The Doctor

Thanks. That video actually gives me some hope! Now another stupid question: can those things be used on an outdoor grill or electric stovetop with the same results? Probably the grill would be ideal.

So this is going to showcase how little I know about cooking and cookware, but can someone explain the magic of fajita platters?

My dad always enjoys seeing the sizzling platters come out to the tables at restaurants, so I thought it might make a good father's day gift. This set at Amazon has universally positive reviews.

However, in reading those reviews, it seems like there's more to it than just heating the platter up. It looks like you may not actually cook the meat/vegetables on the platter itself, but rather cook them separately and then transfer everything to the platter for serving. Is that correct? And what keeps them sizzling for so long afterward?

Thank you for your time and attention.

I'm not sure if Clyde's has upped their shrimp game or if they reserve a selection of them for those who pay full price in the dining room, but the ones I had on Sunday at Gallery Place were the biggest and tastiest I've ever eaten there.

As we're talking about dollar amounts here, I should say that full price for a shrimp is now $3.50, getting dangerously close to Bill O'Reilly enragement territory.

I'm not sure if Clyde's has upped their shrimp game or if they reserve a selection of them for those who pay full price in the dining room, but the ones I had on Sunday at Gallery Place were the biggest and tastiest I've ever eaten there.

The illuminated sign on the front of the building has been changed from Tsunami to Baan Thai. The website (accessible through both baanthaidc.com and tsunamisushidc.com) continues to have both logos, but says, "It's official! We have changed our name to Baan Thai! But fear not, we still offer Tsunami's amazing sushi to go along with our authentic Thai Menu!"

"If the robot is successful, it could mean we can simply tap a button on our phone to have a meal prepared in time for us coming home from work."

Also reported in TIME.

Closing for good on Sunday.

I went on Friday night and Peter Chang was on the premises. It was definitely one of my better Chinese dining experiences in the DC area (not too difficult), but I can't say I was enlightened as to why this cooking has a cult following. We had no issues with the service.

The eggplant was the star of the show. And while everything else was good, I'm not sure I would call the rest of the dishes special or unique.

The scallion pancakes were nice. The crispy pork belly, too, but the quality of the frying probably stood out more than the pork itself. Likewise for the bamboo fish.

The biggest dud of the evening was the lamb chops, which we ordered with the level-two cumin spicing. (I had originally set my eyes on the boneless fish, but decided against that after a neighboring table commented that it was on the sweet side.) The meat was cooked fine, but unlike the other spicy dishes, all I could pick up was pure heat. I think it may have tainted my enjoyment of the other two entrees we ordered.

To sample the ma la cooking, we tried the duck in stone pot. This had a great and complex flavor, although I really couldn't detect any numbing sensations. It had a bit of a kick, but to be honest the most interesting spicing experience of the meal came from the eggplant. The mapo tofu was fine, but I can barely remember what it tastes like (possibly due to my mouth burning from the lamb chops).

The highs were high enough that I'd like to go back and try some of the other dishes, but given the crowds and the question of whether Chang will be in the kitchen, I'm not sure if it'll happen.

So I've been reading up on the most popular dishes, and I've found the dry fried eggplant, bamboo fish, and scallion pancakes on the appetizer menu. But I'm coming up empty handed on the main courses. I don't know if I see the fish with special sauce. There are a couple of fish dishes with pictures, but none of them looks like the one in the Andrew Zimmern vine posted a while back. And I suppose we can ask the server for recommendations for someone who wants to experience ma la for the first time, but recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

The website seems to be up and running again. DonRockwell.com also gets a nod in Chang's wikipedia entry.

Keep calling if they don't pick up. My friend was able to get through and make reservations for Friday evening. This will be my first Peter Chang experience. Does anyone have any advice about what to expect in the spiciness department? I am curious about the numbing spices that have been mentioned. Sometimes I've enjoyed spicy dishes,  other times not -- for example, trying the papaya salad at the "Lao hot" spice level at Bangkok Golden nearly melted my face off.

So this is  the real deal, Peter Chang's in the kitchen, better go now before he's gone?

My main complaint on my one visit to the original location was the pacing, too. (Three people finishing in just over an hour.) To be fair, though, I also felt a little rushed on my two visits to Little Serow, and I left there still hungry. After Thai X-ing, I was very full. And although the food wasn't as memorable as Little Serow, I thought all of Thai X-ing's dishes were good, especially the pumpkin curry.

Do they forbid photography as they do at Komi?

That is correct.

The website now says "No flash photos or video, please." I paid a visit after randomly discovering this wasn't the first public use of the name Little Serow.

I had a terrific first visit to Baan Thai two weeks ago and can't wait to go back. Although it wasn't nearly as crowded its competitors typically are, the menu deserves as much attention as Soi 38, Thai X-ing, Doi Moi, Little Serow, and Bangkok Golden/Thip Khao. And out of all those places, it was here that I felt the most enthusiasm from the staff in walking us through the offering of dishes. Maybe it's because I spend a lot of time passing through Logan Circle, but Baan Thai seems like such as easy option for those who want to branch out into new Thai flavors without much effort/advance planning. It reminds me of the excitement I felt in the very early days of Thai X-ing.

