Gillian Clark

Design choice...consider it an underline.

A ray of hope. I see sunshine behind the cloud. Maybe if word gets out that my chicken is soggy and bland, I can stop selling 1300 pieces a week.

Listen, I do just that. I speculatively fry 30 pieces of chicken and it is often not enough and then there is a wait. I have gotten pretty good at predicting. But I do get over zealous and fry to much. But I am a professional the staff eats whats left for dinner (they are all fat now) and what I can't cram down their pie holes, I have a guy in the prep kitchen that skins it, pulls it off the bone and it goes in the pot pie. Ha ha. Okay that's it for me. Gotta go back to work. See you guys next month or so.

Yes. I know. Everyone misses the CK brunch. But listen, the General Store is a different place and was not designed to do that kind of volume or food. The kitchen and prep areas are designed to do the menu we've got. Sorry. But have faith. There is no limit to my genius. There will be more restaurants and more food, if I have anything to say about. More to love, more to hate, and more to just go, "eh". I have all kinds of plans for all sorts of places to pop out all over to DC (anyone got $15 million?). Seriously, we had no idea that Colorado Kitchen was really going to close. So the concept for the General Store was different on purpose and the real estate lends itself to a quick bite. It is not at all like CK and I know that hurts for some people. But it is what it is. Remember CK did not serve Fried Chicken every day either. And there was no carry out. So there is some to love about the G Spot.

PS: Robin is not a Chef. Only Gillian gets to wear that hairshirt

We are not very crowded on Sunday Brunch. I know. Hard to believe. We do have chicken and waffles. In fact it is what Guy Fieri asked me to cook for him. (He loved it btw). Any hoo we also do Eggs Benedict Waffle, biscuit and sausage gravy waffle, french toast waffle, scrambled egg and toast waffle, sweet potato waffle with goat cheese fritters and jam. You've got to try it.

Sorry J. chicken is never reheated. I am basically frying chicken from 11 to 8 every night. Except sunday. You may have gotten the last of a tray that was kept in the warmer. But no chicken is in that warmer for more than 20 minutes. I only fry about 20 or 30 pieces at a time and they are usually gone in 15 minutes, slow or busy. Some folks come in and surprise me before I have had a chance to fry and they have to wait 20 minutes. That is okay for some, others make a big stink and leave. So I try and do my best to keep it on hand. As for me being here, for now, I am here all of the time. I'm the black one with the chef hat. Robin is the spikey haired white woman. We are always here. If you have something going on that is not to your liking, give us a shout.

I love this place.

Keep your fingers crossed. We are hoping to open the doors any day now. A few loose ends and inspections are all that stand in the way.

I am a fair food fanatic...can you tell? Don't answer that. Three ears of roasted corn on top of just about everything else. The toothpicks at the corn stand were a great touch.

Don't be afraid of the chicharron en salsa verde...I know, I know it is a heart attack in a taco skin. Pork skin simmered in green chili sauce, it is probably the best I've had in this country. Luis is our neighbor, and as a chef and single parent just like he is, I appreciate the blood and soul he has put into his stores. Like many of us in this business he has to contend with staffing issues and crazy things like when the produce company lets you down. Luis has two stores now and Im sure is running back and forth to each one. He also goes to the big market on New York Avenue every morning and loads his truck full of produce so that he has the opportunity to hand select his stuff. If he ran out of avocados, its probably because he was selective and there weren't as many good enough for him to stock two stores. This is the type of restaurant owner we need to get behind. An independent guy that cares about his customers and his products. In a couple of months he and his staff will work out the kinks and the youngsters he has working for him will get it and know the drill.

Hi folks, Avenue Oven in Takoma Park is slated to open around November. But that could easily slide into 2009 if things don't go exactly as planned. And considering our experience with that very old building in Forest Glen, that may be what happens. The space is actually 3000 square feet. Almost twice the size of Colorado Kitchen. We expect there to be close to 90 seats. And because the kitchen will be way bigger we can do some carry out and be open a full 12 to 13 hours a day. We are of course going to do what makes sense while serving top notch food. Unfortunately for some, kids running around does not make sense indoors. So as typical of us we will make it a point to curtail that. I have kids of my own as all of you know and they grew up in restaurants. I think there is a time for running and a time for eating. Doing both at the same time gives one gas. As far as the food goes, I'm stealing some from my NY Jew upbringing. So it will be American with an Eastern European lean. I have always been taken by the immigrant's take on American food (Colorado Kitchen of course was my Panamanian parent's take on American food--Betty Crocker through my dad's eyes). Look for a great Sunday Brunch that is very different from CK. As far as Forest Glen is concerned or the G Spot as you guys are calling it LOL. We are getting closer every day. We had to make some changes to satisfy the building inspector and I think we are back on track. Hopefully we are a little less than two months away on that project. Thanks for your interest and support. And know that I can't wait to get back into the kitchen and I'll be back before my most prominent burn scars fade. See ya soon.

