CajunJason
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Everything posted by CajunJason
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I've had nothing but wonderful meals at the Greek Taverna, just saying. -
Sad story. Mr. Dean is a gracious host who takes tremendous pride in his restaurant and his product. The food, in my experience, was always decent and very well prepared- and had authentic & traditional flavors that are often lost in suburban Indian restaurants. Mr. Dean's chef & kitchen staff deserves much of the credit, although the owner presents himself as the frontman of the restaurant (both in front & back of house). The decor and ambience were hideous, but the true hospitality shown by the staff compensated (and then some) for the truly awful interior.
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I can't remember the last time I was this excited for a restaurant announcement. Anthony Chittum of 3-Star Vermillion in Old Town, formerly of the 3-Star Notti Bianche (back when it was the real Notti Bianche), is planning to re-open the Iron Gate Inn at 17th & N Streets according to The Washington Post. Chef Chittum with be partnering with former employers at the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (Vermillion, Churchkey, Rustico etc) and will keep the name of the Iron Gate Inn, but will feature Italian & Greek cuisine. Tony's grilled fresh seafood is among the best I've ever had, I can't wait to see what he does in Dupont. Congrats Chef!
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My bet would go to the Pentagon City Mall food court as hosting the most tour bus passengers on any given day.
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A small group of friends made a reservation for dinner a week or so ago to celebrate a birthday on a Saturday night. If there is one restaurant in this town that I kick myself due to the length of time it's been since my last visit, it's Corduroy. This is one of the finest that Washington has to offer, and I absolutely need to come here more often. We each ordered the tasting menu- highlights included the lobster salad, braised pork belly and grilled strip of beef. Chef Power was seen the entire night in the kitchen personally inspecting each dish prior to delivery. The food is fabulous, and the service delivers the same level of perfection as the chef. On my several visits, I'm always surprised as to the menu/food & wine knowledge of the service staff here. They know every little detail about each & every dish, you'd think they went shopping for the ingredients themselves. All without being "too much", a perfect balance.
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When the exact same thing happened to me (and to 2 separate friends of mine of different occasions) I got up and found the manager. He did nothing and I left. This is the single worst service experience I have ever encountered at any restaurant. I say this with no exaggeration. I sometimes have a tendency to be snarky in an attempt to be funny or to emphasize a point, but I type the honest truth here today.
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I was never impressed with the original Wilson Tavern. Quite the opposite, actually. It was a good idea in theory, but the execution was missed on nearly all levels- at least on the two times that I came in. The original fare seemed interesting on paper, but when delivered to the table, the plates were a sloppy mess. The self-proclaimed "macaroni-and-cheese to die for" I suppose is a true statement, because I wanted to choke on the ultra-bland noodles sogged down with overwhelming artichoke juices and undercooked pork belly. And the wretched mussels were bland, dry, over-cooked and tasted of yucky fish. The "hand-crafted" cocktail list was super un-original and lacked inspiration. On the other side of the coin, I sincerely hope the service staff remains happily & profitably employed during this transition without disruption- as they were very friendly and grateful for their guests. So welcome, new Wilson Tavern to your peers in Sysco mediocrity. It's a proven business model in this orange-line "land of those who don't know better, or know to know better."
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Rasika is my favorite restaurant in the city right now. The cuisine is consistently spot-on, and the service is flawless. Everyone involved in the Rasika experience- from the reception staff, to the waiters & backwaiters, to the management and wine staff, all display a true pride in delivering this extraordinary experience to their guests. And the fact that a second location is in the works, at 22 West, is all the more exciting. I feel fortunate to have a restaurant like this in our city.
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The Cajun Experience played host to some friends & me several times this past Summer, and it was always a great experience. Particularly on a Friday or Saturday night when the live blues band is playing- it's a great escape from DC life. The food was always on point, and even if it wasn't- I couldn't tell by the time I was halfway through my second hurricane. I came back for dinner this past Sunday night, and it seems to now be a completely different restaurant. I wonder if there was a change in management or ownership? With a dining room a third full, there was only one server working- and she has only been working there for a week. Drinks took 10 minutes, and the wait times for food were lengthy. Speaking of the food- we were told when greeted that the kitchen was out of the following items: Anything with gator as an ingredient, jambalaya, mac & cheese, all oysters, and everything on the dessert menu. I understand when a restaurant sells-out of a featured special, or a limited-supply item (like Prime Rib). But for a kitchen to be out of half the menu (which is seems like a consistent problem after reading the above post) is either a case of a chef who 1) Doesn't know or understand how to order and prep a restaurant kitchen, or 2) Doesn't give a "F". Either way, it's unacceptable and frankly embarrassing. Hopefully they'll shape-up, because this is a fun restaurant when it's on it's A-game.
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The exact same thing happened to me a few weeks back. I walked out. As a restaurant manager, if a guest stands up from a table and approaches you near the kitchen with an issue, it's probably best to resolve that issue immediately. Immediately. Especially after having waited for 20+ minutes. But alas, the manager seemed not to care and I felt totally ignored. The food and aesthetics and Pearl Dive are wonderful. But my last experience left me with the feeling that Pearl Dive didn't really care about my business, because the know they'll have an hour wait for dinner every night.
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Chef Enzo, I cannot wait to try your new restaurant, and would be glad to pay a whole $0.29 for water. Simply because I wouldn't be ordering the water, as that would interfere with my wine consumption. Just under 3 years ago, you prepared one of the top two meals I have ever had (In my life) at your previous restaurant of employment during my anniversary dinner. Very much looking forward to your cuisine in the near future.
