bookluvingbabe

A last minute decision got us to dinner at Firefly at about 7. (Work was really lousy and I just didn't want to cook...)

Lovely as always.

Oysters, cornmeal mushroom dumplings and a martinini--oh my!

Two rib-eyes--both medium although they came out much closer to rare. I ate mine anyway (two spoonfuls of peanut butter for lunch will do that to you.) Mr. BLB sent his back and they fixed it without a problem.

(I did suggest that perhaps degree of doneness was sliding along the same scale as clothing sizes since we repeatedly run into the rare steak pretending to be medium these days... He scoffed at this but I'm still pondering it...)

The bittersweet panna cotta was amazing and the chocolate chip cookies were perfect.

I went home happy and content and ready to face the office today.

Jennifer

How was the pacing of the service?

Wondering if it would work for a pre-Nats game dinner stop...

Thanks!

Jennifer

Do they still sing to you????

I'm not going back until someone can gurantee me there will be no singing.

Jennifer

Big menu changes are on the way. Apparently very few dishes on the current menu will be on the new one, so get there soon to enjoy your old favorites and plan a return trip when the new menu is up!

Hmnn...

I was just thinking we hadn't been there in ages...

Any idea how soon he's ripping our beloved favorites away???? We have Nats tickets twice this week. Time to go negotiate with hubby.

Jennifer

How were the crabcakes?  Worth the splurge?

Jennifer

I was at Dupont around 9:30; picked up parsnips (because I've never tried them and thought I should. Got strawberries at Reids and splurged on crabcakes from the crabcake guy. Yum!

At the Arlington market this weekend I succumbed and bought some early tomatoes from Toigo after tasting a bite of the samples they had sitting out and I picked up some bacon from one of the other stands. You can see where this is leading.

But a few days ago jenrus watched the movie Spanglish - not my idea of a great movie, but whatever. In the movie Adam Sandler plays a top-level chef and was trained before filming by Thomas Keller. One of the extras on the DVD is Keller making his ideal sandwich. basically a BLT on good toasted bread with a yolky fried egg and melted Monterey Jack cheese. With that inspiration I gave it a shot.

No pictures, because it didn't look very pretty on the plate. But it was mighty tasty. The tomatoes were very nice for this time of year (can't wait for the summer to unfold) and the yolk from the egg gave the sandwich the extra bit of richness you probably didn't know that a BLT needed.

I've made something similar during the summer using the smoked mozzerella from the Blue Ridge Dairy. It's a pretty wonderful Sunday morning brunch item with bread fresh from the market. Takoma Bakery has a dill cottage cheese bread that's great and I've had great luck with Atwater's various breads.

Jennifer

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michel Richard and Mark Slater are rock stars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had the most amazing meal last night. Mark expertly guided our selections, but I think that you really can't go wrong with this menu. Mr. BLB muttered something about going back to law firm practice to afford eating there more often.

The vegetable shooter was a lovely wake-up and had all the flavors of gazpacho. This lead to a long conversation about how much I was looking forward to tomato season.

I had the beluga pasta to start--wow! (I know, I'm repeating myself but sometimes there is only awe.) It was clever but clever only gets you so far. The flavor was complex and wonderful.

Hubby had the asparagus Vichyssoise (Thanks JPW) and he liked it. But it was an awful lot of asparagus.

I had the lamb as the main; it was simply the most tender, flavorful lamb I've ever had. I don't remember which wine Mark paired with it but it was the perfect marriage.

Mr. BLB had the duck and it took my breath away. But it was a very small portion so I only had one bite. He's less of a wine fan but he voted his wine pairing a sucess.

Dessert--breakfast flakes and the chocolate cherry cup. Yum! Paired with a red dessert wine; Mark called it the chocolate dessert wine. Wow! I'm a total sweet wine junkie (I've got quite a stash of Canadian ice wine) and this was the perfect pairing.

Just a perfect meal and a perfect evening. In retrospect, I should have tried for a Friday night reservation cause it was awfully hard to get up this morning... Next year!

Mark--thank you!!!!!!!!! You made us feel like royalty and we had the most wonderful time.

Jennifer

Going tomorrow night for a delayed 1st Anniversary Dinner.

I've been before; hubby hasn't.

What is the not-miss dish of the moment?

Jennifer

After much negotating, we've decided on Buddakan.

Reporting back:

Buddakan was amazing. I was coming down with a cold but I could still tell this was amazing food. Like what Ten Pehn wants to be and than some. Great room, perfect food. Edamame ravioli that I'm still thinking about days later.

Breakfast at Reading Terminal Market--yummy, affordable and lots of fun. No time to walk around although we did snag cherry hamantashan for the ride home.

Cuba Libre--had a last minute dinner there and it was nice. Not outstanding, too loud but it was the food was solid and the sangria was festive.

Thanks for the suggestions and ideas!

Jennifer

I got one too.

Sigh...

Alas we have dinner at Ray's tonight, Cubs tickets for tomorrow and a long-standing potluck dinner set for Sunday.

Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn...

Very tempted to ditch something for this but I just can't justify it.

Keeping my fingers crossed for a second round of previews next week when life is slightly less crazy.

Jennifer

I walked past today at about 2:30.

Windows are uncovered; people were inside eating what apppeared to be dessert. I resisted the urge to press nose to window and whimper.

It doesn't really look open yet though...

No sign, no menu, and the door that leads upstairs is still partially covered.

Jennifer

I did it the old-fashioned way--I called and asked what the schedule was this week.

Just Thursday this week.

Sigh...

Jennifer

Thanks!

Alas, Vetri isn't open for lunch and I have to be back that evening because I'm seeing the Toulose Latrec exhibt first thing Saturday morning. (I'm not usually such an art slut but the schedule worked out this way...)

After much negotating, we've decided on Buddakan.

Jennifer

P.S. The Constitution Center is amazing!

{Don--I know this is off-topic but I'd like to hear what people I trust think about the Philly dining scene... Delete if you must!!!! } [(*)]

They've extended the Dali exhibit and I've got tickets for 9:30 on the morning of the 20th. A good friend is meeting me there from NY.

We may add in a trip to the Barnes or the Constituion Center but right now I'm just thinking about lunch.

We probably go to Philly once every 18 months or so and have pretty lousy luck with dining. Before we default to cheesesteaks (which we often miss if the parking and traffic is too bad...) I did discover I can get a table at the following places:

Lacroix at the Rittenhouse Hotel

Morimoto

Le Bec Fin
Buddakan

What's a girl to do????

Thanks!

Jennifer

---

[(*) Little did you know that almost eight years later, your "Delete if you must' imperative would result in a brand new forum!]

We had ours at McCormick and Schmicks in Bethesda.

It was....interesting...

All the OOT guests were at the Hyatt but the Hyatt wanted $10,000 to do the dinner...

I don't know what the in-laws ended up paying but they were happy with M&S.

I remember lousy salad and indiferrent entrees. And I was either really cold or really hot--can't remember which any more. The guests seemed happy though. (Not as happy as the next day but we had seriously fabu food at the wedding itself...)

My best tip is to type in the address of the hotel in to Yahoo, ask it for the closest resteraunts and start dialing... There must be some place that can accomodate you.

Good luck! (And if you can find a valium prescription to tide you over for the next few months, snatch it up!)

Jennifer

Anyone else not getting the chat at 11:13?

Yep. I was going to switch browsers to see if that helped.

Using Netscape right now.

15 Minutes (give or take....I got distracted at one point...) of hitting re-dial and I've scored a table for Friday the 13th.

Now I just need to break the news to the husband.

I can't imagine him being too upset.

I was thinking though how nice it would be if they opened a bit earlier. Say at 5 or so on Nationals game nights. That would be one fine meal to have before hitting the stadium.

A girl can dream.

Jennifer

How do you know when you've gone over the edge???

When you schedule a doctor's appointment with the hope that just maybe the Grill will be open...

Keeping my fingers crossed for Tuesday the 10th...

Jennifer

Last night--

canderli-- I can't say it but darn is it good. (Although I prefer the sheeps milk raviolini....)

the seared yellowfish caeser--not as good as the salmon the first time I had it; better than last weeks salmon. A fine salad!

AND...

Cheesecake -- I love Ann. I miss Ann. I'd sell major body parts to get cupcakes on the menu. But that cheesecake gives new meaning to cheesecake--that sickly sweet junk they serve at famous chain places.

Monday nights at Palena--it's becoming a habit.

Jennifer

So is the burger at Palena still good or not as impressive as it used to be? A dinner decision is pending based on recent evaluations.

I do like the burger at Mortons, and the burger at Chef Geoff's (especially on the last Monday of the month) is pretty good. But I can't make a claim about "best" easily.

Also, I've heard there's a wagyu burger at Landmark Restaurant in the Melrose that is to die for. Sonoma will also apparently be featuring a wagyu burger, significantly closer to home...

K

Mr. BLB almost always gets the Palena Burger. Except for one really off night about 9 months ago when they served his burger pretty much raw (he orders it medium...), we haven't noticed a significant change in quality. (I just look sad and pathetic til he shares a quarter of it with me.)

One of my fav things to do is order the burger and save half for breakfast the next day. It holds up REALLY well...

Jennifer

P.S. He ordered it on Monday night and it was prettty close to perfection on a bun.

P.P.S. I have noticed a tendancy to go a bit heavy on whatever it is they smear on the buns sometimes though. I can end up with quite a mound on my plate...

Friday 4/29.  Who?  Where? (Circle Bistro)

Alas, National's Tickets....

I walked past today and there is definitely work happening inside!

Who knew I could be so excited by the sight of paint?

Jennifer

I'll check with Mr. BLB and see if we can come. (Anniversery is the next day--just not sure what we're doing or when...) And I have to check the National's schedule.

Be gentle, I'm an outing virgin....

Jennifer