I have to confess. When I was in the marketing business and used to take clients to lunch all the time, I was often ordering that salad at the Fridays near my office. However, as the years went on it kind of lost something. But I turned on a lot of clients (even those that never hired me) onto that salad.

Yes, I make the mayo. Plenty of lemon juice is the secret. The recipe is in my book. And Burger and Fried Chicken night comes round again next Tuesday, January 8th.

We were serving skirt steak at Cashions Eat Place when it first opened in 1995. It is incredibly flavorful and when cooked and cut the right way quite tender. It really was under utilized and considered the butcher's secret like flat iron.

Jeeez Loueeez. Certified Angus!

A DISTANT THIRD? Yikes...May I add the the Burger at CK is 7.50 and its freshly ground CAB. I don't think you can get a better burger for under $10. See you Tuesday. And then come to my window and tell me I'm a distant Third Oh by the way...I'm not really mad. Just kidding. There's a rumor going around town that I don't have a sense of humor.

No one took pictures that I know of. But by 8:30 Rebekah was sure that her belly had touched everyone in the room.

Actually the final count was Chicken 23; Catfish 19 And Rebekah is having a baby girl in late February. Glad everyone had a good time. Next time don't feel like you have to bring your own beverages. We had plenty of beer chilling and plenty of wine at the ready.

Okay..so we are starting at 6pm. and there are 43 people. I will cook like I'm expecting 50. We can do a reception for 15 min or so with a little sparkling wine and a snack TBD. Then serve dinner at 6:30. Anyone who is late will be seated and served as they come in. They'll just miss the reception. Menu: Fried Chicken (3pcs light and darK) Corn Bread, Collard Greens or Fried Catfish with Tartar Sauce, Hush Puppies & cole slaw Apple Pandowdy

It is called Ephemere. I can get the details (brewery etc.) They make a fine selection of beers including the Maudite (kind of spicy and crisp)

Don't worry...go to PS 7. B&FC night will be held the second Tuesday of every month. We had a lot of fun the last time we did this menu. And I came away with a lot of insight and stories for my talk on greens at the SFA Symposium later that week. Join us in December and then January.

Actually, most of our customers are "Non-Brightwoodians" Don:we have a sparkling Chardonnay--great with fried chicken; i forgot to tell you. And a sparkling shiraz that goes great with a burger. We actually don't get busy until 7pm and after. We open at 5pm which is pretty early. We did the reservations thing and it was a nightmare. Out of a table of four, one person would show up. Then fifteen minutes later the rest of the party. While a line of people at the door looked at the empty table, looked at me. I think the last night we took reservations was the night that Susan Kidd (she's maybe 6 ft tall) was the one sending the eyeball daggers. Those 15 little tables fill up fast but they empty fast too. Its hard having a little foyer where everyone can see what is going on and to not have one of those dark rooms in front where everyone waits not knowing what is going on in the dining room. But the longest dinner time wait is maybe 20 minutes. If you come at 8pm on Saturday night you'll have to endure that wait. We have a terrible wait some brunches but not this past Sunday. If the Redskins are playing at 1pm; the dining room is empty at 12 nooon. We were all standing around twiddling our thumbs. CAN YOU believe it? Another great place with a long wait is Pizzeria Paradiso. You just have to time it. I try and get there pretty early. After 7pm you're in for a wait. But its worth it, isn't it?

We're back. And to pay the plumber we're having Fried Chicken And Burger Tuesday 11/13

JLK...it hurts to throw food away. Funny sometimes on Sunday I run out of grits and then there are times I have a butt load left over. I hate to throw them away. But what can you do. Sometimes I let them cool and slice the hardened grits and fry the bricks of grits in bacon fat. I know...killer...but staff loves it. But give us another week JLK. We are going to be closed for a week because I will be in Mississippi for the SFA conference. There'll be plenty of grits that first weekend in November.