Lola007

Thanks for the detailled report, GennaroE. I'm with you--$9 for a sandwich served w/ Utz potato chips? For that price, Toscana really needs to improve the quality of its sides. A small green salad or fruit salad would be nice. Btw, do they have Italian sodas like aranciata or limonata?

Vichy is very good. I also like Vittel (spring water). My sister who lives in France swears by it.

Thanks everyone! I'm also dreaming about a nice hot buttered rum. Something like this: http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/article/24/22148 P.S. Looks like I'll need to pay a visit to Restaurant Eve & PX. They've got some amazing fall cocktails. Apparently, Restaurant Eve has a Cold Buttered Rum. Sounds interesting! http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/artsfun/13699.html

I absolutely adored Fiamma. Am so glad to hear that Fabio is back!

Thanks, Keith. That's great news. I heart Fabio!

Would love to hear how it turns out. I'm also now motivated to drop by Palena for a chicken fix.

I get what you mean. Although I've not made the chicken dish w/ potatoes, when I lived in Spain I learned how to make a Spanish sole dish--almost like a casserole. I was taught to lightly fry the potato slices before baking them with layers of sole, tomatoes, and onion along with olive oil and salt and pepper. If the potato slices weren't fried and were only baked, they came out soggy, but if they were fried first, they were firm--not exactly crispy, but not soft and really very tasty. Perhaps it would work w/ the potato slices in the chicken dish too.

No offense taken although I do have some understanding of how oven-cooking works. As I said, I've never made chicken w/ potatoes as described by beef n'chedda and lelebo before. And as leleboo specifically mentioned that she was looking for a way to crisp the potatoes, it semed like your response was intended to address that question.

Thanks for your reply. I'm not surprised by your comments on Katz's corned beef. I haven't heard of Blooms. I'm a fan of Second Avenue Deli and Carnegie Deli myself and have gotten into discussions with DC Katz deli afficionados about this. And I have no doubt that any number of South Florida New York-style delis are better than Katz's (with the possible exception of Katz's pastrami, which is fabulous). When I'm in NYC, I don't bother with Katz's, especially when I'm staying in midtown or closer to Central Park. As for Shake Shack, I don't think you missed much. If you need a shake fix, Good Stuff Eatery has great ones. I also like Potbelly's shaks (especially the chocolate malts). Actually that's more of a reminder to me.

Your expectation that crispy potatoes should result from this method is based on a misunderstanding of what is going on in the oven. By cooking a chicken on top of the potatoes, you are essentially braising the potatoes in chicken juices. *** To clarify my post, I was commenting on Beefnchedda's description of how he/she prepared the chicken. I've never made a chicken that way myself and didn't make mention of expecting crispy potatoes. Based on beefnchedda's description, I certainly wouldn't expect crispy potatoes, but at the same time, tend to think that there is a way to avoid sogginess. Perhaps you meant to respond to leleboo since she mentioned that she was looking for a way to crisp potatoes?

Beefnchedda, your chicken sounds amazing! I'm especially impressed by your brine mixture. I too wonder how to keep the potatoes from getting soggy from the juices of the chicken since the chicken is lying right on top of them. P.S. Can I come over when you make your next chicken?

Just last week, I was in the mood for a margarita, but now that it's so cool out, my thoughts have turned to fall drinks. What are some of your favorites? Recommendations for bars that feature these drinks would also be appreciated!

That's what I'm intrigued about too. Has anyone tried G Street's Montreal bagels yet?

I like Mama Ayesha's and would describe the food as home-cooked Lebanese. With all the choices for Middle Eastern in the area, I don't go as there often as I did 10 years ago, but the quality of the food remains high. I especially like the stuffed grape leaves and hummus. I'm going to dig up a review of a MA's I wrote not too long ago and will post it here shortly. Bon appétit! REVIEW Mama Ayesha's has been around forever and pre-remodelling, it was a neighborhood hole in the wall, one of those hidden, humble places with great food. The food is still good, but the decor has been updated with hanging lanterns, sleek booths, and waterfalls.I usually start with the hummus, which is always smooth and delicious (and sometimes get the baba ganouj too). For the main, I like the menzaleh (a kind of eggplant casserole with ground meat and tomato sauce) or the stuffed grape leaves. Sometimes I get kibbeh too, which is crunchy and delicious, and the falafel, which is right up there with the best falafel in the city. Dessert is baklava, sweet, but not too sticky or gooey served with either a cup of Turkish coffee or hot tea. I've taken a lot of out-of-town guests here and they've always been happy with the home-cooked style of food and gracious service. I've also heard that long-time White House reporter Helen Thomas (who is Lebanese-American) dines here fairly regularly.

