gift. Jennifer

Right now I've got: Monday night: Tosca Saturday night: Corduroy and an opening on Sunday night because I cancelled Notti Bianche (see etiquette thread...) Anyone been to New Heights lately??? Pondering... Jennifer

Ouch!!!Note to self: cancel upcoming reservation at Notti Bianche as I won't give money to a company that doesn't welcome everyone, including nursing mothers. Where exactly was she supposed to feed the baby? Do you have a seperate facility for nursing mothers? Would you have brought her dinner to her in that location? Would you have preferred that she ignored the baby's cries of hunger and let him/her scream through the balance of dinner? (Note I'm not debating whether the parents should have brought the baby out. But once you seated them, surely you had a reasonable expection that the kid was going to need to eat at some point...) Sigh.... Not a parent but a proud aunt to six nieces and nephews who all probably broke this etiquette rule at one time or another...

I'm afraid to ask but how much was the truffle dinner?

I can't believe how far down this thread was buried!!!! Going tonight for a not-quite NYE dinner plus my sweetie owes me a Christmas gift at Books a Million so if you're going to Dupont Circle you might as well have dinner at Firefly. I'm going to pass on the lamb as I've had braised beef for dinner 3 of the last 4 nights. I think the pork is calling my name.... Anyone been lately???? Jennifer

None. Nada. I noticed a sign in the window when I drove past last week so last night we specifically stopped to read it. It was the good-bye note from the Thai Room folks from April!!!!! No permits, nothing. Sigh... Jennifer

Tonight: Braised beef shanks Mashed yukon gold potatoes Roasted asparagus Not sure if I'm baking a pie today or if the Christmas cookies will suffice. (My hands are still green from the food coloring for the icing...)

The one in Cleveland Park is--I remember seeing a sign last week.Jennifer

Now usually I don't end up at two great places in one day but when Mr. BLB came home and I hadn't put in the chicken to roast yet, it seemed like a trip out was a good thing. (I went to Restaurant Eve for lunch...) Two Amy's reported a 20 minute wait and Palena said they weren't full yet. Off we went. I started with the Pot au Feu. That was amazing stuff. I did point out that if I developed salmonella I wasn't going to know the source since I had two undercooked eggs that day from two different sources. Oh well. It was so worth it! Mr. BLB had the minestrone which tasted. I can see why there is so much love for that around here. I hesitated to order it myself because I don't care for fennel too much. I didn't really feel overwhelmed by it. The gnocchi is now moved onto a new cheese--castlemango instead of the non-blue cheese it was before that now escapes my little brain. Still has the sweet potatoes and the wild rice. Mr. BLB ordered it and I took a nibble--I'm not a blue cheese person but it was pretty darn good. I had the penne with the hare ragu. Wow. I wished it was colder and that I was hungrier and that there were a few more penne in the plate because there was much more meat left at the end. I couldn't get the ratio quite right on my fork! No dessert--we were tired, it was late and though Ann's cookies beckoned, we're making our own Christmas cookies today and tomorrow. They'll be closing a bit early on Saturday night and will be closed Monday and Tuesday of next week. Plan accordingly! Jennifer