Hoofhearted

You might think he's just a purveyor of corporate schlock, and you are certainly entitled to your beliefs, but 15 or so years ago Jose was not only a culinary innovator (how many tapas places existed in 1990?) but he was also a pioneer in revitalizing the Penn Quarter section of Washington.

If you could take a trip in the wayback machine to 9th street NW, circa 1986 or so, you would find peep shows, wig shops, boarded-up buildings, nightclubs, and drug dealers instead of a farmer's market, condos, museums, fine dining restaurants, and a big new arena. It was, in the words of Jaleo pastry chef Steve Klc, shitty and dangerous. Now, I frequented several clubs down there and harbor a great deal of misty-eyed nostalgia for the halcyon days of my youth, but no amount of nostalgia will convince me that, overall, the redevelopment of that neighborhood has not been a net positive for the city. And Jose was right there at the beginning.

As Far as 1990 Jose was probaly still cooking at El Dorado Petite! Not anywhere near the Penn Quater. The Jaleo on 7th was all the Idea of Roberto Alvarez and no one else (maybe Ann Cashion was involved). The Props of Revitalizing Penn Quater should be givin to only Roberto Alvarez not Jose R. Andres!

Did you have a chance to eat paella yet?

I had it 3 years ago and it was very salty and not impressive. I would like to know if they improve the quality.

Have you ever sat in a vineyard in Jumilla and had paella? The pan heated over grape vines, the rice gently stirred by the farmers wife, the rabbit just shot in the vineyard, and skinned by the wine maker? Well I have, and Jaleo is comes the closet to any paella I have had in America. The crispy burnt rice on the bottom of the pan, the layer of congealed fat that holds the heat in on the top of the paella. Salty is a taste preference, what may be salty to you may not be to me, what may be sweet to you may not be sweet to me. Go back 3 years is a long time.

So are paper towels, AA batteries, computer printer ink and laundry detergent. And your point is?

Wow what a Tone!

I have never once thought about the name of a place I am going to have dinner in. I always think about the experience I am going to have. Is the food going to be good, is the service going to be good, is the wine going to be at the correct tempature? A name is a name just a name...

John and Derek there is a guy calling you for a reservation for 10 people, I have a feeling it is too late at this point. I would just say I am terribly sorry we are all booked that night, and that night oh and that night to.

Had dinner at the bar last night and had the flank steak entree with a great sweet smokey mole and it was very good. The bartender with the funny hair was very nice also and knows the menu well. I will be going back during restaurant week, I noticed they had a sign up but I did not remember that they were on the restaurant week website. So I asked the bartender and he said there was a mix up and Oyamel never made it on the Restauratn Week Website, but they are definetly participating.

Overheard in the magazine section of Borders on Christmas Eve:

"You've gotta love a 100 Best that gives both Bucks and Colorado Kitchen 2 1/2 stars and puts Legal Seafood in their wine column."

U got ta Luv IT!

They Closed Today

Man I think Costco is Great!! I think they do a great job at those wonderful platters. My wife and I stoped in last week and got a small platter for a small get together everything was top notch. You can's go wrong with costco. Check out the wine prices too man they are really cheap and great selection the had Jepson sauv blanc for $5.oo a bottle what a bargin!!