We should have warned you that weekends, especially Sunday mornings at Russ & Daughters are a mob scene, and with the holiday approaching, it must have been pretty bad! Sorry about that. Hope that your trip went well otherwise. Funny you should mention having a bad experience at Katz's. I'm one of the people who doesn't think that Katz's is the be-all, end-all of NY-style delis; most people I know in the DC area (with few exceptions) are of the other opinion. What didn't you like about Katz's corned beef?

Tis true. Russ and Daughters' lox is the best I've had in NYC. Am not a fan of its bagels though. They're kind of on the chewy side. P.S. I just became a "grouper"!

[Edit: Wow, the $58 4 course option at 2941 looks awesome. I'd order it in a heartbeat. ******** Yeah, I thought the same thing. Am VERY curious about 2941. I'm sure you'd do well at Corduroy, but would love a report on 2941. Let us know how you make out, and have a great bday!

I picked up a couple of small cartons of Zico at Whole Paycheck last night. I never noticed before, but apparently the stuff is loaded w/ potassium. The box says that it has more potassium than a banana. I don't think I could drink it everyday, but I am thinking about cooking some rice with it, or maybe spiking it with rum.

I like Bistro Bis. It has a great ambiance and wonderful food, but to me, it's more like French-American. La Chaumiere in Georgetown is classic and tends to get an older crowd (I take my parents there when they visit). One of my favorites for French Provencale cuisine is Bistrot Lepic. Very charming little place in upper Georgetown and a good value.

I'm sorry to say that I too have had a couple of mediocre (more like bad) experiences at Comet Ping Pong (Sorry to rain on your parade, Anna and GennaroE!). I hear you on the lack of good dining options near P&P. Closer to Van Ness, I'd like to suggest Acacia Bistro, which is still fairly new. For a light bite, Acacia's small plates and at least one of the flatbreads (manchego cheese & potato) are good. Wine selection is decent. I posted a review of my August visit here: http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=12026&view=&hl=Acacia&fromsearch=1

You're welcome. I can understand that another hour's drive to Volt might not be in the cards (from my place in NW DC near AU, it took a little over half an hour to get there. Granted it was a Sunday and there was no traffic. Volt has a parking lot too, so there's no parking hassle like in DC). Anyway, if you don't make it to Volt for your bday, you definitely need to try it another time. Regarding the other options you mentioned, I've only been to Proof. I really like the menu and the wine selection, but don't know if I'd take kids there (maybe it would be OK for the 13 year-old). About Art & Soul, I've read mixed reviews and don't think the menu is terribly adventurous (although that would probably be good for your sisters). And as for Corduroy, I've read glowing reviews about it. Let us know how you make out.

Happy early birthday! I've heard that 2941 (Falls Church) is quite good and very accomodating of children. See the post by chowser at the end of this thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/651838 2941's menu looks amazing: http://www.2941.com/menu.php I'd also recommend Volt in Frederick. The setting is beautiful, the food is delicious, innovative, and well presented, and I think that they could accomodate your sisters. http://www.voltrestaurant.com/menusdinner.htm

Thanks for posting this, Anna! I'm not sure it I'll be able to make it, but will try. The book sounds interesting, and I'm a big Maureeen Dowd fan too.

I tend to agree with your observation. In my experience, the older generation of Israelis living in Israel feels that keeping kosher is important, while the younger generation is more relaxed about it. Regarding those Israelis living abroad, most of the Israeli government officials and business people I've known here and in Europe don't keep kosher (although I met a few in Belgium who do).

Well said. That was my point earlier.