Below is what my party ordered. The surprise hit was the mango salad. It's awesome! The pungent bamboo salad, served warm, was good, too. The delicious pork curry was nearly identical to the version I had recently at Soi 38, except it used pickled garlic instead of peanuts. And the coconut dessert was worth ordering just for its unique appearance and texture. The restaurant's website has pictures of all the dishes so you can get a sense of what you're in for.

• Green mango salad (green mango, peanuts, scallions, onions, cilantro, carrots, roasted coconut flakes)
• Bamboo shoot salad (bamboo shoots, scallions, onions, cilantro, roasted rice powder, chili powder, lime juice)
• Grilled lemongrass shrimp (shrimp, lemongrass, garlic, "special" sauce)
• Vegetable curry in a cone (puff-pastry cone with carrots, potatoes, onions, curry powder)
• Crispy rice cakes with chicken and shrimp (rice cakes, ground chicken, ground shrimp, ground peanuts, onions, coconut milk)
• Northern Thailand pork curry (pork shoulder, ginger, pickled garlic, northern Thailand curry paste)
• Coconut milk griddle snack (coconut milk, rice flour, sugar, salt) -- this was on the separate winter specials menu so I've attached a picture.

Eater DC has reported a confirmation from Aaron Silverman that Michelle was there last night.

Edit: Washington Post now reporting, too.

Wonderful dinner last night (although a little less wonderful than my first time there, mainly because I loved 95% of the menu options the first time, and only about 80% this time).  What was really cool, though, is that President Obama was there with a large group. 

Say hi next time. Did you actually see Barack? From what my party was able to gather, it was just Michelle. (There were a handful of mentions on Twitter.) We saw the large party but couldn't identify her. I'll report back on the food later.

If you wait in line right before they open, is it possible to defer to a later seating time? Not all members of my party would be able to arrive by 5:30 p.m.

On Facebook, Chef Overmiller says her last day is the 17th. Only a handful of opentable reservations remain for the next few days.

Tim Carman did a write up a few days ago.

I am confused as to how Retro Ray's works. When it first started I think it had its own entrance, but the last few times I was there they had everyone coming in through the main Ray's entrance. On one occasion I asked to be seated in the Retro area but then was told the retro menu was only in effect on certain days (although they did give it to me after I asked). Is there a set policy for Retro Ray's offerings or is it continually changing?

Amsterdam falafel has been my go-to falafel place for years now.  Today's lunch was good with fresh, crispy but light balls and the usual large array of fresh toppings and good fries. However, why oh why did they start using shitty pita bread.  It was extra small and thin so it was hard to fill with toppings and lacked any flavor. They used to have pretty good more pillowy pita bread (factory-made I'm pretty sure, not homemade), but I guessed they changed.  This is a real shame because it would otherwise have been a pretty perfect meal.  What is up with the lack of decent pita bread at casual Mediterranean places (or Dutch here) in DC?  The two med places in Cleveland Park have awful, thin pitas that get soggy and fall apart.  I'd love fresh made, Israeli-style pita, but I'd settle for the decent King of Pita brand from VA that I can by in the grocery store.

Glad to know I wasn't imagining the change. I recently had some falafel there after a multi-year hiatus. I thought maybe I was remembering wrong that their pitas were good. The rest of the meal was just as enjoyable put the pita was a dud. The contents were seeping out everywhere and it was impossible to do the old "smash the balls and slide the toppings in" maneuver because the pita started to tear.

Thanks for the input! My office had a staff luncheon at DC Coast a few years ago in the downstairs section. (I wasn't involved in the planning.) 

Hi all,

I'm planning a sit-down dinner for approximately 45 people the evening of Wednesday, November 5. My guests will be staying at the Four Points Sheraton at 12th & K for a conference at the Convention Center. So the ideal location should be within a 12-15 minute walk of those venues.

Due to the size of the party, we will need a private room. Our budget is a max of around $50 per person exclusive of tax, tip, and alcohol, preferably lower.

I did a search of Open Table using the "larger party" option and found some surprisingly decent results. The ones I feel are close enough I've listed below. If anyone has alternate suggestions or comments about the following, I'd appreciate it. We're also very open about the type of restaurant -- ethnic food is definitely on the table (worst pun ever).

Anyway, here's what Open Table has in the vicinity:

Acadiana, Bibiana (!),  Bobby Van's Grill, Brasserie Beck, Carmine's, Clyde's of Gallery Place, CoCo Sala, Cuba Libre, DC Coast, Kellari Taverna, Mio, Oceanaire, Ping Pong Dim Sum Chinatown, Poste, Rural Society.

Thanks!

No whelks in the Grand Chesapeake Boil today, but no matter...it's still a sumptuous plate for two or more.

I was in for a drink on Sunday and was told that whelks are temporarily off the menu. They didn't have the full story since the chef wasn't in, but it sounded like some seasonal/pricing issues. My impression was that they'd be back in due time.