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I Want You (He Says, Top Hat Donned, Finger Pointing)
CajunJason replied to DonRocks's topic in Events and Gatherings
I think it could be quite an experience with Applebees. Call two weeks in advance for a reservation, ask for the sommelier's recommendations for what would pair well with the evenings specials, ask the server to fully describe each dish (by using more than just nouns). Snobbery could ensue. -
Congratulations on your opening, and welcome to the neighborhood! I came by for dinner on your inaugural Friday night. The service is essentially on-point. Aside from reading this board, there's no way I could tell the doors just opened for the first time. Your staff is very welcoming & efficient without being fake or overbearing. I'm going to hold my comments on the food until a few weeks have past, but I'm looking forward to returning.
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Jaleo has accelerated downhill for many years now. It's on my list of "won't ever voluntarily go back" restaurants. After visiting Estadio, I proclaimed that Jaleo was dead to me. Zaytinya, for some reason, has remained a solid (and excellent) restaurant in my opinion. Good Mediterranean food in a sexy space with friendly & efficient service. Oyamel is great for a happy hour at the bar, especially when I get to put my ass near other people's guacamole. But that's about it.
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This website already f-ing annoys me. First impression = blown.
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The Clarendon neighborhood in general is ground-zero for mediocre restaurants. True, you can get a decent sandwich at Whitlow's (if you're in a dive bar mood) or an average salad at Harry's. And I respect what Liberty Tavern and Lyon Hall do, even though I'm personally not a fan of either menu- I understand these are 'good' restaurants. Where I get frustrated is when a restaurant, just due to location & design is always busy, to the point where they don't care about service or standards. Look at Rosa Mexicana or Tony & Joe's. Good locations, wretched food and service. I believe Circa Clarendon to be one of these restaurants. The food at Circa, at least at the Clarendon location, blows harder than the big bad wolf. The lobster ravioli (3 pieces $12.50) was overcooked to the point they didn't hold a shape, stuffed with some reddish paste that didn't have any flavor or texture of anything seafood- let alone lobster, and was smeared with so much goat cheese that completely overwhelmed any other flavor... probably for the best. The "Southern Fried Chicken" was so bland and poorly executed that I felt it was just shake-and-bake cooked in a microwave. After sending that dish back, with one bite taken out of one piece, the manager came to the table and said "you know- I tried a piece of the chicken in the back, it has no business being on the menu- the chef should be ashamed." Never-the-less, it was still on the check at the end of dinner. If you order a mimosa during brunch, expect it to be served in a rocks glass, with ice and a straw. By the time it was delivered to the table, half the ice had melted into a watery yuck. And the service is just simply pretentious and rude. But it's a pretty restaurant with a nice bar, and I'm sure it will stay busy for quite some time. Either because the patrons don't know better, or they don't know to know better. Either way, you'll never find me back at Circa Clarendon. Sigh.
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Jeff Tunks & Gus DiMillo are listed on the ABC license application posted on the door as well. Is this a full-on Passion Food venue?
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I've had a few wonderful meals at J. Gilbert's. Their Kansas City Strip has always been perfectly cooked & seasoned, the wood fired grill adds additional flavors that other steakhouses have a hard time replicating. The Monday-Thursday daytime bartender "Jerry/Jerbo" is a NOVA institution, one of the funniest people I've ever met. And the bar offers full Maine lobster at cost on Wednesday evenings during happy hour. Last time I checked, it was like $12 for 1 & 1/4lbs. I'll support locally owned & operated restaurants over corporate chains any day of the week. But, with Gilbert's, I'm not holding the Houlihan's affiliation against them. Let's not forget that The Capitol Grille is owned by Applebee's, and that's two very contrasting experiences. Same with J. Gilbert's.
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Clickity Click From DR.com's "Jobs & Employment"- Bookkeeper Needed for Galileo III Restaurant opening soon, any takers?
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This evening, Bazin's was host to my family for a birthday celebration. Through & through, a wonderful meal and great first-time experience for me at this restaurant. Started with a spring roll of jumbo lump crab and a basket of their bread (which is served toasted by default, but doesn't need to be). Entrees around the table included Monkfish with lobster/potato hash, beef tenderloin with truffle cream sauce (yum), Sea Bass and a leg of lamb. Everything was delicious, although the seafood seems to stand out. Then again, much to my dismay, the rest of my family prefers their red meats a thorough med-well (drives me crazy.) Desserts included a chocolate hazelnut bar, which I swear came straight out of Happy in the Kitchen, and a pecan & maple pie which was good, but could have been stickier & gooier. The service was friendly, mostly attentive but slightly dull. Which I'll take over bitchy & pretentious all day long. I'll definitely be back, folks around Vienna are lucky to have this in their backyard. -j
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This will probably get moved to the Clyde's thread, but it's been my experience that the food, service & management at Clyde's- any location, are akin to snowflakes. Every time it's different, sometimes beautiful (and delicious), sometimes ugly and atrocious. Zero consistency.
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I believe it's worth mentioning that the presence of a Sysco truck is not evidence of poor quality ingredients. Some of the finest & most celebrated restaurants in our area rely on purveyors like Sysco for products like paper towels, drinking straws, table salt etc.
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In today's Washington Post. I suppose we'll all have to wait and see, I secretly was hoping for something a little sexier than "approachable things to eat" like "a good steak". Perhaps a sign of the times.
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officially closed.
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To close in January, being replaced by "Rock N Roll Sushi," operated by the folks who run Public Bar in Dupont South.